CN106337932A - Illuminated indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a gear shift mechanism indicating assembly for a vehicle. The shifter indicator assembly includes an element having a plurality of indicia located thereon. The position indicator is configured to move with the gear selector. One or more light sources are disposed below the element and directed toward the photoluminescent structure. The photoluminescent structure is configured to emit light to illuminate the sign in response to being excited by the light source.

Description

illuminated indicator

technical field

The present invention relates generally to vehicle lighting systems, and more particularly to vehicle lighting systems using one or more photoluminescent structures.

Background technique

The illumination produced by the use of photoluminescent structures provides a unique and appealing visual experience. Accordingly, it would be desirable to implement such structures in motor vehicles for various lighting applications.

Contents of the invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, a shift mechanism indicating assembly is disclosed. The shift mechanism indicator assembly includes a light source disposed below a plurality of emblems. A first photoluminescent structure is adjacent to the logo and is configured to emit light in response to being excited by the light source. The first photoluminescent structure can selectively illuminate a single sign at a time.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a shift indicator assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The shifter indicator assembly includes an element having a plurality of indicia located thereon. The position indicator is configured to move with the gear selector. The position indicator cooperates with the emblem to inform the occupants of the mode of the transmission. The light source is set below the logo. The photoluminescent structure is configured to emit light to illuminate the sign in response to being excited by the light source.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a shift mechanism indicating assembly is disclosed. The shifter indicator assembly includes an element having one or more transmissive element portions located therein. The position indicator is configured to move with the gear selector. One or more light sources are disposed below the position indicator. The first photoluminescent structure is disposed on the position indicator. The photoluminescent structure is configured to emit light in response to being excited by a light source.

These and other aspects, objects and characteristics of the present invention can be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon study of the following specification, claims and drawings.

Description of drawings

In the picture:

1A is a side view of a photoluminescent structure, presented as a coating, for use within a shifter indicator assembly, according to one embodiment;

Figure IB is a top view of a photoluminescent structure in the form of discrete particles, according to one embodiment;

Figure 1C is a side view of multiple photoluminescent structures presented as discrete particles and incorporated into separate structures;

2 is a perspective view of a vehicle interior equipped with a lighting assembly for use in a shifter indicator assembly, according to one embodiment;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a shifter indicator assembly utilizing an illumination system according to one embodiment;

4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 showing a light source according to one embodiment;

4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 , further illustrating the light source, according to one embodiment;

4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 showing an optional light source according to one embodiment;

4D is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 , illustrating a light source having a light emitting structure separated by a light-transmitting portion disposed on the light source, according to one embodiment;

4E is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 showing an alternative light source having a light emitting structure disposed on the light source configured to direct a portion of light emitted from the light source from converting the first wavelength to the second wavelength;

5 illustrates a top view of a light emitting assembly having LED sources of different types and densities laterally along the light emitting assembly, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a top view of a component showing the lighting system and an indicia located on the component to alert occupants of the current mode of the vehicle's transmission, according to one embodiment;

6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 2 showing the lighting system with the shift lever attached to the position indicator having a photoluminescent structure thereon;

Figure 7A is a top view of a component showing the lighting system and an indicia located on the component to alert occupants of the current mode of the vehicle's transmission, according to one embodiment;

7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 2 showing the lighting system with the shift lever attached to the position indicator having the light source thereon; and

Figure 8 is a block diagram of a vehicle and lighting system.

detailed description

For purposes of illustration herein, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "rear", "front", "vertical", "horizontal" and their derivatives shall be used in conjunction with the Orientation correlation in 2. It should be understood, however, that the invention may assume various alternative orientations unless expressly stated to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and procedures illustrated in the drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined by the appended claims. Therefore, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

As needed, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in different and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily of a specific design, and some figures may be exaggerated or reduced in order to present an overview of functions. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

As used herein, the term "and/or" when used in a series of two or more items means that any one of the listed items may be used alone or any of two or more of the listed items may be used. combination. For example, if a mixture is described as comprising components A, B, and/or C, the mixture may contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination ; or a combination of A, B and C.

