Patent Publication Number: US-2023144629-A1

Title: Lit image projection devices and lamp assemblies containing the same for generation of three dimensional images

Description:
PRIORITY 
     The present application is related to, claims the priority benefit of, and is a U.S. continuation patent application of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/309,765, filed Dec. 13, 2018 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,543,097 on Jan. 3, 2023, which is related to, claims the priority benefit of, and is a U.S. national stage patent application of, International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2017/037283, filed Jun. 13, 2017, which is related to, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/349,368, filed Jun. 13, 2016. The contents of each of the foregoing are incorporated herein by reference and directly in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The design of the exterior lighting components of automobiles plays an important role in the styling and marketing of vehicles in the automotive market. Vehicle designers are interested in technologies that can both provide the required regulatory functions of automotive exterior lighting and enable a unique and aesthetically pleasing lit and unlit appearance of the lighting components on the vehicle. There is also a desire to create uniformity and continuity in the lit appearance of functionally separate lamps that may be in close proximity to one another, for instance, a corner tail lamp relative to an applique or lift gate lamps. Therefore, there remains a significant need for the apparatuses, methods, and systems disclosed herein useful to generate the desired lit images. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device comprises one or more light sources, wherein a plurality of light sources comprises an array of light sources; a rippled substrate defining a reflective surface, the reflective surface configured to reflect light source light from the one or more light sources as reflected light; and one or more lenticular lenses, configured to receive the reflected light from the reflective surface; wherein the reflected light received by the one or more lenticular lenses generates a three-dimensional lit image. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the three-dimensional lit image appears as lightning. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device comprises part of a lamp assembly. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly further comprises a housing an outer lens, wherein in the housing and outer lens define an inner volume, and wherein at least part of the projection device is positioned within the inner volume. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one of more lenticular lenses each comprise/define a plurality of flute optics or flutes. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the flute optics or flutes have a convex shape. 
     The present disclosure includes disclosure of a projection device, as shown and/or described herein. 
     The present disclosure also includes disclosure of a lamp assembly, as shown and/or described herein. 
     The present disclosure also includes disclosure of a method to generate a three-dimensional lit image, as shown and/or described herein. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device comprises one or more light sources; a rippled substrate defining a reflective surface, the reflective surface configured to reflect light source light from the one or more light sources as reflected light; and a first lenticular lens configured to receive the reflected light from the reflective surface; wherein the reflected light received by the first lenticular lens generates a three-dimensional lit image. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the three-dimensional lit image appears as lightning. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device comprises part of a lamp assembly. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly further comprises a housing and an outer lens, wherein the housing and outer lens define an inner volume and wherein at least part of the projection device is positioned within the inner volume. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the three-dimensional lit image is present or perceived within the housing. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly is configured as a vehicle lamp assembly. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the first lenticular lens comprises or defines a plurality of flute optics or flutes. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the flute optics or flutes have a convex shape. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one or more light sources comprises an array of light sources. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one or more light sources comprise one or more light-emitting diodes. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the rippled substrate comprises one or more ripples or waves therein, existing in a first direction and an opposite second direction. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device further comprises a second lenticular lens configured to receive the reflected light from the reflective surface, wherein the reflected light received by the first lenticular lens and the second lenticular lens generates the three-dimensional lit image. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device comprises part of a lamp assembly. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly further comprises a housing and an outer lens, wherein the housing and outer lens define an inner volume and wherein at least part of the projection device is positioned within the inner volume. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the three-dimensional lit image is present or perceived within the housing. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly is configured as a vehicle lamp assembly. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the second lenticular lens comprises or defines a plurality of flute optics or flutes. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the flute optics or flutes have a convex shape. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one or more light sources is/are positioned in between the rippled substrate and one of the one or more lenticular lenses. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one or more light sources are positioned to direct light toward the rippled substrate. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device comprises an array of light sources; a rippled substrate defining a reflective surface, the reflective surface configured to reflect light source light from the array of light sources as reflected light; and one or more lenticular lenses configured to receive the reflected light from the reflective surface; wherein the reflected light received by the one or more lenticular lenses generates a three-dimensional lit image. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the three-dimensional lit image appears as lightning. