# US 10,766,413 B1 · Vehicle lighting system, light guide, and method of making thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,413 B1 - Document ID: US10766413B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/668,392 - Filed: 2019-10-30 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-30 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Satyanarayana R. Vemulapati; Steven J. Antilla; Jason Robert Emrich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766413B1 ## CPC - B60Q 3/53: Modular mounting systems, e.g. using tracks, rails or multiple plugs - B60Q 3/64: for a single lighting device - B60Q 3/12: lighting onto the surface to be illuminated - B60Q 3/20: for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments (lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60Q 3/76: for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps (spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44) - F21V 7/04: Optical design - F21V 7/043: {with cylindrical surface} - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A light guide for a light system of a vehicle and a method of forming the light guide are disclosed herein. The light system comprises the light guide, a light source proximate the guide, and a receiving feature coupled to the vehicle. The light guide comprises a core portion having a light transmissive body, a reflective portion, an absorptive portion, and an attachment feature. The reflective portion is disposed about the core portion along the length of the body. The absorptive portion is disposed about the reflective portion along the length of the reflective portion. The attachment feature extends outwardly from the absorptive portion and is configured to be engaged with the receiving feature coupled to the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light guide for a vehicle, comprising: a core portion having a light transmissive body; a reflective portion disposed about the core portion along a length of the body; an absorptive portion disposed about the reflective portion along a length of the reflective portion; and an attachment feature extending outwardly from the absorptive portion and configured to be engaged with a corresponding receiving feature of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light guide of claim 1, wherein the reflective portion is configured to reflect light to a greater degree than the absorptive portion, and the absorptive portion is configured to absorb light to a greater degree than the reflective portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The light guide of claim 2, wherein the reflective portion is contiguous with the core portion, and the absorptive portion is contiguous with the reflective portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light guide of claim 3, wherein the core portion is fixedly coupled to the reflective portion and the absorptive portion is fixedly coupled to the reflective portion via integral forming of the core portion, the reflective portion, and the absorptive portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The light guide of claim 4, wherein the attachment feature is integrally coupled with the absorptive portion, such that the absorptive portion and the attachment feature are a single unitary body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The light guide of claim 2, wherein the core portion is translucent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The light guide of claim 6, wherein the absorptive portion is substantially opaque. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The light guide of claim 7, wherein the reflective portion is generally white and the absorptive portion is generally black. ### Claim 9 A lighting system for a vehicle, comprising: a light guide, comprising: a core portion; a reflective portion disposed about the core portion; and an absorptive portion disposed about the reflective portion and defining an attachment feature; a light source proximate to the light guide and configured to emit light through the core portion; and a receiving feature coupled to the vehicle, wherein the reflective portion is configured to reflect the light emitted by the light source, the absorptive portion is configured to absorb light transmitted from the light source through the reflective portion, and the attachment feature is configured to be engaged with the receiving feature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the reflective portion is contiguous with the core portion, and the absorptive portion is contiguous with the reflective portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the core portion is fixedly coupled to the reflective portion and the absorptive portion is fixedly coupled to the reflective portion via integral forming of the core portion, the reflective portion, and the absorptive portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the attachment feature is integrally coupled with the absorptive portion, such that the absorptive portion and the attachment feature are a single unitary body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the core portion of the light guide has an elongated body that extends between a first end and a second end, and the light source is proximate to the first end. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the light source emits light into the first end of the core portion, such that the emitted light is transmitted through the elongated body of the core portion and out of the second end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The lighting system of claim 14, wherein the reflective portion extends along an outer periphery of the elongated body of the core portion from the first end to the second end of the core portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The lighting system of claim 15, wherein the absorptive portion extends along an outer periphery of the reflective portion generally from the first end to the second end of the core portion. ### Claim 17 A method of forming a light guide for a vehicle, comprising: forming a light transmissive core portion having an outer periphery; forming a reflective portion about a length of the core portion, the reflective portion having an inner periphery and an outer periphery; and forming an absorptive portion about a length of the reflective portion, the absorptive portion having an inner periphery and an outer periphery, the outer periphery of the absorptive portion defining an attachment feature configured to be engaged with a corresponding receiving feature of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the core portion, the reflective portion, and the absorptive portion are integrally formed with one another in a single process having multiple sequences. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: solidifying the core portion, the reflective portion, and the absorptive portion via substantially simultaneous cooling. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the inner periphery of the reflective portion is contiguous with the outer periphery of the core portion, and the outer periphery of the reflective portion is contiguous with the inner periphery of the absorptive portion.