Patent Publication Number: US-9404632-B2

Title: Lens assembly for a vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure is related to a lens assembly for a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicles include exterior lights, including tail lights, turn signals, rear fog lamps, a center high mount stop light (CHMSL), and the like. These exterior lights are configured to be illuminated to make the vehicle visible. 
     SUMMARY 
     A lens assembly for a vehicle includes a light source, a preliminary lens, and a bending lens. The light source is configured to emit a stream of light rays. The preliminary lens has an entry surface and an exit surface disposed opposite the entry surface. The preliminary lens is disposed in adjacent relationship to the light source such that the entry surface faces the light source. The entry surface is configured to receive at least a portion of the stream of light rays. The preliminary lens is configured to straighten the stream of light rays and emit a stream of parallel light rays through the exit surface. The bending lens has a receptor surface and an emission surface disposed opposite the receptor surface. The bending lens is disposed in spaced and adjacent relationship to the preliminary lens such that the receptor surface faces the exit surface of the preliminary lens. The receptor surface is configured to receive at least a portion of the stream of parallel light rays. At least one optic extends from the emission surface of the bending lens. Each optic is configured to bend a portion of the stream of parallel light rays travelling therethrough such that a stream of bent light rays is emitted from the optic. 
     In another aspect of the disclosure, a tail light assembly is provided for a vehicle. The tail light assembly includes a bezel, a housing, and a lens assembly. The lens assembly is configured to be supported between the bezel and the housing. The lens assembly includes a light source, a preliminary lens, and a bending lens. The light source is configured to emit a stream of light rays. The preliminary lens has an entry surface and an exit surface disposed opposite the entry surface. The preliminary lens is disposed in adjacent relationship to the light source such that the entry surface faces the light source. The entry surface is configured to receive at least a portion of the stream of light rays. The preliminary lens is configured to straighten the stream of light rays and emit a stream of parallel light rays through the exit surface. The bending lens has a receptor surface and an emission surface disposed opposite the receptor surface. The bending lens is disposed in spaced and adjacent relationship to the preliminary lens such that the receptor surface faces the exit surface of the preliminary lens. The receptor surface is configured to receive at least a portion of the stream of parallel light rays. At least one optic extends from the emission surface of the bending lens. Each optic is configured to bend a portion of the stream of parallel light rays travelling therethrough such that a stream of bent light rays is emitted from the optic. 
     In yet another aspect of the disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a body panel and a tail light assembly. The tail light assembly is operatively attached to the body panel. The tail light assembly includes a bezel, a housing, and a lens assembly. The lens assembly is configured to be supported between the bezel and the housing. The lens assembly includes a light source, a preliminary lens, and a first, a second, and a third bending lens. The light source is configured to emit a stream of light rays. The preliminary lens has an entry surface and an exit surface disposed opposite the entry surface. The preliminary lens is disposed in adjacent relationship to the light source such that the entry surface faces the light source. The entry surface is configured to receive at least a portion of the stream of light rays. The preliminary lens is configured to straighten the stream of light rays and emit a stream of parallel light rays through the exit surface. Each of the first bending lens, the second bending lens, and the third bending lens has a receptor surface and an emission surface disposed opposite the receptor surface. The first bending lens is disposed in spaced and adjacent relationship to the preliminary lens such that the receptor surface faces the exit surface of the preliminary lens. The second bending lens is disposed in spaced and adjacent relationship to the first bending lens such that the receptor surface of the second bending lens faces the emission surface of the first bending lens. The third bending lens is disposed in spaced and adjacent relationship to the second bending lens such that the receptor surface of the third bending lens faces the emission surface of the second bending lens. At least one optic extends from the emission surface of each of the first, second, and third bending lenses. Each optic, of each of the first, second, and third bending lens, is configured to bend a portion of the stream of parallel light rays travelling therethrough such that a stream of bent light rays is emitted from the optic. 
     The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the present teachings when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view illustration of an example vehicle having tail light assembly as described herein. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic exploded view illustration of the tail light assembly shown in  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 3  is a schematic illustrative side view of a lens assembly of the tail light assembly, illustrating several light rays travelling therethrough. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic illustrative top view of the lens assembly of the tail light assembly, illustrating several light rays travelling therethrough. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic illustrative side view of another embodiment of the lens assembly of the tail light assembly, illustrating several light rays travelling therethrough. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to the same or like components in the several Figures, and beginning with  FIG. 1 , an example vehicle  20  includes a body  22  and a plurality of external vehicle lighting assemblies, each positioned with respect to the body  22 . The body  22  extends along a longitudinal axis  23 , i.e., in an x direction, between a forward end  26  and a rearward end  28  of the vehicle  20 . The lighting assemblies include a set of tail light assemblies  24 . One or more additional tail light assemblies  24 A may be positioned at a rear  30  of the vehicle  20  for added visibility, for instance above or below a rear window  32  or adjacent to a trunk lid  34 , with the latter example shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively for the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the invention may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components and/or various processing steps. It should be realized that such block components may be comprised of any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , each tail light assembly includes a housing  36 , a bezel  38 , a lens assembly  40 , and an outer lens  42 . The housing  36  is constructed of a suitable material such as plastic or metal. The housing  36  is configured to be attached to the bezel  38  such that the lens assembly  40  is sandwiched between the bezel  38  and the housing  36 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the bezel  38  may support the outer lens  42 . All of the internal components of the tail light assembly may be received within the bezel  38  and/or the housing  36 , where the bezel  38  may be constructed of plastic or another suitable material. Therefore, the outer lens  42  and the housing  36  contain the various components therein, with the bezel  38  positioned adjacent to the outer lens  42 . 
