Reflective ink lighting assembly
AssigneeFlex-N-Gate Advanced Product Development, LLC
InventorsJonathan Scoville, Les Sullivan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reflective-ink lighting assembly includes a light transferring medium, a reflective-ink marking in the light transferring medium, and a light source adapted to insert light into the light transferring medium. In a lit state, light from the light source propagates through the light transferring medium by total-internal reflection. As propagated light reflects off the reflective-ink marking, some light exits through a façade of the light transferring medium to produce an illuminated marking. In an unlit state, the reflective-ink marking remains visible due to ambient light reflecting off the reflective-ink marking.
Claims20
A reflective-ink lighting assembly, comprising:
- a light transferring medium;
- a reflective-ink marking provided on the light transferring medium;
- a light source adapted to insert light into the light transferring medium in a lit state, such that the light propagates through the light transferring medium by total-internal reflection to illuminate the reflective-ink marking;
- in an unlit state, the reflective-ink lighting assembly is configured such that the reflective-ink marking remains visible in the presence of ambient light;
- and
- in the lit state, rays of light reflect off of the reflective-ink marking and out of a façade of the light transferring medium so that the reflective-ink marking is visible in the absence of ambient light.
A lighting assembly, comprising:
- a reflective-ink marking printed on an inner side of a light transferring medium;
- a light source adapted to propagate light through the light transferring medium, wherein propagated light reflects off the reflective-ink marking and exits through a façade of the light transferring medium;
- and
- wherein, in a lit state, rays of light are frustrated out of a façade of the light transferring medium by reflecting off of the reflective-ink marking so that the reflective-ink marking glows substantially homogenously in the absence of ambient light.
A lighting assembly having a light transferring medium and a reflective-ink marking provided on the light transferring medium, the lighting assembly comprising:
- a light source adapted to insert light into the light transferring medium in a lit state, such that the light propagates through the light transferring medium by total-internal reflection to illuminate the reflective-ink marking;
- the reflective-ink lighting assembly is configured such that, in an unlit state, ambient light enters the lighting assembly via transparent or semi-transparent portions of the reflective-ink lighting assembly and reflects off the reflective-ink marking making it externally visible through the façade;
- and
- reflective ink is disposed on portions of the lighting assembly so that a total amount of usable light is increased by reflecting light back into the light transferring medium, thereby increasing a light efficiency of the lighting assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.