Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Automobile
Patent
1997-07-29
2000-11-28
Sember, Thomas M.
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Automobile
362511, 362231, 362259, 362553, 362580, 362554, 362800, F21V 800
Patent
active
06152588&
ABSTRACT:
A vehicle with a plurality of individually addressable light sources, preferably semiconductor laser light sources or light emitting diodes, each of which produce a beam of light, are optically coupled to a fiber optic waveguide. The laser light sources are grouped together preferably at a single location within the vehicle for easy access and conveniently located within the vehicle. Fiber waveguides distally transmits the beams to the optical loads of the vehicle, including the brake lights, taillights, instrumentation lights and turn signals. Each fiber optic waveguide may be a single optical fiber, such as a multimode fiber, having a numerical aperture large enough to receive illumination from a plurality of light sources. In cases where some optical loads require a larger flux or brightness of light, such as vehicular headlights, which may greater than a single optic fiber can transmit, the waveguide may comprise of a bundle of optical fibers. Multiple light sources to a single optical output load allows switching to another operational light source or increase the intensity of remaining light sources should one light source fail. In this manner, the operational life of the vehicular lighting system is increased. Also disclosed is circuitry for operating applications of the system as well as illustrating the employment of color wavelength laser light sources.
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Shah et al., entitled "Efficient Power Coupling from a 980-nm Broad-area Laser to a Single-Mode Fiber Using a Wedge-shaped Fiber Endface" Journal of Lightwave Tech., vol. 8, No. 9, Sep. 1990, pp. 1313-1318.
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SDL Inc.
Sember Thomas M.
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