# US 12,181,123 B2 · Flexible directional vehicle warning light

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- Number: US 12,181,123 B2
- Document ID: US12181123B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/501,025
- Filed: 2023-11-02
- Published: 2024-07-11
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-09
- Assignees: Electronic Controls Company
- Applicants: Electronic Controls Company
- Inventors: Brian Lynn Olsen; Chen Chih Chiao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181123B2

## CPC

- F21S 43/15: Strips of light sources
- B60Q 1/2615: {mounted on the vehicle body, e.g. with magnets}
- B60Q 1/2696: {Mounting of devices using LEDs}
- B60Q 1/52: for indicating emergencies
- F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED]
- F21S 43/195: {Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors}
- F21S 43/26: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255}
- F21S 43/2605: {Refractors}
- F21S 43/265: {Transparent cover plates, e.g. for protecting the interior of the signalling devices against environmental influences}
- F21S 45/47: Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
- B60Q 1/38: using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps
- F21Y 2103/10: comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- H05B 45/20: Controlling the colour of the light
- H05B 47/16: by timing means
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- 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
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Disclosed is a directional warning light designed to bend along its longitudinal axis up to about 30° per side so as to conform to curved vehicle surfaces. Flexible components of the disclosed embodiments allow the bending and include a bendable optic, bendable base, and bendable circuit substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flexible directional warning light for mounting onto a curved surface of a vehicle, comprising:
multiple optical elements, formed in a silicone body, and arranged along a longitudinal axis, the silicone body having a first peripheral surface;
a flexible backing having a second peripheral surface to which the first peripheral surface is joined so as to form an interior cavity;
a segmented heatsink, located in the interior cavity, and configured to be in thermal communication with the multiple optical elements; and
electrical circuitry, located in the interior cavity, in which a first side of the electrical circuitry is adjacent to the segmented heatsink for thermal management, and a second side of the electrical circuitry is adjacent to the multiple optical elements for illumination purposes,
in which the multiple optical elements, the segmented heatsink, and the electrical circuitry collectively define multiple spaced-apart relief sections that are transverse to the longitudinal axis, the multiple spaced-apart relief sections facilitating bending and conforming of the flexible directional warning light to the curved surface of the vehicle with incremental bend angles at each relief section to collectively establish a cumulative bend configured match a curvature of the curved surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the segmented heatsink includes discrete portions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which multiple portions of the segmented heatsink are formed as a single segmented component.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the silicone body includes a flex joint between adjacent optical elements of the multiple optical elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the cumulative bend is at least 30° per side, as measured from a flat position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the multiple optical elements include at least six optical elements.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the multiple spaced-apart relief sections include five relief sections.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the flexible backing includes a wiring harness.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which each optical element comprises an elliptic cylinder defining an inner surface and a frustoconical outer surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 9, in which each optical element comprises a membrane covering the elliptic cylinder.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the silicone body includes a clear portion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the electrical circuitry includes a flexible circuit board.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the electrical circuitry includes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) positioned to emit light through the multiple optical elements, and the LEDs are configured to emit flash patterns when activated.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The flexible directional warning light of claim 1, in which the flexible backing includes an adhesive layer for securing the flexible directional warning light to the curved surface of a vehicle.

### Claim 15

A flexible silicone optic for a directional vehicle warning light, comprising:
a unitary body having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface, an inner recessed portion, and six optical elements arranged linearly along the longitudinal axis, the unitary body being flexible to curve about the longitudinal axis, allowing each end of the flexible silicone optic to flex away from a mid-portion of the longitudinal axis to form the curve;
each optical element having a tapered portion extending inward in the inner recessed portion toward a corresponding LED to direct light outward from the outer surface; and
spaces between tapered portions configured to facilitate bending, allowing neighboring optical element sides to move closer to each other while the outer surface defines the curve.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which the optical elements are elongated along the longitudinal axis and shorter in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which the unitary body is made from a transparent or translucent silicone material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which each optical element redirects light emitted from the corresponding LED into a directed beam pattern.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which the tapered portions of the optical elements provide for total internal reflection (TIR), maximizing light emission from the LEDs.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which the unitary body includes alignment features to ensure proper positioning of the optic over the LEDs.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which the optic is sealable to a flexible backing to inhibit ingress of dust and water when mounted on the vehicle.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which each end of the optic is configured to flex by 30 degrees from the middle.

### Claim 23 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which the outer surface includes indentations transverse to the longitudinal axis and aligned with the spaces.

### Claim 24 (depends on 15)

The flexible silicone optic of claim 15, in which the periphery of the unitary body includes indentations transverse to the longitudinal axis and aligned with the spaces.