The following publication describes a shifter indicating assembly for a vehicle implemented as a luminescent lighting system. The indicator assembly may advantageously employ one or more photoluminescent structures to illuminate in response to predetermined events. One or more photoluminescent structures may be configured to convert and re-emit light received from an associated light source at a different wavelength typically found within the visible spectrum.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C , there are shown a number of exemplary embodiments of photoluminescent structures 10 , each capable of being attached to a substrate 12 , which may correspond to a vehicle fixture or vehicle-related piece of equipment. In FIG. 1A , photoluminescent structure 10 is shown generally in the form of a coating (eg, thin film) that may be applied to the surface of substrate 12 . In FIG. 1B , photoluminescent structures 10 are generally shown as discrete particles capable of being bonded to a substrate 12 . In FIG. 1C , photoluminescent structure 10 is shown generally as a plurality of discrete particles that may be incorporated within a support medium 14 (eg, a film), which may then be applied (as shown) or bonded to substrate 12 .

At the most basic level, a particular photoluminescent structure 10 includes an energy conversion layer 16 that may include one or more sublayers, as exemplarily shown by dashed lines in FIGS. 1A and 1B . Each sub-layer of energy conversion layer 16 may include one or more photoluminescent materials 96 (FIG. 4B) having energy conversion elements utilizing phosphorescent or fluorescent properties. Each photoluminescent material 96 can be excited upon receiving light of a particular wavelength, thereby subjecting the light to a conversion process. According to the principle of down conversion, the input light is converted into longer wavelength light output from the photoluminescent structure 10 . On the contrary, according to the principle of up conversion, the input light is converted into the light of shorter wavelength output from the photoluminescent structure 10 . When a plurality of different wavelengths of light are simultaneously output from the photoluminescent structure 10, the plurality of wavelengths of light may mix together and appear as polychromatic light.

In some embodiments, light that has been down-converted or up-converted may be used to excite other photoluminescent materials 96 present within energy conversion layer 16 . The process of using the converted light 102 output from one photoluminescent material 96 to excite another photoluminescent material 96, and so on, is often referred to as energy cascading and can be used as an option to achieve various color representations. Way. With either conversion principle, the wavelength difference between the excitation light and the converted light 102 is called the Stokes shift and serves as the main driving mechanism for the energy conversion process corresponding to the wavelength change of the light. In the various embodiments described herein, each photoluminescent structure 10 can operate according to any one switching principle.

Energy conversion layer 16 can be prepared by dispersing photoluminescent material 96 in a polymer matrix to form a homogeneous mixture using a variety of methods. Such methods may include preparing the energy conversion layer 16 from a formulation in a liquid carrier medium 14 and applying the energy conversion layer 16 to the desired substrate 12 . The energy conversion layer 16 can be coated by painting, screen printing, spray coating, slot coating, dip coating, roller coating and bar coating. Apply to substrate 12. Alternatively, the energy conversion layer 16 may be prepared by methods that do not use the liquid carrier medium 14 . For example, the energy conversion layer 16 can be presented by dispersing the photoluminescent material 96 in a solid solution (a homogeneous mixture in the dry state) which can be incorporated into a polymer matrix which can be extruded, injection molded, compressed Forming, calendering, thermoforming, etc. Energy conversion layer 16 may then be incorporated into substrate 12 using any method known to those skilled in the art. When energy conversion layer 16 includes sublayers, each sublayer may be coated sequentially to form energy conversion layer 16 . Alternatively, the sublayers may be prepared separately and then laminated or embossed together to form the energy conversion layer 16 . Still alternatively, the energy conversion layer 16 may be formed by coextruding sublayers.

