Signalling assembly

• US 6,257,746 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Muth Mirror Systems LLC (K. W. Muth)
• Original Assignee: K W Muth Company Incorporated (K. W. Muth)
• Inventors: Mathieu, Daniel J., Lawrence, Jason J., Bukosky, Allen A., Todd, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): TON, ANABEL
• Application Number:
  US09/185,665
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/140, 362/141, 362/540, 362/545, 362/544
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255

Abstract

A signaling assembly is described and which includes a semitransparent substrate, a light emitting assembly which is disposed in spaced relationship relative to the semitransparent substrate and which when energized emits electromagnetic radiation; and an opaque light orientation assembly which is positioned adjacent to the semitransparent substrate and which permits electromagnetic radiation to pass through the semitransparent substrate at an oblique orientation.

Claims

1. A signalling assembly comprising:

a semitransparent substrate which passes less than about 30% of substantially all visible light, and which further reflects less than about 80% of substantially all ambient light;

a light emitting assembly which, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation as visible light output of about 0.5 to about 120 candelas and which is passed by the semitransparent substrate, the light emitting assembly having a supporting substrate which is disposed in substantially parallel relation relative to the semitransparent substrate, and a plurality of light emitting diodes which are mounted on the supporting substrate and which are obliquely oriented relative to the semitransparent substrate;

a substantially opaque light orientation assembly located adjacent to the semitransparent substrate and which substantially prevents the light emitting diodes from being visibly discernible through the semi-transparent substrate when the light emitting diodes are in a deenergized state, and wherein, the opaque light orientation assembly has an opaque substrate juxtaposed relative to the semitransparent substrate and disposed in partial covering relation relative to the plurality of light emitting diodes, and a light diverting substrate affixed on, and disposed in partial overlapping relation relative to the opaque substrate, and wherein the opaque substrate and light diverting substrate define an aperture in which the light emitting diodes are positioned, and through which the electromagnetic radiation may pass to reach the semitransparent substrate, and wherein the overall thickness of the opaque substrate, light diverting substrate, light emitting assembly, and supporting substrate is less than about 25 millimeters and has a weight of less than about 100 grams.

2. A signalling assembly comprising:

a semitransparent substrate;

a light emitting assembly comprised of a plurality of light emitting diodes which emit light in a predetermined band of electromagnetic radiation and which is obliquely oriented at an angle of less than about 45 degrees relative to the semitransparent substrate and wherein the light emitting diodes in a deenergized state cannot be readily visually discerned behind the semitransparent substrate under most ambient lighting conditions;

an opaque substrate positioned in partial covering relation relative to the light emitting assembly, and located between the light emitting assembly and the semitransparent substrate, and wherein the opaque substrate defines, in part, an aperture, and wherein the light emitting assembly, when energized, emits light which passes through the aperture, and which then passes through the semitransparent mirror;

a light diverting substrate disposed in spaced relation relative to the semitransparent substrate, and defining, in part, the aperture through which the light emitted by the light emitting assembly passes; and

a supporting substrate disposed in spaced relation, relative to the opaque substrate, and wherein the light emitting assembly is electrically coupled with the supporting substrate, and is held in the oblique orientation by the supporting substrate, and wherein the overall thickness of the opaque substrate, light diverting substrate, and light emitting assembly is less than about 25 mm, and has a weight of less than about 100 grams.

3. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the semitransparent substrate is substantially neutrally chromatic and passes at least about 1% to about 30% of substantially all visible light, and further reflects less than about 80% of substantially all ambient visible light.

4. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the light emitting assembly, opaque substrate, light diverting substrate, and supporting substrate has a weight of less than about 100 grams, and a light output of less than about 1000 candelas, and wherein the signalling assembly has a light output of about 0.5 to about 120 candelas.

