ESD protection for dynamic lighting

• US 9,949,334 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• 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., Surman, James J., Gardner, Cornel Lewis, Antilla, Steven J., Weckstein, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Nathaniel
• Application Number:
  US14/267,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/26 Circuit arrangements for protecting against earth faults

Abstract

A lighting assembly including a circuit is disclosed. The circuit is configured to be disposed in a panel defining a cavity forming an opening. The circuit includes a light source in communication with a controller and an exposed conductive portion conductively connected to an isolation terminal. The exposed conductive portion is oriented proximate the opening and provides a path for an electrical discharge to protect the light source from the electrical discharge.

Claims

1. A lighting assembly comprising a circuit configured to be disposed in a panel defining an elongated trough forming an opening, the circuit comprising:

a plurality of light sources in communication with a controller;

a plurality of discrete spreading lenses disposed proximate each of the light sources, wherein each of the discrete spreading lenses form overlapping sections between neighboring discrete spreading lenses; and

an exposed conductive portion conductively connected to an isolation terminal, wherein the exposed conductive portion corresponds to an exposed ground layer of the circuit and is oriented proximate the opening providing a path for an electrical discharge, wherein the overlapping sections gradually increase in overlap to an edge portion proximate the exposed conductive portion.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to emit light from the light source through the opening.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to conform to the elongated trough, the elongated tough forming an enclosed portion.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the circuit further comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion, the light source being located proximate the first edge portion and the conductive portion being located proximate the second edge portion.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first edge portion is configured to align proximate the enclosed portion.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the conductive portion extends in uniform proximity to the second edge portion.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the conductive portion comprises an exposed conductive terminal.

8. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a circuit comprising;

a plurality of light sources proximate a first edge portion;

an exposed grounded conductor proximate a second edge portion;

a plurality of distinct first lenses disposed proximate each of the light sources, the first lenses comprising a uniform thickness from a light receiving portion to a light emitting portion, the light emitting portion forming an overlapping section with an adjacent first lens of the plurality of first lenses; and

a controller in communication with each of the plurality of light sources,

wherein the circuit is configured to be disposed in a panel defining an elongated trough, the exposed grounded conductor oriented proximate an opening formed by the trough.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the circuit is configured to conform to the elongated trough such that a distance from the opening to the plurality of light sources is less than 25 mm.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of first lenses are configured to spread light from each light source along the second edge portion of the circuit.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the first lenses comprises a substantially triangular profile.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the triangular profile comprises a narrow portion configured to receive light from each light and a wide portion configured to transmit light to the second edge portion and outward through the opening.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a second lens abutting the plurality of first lenses and configured to diffuse light along the second edge portion of the circuit.

14. A circuit assembly comprising:

a plurality of light sources proximate a first edge portion, each light source in communication with a controller;

a plurality of spreading lenses disposed proximate each of the light sources wherein the spreading lenses form overlapping sections between neighboring spreading lenses;

an exposed conductive portion connected to an isolation terminal extending proximate a second edge portion, wherein the exposed conductive portion corresponds to an exposed ground layer of the circuit, and

wherein the circuit assembly is configured to be disposed in a trough comprising an opening proximate the second edge portion, wherein the overlapping sections gradually increase in overlap to the second edge portion.

15. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the exposed portion comprises an exposed conductive surface in communication with a ground terminal to provide a conductive path for ESD proximate the opening.

16. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein each of the spreading lenses form a narrow receiving portion configured to receive light from the plurality of light sources, wherein the light is spread from the narrow receiving portion to a widened emitting portion.

17. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein each of the spreading lenses is distinct from the neighboring spreading lenses and comprises a uniform thickness extending from the narrow receiving portion to the widened emitting portion.

18. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of spreading lenses forms a distinct body configured to transmit light from the plurality of light sources to the second edge portion.