Light emitting panel assemblies for use in automotive applications and the like
DC
First Claim
1. A light emitting panel assembly mounted on a body portion of a vehicle, said panel assembly comprising at least one solid light emitting panel member having top and bottom surfaces and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, said panel assembly having at least one light input surface for receiving light from at least one light source and directing the light through said panel assembly from an edge of said panel assembly for emission of the light from one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said panel member being located on an exterior surface of said body portion with said panel member wrapped around a corner of said vehicle to provide illumination around said corner.
5 Assignments
Litigations
5 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Light emitting panel assemblies include in one form of the invention a light emitting panel member made of a transparent resiliently deformable elastomeric material that absorbs impact without breakage for use in automotive lighting applications of various types. In another form of the invention, a rigid light emitting panel member may be used with dome switches for switch area lighting or to backlight control buttons/key pads by providing holes or openings in the panel member for the control buttons/key pads. Also, a rigid light emitting panel member may be used as a structural member, and two or more such light emitting panel members may be stacked together and used to light an instrument panel or the like. One or more light sources may be mounted within one or more light transition areas adjacent one or more light input surfaces of the light emitting panel members. Also one or more light sources may be positioned adjacent one side of the light emitting panel members for causing light to shine through the panel members or through holes in the panel members for performing specified lighting functions.
132 Citations
23 Claims
- 1. A light emitting panel assembly mounted on a body portion of a vehicle, said panel assembly comprising at least one solid light emitting panel member having top and bottom surfaces and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, said panel assembly having at least one light input surface for receiving light from at least one light source and directing the light through said panel assembly from an edge of said panel assembly for emission of the light from one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said panel member being located on an exterior surface of said body portion with said panel member wrapped around a corner of said vehicle to provide illumination around said corner.
- 5. A light emitting panel assembly mounted on a body portion of a vehicle, said panel assembly comprising at least one solid light emitting panel member having top and bottom surfaces and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, said panel assembly having at least one light input surface for receiving light from at least one light source and directing the light through said panel assembly from an edge of said panel assembly for emission of the light from one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, and an other light source located directly behind said panel member for shining light through said panel member independently of the light emitted by said panel member from said light source.
- 11. A light emitting panel assembly mounted on a body portion of a vehicle, said panel assembly comprising at least one solid light emitting panel member having top and bottom surfaces and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, said panel assembly having at least one light input surface for receiving light from at least one light source and directing the light through said panel assembly from an edge of said panel assembly for emission of the light from one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said panel member being located on an exterior surface of said body portion with said panel member conforming to a curved profile of said vehicle to provide illumination along said curved profile.
- 22. A light emitting panel assembly mounted on a body portion of a vehicle, said panel assembly comprising at least one solid light emitting panel member having top and bottom surfaces and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, said panel assembly having at least one light input surface for receiving light from at least one light source attached to said light input surface and directing the light through said panel assembly from an edge of said panel assembly for emission of the light from one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said panel member being located on an exterior surface of said body portion with said panel member conforming to a curved profile of said vehicle to provide illumination along said curved profile.
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeInnovative Display Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
-
Original AssigneeSolid State Opto Limited (Global Lighting Technologies Inc.)
-
InventorsParker, Jeffery R., Miller, Mark D., Hough, Thomas A.
-
Primary Examiner(s)Spyrou, Cassandra
-
Assistant Examiner(s)ASSAF, FAYEZ G
-
Application NumberUS10/005,090Publication NumberTime in Patent Office412 DaysField of Search200/314, 200/313, 362/85, 362/26, 362/27, 362/30, 362/29, 362/278, 362/320, 362/459, 362/487, 362/511, 362/543, 362/545US Class Current362/29CPC Class CodesB60Q 1/0082 mounted on the steering wheelB60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily...B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle side...B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surfac...B60Q 3/252 Sun visorsB60Q 3/64 for a single lighting deviceB60Q 3/66 for distributing light amon...G09F 13/0472 Traffic signsG09F 13/18 Edge-illuminated signsG09F 13/22 electroluminescent electrol...H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e...H01H 2219/014 LEDH01H 2219/018 Electroluminescent panelH01H 2219/044 Edge lighting of layerH01H 2219/056 Diffuser; Uneven surfaceH01H 2219/062 Light conductorH01H 2231/026 Car
