Light-producing assembly for a vehicle

• US 9,764,686 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Majkowski, Matthew, Surman, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US14/694,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20150226390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A light-producing assembly for a vehicle is provided herein. The light-producing assembly includes a plurality of light and a photoluminescent structure. The photoluminescent structure includes a plurality of photoluminescent material arranged to alternate with each other. The plurality of photoluminescent materials are each configured to luminesce in a distinct color in response to excitation by a corresponding portion of the plurality of light sources.

Claims

1. A light-producing assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

a photoluminescent structure comprising a plurality of photoluminescent materials arranged to alternate with each other as a repeating shape having a plurality of segments, wherein each segment is adjoined to at least another segment at an angle greater than zero, and wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials are each configured to luminesce in a distinct color in response to excitation by a corresponding portion of the plurality of light sources.

2. The light-producing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials are each configured to down convert an inputted light received from the corresponding portion of the plurality of light sources into a visible light.

3. The light-producing assembly of claim 2, wherein the inputted light comprises one of a blue light, violet light, and a UV light.

4. The light-producing assembly of claim 3, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise printed LEDs.

5. The light-producing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials are arranged in a tessellation comprising a single repeated shape.

6. The light-producing assembly of claim 5, wherein each one of the plurality of photoluminescent materials interlocks with at least another one of the plurality of photoluminescent materials.

7. The light-producing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials comprises a red-emitting photoluminescent material, a green-emitting photoluminescent material, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent material.

8. A light-producing assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

a photoluminescent structure arranged over the plurality of light sources and comprising a plurality of photoluminescent materials arranged to alternate in a tessellation comprising a repeating shape having a segment with spaced protrusions, wherein the spaced protrusions of each segment are configured to interlock with the spaced protrusions of a neighboring segment, and wherein each of the plurality of photoluminescent materials is configured to luminesce in a distinct color in response to excitation by a corresponding portion of the plurality of light sources.

9. The light-producing assembly of claim 8, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials are each configured to down convert an inputted light received from the corresponding portion of the plurality of light sources into a visible light.

10. The light-producing assembly of claim 9, wherein the inputted light comprises one of a blue light, violet light, and a UV light.

11. The light-producing assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise printed LEDs.

12. The light-producing assembly of claim 8, wherein the tessellation comprises a single repeated shape.

13. The light-producing assembly of claim 8, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials comprises a red-emitting photoluminescent material, a green-emitting photoluminescent material, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent material.

14. A photoluminescent structure of a light-producing assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

an energy conversion layer having a plurality of photoluminescent materials arranged to alternate in a tessellation comprising a repeating shape having a segment with spaced protrusions, wherein the spaced protrusions of each segment are configured to interlock with the spaced protrusions of a neighboring segment, and wherein each of the plurality of photoluminescent materials is configured to luminesce in a distinct color in response to excitation by a corresponding portion of a plurality of light sources.

15. The photoluminescent structure of claim 14, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials are each configured to down convert an inputted light received from a plurality of light sources into a visible light.

16. The photoluminescent structure of claim 15, wherein the inputted light comprises one of a blue light, violet light, and a UV light.

17. The photoluminescent structure of claim 14, wherein the tessellation comprises a single repeated shape.

18. The photoluminescent structure of claim 14, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent materials comprises a red-emitting photoluminescent material, a green-emitting photoluminescent material, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent material.