IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,803,823
Granted Patent B2
US 9,803,823 · App. 14/607,700 · Granted Oct 31, 2017

Vehicle LED bulb with polygonal light guide

Inventors: Thomas Tessnow (Weare, NH); Ronald E. Boyd, Jr. (Chichester, NH); Catherine Cullity (Concord, NH)
Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
F21S48/225F21S48/215F21S48/2262F21S48/2281F21S48/328F21S48/33G02B6/0096F21S48/212
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,803,823
App. No.
14/607,700
Granted
Oct 31, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An automotive LED lamp having a light guide ( 28 ) having a single central bore ( 29 ) defined by a cylindrical wall ( 26 ) and an outer surface ( 31 ) defined by a plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) bounding, as seen in cross-section transverse the optical axis ( 18 ) a regular polygonal shape having more than four sides. The outer polygonal shape has between five sides and sixteen sides, preferably a ten-sided decagon.

Claims (50)

1. A vehicle light source, comprising:

a housing ( 12 ) having a base ( 14 );

a printed circuit board ( 20 ) positioned in said base ( 14 ) and having a plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) operatively fixed thereto;

a light guide ( 28 ) having a light entrance region ( 32 ) proximal said plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) and a light exit region ( 33 ) distal from said light entrance region ( 32 ) and a light guide body ( 30 ) extending therebetween,

said light guide body ( 30 ) having a generally hollow interior defined by a single, centrally located bore ( 29 ) bounded by a cylindrical wall ( 26 ) arrayed around a central optical axis ( 18 ), said optical axis extending away from said plurality of LEDs ( 24 );

said light guide body ( 30 ) further comprising, on an outer peripheral surface ( 31 ) thereof, a plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) bounding, as seen in cross-section transverse said optical axis ( 18 ), a regular polygonal shape having more than four sides, and wherein said light exit region ( 33 ) is axially opposite said light entrance region ( 32 ).

2. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein said outer wall segments ( 35 ) extend in planes substantially parallel said optical axis ( 18 ).

3. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) is between five and sixteen.

4. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) are spaced equidistant on an imaginary circle.

5. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a decagon.

6. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein adjacent outer wall segments ( 35 ) intersect at an internal angle of 144 degrees.

7. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a pentagon.

8. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a hexagon.

9. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a heptagon.

10. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a 9-sided polygon.

11. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define an 11-sided polygon.

12. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a 16-sided polygon.

13. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink ( 36 ) in thermal communication with said printed circuit board ( 20 ).

14. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , further comprising a reflector ( 46 ) attached to and optically coupled to said light exit region ( 33 ).

15. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define an octagon.

16. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a 12-sided polygon.

17. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a 13-sided polygon.

18. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a 14-sided polygon.

19. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) define a 15-sided polygon.

20. The vehicle light source of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical wall ( 26 ) is continuously smoothly curved.

21. The vehicle light source of claim 14 , wherein the reflector ( 46 ) is spaced from the light exit region ( 33 ).

22. A vehicle light source, comprising:

a housing ( 12 ) having a base ( 14 );

a printed circuit board ( 20 ) positioned in said base ( 14 ) and having a plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) operatively fixed thereto;

a light guide ( 28 ) having a light entrance region ( 32 ) proximal said plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) and a light exit region ( 33 ) distal from said light entrance region ( 32 ) and a light guide body ( 30 ) extending therebetween,

said light guide body ( 30 ) having a generally hollow interior defined by a single, centrally located bore ( 29 ) bounded by a cylindrical wall ( 26 ) arrayed around a central optical axis ( 18 ), said optical axis extending away from said plurality of LEDs ( 24 );

said light guide body ( 30 ) further comprising, on an outer peripheral surface ( 31 ) thereof, a plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) bounding, as seen in cross-section transverse said optical axis ( 18 ), a regular polygonal shape having more than four sides,

wherein the cylindrical wall ( 26 ) is continuously smoothly curved extending over an entire axial length of said central bore ( 29 ) of said light guide body ( 30 ), said central bore ( 29 ) extending between said light entrance region ( 32 ) and said light exit region ( 33 ).

23. The vehicle light source of claim 22 , wherein said plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) is in register with said light entrance region ( 32 ) and disposed, in a radial direction, between said inner cylindrical wall ( 26 ) and said outer peripheral surface ( 31 ).

24. A vehicle light source, comprising:

a housing ( 12 ) having a base ( 14 );

a printed circuit board ( 20 ) positioned in said base ( 14 ) and having a plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) operatively fixed thereto;

a light guide ( 28 ) having a light entrance region ( 32 ) proximal said plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) and a light exit region ( 33 ) distal from said light entrance region ( 32 ) and a light guide body ( 30 ) extending therebetween,

said light guide body ( 30 ) having a generally hollow interior defined by a single, centrally located bore ( 29 ) bounded by a cylindrical wall ( 26 ) arrayed around a central optical axis ( 18 ), said optical axis extending away from said plurality of LEDs ( 24 );

said light guide body ( 30 ) further comprising, on an outer peripheral surface ( 31 ) thereof, a plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) bounding, as seen in cross-section transverse said optical axis ( 18 ), a regular polygonal shape having more than four sides,

and wherein, in an energized condition of said plurality of LEDs ( 24 ), light exiting said light exit region ( 33 ) has, as viewed in a polar angular region declining 0 to 180 degrees relative said optical axis ( 18 ), an emission pattern whose normalized intensity does not exceed a regulatory maximum normalized intensity threshold proscribed by ECE Regulation 128.

25. The vehicle light source of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) is between five and sixteen.

26. A vehicle light source, comprising:

a housing ( 12 ) having a base ( 14 );

a printed circuit board ( 20 ) positioned in said base ( 14 ) and having a plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) operatively fixed thereto;

a light guide ( 28 ) having a light entrance region ( 32 ) proximal said plurality of LEDs ( 24 ) and a light exit region ( 33 ) distal from said light entrance region ( 32 ) and a light guide body ( 30 ) extending therebetween,

said light guide body ( 30 ) having a generally hollow interior defined by a single, centrally located bore ( 29 ) bounded by a cylindrical wall ( 26 ) arrayed around a central optical axis ( 18 ), said optical axis extending away from said plurality of LEDs ( 24 );

said light guide body ( 30 ) further comprising, on an outer peripheral surface ( 31 ) thereof, a plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) bounding, as seen in cross-section transverse said optical axis ( 18 ), a regular polygonal shape having more than four sides, and

further comprising a plurality of fastening projections ( 56 ) extending radially away from said optical axis ( 18 ) in spaced angular relation about said optical axis ( 18 ), said fastening projections ( 56 ) adapted to engage a socket of an automotive reflector.

27. The vehicle light source of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of outer wall segments ( 35 ) is between five and sixteen.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2015
From: TESSNOW, THOMAS; BOYD, RONALD E., JR.; CULLITY, CATHERINE
To: OSRAM SYLVANIA INC.
Reel/Frame 034841/0247 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160215949A1 · Jul 28, 2016