Bi-functional light pipe and display assembly
AssigneeDelco Electronics Corporation
InventorsPamela A. Roe, Dale J. Igram
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illuminated annunciator as in a gear selector has gear designation letters always lit and a ring around each letter selectively lit to indicate the active gear range. A generally conical light pipe with a conical central cavity has at one end an annular emitting surface adjacent the ring and at the other end it is illuminated by an LED. Another LED within the conical cavity illuminates the letter directly as well as via reflection from the wall of the cavity.
Claims14
A light apparatus for separately lighting at least two adjacent indicia comprising:
- a light pipe having a reflective wall and an emitting surface aligned with a first indicia;
- a first light source adjacent the reflective wall of the light pipe for directing light onto other indicia which are not aligned with the emitting surface;
- a second light source coupled to the light pipe for illuminating the first indicia via the light pipe;
- and
- wherein the emitting surface surrounds a second indicia, and the light pipe comprises:
- a light input end smaller than the emitting surface;
- an outer wall expanding outward from the input end to the emitting surface;
- and
- the reflective wall tapers inward from the emitting surface to define an inner conical cavity;
- the first light source being in the cavity to illuminate the second indicia;
- whereby the second light source illuminates the first indicia by internal reflection from the outer wall and the reflective wall.
In an illuminated display having two light sources for lighting the display, a light pipe assembly for directing the light from each source to a given portion of the display comprising:
- a light conductive body having a small light receiving end, a large light emitting end and a tapered outer wall connecting the ends;
- a tapered inner wall defining a hollow within the body, opening to the emitting end, whereby the walls define a peripheral zone at the emitting end;
- a first light source within the hollow for illumination of a central region bounded by the peripheral zone;
- and
- a second light source at the small end of the body for illumination of the peripheral zone.
An illuminated display comprising:
- display graphics having translucent central and peripheral indicia;
- a light pipe for illuminating the peripheral indicia, the light pipe including a generally conical outer surface and a cavity having a conical inner surface;
- the light pipe having an annular light emitting end adjacent the peripheral indicia and encircling the central indicia;
- a first light source in the cavity for illumination of the central indicia;
- and
- a second light source for coupling light into the light pipe for illumination of the peripheral indicia.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.