# US 11,441,754 B1 · Vehicle lighting assembly with reflector system and light emitter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,754 B1 - Document ID: US11441754B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/406,505 - Filed: 2021-08-19 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Aaron Bradley Johnson; Luciano Lukacs; Paul Kenneth Dellock; Stuart C. Salter; David Brian Glickman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441754B1 ## CPC - F21S 43/31: Optical layout thereof - F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED] - F21S 43/237: rod-shaped - F21S 43/241: of complex shape - F21S 43/245: emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces - F21S 43/247: with a single light source being coupled into the light guide - F21S 43/26: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255} - F21S 43/40: characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors - G02B 19/0019: {having reflective surfaces only (e.g. louvre systems, systems with multiple planar reflectors)} - G02B 27/30: Collimators - F21W 2103/35: Brake lights - F21W 2107/10: for land vehicles - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - G02B 27/0994: {Fibers, light pipes (optical fibers per se G02B6/02)} - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A light guide system for a vehicle includes, among other things, a housing that includes a first section and a second section that are secured together to provide a chamber A light emitter is disposed within the chamber. A light source is disposed outside the chamber A reflector system directs light emitted from the light source to the light emitter within the chamber. A vehicle lighting method includes, among other things, securing a first and second section of a housing assembly together to provide a chamber, and operatively coupling a reflector system within the chamber and a light source outside the chamber such that the reflector system can redirect light from the light source to a light emitter held within the chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle lighting assembly, comprising: a housing including a first section and a second section, the first and second sections secured together to provide a chamber; a light emitter disposed within the chamber; a light source disposed outside the chamber; and a reflector system that directs light emitted from the light source to the light emitter within the chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a light delivery device including a first portion that provides the light emitter and a second portion that provides the reflector system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the reflector system includes at least two reflectors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitter extends along a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 4, wherein the light emitter includes a plurality of grooves disposed along the longitudinal axis, the grooves each extending transversely to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 5, wherein the light emitter includes a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion, wherein each of the grooves has a depth, and the depth of the grooves near the first axial end portion is different than the depth of the grooves near the second axial end portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the reflector system is a collimator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 7, wherein the collimator is configured to convey light emitted from the light source to the chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 7, wherein the collimator is a flexible collimator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 7, wherein the collimator is rigid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the chamber is lined with a first metallized layer of the first section and a second metallized layer of the second section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lens that covers the chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 12, wherein a surface of the lens that faces the chamber is textured. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is a Light Emitting Diode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is a vehicle light. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitter extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis between a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion, wherein the light emitter includes a plurality of grooves disposed along the longitudinal axis and extending transversely to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the grooves has a depth and the depths of the grooves near the first axial end portion is different than the depths of the grooves near the second axial end portion, wherein the reflector system is a flexible collimator configured to convey light emitted from the light source to the chamber, wherein the chamber is lined with a first metallized layer of the first section and a second metallized layer of the second section, and wherein a lens covers the chamber, the lens including a textured surface that faces the chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitter is polycarbonate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second sections that provide the chamber are welded together. ### Claim 19 A vehicle lighting method, comprising: securing a first and second section of a housing assembly together to provide a chamber; and operatively coupling a reflector system within the chamber and a light source outside the chamber such that the reflector system can redirect light from the light source to a light emitter held within the chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The vehicle lighting method of claim 19, further comprising redirecting light within the chamber through a lens using a metalized layer.