← Back to Patent Explorer
US4556928A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vehicle lamp assembly

Assignee: Koito Europe Ltd
•
Filing: 1984-06-14
•
Granted: 1985-12-03
•
Expires: 2004-06-14
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A vehicle lamp assembly comprises a housing enclosed by a light transmitting cover element and having an inner portion containing a light source and an outer portion containing a lens and a reflector, both of which are arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to a common optical axis. The reflector is arranged to direct the light collimated thereby past an edge of the lens. The outer portion of the housing is separated from the inner portion by a color filter, the assembly being so constructed as to obstruct passage of light between the cover element and the color filter except via the lens or via the reflector.

Inventors

  • 👤 Nicholas W. Tysoe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 22:59
CPC Classifications
F; F21; F21S; F21S43/00; F21S43/20; F21S43/255

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 150 words
A vehicle lamp assembly comprising a housing enclosed by a light transmitting cover element and having an inner portion containing a light source and an outer portion containing a lens arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to its optical axis, a reflector arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to the optical axis and to direct the light collimated thereby past an edge of the lens, colour filter means separating the outer portion of the housing from the inner portion, and an opaque baffle extending from the edge of the lens round which light is directed by the reflector to a surface defined by the path of light from the light source to the edge of the reflector nearest to the cover element, the baffle obstructing passage of light between the cover element and the colour filter except via the lens or via the reflector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 150 words
A vehicle lamp assembly comprising a housing enclosed by a light transmitting cover element and having an inner portion containing a light source and an outer portion containing a lens arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to its optical axis, a reflector arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to the optical axis and to direct the light collimated thereby past an edge of the lens, colour filter means separating the outer portion of the housing from the inner portion, and an opaque baffle extending from the edge of the lens round which light is directed by the reflector to a surface defined by the path of light from the light source to the edge of the reflector nearest to the cover element, the baffle obstructing passage of light between the cover element and the colour filter except via the lens or via the reflector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 75 words
A lamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lens comprises inner and outer cylindrical surfaces having a common axis perpendicular to the optical axis, the light source being located on said common axis, one of the cylindrical surfaces carrying elongated Fresnel prism formations of uniform cross-section extending parallel to the common axis and the other cylindrical surface carrying elongate Fresnel prism formations of constant cross-section extending in respective planes perpendicular to said common axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 89 words
A lamp assembly according to claim 2, wherein the part of the walls of the outer portion of the housing which does not form the reflector has an inner surface which comprises a series of alternate first zones which are substantially parallel to the optical axis and second zones which are substantially perpendicular to the optical axis so that the dimensions of the outer portion in directions perpendicular to the optical axis increase from the end adjacent to the colour filter to the end enclosed by the cover element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 189 words
A vehicle lamp assembly comprising a housing enclosed by a light transmitting cover element and having an inner portion containing a light source and an outer portion containing a lens arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to its optical axis, reflector arranged to collimate light from the light souce parallel to the optical axis and to direct the light collimated thereby past an edge of the lens, colour filter means separating the outer portion of the housing from the inner portion, and blocking means for obstructing passage of light between the cover element and the colour filter except via the lens or via the reflector; the part of the walls of the outer portion of the housing which does not form the reflector having an inner surface which comprises a series of alternate first zones which are substantially parallel to the optical axis and second zones which are substantially perpendicular to the optical axis so that the dimensions of the outer portion in directions perpendicular to the optical axis increase from the end adjacent to the colour filter to the end enclosed by the cover element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 189 words
A vehicle lamp assembly comprising a housing enclosed by a light transmitting cover element and having an inner portion containing a light source and an outer portion containing a lens arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to its optical axis, reflector arranged to collimate light from the light souce parallel to the optical axis and to direct the light collimated thereby past an edge of the lens, colour filter means separating the outer portion of the housing from the inner portion, and blocking means for obstructing passage of light between the cover element and the colour filter except via the lens or via the reflector; the part of the walls of the outer portion of the housing which does not form the reflector having an inner surface which comprises a series of alternate first zones which are substantially parallel to the optical axis and second zones which are substantially perpendicular to the optical axis so that the dimensions of the outer portion in directions perpendicular to the optical axis increase from the end adjacent to the colour filter to the end enclosed by the cover element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 54 words
A lamp assembly according to claim 4, wherein the blocking means comprises an opaque baffle extending from the edge of the lens round which light is directed by the reflector to a surface defined by the path of light from the light source to the edge of the reflector nearest to the cover element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 75 words
A lamp assembly according to claim 4, wherein the lens comprises inner and outer cylindrical surfaces having a common axis perpendicular to the optical axis, the light source being located on said common axis, one of the cylindrical surfaces carrying elongated Fresnel prism formations of uniform cross-section extending parallel to the common axis and the other cylindrical surface carrying elongate Fresnel prism formations of constant cross-section extending in respective planes perpendicular to said common axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 176 words
A vehicle lamp assembly comprising a housing enclosed by a light transmitting cover element and having an inner portion containing a light source and an outer portion containing a lens arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to its optical axis, a reflector arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to the optical axis and to direct the light collimated thereby past an edge of the lens, colour filter means separating the outer portion of the housing from the inner portion, and blocking means for obstructing passage of light between the cover element and the colour filter except via the lens or via the reflector; the lens comprising inner and outer cylindrical surfaces having a common axis perpendicular to the optical axis, the light source being located on said common axis, one of the cylindrical surfaces carrying elongated Fresnel prism formations of uniform cross-section extending parallel to the common axis and the other cylindrical surface carrying elongate Fresnel prism formations of constant cross-section extending in respective planes perpendicular to said common axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 176 words
A vehicle lamp assembly comprising a housing enclosed by a light transmitting cover element and having an inner portion containing a light source and an outer portion containing a lens arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to its optical axis, a reflector arranged to collimate light from the light source parallel to the optical axis and to direct the light collimated thereby past an edge of the lens, colour filter means separating the outer portion of the housing from the inner portion, and blocking means for obstructing passage of light between the cover element and the colour filter except via the lens or via the reflector; the lens comprising inner and outer cylindrical surfaces having a common axis perpendicular to the optical axis, the light source being located on said common axis, one of the cylindrical surfaces carrying elongated Fresnel prism formations of uniform cross-section extending parallel to the common axis and the other cylindrical surface carrying elongate Fresnel prism formations of constant cross-section extending in respective planes perpendicular to said common axis.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1562111A Cited
FR723352A Cited
US2170552A Cited
US2632842A Cited
AT228661B Cited
US4120018A Cited
FR2508597A1 Cited
FR2509429A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-12-02 1989-06-03 1989-12-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-12-02 1993-06-03 1993-12-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-12-02 1997-06-03 1997-12-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag