The invention is a lens. The light transmitting portion of the lens comprises a plurality of fiber optic strands arranged parallel to each other in a side-by-side manner, forming a planar layer. The fiber optic strands are also inclined at an angle to a surface of the lens. This defeats any reflection from the interior of the lens, which gives virtual invisibility to the lens face or surface when the light source is not in use. In operation, when a light source is illuminated, the lens is then lit, displaying the color of the light source or of the color of the strands.
1. An automotive signal lens system comprising:
a light source;
a reflective surface;
a plurality of light transmitting elements arranged adjacent and parallel to each other to form a layer;
the layer embedded in a vehicle structural component;
a first line drawn between adjacent light transmitting elements when bisected by a second line normal to the first line drawn from a tangent point on a third light transmitting element, the second line having a length d 2 ;
the light transmitting elements each having a diameter d 1 ; and
d 2 <d 1 ; and
the light source located between the reflective surface and the layer.
2. The signal lens as in claim 1 , wherein the light transmitting elements each have a central axis that is inclined to a reflective surface at an angle in the range of 0° to 45°.
3. The signal lens as in claim 2 further comprising a plurality of light sources.
4. The signal lens as in claim 3 wherein each light source is aligned with at least one light transmitting element.
5. The signal lens as in claim 4 , wherein an outer surface of each light transmitting element is coplanar with each adjaeent light transmitting element outer surface.
6. A vehicle signal lens system comprising:
a light source;
a reflective surface;
the light source disposed between the reflective surface and the light emitting surface;
a light emitting surface illuminated by the light source;
the light emitting surface further comprises light transmitting elements each having a central axis and each inclined to the reflective surface at an angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 45°;
the light emitting surface integral to a vehicle surface;
the vehicle surface transparent to a light transmitted from the light emitting surface; and
the light emitting surface is not substantially visually distinguishable from the vehicle surface when the light source is not illuminated.
7. A vehicle signal lens system comprising:
a light source;
a reflective surface;
a plurality of light transmitting elements arranged adjacent and parallel to each other to form a substantially planar layer;
the light source located between the reflective surface and the planar layer; and
a first line drawn between adjacent light transmitting elements when bisected by a second line normal to the first line drawn from a tangent point on a third light transmitting element, the second line having a length d 2 , the light transmitting elements each having a diameter d 1 , and d 2 <d 1 .
8. A vehicle signal lens system comprising:
a light source;
a reflective surface;
a plurality of fiber optic strands molded into a member material and arranged substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel to each other to form a substantially planar layer; and
the light source located between the reflective surface and the planar layer;
a first line drawn between adjacent fiber optic strands when bisected by a second line normal to the first line drawn from a tangent point on a third fiber optic strand, the second line having a length d 2 , the fiber optic strands each having a diameter d 1 , and
d 2 <d 1 .
9. The signal lens as in claim 8 , wherein the fiber optic strands each have a central axis that is inclined to a reflective surface at an angle in the range of 0° to 45°.
10. The signal lens as in claim 8 wherein the member surface further comprises a tint.