# US 2014/0192546 A1 · Vehicular light guides and assemblies with uniform illumination

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- Number: US 2014/0192546 A1
- Document ID: US20140192546A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/736,395
- Filed: 2013-01-08
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Arun Kumar; Mahendra Somasara Dassanayake; Steven Darrell Miller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192546A1

## CPC

- F21S 43/40: characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors
- B60Q 1/00: Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor (for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00)
- B60Q 1/0041: {of several lamps in relation to each other}
- F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED]
- F21S 43/237: rod-shaped
- F21S 43/26: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255}
- F21S 43/30: characterised by reflectors
- F21S 43/315: {using total internal reflection}
- F21S 43/332: {Diffusing reflectors}
- F21V 5/04: of lens shape
- F21V 13/04: the elements being reflectors and refractors {(for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40)}
- B60Q 1/30: for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces
- F21V 2200/40: of hollow light guides
- F21W 2103/00: Exterior vehicle lighting devices for signalling purposes
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- G02B 6/0051: {Diffusing sheet or layer}
- 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
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- 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
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A light guide is provided that includes a light chamber defined by isotropically luminant top, bottom, and back surfaces, and a front surface having a translucent lens. The light guide also includes a reflective diaphragm within the chamber that defines a top gap between the diaphragm and the top surface, and a bottom gap between the diaphragm and the bottom surface. The light guide further includes an LED light source located between the diaphragm and the back surface of the chamber. The light guide may also be configured with a front surface having a partially transmissive lens and no reflective diaphragm. A vehicle lighting assembly is also provided that includes a plurality of interconnected light chamber sections comprising light guides.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light guide, comprising:
a light chamber defined by isotropically luminant top, bottom, and back surfaces, and a front surface having a translucent lens;
a reflective diaphragm within the chamber that defines a top gap between the diaphragm and the top surface, and a bottom gap between the diaphragm and the bottom surface; and
an LED light source located between the diaphragm and the back surface of the chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light guide according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between the total length of the gaps and the distance between the top and bottom surfaces of the light chamber is approximately 1:4 to 1:9.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The light guide according to claim 1, wherein the light chamber is further defined by a substantially constant cross-sectional area across the length of the chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The light guide according to claim 1, wherein the LED light source is configured to emanate light within the chamber that reflects off of the reflective diaphragm, scatters off of the isotropically luminant surfaces, passes through the gaps, and exits the chamber through the translucent lens.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The light guide according to claim 1, wherein the reflective diaphragm is located in proximity to the translucent lens, about one third of the distance between the lens and the back surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The light guide according to claim 1, wherein the light chamber encloses a substantially gaseous medium.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The light guide according to claim 3, wherein the light chamber is configured in the shape of a rectangular cuboid having two opposed, parallel ends.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The light guide according to claim 7, wherein the LED light source is located at one end of the light chamber and oriented to emanate light toward the other end of the light chamber.

### Claim 9

A light guide, comprising:
a light chamber defined by isotropically luminant top, bottom, and back surfaces, and a front surface having a partially transmissive lens; and
an LED light source within the chamber,
wherein the lens has a transmissivity of approximately 15 to 40% of the sum of incident light from the LED light source and light scattered from the isotropically luminant surfaces.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The light guide according to claim 9, wherein the light chamber is further defined by a substantially constant cross-sectional area across the length of the chamber.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The light guide according to claim 9, wherein the LED light source is configured to emanate light within the chamber that scatters off of the isotropically luminant surfaces, and exits the chamber through the partially transmissive lens.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The light guide according to claim 9, wherein the light chamber encloses a substantially gaseous medium.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The light guide according to claim 10, wherein the light chamber is configured in the shape of a rectangular cuboid having two opposed, parallel ends.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The light guide according to claim 13, wherein the LED light source is located at one end of the light chamber and oriented to emanate light toward the other end of the light chamber.

### Claim 15

A vehicle lighting assembly, comprising:
a plurality of interconnected light chamber sections, each section defined by a front surface having a lens element, and isotropically luminant top, bottom, and back surfaces; and
an LED light source within each section,
wherein each LED light source emanates incident light that scatters off of the isotropically luminant surfaces, and exits the sections through the lens elements.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The vehicle lighting assembly according to claim 15, further comprising a reflective diaphragm located between the front surface and the LED light source of each section, the diaphragm defining a top gap between the diaphragm and the top surface, and a bottom gap between the diaphragm and the bottom surface.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The vehicle lighting assembly according to claim 16, wherein the ratio between the total length of the gaps and the distance between the top and bottom surfaces in each section is approximately 1:4 to 1:9.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The vehicle lighting assembly according to claim 16, wherein each light chamber section is further defined by a substantially constant cross-sectional area across the length of the section.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The vehicle lighting assembly according to claim 15, wherein the lens element in each section is partially transmissive with a transmissivity of approximately 15 to 40% of the sum of the incident light from the LED light source and the light scattered from the isotropically luminant surfaces.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The vehicle lighting assembly according to claim 15, wherein the interconnected light chamber sections are arranged in a tail-light configuration.