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the array of light sources comprises one or more light-emitting diodes. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the projection device comprises part of a lamp assembly. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly further comprises a housing and an outer lens, wherein the housing and outer lens define an inner volume and wherein at least part of the projection device is positioned within the inner volume. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the three-dimensional lit image is present or perceived within the housing. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly is configured as a vehicle lamp assembly. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one or more lenticular lenses each comprise a plurality of flute optics or flutes, and wherein the flute or flute optics have a convex shape. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one or more light sources is/are positioned in between the rippled substrate and one of the one or more lenticular lenses. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a projection device of the present disclosure, the one or more light sources are positioned to direct light toward the rippled substrate. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a lamp assembly of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly comprises an exemplary projection device of the present disclosure. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a lamp assembly of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly comprises a projection device, comprising one or more light sources; a rippled substrate defining a reflective surface, the reflective surface configured to reflect light source light from the one or more light sources as reflected light; and a first lenticular lens configured to receive the reflected light from the reflective surface; wherein the reflected light received by the first lenticular lens generates a three-dimensional lit image; a housing; and an outer lens coupled to the housing to define an inner volume, wherein at least part of the projection device is positioned within the inner volume. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a lamp assembly of the present disclosure, the housing and the outer lens are structured to establish and maintain a relative distance between the one or more light sources and the first lenticular lens. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a lamp assembly of the present disclosure, the first lenticular lens is welded to the housing using a sonic weld process, a vibration weld process, or a thermal tack process. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a lamp assembly of the present disclosure, the rippled substrate comprises one or more ripples or waves therein, existing in a first direction and an opposite second direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosed embodiments and other features, advantages, and disclosures contained herein, and the matter of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    shows elements of a projection device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    shows flutes of a lenticular lens, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    shows a lamp assembly having two lenticular lenses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  4    shows a lamp assembly configured to generate a three-dimensional image appearing as lightning, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG.  5    shows a lamp assembly having two lenticular lenses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     An overview of the features, functions and/or configurations of the components depicted in the various figures will now be presented. It should be appreciated that not all of the features of the components of the figures are necessarily described. Some of these non-discussed features, such as various couplers, etc., as well as discussed features are inherent from the figures themselves. Other non-discussed features may be inherent in component geometry and/or configuration. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended. 
     The present disclosure includes disclosure of various projection devices and methods of operating the same to generate a desired lit image, also referred to herein as a three-dimensional (3D) lit image. 
     Components of an exemplary projection device of the present disclosure are shown in  FIG.  1   . As shown in  FIG.  1   , an exemplary projection device  100  comprises one or more light sources  102 , which, in various embodiments, may be/comprise light emitting diodes. Light sources  102 , as shown in  FIG.  1   , are configured/positioned so to direct light emitted therefrom (identified as light source light  104  in  FIG.  1   ) toward a rippled substrate  106  having/defining a reflective surface  108 . Rippled substrate  106  is defined as comprising one or more ripples or waves  107  therein so to facilitate generation of virtual three-dimensional images  400  (3D images  400 ) of the present disclosure. Ripples or waves  107  are generally understood as to be curved portions of rippled substrate  106 , existing in a first and an opposite second direction (such as in and out, up and down, front and back, etc.), so that ripples or waves  107  form rippled substrate  106  having reflective surface  108 . Light source light  104  can be reflected from reflected surface  108  (identified as reflected light  110  in  FIG.  1   ) in various directions, whereby at least some of the reflected light  110  is directed toward, and ultimately through, one or more lenticular lenses  120 . 
     Lenticular lenses  120 , in at least some embodiments, generally comprise a plurality of convex flute optics or flutes  200  (shown in  FIG.  2   ) arranged side by side such that the flutes  200  extend in the same direction, defining a longitudinal axis of the lens such that each flute  200  has an optical axis generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of flutes  200  may enable a horizontal parallax, for example. Without being bound to a particular theory, exemplary projection devices  100  of the present disclosure uses a compound horizontal parallax enabled by the use of multiple lenticular lenses  120  to generate a 3D image  400 , as shown in  FIG.  4   . The 3D image(s)  400  generated using projection devices  100  of the present disclosure can be viewed by a viewer  130  (a person, for example), looking in a direction toward projection device  100  and/or lamp assemblies  140  (discussed in further detail herein), such as shown via viewing direction arrow  132 . The general directions of light source light  104  (from light source(s)  102  toward reflective surface  108  of rippled substrate  106 , reflected light  110  from reflective surface  108  of rippled substrate  106 , and viewing direction  132 , are generally identified by the arrows shown in  FIG.  1   , for example. 
