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US 12,097,673 B2Granted
Light modifier comprised of printed optical elements
AssigneeFlex-N-Gate Advanced Product Development, LLC
InventorTodd Nykerk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a method for making a lens for a vehicle light. The process involves the growth of a clear or translucent ink on a clear or transparent substrate. The deposited ink forms light-modifying optical elements on the lens, which is then incorporated into a vehicle light assembly.
Claims20
A method of making a vehicle light, the method comprising:
- providing a solid clear substrate;
- creating an article through a growing process comprising:
- depositing an adhesive layer on the solid clear substrate;
- depositing a plurality of clear ink layers on a first side of the solid clear substrate to create an optical pattern;
- curing each of the layers during or immediately after deposition;
- and
- configuring the layers as deposited to form a plurality of substantially vertical longitudinally-extending optical elements on the substrate, the optical elements projecting outward from the first side of the substrate to form a lenticular light-modifying pattern on the substrate;
- performing a forming operation on the created article comprising:
- forming a shape of the article, including the substrate and the grown plurality of longitudinally-extending optical elements, into a desired article shape which is compatible for mounting to the vehicle light;
- and
- configuring the article to be secured into a vehicle light housing such that illumination from a light source within the vehicle light housing is directed forward from the vehicle, and such that the article is continuous with and matches up with surrounding vehicle panels or other structures in a particular vehicle design.
8 more elements
A process for making an exterior vehicle illumination device, the process comprising:
- providing a clear flat substrate;
- creating an article through a growing process comprising:
- growing the plurality of optical elements onto a first portion of the substrate and leaving a second portion of the substrate void of optical elements;
- executing a layer-by-layer growth on the first portion of the substrate using clear ink to create a plurality of optical elements such that each optical element extends in a longitudinal dimension, and thus creating (i) a plurality of longitudinally-extending chasms between each of the optical elements and (ii) a plurality of longitudinally-extending plateaus at a top of each of the optical elements;
- and
- configuring the growing process such that the article is configured for mounting into a vehicle exterior such that the optical elements are one or more of (i) vertical to modify light horizontally, and (ii) horizontal to modify light vertically when receiving light emitted from a vehicle light source and then be projected away from the vehicle;
- performing a forming operation on the created article comprising:
- forming a shape of the article, including the substrate and the grown plurality of optical elements, into a desired article shape which is compatible for mounting to the vehicle light source.
5 more elements
A process for making a light modifying article for an illumination device, the process comprising:
- providing a clear flat substrate;
- delivering the clear flat substrate to an inkjet printer;
- creating an article through a growing process comprising:
- growing a plurality of longitudinally-extending optical elements onto a first portion of the substrate using a layer-by-layer inkjet printing process using clear ink to create an article pattern, including a light modifying lenticular pattern, while leaving a second portion of the substrate void of optical elements;
- configuring the article pattern for a light source mounting application such that the longitudinally-extending optical elements grown will act on light emitted from a light source before the light emitted is projected in a direction away from the light source;
- and
- performing a forming operation on the created article comprising:
- forming a shape of the article, including the substrate and the grown plurality of longitudinally-extending optical elements, into a desired article shape which is compatible for mounting to the light source.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.