THIRD BRAKE LIGHT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A THIRD BRAKE LIGHT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20120113667A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: BRANDT, Peter, CHARLE, Heiko, BAUER, Georg
• Application Number:
  US13/285,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113667A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/541
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/239 plate-shaped

Abstract

A third brake light for a motor vehicle includes, but is not limited to a light source, a light-guiding element with a decoupling structure defining a decoupling side of the light-guiding element, and an LCD-shutter. The LCD-shutter is arranged on a side of the light-guiding element facing away from the decoupling side.

Claims

1. A third brake light for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a light source;

a light-guiding element with a decoupling structure defining a decoupling side of the light-guiding element; and

a LCD-shutter arranged on a side of the light-guiding element facing away from the decoupling side.

2. The third brake light according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a LED.

3. The third brake light according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a multiplicity of micro-LEDs.

4. The third brake light according to claim 1, wherein the light-guiding element is a disc.

5. The third brake light according to claim 1, wherein the light-guiding element comprises nano-particles embedded in a matrix as the decoupling structure.

6. The third brake light according to claim 1, wherein the light-guiding element comprises a three-dimensional decoupling structure in a volume of the light-guiding element.

7. The third brake light according to claim 1, wherein the light-guiding element comprises a three-dimensional decoupling structure on a surface of the light-guiding element.

8. The third brake light according to claim 4, wherein the light source is arranged relative to the disc in such a manner that light is coupled into the disc via a narrow side of the disc.

9. The third brake light according to claim 4, wherein the light source is arranged relative to the disc in such a manner that light is coupled into the disc via a main surface of the disc.

10. The third brake light according to claim 1, wherein the LCD-shutter is a TN-cell.

11. A method for operating a third brake light of a motor vehicle, directing light into a radiation direction;

and

preventing a radiation of light with an LCD-shutter in a direction against the radiation direction.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

switching the LCD-shutter to opaque when a brake light is switched on; and

switching the LCD-shutter to transparent when the brake light is switched off

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising affecting light guidance with nano-particles embedded in a matrix.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising affecting light guidance with three-dimensional decoupling structures in a volume a light-guiding element.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising affecting light guidance with three-dimensional decoupling structures on a surface of a light-guiding element.

16. The method according to any claim 11, generating the light is generated with LEDs arranged laterally next to a light-guiding element configured as a disc

17. The method according to any claim 11, generating the light is generated with LEDs arranged between a light-guiding element designed as disc and the LCD-shutter.

18. The method according to any claim 11, generating the light is generated with LEDs arranged areally distributed next to a main surface of a light-guiding element designed as disc.