# US 10,870,389 B2 · Illuminated automobile component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,389 B2 - Document ID: US10870389B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/507,551 - Filed: 2019-07-10 - Published: 2020-01-16 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-10 - Assignees: Lumitex, Inc. - Applicants: Lumitex, Inc. - Inventors: Alina Raciniewski; Alan Greszler; Timothy Orr; Benjamin Dalessandro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870389B2 ## CPC - B60Q 1/28: for indicating front of vehicle - B60Q 3/54: Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners - B60Q 1/0035: {relative to the vehicle} - B60Q 1/0094: {Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps (arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195)} - B60Q 3/14: lighting through the surface to be illuminated - B60Q 3/64: for a single lighting device - F21S 41/24: Light guides - F21S 41/64: by changing their light transmissivity, e.g. by liquid crystal or electrochromic devices - G02B 6/001: {the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre} - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An illumination assembly for illuminating an automotive component. The illumination assembly includes a light guide that emits light along its length and that has a shape of the automotive component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illumination assembly configured to illuminate an automotive component, the illumination assembly comprising: at least one light source configured to emit light; and a light guide having a shape corresponding to the automotive component, wherein the light guide: has a light receiving surface optically coupled to the at least one light source; is configured to propagate light received from the light source along a length of the light guide; includes light extracting structures configured to cause light to be emitted from the light guide; and includes at least one cavity formed in a bottom surface of the light guide and bounded by the light receiving surface; wherein the at least one light source is inserted at least partially through the bottom surface into one of the at least one cavity wherein the light guide includes a top surface and one or more edges bordering the top surface; wherein the light emitting structures include the one or more edges; wherein light is emitted via from the edges of the light guide; wherein the one or more edges are angled to affect an angle of the emitted light; and wherein the one or more edges are angled such that the emitted light is directed towards a rear surface positioned behind the automotive component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein the light extracting structures vary in concentration along the length of the light guide such that light appears to be uniformly emitted along the length of the light guide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein the light extracting structures are concentrated in particular areas such that: light is emitted from a top surface of the light guide; and greater light emission occurs from the top surface at the particular areas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The illumination assembly of claim 3, wherein the top surface has a three-dimensional topography and light is emitted from a top surface of the light guide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is a side emitting light source that emits light along a length of the light guide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein: the illumination assembly includes a plurality of light sources; the light guide has a plurality of light receiving surfaces; and each of the plurality of light sources is optically coupled to one of the plurality of light receiving surfaces of the light guide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The illumination assembly of claim 6, wherein the plurality of light sources include at least two types of light sources and the two types of light sources emit different colors of light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide comprises at least one of multi-stranded optical fibers, a single fiber solid core optical fiber, woven optical fibers, or clad flat fiber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The illumination assembly of claim 1, further comprising a backing material, wherein the light guide is removably attached to the backing material and the backing material maintains the shape of the light guide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The illumination assembly of claim 1, further comprising circuitry configured to modulate emission of light by the light source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An illuminated configuration comprising: the illumination assembly of claim 1; an automotive component illuminated by the illumination assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The illuminated configuration of claim 11, wherein the automotive component comprises at least one a grill, arm rest, door panel, or instrument cluster. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The illuminated configuration of claim 11, further comprising circuitry configured to control the at least one light source to vary the illumination of the automotive component in time, such that at least one of the following changes with time: a portion of the automotive component being illuminated, a brightness of the illumination, or a color of the illumination. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The illuminated configuration of claim 13, wherein: the one or more light sources comprise a plurality of light sources; each of the plurality of light sources illuminates a respective portion of the automotive component; the circuitry causes the illumination of the automotive component to vary with time by: changing in time which light sources of the plurality of light sources are emitting light. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The illuminated configuration of claim 13, wherein the circuitry controls the at least one light source to cause an animation depending on a state received by the circuitry. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The illuminated configuration of claim 13, wherein the state comprises startup, shut down, a gear change, a turn signal, or a hazards signal. ### Claim 17 An illumination assembly configured to illuminate an automotive component comprising a grill having a lattice shape, the illumination assembly comprising: at least one light source configured to emit light; and a light guide having a continuous elongated structure shape corresponding to the automotive component such that the light guide traverses the lattice shape of the grill, wherein the light guide: has a light receiving surface optically coupled to the at least one light source; is configured to propagate light received from the light source along a length of the light guide; includes light extracting structures configured to cause light to be emitted from the light guide; and includes at least one cavity formed in a bottom surface of the light guide and bounded by the light receiving surface; wherein the at least one light source is inserted at least partially through the bottom surface into one of the at least one cavity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly of claim 17, wherein the light extracting structures vary in concentration along the length of the light guide such that light appears to be uniformly emitted along the length of the light guide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly of claim 17, wherein the light extracting structures are concentrated in particular areas such that: light is emitted from a top surface of the light guide; and greater light emission occurs from the top surface at the particular areas. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The illumination assembly of claim 19, wherein the top surface has a three-dimensional topography and light is emitted from a top surface of the light guide. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly of claim 17, wherein the at least one light source is a side emitting light source that emits light along a length of the light guide. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly of claim 17, wherein: the illumination assembly includes a plurality of light sources; the light guide has a plurality of light receiving surfaces; and each of the plurality of light sources is optically coupled to one of the plurality of light receiving surfaces of the light guide. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The illumination assembly of claim 22, wherein the plurality of light sources include at least two types of light sources and the two types of light sources emit different colors of light. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly of claim 17, wherein the light guide comprises at least one of multi-stranded optical fibers, a single fiber solid core optical fiber, woven optical fibers, or clad flat fiber. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly of claim 17, further comprising a backing material, wherein the light guide is removably attached to the backing material and the backing material maintains the shape of the light guide. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly of claim 17, further comprising circuitry configured to modulate emission of light by the light source. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) An illuminated configuration comprising: the illumination assembly of claim 17; an automotive component illuminated by the illumination assembly. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The illuminated configuration of claim 27, wherein the automotive component comprises at least one a grill, arm rest, door panel, or instrument cluster. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The illuminated configuration of claim 27, further comprising circuitry configured to control the at least one light source to vary the illumination of the automotive component in time, such that at least one of the following changes with time: a portion of the automotive component being illuminated, a brightness of the illumination, or a color of the illumination. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The illuminated configuration of claim 29, wherein: the one or more light sources comprise a plurality of light sources; each of the plurality of light sources illuminates a respective portion of the automotive component; the circuitry causes the illumination of the automotive component to vary with time by: changing in time which light sources of the plurality of light sources are emitting light.