Patent · US Expired

Indirect illumination taillamp assembly for a vehicle

US6280480A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
8References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 27, 1999
Grant dateAug 28, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 27, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S362/80
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A taillamp assembly for a vehicle is provided which comprises a housing having a first reflector and a second reflector and a lens mounted to the housing juxtaposed to the first and second reflectors. The lens preferably has first and second optic regions in register with the first and second reflectors. A lamp carrier is mounted to one of the housing and the lens and between the housing and the lens and has first and second sets of interconnected light-emitting semiconductor devices. The sets of light-emitting semiconductor devices are directed at a corresponding reflector and are electrically independent from one another. The first and second sets of light-emitting semiconductor devices can thereby be independently actuated to emit light toward the corresponding first and second reflectors and, in turn, outwardly through the lens. In another aspect, the taillamp assembly includes an optical unit for focusing the light from the light-emitting semiconductor devices to an area within the outer periphery of a reflector.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.