Prism for light reflecting/diffusion between LED's

• US 9,205,775 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Harkins, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/042,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20150092389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23.1, 362/23.07, 362/23.17
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/23 using reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/695 Dial features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 13/20 with luminescent markings

Abstract

A first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element spaced apart from the first light-emitting element. An optical element is opposite to and between the first and the second light-emitting elements. The optical element is configured to at least one of reflect or diffuse light emitted by the first and the second light-emitting elements.

Claims

1. An instrument cluster assembly comprising:

a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element spaced apart from the first light-emitting element; and

an optical element opposite to and between the first and the second light-emitting elements, the optical element is configured to at least one of reflect or diffuse light emitted by the first and the second light-emitting elements;

wherein

the optical element defines a hollow cavity.

2. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and the second light-emitting elements are mounted to a circuit board.

3. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and the second light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes.

4. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and the second light-emitting elements are different colors.

5. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and the second light-emitting elements have different light-emitting intensities.

6. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second light-emitting elements are configured to emit light having more than one color.

7. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical element is included with an optical layer of the instrument cluster assembly between an applique layer and a circuit board including the first and the second light-emitting elements.

8. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical element is a prism.

9. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical element includes a light deflecting/diffusion surface that is generally round or generally V-shaped.

10. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical element includes a light deflecting and/or diffusing surface, at least a portion of which faces the first and the second light-emitting elements.

11. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical element extends to a distal portion thereof that is between the first and the second light-emitting elements.

12. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical element includes a light deflecting/diffusion surface having at least one of a textured surface or a patterned surface.

13. An instrument cluster assembly comprising:

a circuit board including a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element mounted thereto; and

an optical layer including an optical element extending towards the circuit board, a distal-most portion of the optical element is closest to the circuit board and is opposite to a portion of the circuit board between the first and the second light-emitting elements, the optical element is configured to at least one of reflect or diffuse light.

14. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 13, wherein the optical element includes a surface that is at least one of textured or patterned.

15. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 13, wherein the optical element is elongated and extends along an axis.

16. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 13, wherein the optical element is one of U-shaped or V-shaped.

17. An instrument cluster assembly comprising:

a circuit board including a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element mounted thereto; and

an optical layer including an elongated optical element extending in a first direction along a longitudinal axis and extending in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction to a distal-most portion of the elongated optical element that is opposite to an area of the circuit board between the first and the second light-emitting elements, the optical element is configured to at least one of reflect or diffuse light emitted by the first and the second light-emitting elements.

18. The instrument cluster of claim 17, wherein the optical element is one of U-shaped or V-shaped;

and

wherein the optical element includes a surface that is at least one of textured or patterned.

19. The instrument cluster of claim 17, further comprising a reflective case between the optical layer and the circuit board, the optical element extends into the reflective case;

wherein the longitudinal axis extends generally parallel to a plane in which the optical layer extends.