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US 12,736,195 B2Granted
Vehicular illumination module
AssigneeMagna Mirrors of America, Inc.
InventorChristopher J. Kimsey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicular illumination module includes a housing disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle. A printed circuit board (PCB) is accommodated by the housing and includes a first facing a first direction and a second side facing an opposite second direction. A light source is disposed at the second side and is operable to emit light in the second direction. A reflector is accommodated by the housing and includes an optic portion including a freeform curvature. The housing has an aperture at the optic portion. The light source emits light that passes through the aperture and the optic portion reflects the emitted light to illuminate a region exterior of the vehicle. A primary axis of illumination of the reflected light reflected is in a third direction transverse to the first direction and the second direction.
Claims22
A vehicular illumination module, the vehicular illumination module comprising:
- a housing configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular illumination module;
- a printed circuit board (PCB) accommodated by the housing, wherein the printed circuit board (PCB) comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the printed circuit board (PCB);
- wherein, with the housing disposed at the exterior portion of the vehicle, the first side of the printed circuit board (PCB) faces a first direction and the second side of the printed circuit board (PCB) faces a second direction opposite the first direction;
- wherein the printed circuit board (PCB) comprises a light source disposed at the second side of the printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the light source is electrically operable to emit light in the second direction;
- a reflector accommodated by the housing, wherein the reflector comprises an optic portion, and wherein the optic portion comprises a freeform curvature, and wherein the housing has an aperture at the optic portion;
- wherein, with the housing disposed at the exterior portion of the vehicle, and when the light source is electrically operated to emit light, the light source emits light that passes through the aperture such that the optic portion of the reflector reflects the light emitted by the light source to illuminate a region exterior of the vehicle, and wherein a primary axis of illumination of the light reflected by the optic portion is in a third direction transverse to the first direction and the second direction;
- and
- wherein, with the housing disposed at the exterior portion of the vehicle, and for a vertical surface situated at a distance of 10 feet from the vehicular illumination module, and when the vehicular illumination module is electrically operated, light emitted by the light source illuminates the vertical surface with illumination that spans a vertical height of at least 2.5 meters and a horizontal width of at least 2.5 meters.
5 more elements
A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror head disposed at mounting structure, wherein the mounting structure is configured to mount the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly at a side of a vehicle;
- wherein the mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element;
- wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, the mirror reflective element provides a rearward view at the side of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle;
- wherein the mirror head accommodates an illumination module;
- wherein the illumination module comprises (i) a housing and (ii) a printed circuit board (PCB) accommodated by the housing, and wherein the printed circuit board (PCB) comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the printed circuit board (PCB);
- wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, the first side of the printed circuit board (PCB) faces a first direction and the second side of the printed circuit board (PCB) faces a second direction opposite the first direction;
- wherein the printed circuit board (PCB) comprises a light source disposed at the second side of the printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the light source is electrically operable to emit light in the second direction;
- a reflector accommodated by the housing, wherein the reflector comprises an optic portion, and wherein the optic portion comprises a freeform curvature, and wherein the housing has an aperture at the optic portion;
- wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the light source is electrically operated to emit light, the light source emits light that passes through the aperture such that the optic portion of the reflector reflects the light emitted by the light source to illuminate a region exterior of the vehicle, and wherein a primary axis of illumination of the light reflected by the optic portion is in a third direction transverse to the first direction and the second direction;
- and
- wherein, with the housing disposed at the side of the vehicle, and for a vertical surface situated at a distance of 10 feet from the illumination module, and when the illumination module is electrically operated, light emitted by the light source illuminates the vertical surface with illumination that spans a vertical height of at least 2.5 meters and a horizontal width of at least 2.5 meters.
8 more elements
A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror head disposed at mounting structure, wherein the mounting structure is configured to mount the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly at a side of a vehicle;
- wherein the mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element;
- wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, the mirror reflective element provides a rearward view at the side of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle;
- an actuator accommodated within the mirror head, wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, the actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting structure to adjust the rearward view for the driver of the vehicle;
- wherein the mirror head accommodates an illumination module;
- wherein the illumination module comprises (i) a housing and (ii) a printed circuit board (PCB) accommodated by the housing, and wherein the printed circuit board (PCB) comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the printed circuit board (PCB);
- wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, the first side of the printed circuit board (PCB) faces a first direction and the second side of the printed circuit board (PCB) faces a second direction opposite the first direction;
- wherein the printed circuit board (PCB) comprises a light source disposed at the second side of the printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the light source is electrically operable to emit light in the second direction;
- a reflector accommodated by the housing, wherein the reflector comprises an optic portion, and wherein the optic portion comprises a freeform curvature, and wherein the housing has an aperture at the optic portion;
- wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, and when the light source is electrically operated to emit light, the light source emits light that passes through the aperture such that the optic portion of the reflector reflects the light emitted by the light source to illuminate a region exterior of the vehicle, and wherein a primary axis of illumination of the light reflected by the optic portion is in a third direction transverse to the first direction and the second direction;
- wherein the housing comprises an outer cover, and wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, the emitted light reflected by the optic portion of the reflector passes through the outer cover to illuminate the region exterior of the vehicle;
- wherein, with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the vehicle, the actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting structure to adjust the primary axis of illumination of the light relative to the vehicle;
- and
- wherein, with the housing disposed at the side of the vehicle, and for a vertical surface situated at a distance of 10 feet from the illumination module, and when the illumination module is electrically operated, light emitted by the light source illuminates the vertical surface with illumination that spans a vertical height of at least 2.5 meters and a horizontal width of at least 2.5 meters.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.