     The lens assembly  40  includes a light source  44 , a preliminary lens  46 , and a bending lens  48 . The outer lens  42  is typically constructed of colored transparent or translucent plastic, which may be red in color. However, it should be appreciated that the outer lens  42  may be constructed out of materials having different colors and/or materials. The outer lens  42  may be configured to cover the housing  36  such that the housing  36  and the outer lens  42  encapsulate, i.e., fully surrounds and encloses the light source  44 , the preliminary lens  46 , and the bending lens  48 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the light source  44  is configured to emit a stream of light rays  58 . The light source  44  includes a light bulb  54  and a reflection surface  56 . The light bulb  54  may be a filament type light bulb  54 , such as an incandescent light bulb, and the like, that emits a plurality of light rays  58  in an x, y, and/or z direction. A wire  60  may be operatively attached to the light bulb  54  to selectively provide an electrical signal to selectively illuminate the light bulb  54 , such as in response to actuation of a device, e.g., a turn signal switch, a brake pedal switch, and the like. 
     The reflection surface  56  may be a parabolic-shaped dish having a reflection surface  56  that defines a reflection cavity  64 . The light bulb  54  is operatively disposed in the reflection cavity  64  such that light rays  58  emitted from the light bulb  54  are directed toward the reflection surface  56 . Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , once the light rays  58  contact the reflection surface  56 , the light rays  58  scatter in any of the x, y, and/or z directions, according to Snell&#39;s law. As explained in more detail below, the preliminary lens  46  is operatively disposed adjacent the light source  44 . The reflection surface  56  generally faces the preliminary lens  46  such that the scattered light rays  66  are directed as a stream of parallel light rays  67 , toward the preliminary lens  46 . For simplicity,  FIGS. 2 and 3  each only illustrate four light rays  58  being emitted from the light bulb  54  of the light source  44 . However, it should be appreciated that, in reality, a stream of light is not really confined to a finite number of narrow lines, as a theoretically infinite number of light rays  58  will diverge from the light bulb  54 . 
     The preliminary lens  46  is a filter that is configured to straighten the scattered light rays  66  received from the light source  44 . The preliminary lens  46  may be a collimator  68  configured to align the stream of light rays  58  received from the light source  44  such that the stream of scattered light rays  66  travelling in the x, y, and/or z direction become a stream of parallel light rays  67  that travel in only the x direction. The preliminary lens  46  includes an entry surface  70  and an exit surface  72  disposed opposite the entry surface  70 . The entry surface  70  is disposed in facing relationship to the light source  44  and the exit surface  72  is disposed in facing relationship to the bending lens  48 . Therefore, the light rays  58  exit the preliminary lens  46  through the exit surface  72 , in parallel relationship to one another, and travel in only the x direction. 
