Waveguide illumination assembly for an automobile license plate
AssigneeFederal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
InventorsLloyd Keith Bucher, George Robert Hulse
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A waveguide illumination assembly for an automobile license plate includes a single light source and a transport or waveguide disposed outward from the license plate perimeter. The light source shines into one end of the waveguide. The waveguide has one or more arms, each of which has an array of reflective elements. Light is internally reflected as it travels through the waveguide until it strikes a reflective element, thereby directing light through an opposing longitudinal side of the waveguide arm and onto the license plate.
Claims19
A waveguide illumination assembly for illuminating a vehicle license plate comprising:
- a light source;
- a transport positioned outboard of the license plate perimeter, the transport having a light coupling end and a tail end;
- and
- at least one arm positioned outboard of the license plate perimeter, the at least one arm contiguous to the tail end of the primary transport, the arm having a termination end, an outboard side, and an inboard side, the outboard and inboard sides extending from the tail end to the termination end, the inboard side disposed substantially between the license plate and the arm, the outboard side defining an array of reflective elements shaped to direct internally reflected light through the inboard side onto the license plate.
A waveguide illumination assembly for illuminating a vehicle license plate comprising:
- a light bulb and a reflector centered above the license plate, the bulb disposed between the reflector and the license plate;
- a transport positioned outboard of the license plate perimeter, the transport having a light coupling end and a tail end;
- and
- at least one arm positioned outboard of the license plate perimeter, the at least one arm contiguous to the tail end of the transport, each arm having a termination end, an outboard side, and an inboard side, the outboard and inboard sides extending from the tail end of the transport to the termination end, the inboard side disposed substantially between the license plate and the arm, the outboard side and the termination end being roughened to internally reflect light within the arm and thereby refract light through the inboard side and onto the license plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.