Illumination – Light source and modifier – Including reflector
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2002-02-05
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light source and modifier
Including reflector
C362S517000, C362S518000, C362S346000, C362S348000, C362S540000, C362S541000, CD26S118000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06343872
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for motor-vehicles, in particular a motor-vehicles light of the type comprising a hollow body including a reflective element, a light source located in front of the reflective element and a transparent element located in front of the light source and facing the reflective element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is that of providing a lighting device of the above indicated type which is characterized by new and unique aesthetical features, both when the light is turned off and when the light is turned on, which features can be exploited to confer a unique aesthetical appearance to a motor-vehicle, while naturally insuring the requested lighting characteristics. The invention is particularly directed to motor-vehicle lights of any type, such as tail lights, turn indicator lights or stop lights, backup lights or fog tail lights.
According to the invention, the above-mentioned object is achived by providing a lighting device which is characterized in that:
the transparent element has at least a substantial portion which has no optical prisms, so that the reflective element is visible from the outside, and in that
the reflective element has a primary reflective base surface and a circumferential series of reflector sectors projecting from the primary base surface and located around the light source, said reflector sectors being angularly spaced from each other and all having inner reflective surfaces surrounding the light source and forming part of a single theoretical secondary reflective surface which is substantially different from said primary reflective surface, so as to create a high discontinuity between said reflector sectors and the portions of the primary reflective surface interposed therebetween,
so that said reflective surfaces of the projecting sectors and said portions of the primary reflective surface interposed therebetween confer a petal-like aesthetical pattern to the reflective element, as seen from the outside through said prism-less transparent element.
In the device according to the invention, the reflective surfaces of the projecting sectors alternated to the portions of the primary base reflective surface which are interposed between the projecting sectors generate a unique aesthetical effect both when the device is turned on and when the device is turned off. When the device is turned on, the reflective surfaces of the projecting sectors define areas of greater light intensity, which are in contrast with the portions of the primary reflective base surface, which have a lower light intensity. When the device is turned off, the high discontinuity between the projecting sectors and the surface portions interposed therebetween gives rise anyway to the petal-like configuration which is markedly visible through the transparent element, which has no optical prisms. As the same time, relevant aesthetical differences are obtained between the device in the off condition and the device in the on condition.
In a preferred embodiment, each of said projecting sectors has two side surfaces which are radially oriented relative to the light source. Preferably, moreover, the above-mentioned radial side surfaces of each projecting sector are planar surfaces arranged radially relative to the light source simmetry axis, which defines the optical axis of the device. Also preferably, each projecting sector has, beside the above-mentioned inner reflective surface and the two radial side surfaces, also a radially outer surface. In this case, the outer surfaces of the various sectors preferably belong to a single theoretical surface having a tapered configuration towards the transparent element of the device.
As already indicated above, the above-mentioned projecting sectors originate a high discontinuity in the surface of the reflective element. In this regard, it can be considered that the above-mentioned sectors must project from the primary base surface by a distance at least greater than 5 millimetres.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4308573 (1981-12-01), McNamara, Jr.
patent: 5607229 (1997-03-01), Rykowski et al.
patent: 5816694 (1998-10-01), Ideker et al.
Cerone Roberto
Esposito Cataldo
Pierro Salvatore
Alavi Ali
Automotive Lighting Italia S p A
Sember Thomas M.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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