     The bending lens  48  may be formed from a transparent material such as a polycarbonate, acrylic, and/or the like. The bending lens  48  includes a receptor surface  74  and an emission surface  76 , disposed opposite the receptor surface  74 . Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bending lens  48  may be a plurality of bending lenses  48 , i.e., a first bending lens  48 A, a second bending lens  48 B, and a third bending lens  48 C disposed in adjacent and stacked relationship to one another. The first bending lens  48 A is disposed adjacent the preliminary lens  46 . The second bending lens  48 B is disposed adjacent the first bending lens  48 A such that the first bending lens  48 A is disposed between the preliminary lens  46  and the second bending lens  48 B. The third bending lens  48 C is disposed adjacent the second bending lens  48 B such that the second bending lens  48 B is disposed between the first bending lens  48 A and the third bending lens  48 C. In this arrangement, and as will be explained in more detail below, parallel light rays  67  received from the exit surface  72  of the preliminary lens  46  are sequentially directed through the first, second, and third bending lenses  48 A,  48 B,  48 C. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the lens assembly  40  may also include a tray  50  configured for operatively supporting the preliminary lens  46  and the bending lenses  48 A-C. The tray  50  is configured to maintain the lenses  46 ,  48 A-C in relationship to one another. By way of a non-limiting example, the tray  50  may define a plurality of slots  52 , where each slot is configured for receiving a respective lens therein. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , at least optic  78  extends from the emission surface  76  of each bending lens  48 . The optic  78  is configured to change an angle of the light ray  58  being received through the receptor surface  74 . More specifically, the optic  78  is configured to bend the light ray  58  travelling through the respective bending lens  48 A-C, to travel in an xy direction. More specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the preliminary lens  46  directs the light rays  58  to travel, in parallel relationship to one another, in the x direction. The stream of parallel light rays  67 , received from the preliminary lens  46 , enters the bending lens  48  through the receptor surface  74 . Some of those parallel light rays  67  encounter an optic  78  disposed on the emission surface  76 , which subsequently causes those light rays  58  to bend to subsequently travel in the xy direction of travel. More specifically, these light rays  58 , which enter the first bending lens  48 A in parallel relationship with one another, are bent by the optic  78  to change direction from only travelling in the x direction to subsequently travel in the xy direction as a stream of bent light rays  69 . These light rays  58  may continue to travel through each of any subsequent bending lenses  48 A-C and exit through the outer lens  42 . While three bending lenses  48 A-C are illustrated in the Figures, it should be appreciated that any number of bending lenses  48  may be provided in the lens assembly  40 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the optic  78  includes a dispersion surface  80  configured to change the direction of travel of the light rays  58  being received through the receptor surface  74 . The dispersion surface  80  and the emission surface  76  of the bending lens  48  are non-planar. The dispersion surface  80  extends as an arch  82  from the emission surface  76 . More specifically, each optic  78  includes a pair of walls  84  extending a height  86  from the emission surface  76  in spaced relationship to one another. The dispersion surface  80  extends between the walls  84  and the emission surface  76 . As such, the optic  78  may be hump shaped. The optics  78  may be equally sized. Alternatively, the optics  78  may have different sizes to produce differing degrees of bending of the light rays  58  traveling therethrough. Further, the walls  84  extend a length  88  along the emission surface  76 . The walls  84  for each optic  78  may have different heights  86  and different lengths  88 . The differing heights  86  and lengths  88  of the walls  84  affect the shape of the arch  82 , thus also changing the scattered geometry of the light rays  58  travelling therethrough. Further, the walls  84  may be configured to extend in generally perpendicular relationship between the emission surface  76  and the dispersion surface  80 , i.e., in generally parallel relationship with the x direction. As such, the light rays  58  travelling through the optic  78  are only directed to travel in the xy direction, and would not be directed in the z direction. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , it should be appreciated that a plurality of optics  78  may be disposed on each bending lens  48 A-C. Further, the optics  78  on one bending lens  48  may be placed such that the stream of bent light rays  69 , that were bent from an optic  78  on a preceding bending lens  48 , do not enter the subsequent optic. The optics  78  are arranged on the bending lenses  48  to provide a scattered geometry of the light rays  58  in the xy direction, as viewed from outside the trail light assembly  24 . As such, the optics  78  may be specifically sized and arranged so as to provide a three-dimensional like image that may be discernible from a rear  30  of the vehicle  20 , i.e., when looking at the outer lens  42 , from the rear  30  of the vehicle  20 , in the x direction. However, when the vehicle  20  is viewed from any other orientation, while light rays  58  may be visible, the specific image would not be discernible. This image is the result of progression lighting, i.e., a culmination of the light rays  58  progressing through each of the lenses  46 ,  48 ,  42 . 
     While  FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate directing scattered light rays  66  to only travel in parallel in the x direction of travel, as a result of the preliminary lens  46 , and then to only travel in the xy direction of travel, as a result of the bending lenses  48 A-C, it should be appreciated that the lenses  46 ,  48  may be arranged so as to provide the bending of light to travel in any desired direction of travel to provide any desired image from any desired vantage point, with respect to the tail light assembly  24 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , each optic  78  and the respective bending lens  48  may be integrally formed. Alternatively, each optic  78  may be operatively attached to the emission surface  76  of the bending lens  48 , e.g., via an adhesive, and the like. Further, the emission surface  76  may be generally planar such that light rays  58  travelling through the respective bending lens  48  are not bent by the emission surface  76  and only bent by travelling through the optics  78 . 
     In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 5 , at least one node  90  may be disposed on the receptor surface  74 . The nodes  90  may extend from the receptor surface  74  to an apex  92 . As such, each node  90  is generally triangular, i.e., saw-toothed, in shape. The nodes  90  are configured to interrupt the light rays  58  received from the preceding lens and redirect the light rays  58  toward the optic  78  disposed on the dispersion surface  80 , opposite the receptor surface  74 . Such nodes  90  may be used to increase a number of light rays  58  being directed through the respective optic  78 . 
     While the best modes for carrying out the many aspects of the present teachings have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which these teachings relate will recognize various alternative aspects for practicing the present teachings that are within the scope of the appended claims.