Marker lamp with picture frame optics

• US 6,612,728 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Truck-Lite Company LLC (Truck-Lite Holdings 2 Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Truck-Lite Company Incorporated (Truck-Lite)
• Inventors: Stineman, Jon A., Roller, Philip C.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/900,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20020003708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 362/520, 362/521, 362/333, 362/543, 362/544, 362/545, 362/332, 362/522, 362/339, D26/28
• US Class Current: 362/521
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/255 Filters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A marker lamp distributes light without the use of mirrors or reflectors. The marker lamp uses a combination of corner cube optics and intersecting cylindrical prisms on the lens, distributing light in accordance to the United States and the United Nations standards for the European community for marker lamps. The marker lamp uses as a light source a reduce number of light emitting diodes, a maximum of three. The marker lamp is design to be slim and sturdy.

Claims

1. A lamp, comprising:

a housing;

a circuit board operatively attached to said housing;

a lens adapted to be secured to said housing;

at least one light emitting diode as a first light source operatively attached to said circuit board;

wherein said lens comprises a plurality of light refracting elements for producing a minimum light intensity of 0.25 candelas in a distribution pattern that is 45 degrees up and down in a vertical direction and 45 degrees left and right in a horizontal direction.

2. The lamp according to claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of light refracting elements is a picture frame array.

3. The lamp according to claim 1 comprising a light reflecting element on said lens for reflecting light form a second light source external to said lamp.

4. The lamp according to claim 3 wherein said light reflecting element comprises reflex reflectors operatively disposed on the inside face of said lens.

5. Lens optics, comprising:

a light refracting element for distributing light from a light source 45 degrees up and down in a vertical direction and 45 degrees left and right in a horizontal direction from said light source, said light refracting element comprising a plurality of cylindrical prisms operatively arranged to intersect and form at least one nested picture frame arrangement on a lens.

6. A lens, comprising:

a center section and two side sections adjacent to said center section;

a first and second light refracting element disposed on the inside face of said lens;

said first light refracting element comprising at least one nested picture frame arrangement;

said second light refracting element comprising a plurality of convex rib optics; and

a light reflecting element disposed on said lens, said light reflecting element comprising a plurality reflex reflectors.

7. The lens according to claim 6 wherein said first and second light refracting elements are located in said center section of said lens.

30. The lens according to claim 6 wherein said light reflecting element is located within said two side sections of said lens.

31. The lens according to claim 6 further comprising a third light refracting element, wherein said third light refracting element comprises a plurality of cylindrical prisms operatively arranged to interest and form a rectangle that surrounds said first light refracting element.

8. A marker lamp, comprising:

a housing adapted to mount to a vehicle;

a circuit board operatively attached to said housing;

at least one light emitting diode attached to said circuit board;

a lens operatively attached to said housing;

a first plurality of cylindrical prisms operatively arranged to intersect and form at least one nested picture frame arrangement in a center section of said lens;

a second plurality of cylindrical prisms operatively arranged to intersect and form a rectangle that surrounds said at least one nested picture frame arrangement in said center section of said lens;

a plurality of convex ribs operatively arranged above and below said rectangle in said center section of said lens; and

a plurality of reflex reflectors operatively arranged in a plurality of rows to the left and right of said center section of said lens.

9. The marker lamp according to claim 8 wherein said at least one light emitting diode and said circuit board are embedded in potting material.

10. The marker lamp according to claim 8 wherein said at least one nested picture frame arrangement is operatively disposed on said lens to receive light from said at least one light emitting diode.

11. The marker lamp according to claim 8 wherein said center section of said lens contains three of said nested picture frame arrangements.

12. The marker lamp according to claim 8 wherein said housing and said lens are made of a substantially identical material.

13. The marker lamp according to claim 12 wherein said material is polycarbonate.

14. The marker lamp according to claim 12 wherein said material is red.

15. The marker lamp according to claim 12 wherein said material is amber.

16. A marker lamp, comprising:

a housing adapted to mount to a vehicle;

a circuit board operatively attached to said housing;

three light emitting diodes operatively attached to said circuit board;

a lens fixedly attached to said housing;

a picture frame array disposed in a center section of said lens, said picture frame array comprising three consecutive nested picture frame arrangements, each of said nested picture frame arrangements composed of a first plurality of cylindrical prisms operatively arranged to intersect and form three rectangles decreasing in size;

a second plurality of intersecting cylindrical prisms operatively arranged to intersect and form a rectangle that surrounds said picture frame array in said center section of said lens;

a plurality of convex ribs operatively arranged above and below said rectangle in said center section of said lens; and

a plurality of reflex reflectors arranged in a plurality of rows to the left and right of said center section of said lens, wherein each of said nested picture frame arrangements is operatively disposed on said lens to receive light from each of said light emitting diodes.

17. The marker lamp according to claim 16 wherein said housing and said lens are made from a substantially identical material.

18. The marker lamp according to claim 16 wherein said material is polycarbonate.

19. The marker lamp according to claim 17 wherein said material is amber.

20. The marker lamp according to claim 17 wherein said material is red.

21. A lamp, comprising:

a housing adapted to mount to a vehicle;

a circuit board operatively attached to said housing;

a lens adapted to be secured to said housing having a center section and two side sections;

a light source operatively attached to said circuit board; and

a first and second light refracting element operatively arranged on said lens, wherein said first light refracting element comprises at least one nested picture frame arrangement; and

a light reflecting element operatively arranged on said lens.

22. The lamp according to claim 21 wherein said first and second light refracting element are operatively arranged on the inside face of said lens in said center section of said lens.

23. The lamp according to claim 21 wherein said light reflecting element is operatively arranged on the inside face of said lens within said two side sections of said lens.

24. The lamp according to claim 21 wherein said second light refracting element comprises a plurality of convex rib optics.

25. The lamp according to claim 21 further comprising a third light refracting element operatively arranged on said lens.

26. The lamp according to claim 25 wherein said third light refracting element comprises a plurality of cylindrical prisms operatively arranged to intersect and form a rectangle that surrounds said first light refracting element.

27. The lamp according to claim 21 wherein said lens is red and said lamp produces a light intensity of 0.25 candelas over a range of 45 degrees up and down in a vertical direction and 45 degrees left and right in a horizontal direction.

28. The lamp according to claim 21 wherein said lens is amber and said lamp produces a light intensity of 0.62 candelas over a range of 45 degrees up and down in a vertical direction and 45 degrees left and right in a horizontal direction.

29. The lamp according to claim 21 that is adapted to mount horizontally or vertically, wherein said lamp satisfies the Society of Automotive Engineers and United Nations standards for marker lamps.