Illuminating badge for a vehicle

• US 9,613,549 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US14/519,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 362487, 362496, 362509-510, 362545
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/005 Manufacturers' emblems, name plates, bonnet ornaments, mascots or the like; Mounting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/044 Signs, boards or panels mounted on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/048 Advertisement panels on sides, front or back of vehicles

Abstract

A badge mounted on a vehicle is provided herein. The badge includes a housing having a viewable portion. A first and a second light source are disposed inside the housing and are each configured to direct light toward the viewable portion. The viewable portion is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by light emitted from the first light source. Light emitted from the second light source produces a sparkle on the viewable portion.

Claims

1. A badge for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing of the badge having a viewable portion; and

a first and second light source disposed inside the housing and each configured to direct light toward the viewable portion;

wherein the viewable portion is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by light emitted from the first light source; and

wherein the second light source is disposed at a position in between the first light source and the viewable portion and is configured to pulse light in order to produce a sparkle at various locations on the viewable portion.

2. The badge of claim 1, wherein the second light source is disposed proximate at least one of an outer edge and a corner of the viewable portion.

3. The badge of claim 1, wherein the viewable portion includes a photoluminescent structure configured to perform an energy conversion on light emitted from the first light source.

4. The badge of claim 1, wherein the first light source is one of an ultraviolet LED, a violet LED, and a blue LED, and the second light source is a cool white LED.

5. The badge of claim 4, wherein the viewable portion luminesces in a neutral white color.

6. A badge for a vehicle, comprising:

a viewable portion of the badge;

a first light source configured to emit light toward the viewable portion; and

a second light source configured to pulse light toward the viewable portion;

wherein the viewable portion is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by light emitted from the first light source; and

wherein pulsed light emitted from the second light source produces a sparkle on the viewable portion, and wherein the second light source is more proximately located to the viewable portion than the first light source.

7. The badge of claim 6, wherein the second light source is disposed proximate at least one of an outer edge and a corner of the viewable portion.

8. The badge of claim 6, wherein the viewable portion includes a photoluminescent structure configured to perform an energy conversion on light emitted from the first light source.

9. The badge of claim 6, wherein the first light source is one of an ultraviolet LED, a violet LED, and a blue LED, and the second light source is a cool white LED.

10. The badge of claim 9, wherein the viewable portion luminesces in a neutral white color.

11. The badge of claim 6, wherein each pulse of light from the second light source lasts 1/10 to 1/100 of a second.

12. A vehicle badge comprising:

a vehicle badge housing having a viewable portion; and

a first and second light source disposed inside the housing and configured to direct light toward the viewable portion, the second light source more proximately located to the viewable portion than the first light source; and

wherein portions of the viewable portion are configured to luminesce in a first color and sparkle in a second color visually distinct from the first color.

13. The badge of claim 12, wherein the second light source is disposed proximate at least one of an outer edge and a corner of the viewable portion.

14. The badge of claim 12, wherein the viewable portion includes a photoluminescent structure configured to perform an energy conversion on light emitted from the first light source.

15. The badge of claim 12, wherein the first light source is one of an ultraviolet LED, a violet LED, and a blue LED, and the second light source is a cool white LED.

16. The badge of claim 15, wherein the viewable portion luminesces in a neutral white color.

17. The badge of claim 12, wherein each pulse of light from the second light source lasts 1/10 to 1/100 of a second.