Light-producing assembly for a vehicle

• US 9,797,575 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• 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., Surman, James J., Majkowski, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US14/697,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20150267881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• 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 43/15 Strips of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/16 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/32 characterised by the arrangement of the photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/38 Combination of two or more photoluminescent elements of different materials
• 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 first, second, and third light source and a photoluminescent structure having a first, second, and third photoluminescent material. The first, second, and third photoluminescent materials are configured to luminesce in response to excitation by light emitted by the first, second, and third light sources, respectively.

Claims

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

a first, second, and third light source; and

a photoluminescent structure having a first material exclusively excited by the first light source, a second photoluminescent material exclusively excited by the second light source, and a third photoluminescent material exclusively excited by the third light source, wherein the first, second, and third photoluminescent materials are arranged to alternate with each other as a repeating shape having a plurality of segments, each segment being adjoined to at least another segment at an angle greater than zero.

2. The light-producing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third light sources are arranged to alternate.

3. The light-producing assembly of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third light sources alternate horizontally.

4. The light-producing assembly of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third light sources alternate vertically.

5. The light-producing assembly of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third light sources alternate diagonally.

6. The light-producing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third light sources each emit one of an ultraviolet, a violet, and a blue light.

7. The light-producing assembly of claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third photoluminescent materials correspond to 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 first, second, and third light source; and

a photoluminescent structure having a first photoluminescent material excited exclusively by the first light source, a second photoluminescent material excited exclusively by the second light source, and a third photoluminescent material excited exclusively by the third light source, wherein the first, second, and third photoluminescent materials are arranged to alternate in a tessellation comprising a repeating shape having a segment with spaced protrusions, and wherein the spaced protrusions of each segment are configured to interlock with the spaced protrusions of a neighboring segment.

9. The light-producing assembly of claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third light sources are each arranged in groupings containing one or more light-emitting diodes, and wherein the groupings are spaced apart and alternate with one another.

10. The light-producing assembly of claim 9, wherein the groupings alternate horizontally.

11. The light-producing assembly of claim 9, wherein the groupings alternate vertically.

12. The light-producing assembly of claim 9, wherein the groupings alternate diagonally.

13. The light-producing assembly of claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third light sources each emit one of an ultraviolet, a violet, and a blue light.

14. The light-producing assembly of claim 13, wherein the first, second, and third photoluminescent materials correspond to a red-emitting photoluminescent material, a green-emitting photoluminescent material, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent material.

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

a first, second, and third light source; and

a photoluminescent structure having a first photoluminescent material excited exclusively by the first light source, a second photoluminescent material excited exclusively by the second light source, and a third photoluminescent material excited exclusively by the third light source, wherein the first, second, and third photoluminescent materials are arranged to alternate with each other as a repeating shape having a plurality of segments, each segment being adjoined orthogonally to at least another segment.

16. The light-producing assembly of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third light sources alternate horizontally.

17. The light-producing assembly of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third light sources alternate vertically.

18. The light-producing assembly of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third light sources alternate diagonally.

19. The light-producing assembly of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third light sources each emit one of an ultraviolet, a violet, and a blue light.

20. The light-producing assembly of claim 19, wherein the first, second, and third photoluminescent materials correspond to a red-emitting photoluminescent material, a green-emitting photoluminescent material, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent material.