Light assembly

• US 9,151,460 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Stagg, Timothy V., Ender, David A., Napierala, Mark E., Carpenter, Barry S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BANNAN, JULIE A
• Application Number:
  US13/384,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20120120672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 362/231, 362/230, 362/540, 362/541
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/255 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/08 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements and reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/00 Exterior vehicle lighting devices for signalling purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/10 Position lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/35 Brake lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/45 Reversing lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Light assembly having reflector (17), a light source (22), an outer light cover (12) having a first color zone (15) and a second, different color or clear zone (16), and an inner lens (19) with a transflective surface. Embodiments of light assemblies described herein are useful, for example, as signs, backlights, displays, task lighting, luminaire, and vehicle (e.g., cars, trucks, airplanes, etc.) components. Vehicle comprising light assemblies include those where the light assembly is a vehicle tail light assembly.

Claims

1. A light assembly comprising

an outer light cover having a first and second generally opposed major surfaces, and a first zone having a first color, and a second zone having a second, at least one of different color or being clear, the second major surface being an inner major surface;

a reflector having an inner major surface that is parallel to at least 30 percent of the inner major surface of the outer light cover;

an inner lens disposed between the outer light cover and the reflector, the inner lens having first and second generally opposed major surfaces, wherein at least one of the first or second major surfaces of the inner lens is transflective, wherein the second major surface of the inner lens is closer to the inner major surface of the reflector than the first major surface of the inner lens; and

a first light source that emits a first color when energized;

wherein there is an optical cavity between inner major surface of the inner lens and the inner major surface of the reflector, and wherein the first light source is selected and positioned to introduce light into the optical cavity such that, when energized, provides the same color for the first and second zones when viewed from the first major surface of the outer cover.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer light cover is curved.

3. The lighting assembly of either claim 1 or 2, wherein the first color of the first zone is red, with the first color of the first light source being red, the second color of the second zone is white or clear, with the second color of the second light source being correspondingly white or clear, and the third color of the third zone is amber, with the third color of the third light source being amber.

4. The lighting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second light source that emits a second color when energized, different than the first color of the first light source, wherein the second light source is selected and positioned to introduce light into the optical cavity such that, when energized, provides the same color for the first zone when viewed from the first major surface of the outer cover.

5. The lighting assembly of claim 4, wherein the second light source is selected and positioned to introduce light into the optical cavity such that, when energized, also provides the second color for the second zone when viewed from the first major surface of the outer cover.

6. The lighting assembly of claim 4, wherein the first and second light sources are in a single optical cavity.

7. The lighting assembly of claim 4, further comprising a third light source that emits a third color when energized, is the same as the first light source when energized, but brighter, than the first color of the first light source, wherein the third light source is selected and positioned to introduce light into the optical cavity such that, when energized, provides a light intensity brighter than the intensity of the first light source when viewed from the first major surface of the outer cover.

8. The lighting assembly of claim 4, further comprising a fourth light source that emits a fourth color when energized, different than both the first color of the first light source and the second color of the second light source, wherein the fourth light source is selected and positioned to introduce light into the optical cavity such that, when energized, provides a color different from the first and second light sources when viewed from the first major surface of the outer cover.

9. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner major surface of the curved outer light cover is generally convex relative to the reflector.

10. The light assembly of claim 1 having a length to depth ratio greater than 2:

1.

11. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the transflective surface is a film having a transflective surface, the transflective surface is molded into the inner major surface of the outer light cover, or the transflective surface is embossed into inner surface of the outer light cover.

12. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are each light emitting diodes.

13. The light assembly of claim 1 which is a vehicle tail light assembly.

14. The light assembly of claim 2, wherein the first color of the first zone is red, with the first color of the first light source being red, the second color of the second zone is white or clear, with the second color of the second light source being correspondingly white or clear, and the third color of the third zone is amber, with the third color of the third light source being amber.

15. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the transflective surface has a structure comprised of a plurality of shapes having a height to base length ratio greater than 0.6:

1.

16. The light assembly of claim 11, wherein the transflective surface has a structure comprised of a plurality of shapes having a height to base length ratio greater than 0.6:

1.

17. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein the transflective surface has a structure comprised of a plurality of shapes having a height to base length ratio greater than 0.6:

1.

18. The light assembly of claim 1, having a length to depth ratio greater than 3:

1.

19. The light assembly of claim 1, having a length to depth ratio greater than 5:

1.

20. The light assembly of claim 1, having a length to depth ratio greater than 10:

1.