Wide angle illumination assembly and reflector therefor
AssigneeSoundOff Signal, Inc.
InventorMarc Zuiderveen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wide angle illumination assembly for mounting on a vehicle has a reflector with a multifaceted reflective surface of that defines a convex arcuate configuration in a predetermined plane and an plurality of LEDs positioned with respect to the multifaceted reflective surface to emit light onto the multifaceted reflective surface. The multifaceted reflective surface is configured and the LEDs are so positioned with respect to the multifaceted reflective surface so that the light emitted from the reflector has a luminous intensity of at least 50% of the maximum intensity of the light in a narrow band through an arc of at least 90° of the reflector in the predetermined plane.
Claims22
A wide angle illumination assembly comprising:
- a reflector comprising a multifaceted reflective surface that defines an convex arcuate configuration in a predetermined plane;
- wherein the multifaceted reflective surface is formed by multiple reflective portions, the multiple reflective portions comprise a first facet that has a concave parabolic topology, wherein the first facet has a concave surface in a plane parallel to the predetermined plan and in a plane perpendicular to the predetermined plane, and a second facet that has a convex parabolic topology, where in the second facet has a convex surface in a plane parallel to the predetermined plane and a concave surface in a plane perpendicular to the predetermined plane, and the first and second facets are defined by a common parabolic curve, wherein the first and second facets are joined to each other at a common meeting point along the common parabolic curve;
- and
- a plurality of LEDs positioned with respect to the multifaceted reflective surface to emit light onto the multifaceted reflective surface;
- whereby the multifaceted reflective surface is configured and the LEDs are so positioned with respect to the multifaceted reflective surface so that the light emitted from the reflector has a substantially uniform luminous intensity in a narrow band through an arc of at least 90° of the reflector in the predetermined plane with a maximum deviation of 25%.
A reflector comprising a multifaceted reflective surface formed by multiple reflective portions that are arranged in a planar arcuate configuration in a Y-Z plane to form a contiguous reflector surface in a predetermined arc, each of the reflective portions comprising:
- a configuration that includes a parabolic curve in a plane transverse to the Y-Z plane;
- a first facet that has a concave parabolic topology, wherein the first facet has a concave surface in a plane parallel to the Y-Z plane and in a plane perpendicular to the Y-Z plane;
- a second facet that has a convex parabolic topology, wherein the second facet has a convex surface in a plane parallel to the Y-Z plane and a concave topology in the plane perpendicular to the Y-Z plane;
- a first and second facets are each defined by the parabolic curve swept about an axis of rotation spaced from the apex of the parabolic curve and transverse to the Y-Z plane and the first and second facets are joined to each other at a common meeting point along the parabolic curve;
- wherein the at least one reflective portion is adapted to reflect light from a point source at the focal point of the parabolic curve with an angular divergence in a plane parallel to the Y-Z plane greater than an angular divergence of the reflected light perpendicular to the Y-Z plane.
A vehicle comprising an electrical system and a side view mirror at one side thereof and further comprising a wide angle illumination assembly mounted beneath the side view mirror and electrically connected to the electrical system of the vehicle, the wide angle illumination assembly comprising:
- a reflector comprising an array of the multiple reflective portions that define an convex arcuate configuration in a horizontal plane and each of the reflected portions comprises an multifaceted reflective surface;
- a plurality of LEDs positioned with respect to each of the multiple reflective portions to emit light onto the multifaceted reflective surface;
- wherein the multifaceted reflective surface is configured and the LEDs are so positioned with respect to the multifaceted reflective surface so that the light emitted from the reflector has a substantially uniform luminous intensity in a narrow horizontal band through an arc of at least 80° of the reflector in a horizontal plane with a maximum deviation of less 8%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.