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US 6,347,880 B1Granted
Lighting device for motor vehicles
AssigneeDonnelly Hohe GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsPeter Fürst, Harald Buchalla
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lighting device for attachment to a motor vehicle inside a housing 4. One or more light emitting diodes 9 which emit substantially white light are employed as lighting emitters. On account of the small amount of waste heat of the light-emitting diodes 9 the lighting device can be particularly easily integrated into existing subassemblies of the motor vehicle, in particular into the outside mirrors, inside mirror, trim strips and door handles, and can serve to illuminate the region around the vehicle or the interior of the vehicle.
Claims46
An interior lighting system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- a lighting assembly adapted for mounting within the interior of the vehicle, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- and wherein said electrical circuitry comprises at least one of:
- a) a non-linear resistance network connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- b) a pulse width modulation circuit connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- and
- c) a protective diode connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
5 more elements
The interior lighting system in accordance with clam 9, wherein:
- said transparent cover has a diode side facing said at least one white light emitting diode, said transparent cover diode side comprising a lens.
An interior lighting system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- a lighting assembly adapted for mounting within the interior of the vehicle, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a non-linear resistance network connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
2 more elements
An interior lighting system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- a lighting assembly adapted for mounting within the interior of the vehicle, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a pulse width modulation circuit connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
2 more elements
An interior lighting system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- a lighting assembly adapted for mounting within the interior of the vehicle, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a protective diode connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
2 more elements
An interior lighting system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- a lighting assembly adapted for mounting within the interior of the vehicle, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises at least one of:
- a) a non-linear resistance network connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- b) a pulse width modulation circuit connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- and
- c) a protective diode connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- and
- wherein said lighting assembly comprises at least one of a reading lamp, a console-illuminating lamp, a shelf-illuminating lamp, a glove-compartment illuminating lamp, an interior-cabin illuminating lamp, an ash-tray illuminating lamp, and a gear-shift lever illuminating lamp.
7 more elements
A lighting assembly/interior rear-view mirror system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- an interior rear-view mirror assembly, said interior rear-view mirror assembly comprising a mirror housing having a driver side portion and a passenger side portion, said interior rear-view mirror assembly further comprising a mirror mount for attachment of said interior rear-view mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;
- a lighting assembly incorporated in said interior rear-view mirror assembly, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- wherein said lighting assembly radiates light downward from said interior rear-view mirror assembly;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises at least one of:
- a) a non-linear resistance network connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- b) a pulse width modulation circuit connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- and
- c) a protective diode connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
8 more elements
A lighting assembly/interior rear-view mirror system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- an interior rear-view mirror assembly, said interior rear-view mirror assembly comprising a mirror housing having a driver side portion and a passenger side portion, said interior rear-view mirror assembly further comprising a mirror mount for attachment of said interior rear-view mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;
- a lighting assembly incorporated in said interior rear-view mirror assembly, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- wherein said lighting assembly radiates light downward from said interior rear-view mirror assembly;
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises at least one of:
- a) a non-linear resistance network connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- b) a pulse width modulation circuit connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- and
- c) a protective diode connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said mirror housing includes said lighting assembly;
- wherein said mirror housing includes said lighting assembly;
- and
- wherein said lighting assembly comprises a driver side lighting assembly attached to said driver side portion of said mirror housing.
11 more elements
A lighting assembly/interior rear-view mirror system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- an interior rear-view mirror assembly, said interior rear-view mirror assembly comprising a mirror housing having a driver side portion and a passenger side portion, said interior rear-view mirror assembly further comprising a mirror mount for attachment of said interior rear-view mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;
- a lighting assembly adapted incorporated in said interior rear-view mirror assembly, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- wherein said lighting assembly radiates light downward from said interior rear-view mirror assembly;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises at least one of:
- a) a non-linear resistance network connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- b) a pulse width modulation circuit connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- and
- c) a protective diode connected with said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said mirror housing includes said lighting assembly;
- and
- wherein said lighting assembly comprises a passenger side lighting assembly attached to said passenger side portion of said mirror housing.
10 more elements
A system in accordance with clam 32, further comprising a lens arranged in a beam path emitted by said at least one first white light emitting diode.
A lighting assembly/interior rear-view mirror system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- an interior rear-view mirror assembly, said interior rear-view mirror assembly comprising a mirror housing having a driver side portion and a passenger side portion, said interior rear-view mirror assembly further comprising a mirror mount for attachment of said interior rear-view mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;
- a lighting assembly incorporated in said interior rear-view mirror assembly, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- wherein said lighting assembly radiates light downward from said interior rear-view mirror assembly;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a non-linear resistance network connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
4 more elements
A lighting assembly/interior rear-view mirror system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- an interior rear-view mirror assembly, said interior rear-view mirror assembly comprising a mirror housing having a driver side portion and a passenger side portion, said interior rear-view mirror assembly further comprising a mirror mount for attachment of said interior rear-view mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;
- a lighting assembly incorporated in said interior rear-view mirror assembly, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- wherein said lighting assembly radiates light downward from said interior rear-view mirror assembly;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a pulse width modulation circuit connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
4 more elements
A lighting assembly/interior rear-view mirror system suitable for use in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- an interior rear-view mirror assembly, said interior rear-view mirror assembly comprising a mirror housing having a driver side portion and a passenger side portion, said interior rear-view mirror assembly further comprising a mirror mount for attachment of said interior rear-view mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle;
- a lighting assembly incorporated in said interior rear-view mirror assembly, said lighting assembly including at least one white light emitting diode;
- electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to said at least one white light emitting diode;
- wherein said at least one white light emitting diode individually emits substantially white light when said at least one white light emitting diode is powered by said electrical circuitry;
- wherein said lighting assembly radiates light downward from said interior rear-view mirror assembly;
- and
- wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a protective diode connected with said at least one white light emitting diode.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.