Colored and decorative lighting

• US 5,931,566 A
• Filed: 10/12/1995
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo-Sylvania LLC
• Original Assignee: Valeo-Sylvania LLC
• Inventors: Fraizer, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hopper, Todd R.
• Application Number:
  US08/542,238
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/293, 362/83.3, 362/242, 362/243, 362/80, 362/303, 362/333, 362/336, 362/300, 362/310, 362/328, 362/308, 362/335, 362/350, 362/375, 362/235, 362/236, 362/510 , 362/520, 362/540, 362/544
• US Class Current: 362/293
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings

Abstract

A multilayered lens for a lamp, e.g., an automotive lamp. The lens includes a transparent, unitary, polymeric lens blank having an inner surface and an outer surface; a thin, translucent, color layer disposed on, conforming to, and bonded to the inner or outer lens blank surface; and a thin, transparent, protective coating disposed on and over-lying the color layer. The color layer includes a thermoplastic polymer film of at least one color. Optionally, the film may be patterned to include two or more colored regions and/or indicia. Also disclosed are a lamp assembly, e.g., an automotive lamp assembly including the multilayered lens and methods for fabricating the multilayered lens and the lamp assembly by heat transfer of the color layer to the lens blank from a heat transfer carrier film.

Claims

1. A multilayered lens for a lamp, said lens comprising:

a transparent, unitary, polymeric lens blank having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a thin, translucent, color layer disposed on, and conforming to at least a portion of a selected one of said lens blank inner and outer surfaces, said color layer including a flexible thermoplastic polymer film of at least one color having a first side and a second side, with a pre-defined area pattern, the polymer film placed in registration with respect to the lens blank and bonded to the lens blank over the area of the first side; and

having a thin, transparent, protective coating disposed on and overlying at least said polymer film.

2. A lens in accordance with claim 1 wherein said film is patterned to include indicia.

3. A lamp in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lamp is an automotive lamp.

4. A lamp assembly comprising:

a housing;

a light source mounted within said housing; and

a multilayered lens fixed to said housing, said housing and said lens together enclosing said light source, said lens comprising;

(a) a transparent, unitary, polymeric lens blank having an inner surface and an outer surface;

(b) a thin, translucent, colored polymer film having a first side and a second side, disposed on, and conforming to at least a portion of a selected one of said lens blank inner and outer surfaces over the area of the first side, said polymer film having, a pre-defined area pattern, the polymer film placed in registration with respect to the lens blank and bonded to the lens blank over the area of the first side; and

(c) a thin, transparent, protective coating disposed on and overlying at least said polymer film.

5. A lamp assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said polymer film is patterned to include indicia.

6. A lamp assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said light source is a first light source mounted within said housing such that light from said first light source is projected in a first direction;

and further comprising;

a second light source mounted within said housing and offset from said first light source such that light from said second light source is projected in a second direction, not co-linear with said first direction; and

wherein said housing and said lens together enclose both said first light source and said second light source; and

the light from at least one of said first and second light sources is projected through said lens and said polymer film such that the observable color from outside said assembly of the light from said first light source is different from that of the light from said second light source.

7. A lamp assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said lamp assembly is an automotive lamp assembly.

8. A method of fabricating a multilayered lens for a lamp, said method comprising:

forming a transparent, unitary, polymeric lens blank having an inner surface and an outer surface;

registering a carrier surface, holding a thin, adherent, translucent, polymer film having a first color, and having a pre-defined pattern with respect to a portion of a selected one of said lens blank inner and outer surfaces;

applying, heat and pressure to said polymer film to conform and bond said polymer layer to said lens;

withdrawing said carrier layer to leave said polymer film bonded to said lens, and coating at least said polymer film with a thin, adherent, transparent, protective coating.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said lamp is an automotive lamp.

10. A method of fabricating a lamp assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a transparent, unitary, polymeric lens blank having an inner surface and an outer surface;

applying, by heat transfer from a carrier surface, a thin, adherent, translucent, polymer film on and

conforming to at least a portion of a selected one of said lens blank inner and outer surfaces, said polymer film of at least one color;

coating at least said polymer film with a thin, adherent, transparent, protective coating to form a multilayered lens;

mounting a light source within a housing such that light from said light source is projected in a preselected direction; and

fixing said multilayered lens to said housing such that said housing and said lens together enclose said light source, the light from said light source being projected through said lens and said color layer.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein:

said light source is a first light source;

said mounting step further includes mounting a second light source within said housing such that light from said first light source is projected in a first preselected direction and light from said second light source is projected in a second preselected direction, not co-linear with said first direction; and

said housing and said lens together enclose said first and second light sources, such that the light from said second light source is projected through said lens, and the light from said first light source is projected through said lens and said color layer.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said lamp assembly is an automotive lamp assembly.

13. A vehicle headlamp lamp assembly comprising:

a vehicle headlamp housing;

a first light source mounted within said housing; and

a multilayered lens fixed to said housing, said housing and said lens together enclosing said first light source, said lens comprising;

(a) a transparent, unitary, polymeric lens blank having an inner surface and an outer surface;

wherein at least a portion of said lens blank inner surface is textured to form cubic reflectors to provide a reflective pattern visible from outside said assembly;

(b) a thin, translucent, amber colored polymer film having a first side and a second side, disposed on, and conforming to at least a portion of a selected one of said lens blank inner and outer surfaces over the area of the first side, said polymer film having, a pre-defined area pattern, the polymer film placed in registration with respect to the lens blank such that said polymer film is disposed on said lens blank outer surface to overlie at least said reflective pattern; and

bonded to the lens blank over the area of the first side; and

(c) a thin, transparent, protective coating disposed on and overlying at least said polymer film, wherein said first light source is mounted within said housing such that light from said first light source is projected in a first direction; and

a second light source mounted within said housing and offset from said first light source such that light from said second light source is projected in a second direction, not co-linear with said first direction; and

wherein said housing and said lens together enclose both said first light source and said second light source; and

the light from at least one of said first and second light sources is projected through said lens and said polymer film such that the observable amber color from outside said assembly of the light from said first light source is different from that of the light from said second light source.