       FIG.  2    shows a cross-sectional view of portions of a plurality of flutes  200 , depicting three full flutes  200  and two partial flutes  200  to either side. As shown in  FIG.  2   , lenticular lenses  120  may have a thickness  202 , such as any suitable thickness  202  including, for example, 0.1-10 millimeters (mm). In certain embodiments, the thickness  202  of one or more lenticular lenses  120  may be between 1-3 mm. In at least one embodiment, the thickness  202  of lenticular lenses  120  may be 1 mm. In various embodiments, lenticular flutes  26  may be on opposite sides of the same lenticular lens  120 . 
     Exemplary projection devices  100  may be incorporated into lamp assemblies  140  as shown in  FIG.  3   . Exemplary lamp assemblies  140  of the present disclosure may include an outer lens  144  attached to a housing  142  to form a volume  148  therebetween. The housing  142  and/or outer lens  144  may be structured to secure and position the projection device  100  within the volume  148 . The housing  142  and/or outer lens  144  may be structured to establish and maintain the relative distance between the light source  104  (or array  160  of more than one light source  104 ), a first lenticular lens  120  (identified as lenticular lens  120   a  in  FIG.  3   ), and an optional second lenticular lens  120  (identified as lenticular lens  120   b  in  FIG.  3   ). In at least one embodiment, the housing  142  may include one or more bosses  146  structured to positively locate the first lenticular lens  120   a  and/or the second lenticular lens  120   b . In certain embodiments, the first lenticular lens  120   a  and/or the second lenticular lens  120   b  may be attached to the housing  142  by any suitable means. For example, the first lenticular lens  120   a  and/or the second lenticular lens  120   b  may be welded to the housing  142  using, without limitation, a sonic weld process, a vibration weld process, or thermal tack process. Alternatively or additionally, the first lenticular lens  120   a  and/or the second lenticular lens  120   b  may be attached to the housing  142  using an adhesive. In at least one embodiment, the housing  142 , the outer lens  144 , the first lenticular lens  120   a , and/or the second lenticular lens  120   b  may be configured to trap the first lenticular lens  120   a  and/or the second lenticular lens  120   b  in the desired position without an additional means of attachment. One, two, three, or more lenticular lenses  120  can be used in various lamp assembly  140  embodiments of the present disclosure, as may be desired. 
       FIG.  3    also shows an exemplary relative positioning of a light source  104 , or an array  160  of light sources  104 , relative to one or more lenticular lenses  120  and a rippled substrate  106 . In such an embodiment, for example, rippled substrate  106  is positioned at or near a relative back of housing  142 , and light source  104 , or an array of light sources  104 , is/are positioned between rippled substrate  106  and a first lenticular lens  120  (shown as lenticular lens  120   a  in  FIG.  3   ). 
       FIG.  4    shows a photograph of an exemplary lamp assembly  140  of the present disclosure, whereby 3D image  400  is shown, generated by way of light source light  104  from a light source  102  (or an array  160  of light sources  102 ), reflecting off of a reflective surface  108  of a rippled substrate  106  as reflected light  110 , which is directed toward one or more lenticular lenses  120 , so to generate said 3D image  400 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , at least one 3D image  400  of the present disclosure is generated to look like (appear as) lightning. 
       FIG.  5    shows an exemplary lamp assembly  140  of the present disclosure, similar to that shown in  FIG.  3   , but with only one lenticular lens  120  (such as one of lenticular lenses  120   a ,  120   b  shown in  FIG.  3   ). 
     While various embodiments of lit image projection devices and lamp assemblies for the generation of three-dimensional images and methods to generate the same have been described in considerable detail herein, the embodiments are merely offered as non-limiting examples of the disclosure described herein. It will therefore be understood that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the content thereof. 
     Further, in describing representative embodiments, the present disclosure may have presented a method and/or a process as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth therein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described, as other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps disclosed herein should not be construed as limitations of the present disclosure. In addition, disclosure directed to a method and/or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written. Such sequences may be varied and still remain within the scope of the present disclosure.