Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Visual identification light
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-30
2001-06-26
Tso, Laura K. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Visual identification light
C362S800000, C362S499000, C362S543000, C362S545000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250788
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to motor vehicle light arrangements having at least one functional surface and containing light-emitting diodes of uniform colors as light sources.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 33 15 785 describes a motor vehicle light containing three-phase light-emitting diodes to produce white light and light of at least two different colors for different lighting and/or signaling functions and capable of being triggered to produce different colors by application of different voltages. A disadvantage of such a motor vehicle light, however, is that different control voltages are required to produce different lighting or signaling functions. In addition, various parts of the total lighting of the motor vehicle light must be separately actuatable so that special colors of light and/or different luminous intensities of signal colors can be produced.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 39 16 875 discloses a multichamber signal light for motor vehicles which includes several functional fields containing light-emitting diodes of different colors. Thus, in the field corresponding to the directional indicator, only yellow light-emitting diodes are provided; in the field corresponding to the stop or brake light, there are only red light-emitting diodes; and in the field containing the reverse light, there are red, green and blue light-emitting diodes. Additive color mixture of the colors red, green and blue produces the white light necessary for the reverse light. This signal light is not distinguishable in appearance from conventional signal lights using incandescent bulbs. Further, each functional region of the light has only a single function so that, upon actuation of the brake or of the directional indicator, as the case may be, those light-emitting diodes which correspond to that particular function are actuated and the light-emitting diodes corresponding to the other functions are not actuated.
Other signal light arrangements using light-emitting diodes of various colors are disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 42 28 895. In those signal light arrangements, light-emitting diodes of various colors are combined in order to obtain white light for the reverse indicator. No special specific constructions of the lighting devices are disclosed in these references.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle light arrangement which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle light arrangement using light-emitting diodes having the lowest possible cost and simplest possible construction.
These and other objects of the invention are attained by providing a motor vehicle light arrangement having a light display area containing plurality of light-emitting diodes of the same color distributed over the light display area and having at least one functional region within the display area containing another plurality of light-emitting diodes of the same color to indicate a corresponding vehicle function.
The motor vehicle light may, for example, contain red light-emitting diodes distributed over the entire display area and assigned to a tail light function and at least one functional region within the entire area having a plurality of additional red light-emitting diodes for identifying various operating conditions of the vehicle, for example vehicle braking. The red light-emitting diodes assigned to the tail light function are thus utilized for the braking function as well, thereby minimizing the number of red light-emitting diodes required. In this way it is possible to provide a motor vehicle light arrangement with light-emitting diodes for at least two different functions with utmost economy.
Furthermore, the appearance of the light arrangement is advantageously improved, that is, the brake light lights up as a functional region of the light display area, thus producing a three-dimensional effect. This permits additional functional regions to be provided in the tail light that are not used for the brake light. In these additional functional regions, light-emitting diodes of another color may be provided. By using light-emitting diodes of another color, additive color mixture with the red light-emitting diodes of the red tail light produces other signal colors. Thus, as described in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 39 16 875, for example, the color yellow can be obtained by mixing red light with green light. Consequently, by providing additional green light-emitting diodes, a yellow function indicator can be obtained in a corresponding functional region.
Additionally, in another functional region, it is possible to add blue and green light-emitting diodes to the existing red light-emitting diodes, so that white light for the reverse indicator is obtained by additive color mixing.
Light-emitting diodes emit a highly monochromatic and directed light. To obtain a harmonious appearance of the motor vehicle light, it may advantageously be covered with a diffuser.
In one embodiment, if the tail light is actuated, the entire area of the light arrangement will show red homogeneously. Upon actuation of additional functions, such as for example the brake or the directional indicator or the reverse gear, a brake light functional region, a directional indicator functional region or a reverse indicator functional region will light up within the homogeneously luminescent motor vehicle light upon actuation of the additional light-emitting diodes, providing a three-dimensional effect, since these additional functions produce an enhanced luminous intensity because of the additional light-emitting diodes.
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Bauelemente der Optik, Taschenbuch der technischen Optik,Naumann/Shcröder, Fifth Revised Edition, pp. 36-41.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Tso Laura K.
Volkswagen AG
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