Method and apparatus for remote lighting
AssigneeVisteon Global Tech., Inc.
InventorsJeyachandrabose Chinniah, Balvantrai Patel, Amir M Fallahi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A remote lighting apparatus 10 having a light “collector” or reflector 12 which collects light rays or waves 14 that are generated by a light generating source 16. Apparatus 10 includes an optical conductor, conduit and/or guide 18 which operatively and selectively receives, communicates, and emits the “collected” light rays 14, a movable assembly 20 which is operatively connected to guide 18, and a pair of lenses or lens elements 22, 24. Apparatus 10 provides separate and/or multiple lighting functions or patterns by use of a single source 16 and a single optical guide 18.
Claims15
An apparatus for use within a vehicle including a light source of the type which generates light, said apparatus comprising:
- an optical conductor which receives said generated light and which emits said generated light, said optical conductor being movable from a first position to a second position;
- a first vehicular headlamp lens which receives said emitted light from said optical conductor when said optical conductor resides in said first position;
- a second vehicular headlamp lens which receives said emitted light from said optical conductor when said optical conductor resides in said second position;
- a rail assembly which is disposed in relative close proximity to said first and second vehicular headlamps;
- a member which movably disposed upon said rail assembly and which is coupled to said optical conductor;
- and
- a motor which is coupled to said member and which selectively moves said member, effective to cause said optical conductor to selectively reside in said first and second positions.
A remote lighting system for use in a vehicle comprising:
- a light generating source;
- a first optical conduit which receives a portion of said generated light and transmits said received light to a location remote from said source;
- a lens assembly having a first vehicular headlamp lens and a second vehicular headlamp lens, said first and second vehicular headlamp lenses being selectively movable from a first position in which a portion of said transmitted light passes through said first vehicular headlamp lens to a second position in which a portion of said transmitted light passes through said second vehicular headlamp lens;
- a rail assembly on which said first and second vehicular headlamp lenses are slidably disposed;
- and
- a controller which is coupled to said lens assembly and which is effective to selectively move said first and second vehicular headlamp lenses between said first and second positions.
A method for remote lighting for use within a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- providing a source for generating light;
- providing an optical guide which receives a portion of said generated light, transmits said received light to a remote location, and emits said received light from a first end;
- providing a first vehicular headlamp lens;
- providing a second vehicular headlamp lens;
- and
- selectively moving said first end between a first position in which a portion of said emitted light is projected from said first lens and a second position in which a portion of said emitted light is produced from said second lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.