5. A signalling assembly for use with an overland vehicle which has an operators position, comprising:

a housing borne by the overland vehicle and which defines a cavity having an aperture, and wherein an operator, located in the operators position, has a line of sight which includes the signalling assembly;

a semitransparent substrate borne by the housing and substantially occluding the aperture thereof, the semitransparent substrate reflecting less than about, on average, 80% of substantially all visible light, and passing less than about 30% of a given band of electromagnetic radiation;

a light emitting assembly comprised of a plurality of light emitting diodes which emit light in a predetermined band of electromagnetic radiation disposed in an oblique orientation which is less than about 45 degrees relative to the semitransparent substrate, and wherein the light emitting assembly, when energized, emits lights which passes through the semitransparent substrate, and which further is predominately outside of the line of sight of the observer who is located in the operators position and wherein the light emitting diodes, in a deenergized state, cannot be readily visually discerned from their position behind the semi-transparent substrate under most ambient lighting conditions;

an opaque substrate positioned in partial covering relation relative to the light emitting assembly and the semitransparent mirror, the opaque substrate defining in part, an aperture through which light emitted by the light emitting assembly passes to the semitransparent substrate;

a light diverting substrate disposed in spaced relation relative to the opaque substrate and the semitransparent substrate, and which further defines, in part, the aperture through which light emitted by the light emitting assembly passes; and

a supporting substrate disposed in spaced relation relative to the opaque substrate, and wherein the light emitting assembly is electrically coupled with the supporting substrate and is held in the oblique orientation relative to the semitransparent substrate by the supporting substrate, and wherein the overall thickness of the opaque substrate, light diverting substrate, light emitting assembly, and supporting substrate is less than about 25 mm, and has a weight of less than about 100 grams.

6. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the semitransparent substrate passes less than about 30% of substantially all visible light, and which further reflects less than about 80% of substantially all ambient visible light.

7. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the light output of light emitting assembly is less than about 1000 candelas, and wherein the signalling assembly has a light output of about 0.5 to about 120 candelas.

8. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the semitransparent substrate has a given surface area, and wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes forming the light emitting assembly have a surface area which is less than about 50% of the surface area of the semitransparent substrate.

9. A signalling assembly for use on an overland vehicle which has an operators position, comprising:

a housing borne by the overland vehicle and which defines a cavity having an aperture;

a semitransparent substrate borne by the housing and substantially occluding the opening thereof, the semitransparent substrate having a given surface area and reflecting on average, less than about 80% of substantially all visible light, and passing less than about 30% of a given band of electromagnetic radiation;

a plurality of light emitting diodes forming a light emitting assembly and which is disposed in the cavity, and wherein the light emitting diodes are disposed in an oblique orientation relative to the semitransparent substrate, and wherein the light emitted by the light emitting assembly is passed by the semitransparent substrate, and wherein the light emitting assembly emits less than about 1000 candelas, and further has a surface area of less than about 50% of the surface area of the semitransparent substrate;

an opaque substrate positioned in partial covering relation relative to the light emitting assembly, and positioned between the light emitting assembly and the semitransparent substrate, the opaque substrate juxtaposed and in substantially parallel spaced relation relative to the semitransparent substrate and defining, in part, an aperture through which light emitted by the light emitting assembly passes through to the semitransparent substrate; and

an opaque light diverting substrate disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation relative to the opaque substrate and the semitransparent substrate and which further defines, in part, the aperture through which light emitted by the light emitting assembly passes, and wherein the signalling assembly emits less than about 120 candelas.

10. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the opaque substrate and the light diverting substrate are affixed together.

11. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 10, and further comprising a supporting substrate which is disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation relative to the light diverting substrate, and wherein the light emitting diodes are mounted on and electrically coupled with the supporting substrate.

12. A signalling assembly as claimed in claim 11, and further comprising a bezel which is received in the cavity and which mounts the semitransparent substrate, and wherein the opaque substrate, light diverting substrate and the supporting substrate are mounted on the bezel.

13. A signalling assembly, comprising:

a semi-transparent substrate;

a light emitting assembly which is disposed in spaced relation relative to the semi-transparent substrate and which when energized emits electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the light emitting assembly further includes a plurality of light emitting diodes; and

an opaque light orientation assembly which is positioned adjacent to the semitransparent substrate and which permits electromagnetic radiation to pass through the semitransparent substrate at an oblique orientation, and wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes forming the light emitting assembly have a surface area which is less than about 50% of the surface area of the semitransparent substrate, and wherein the light emitting diodes, in a deenergized state, cannot be readily visually discerned behind the semitransparent substrate under most ambient lighting conditions.