Head lamp assembly and accent lighting therefor

• US 8,066,416 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rebo Lighting & Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Federal-Mogul Ignition Company (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bucher, Lloyd Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): MAY, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/480,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20100008101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 362/555, 362/511, 362/510
• US Class Current: 362/511
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0052 concentric
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/28 for indicating front of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/141 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/251 the light guides being used to transmit light from remote light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0003 the light guides being doped with fluorescent agents

Abstract

A head lamp assembly having a main functional head lamp and a UV LED light source configured to direct UV light through a decorative accent light pipe is provided. The light pipe extends at least partially about the functional head lamp, wherein the light pipe has a phosphor coated surface to convert the UV light traveling through the light pipe into visible, luminous light. The visible light is emitted from the light pipe to provide the desired decorative appearance about the functional head lamp.

Claims

1. A vehicle head lamp assembly, comprising:

a functional head lamp;

a light pipe extending at least partially about the functional head lamp, said light pipe having a uniform, homologous material composition and being free of light enhancing indentations or ridges;

a UV LED light source configured to emit UV light through said light pipe; and

a phosphor coating on an outer surface of said light pipe, said phosphor coating being illuminated by said UV LED light emitted from said UV LED light source to provide a decorative ring of light at least partially about said functional head lamp.

2. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said light pipe has a luminescent portion and a non-luminescent portion, said luminescent portion having said phosphor coating and said non-luminescent portion being free of said phosphor coating.

3. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 2 wherein said non-luminescent portion optically communicates said UV LED light source with said luminescent portion.

4. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 2 wherein said phosphor coating is covered by a protective translucent coating.

5. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 2 wherein said light pipe forms an annular ring about said functional head lamp and said luminescent portion extends at least partially about said annular ring.

6. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 5 wherein said phosphor coating is coated over discrete, circumferentially spaced locations of said annular ring.

7. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 5 wherein said luminescent portion extends completely about said annular ring.

8. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 7 wherein said annular ring has a rearwardly facing surface and a forwardly facing surface, said rearwardly facing surface having said phosphor coating coated thereon and said forwardly facing surface being free of said phosphor coating.

9. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 7 wherein said annular ring is completely coated with said phosphor coating.

10. The vehicle head lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein the phosphor coating includes at least two different formulations of phosphor coating material, said different formulations of phosphor coating material emitting different colors.