Referring back to FIGS. 1A and 1B , the photoluminescent structure 10 may optionally include at least one stabilization layer 18 to protect the photoluminescent material 96 contained within the energy conversion layer 16 from photolytic and thermal degradation. Stabilization layer 18 may be configured as a separate layer optically coupled to and adhered to energy conversion layer 16 . Optionally, stabilization layer 18 may be integrated with energy conversion layer 16 . The photoluminescent structure 10 may also optionally include a protective layer 20 optically coupled and adhered to the stabilizing layer 18 or other layers (such as the conversion layer 16 in the absence of the stabilizing layer 18) to protect the photoluminescent structure 10 from environmental influences. Physical and chemical damage from exposure. Stabilizing layer 18 and/or protective layer 20 may be combined with energy conversion layer 16 by sequential coating or printing of each layer, sequential lamination or embossing, or any other suitable means.

Additional information regarding the construction of photoluminescent structure 10 is presented in U.S. Patent No. 8,232,533, filed November 8, 2011, by Kingsley et al., entitled "For Efficient Electromagnetic Energy Conversion and Sustained Photolytically Stabilized and Environmentally Stable Multilayer Structures for Secondary Emission" patent, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. For additional information on the fabrication and utilization of photoluminescent materials to achieve various light emissions, refer to U.S. Patent No. 8,207,511, filed June 5, 2009, by Bortz et al. Photoluminescent Fibers, Compositions, and Fabrics Made from Photoluminescent Fibers and Compositions"; U.S. Patent No. 8,247,761 to Agrawal et al., filed October 19, 2011 , patent titled "Photoluminescent Marking with Functional Covering Layer"; U.S. Patent No. 8,519,359B2, filed March 4, 2013, by Kingsley et al., titled "Using Patent for Photolytically Stable and Environmentally Stable Multilayer Structures for Efficient Electromagnetic Energy Conversion and Sustained Secondary Emission”; U.S. Patent No. 8,664,624B2, entitled "Illumination Delivery System for Producing Sustained Secondary Emissions"; filed March 29, 2012 by Agrawal et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0183677, patent application titled "Photoluminescent Composition, Manufacturing Method of Photoluminescent Composition and Novel Application thereof"; filed on October 23, 2012, invented by Kingsley et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0065442A1, entitled "Photoluminescent Object"; and U.S. Patent Publication by Agrawal et al., filed December 19, 2013 Patent Application No. 2014/0103258A1 entitled "Chromium Luminescent Compositions and Textiles", the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Referring to FIG. 2 , a lighting system 22 is disposed within the shifter indicator assembly 24 of the vehicle 26 , the lighting system 22 is configured to illuminate an area adjacent the shift lever 28 to inform the occupants of the vehicle 26 of the current status of the vehicle transmission 30 . The vehicle 26 shown in FIG. 1 includes a seat assembly 32 , a steering wheel 34 and a shifter indicator assembly 24 . It should be understood, however, that additional components may also be used with those described herein. Additionally, the shift indicator assembly 24 described herein may be used with any vehicle 26 such as, but not limited to, a coupe, sedan, van, sport utility vehicle, van, and the like. Furthermore, it should be understood that any lighting system already present at any location on the vehicle 26 can also be fabricated in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

According to one embodiment, the shifter indicator assembly 24 may be mounted to the floor console 68 . In alternative embodiments, however, the shifter indicator assembly 24 may be mounted to any other desired location within the vehicle 26, including but not limited to any of the steering column 36, the vehicle floor 38, and/or the instrument panel 40. part. The shifter indicator assembly 24 may include a shifter 28 that enables the operator of the vehicle to change the operating mode of the transmission 30 . A trim panel 42 may be provided surrounding the portion of the shifter 28 through which the shifter 28 extends. In the illustrated embodiment, the shift indicator assembly 24 is used with an automatic transmission 30 , however the same principles disclosed herein can be applied to any vehicle 26 with any type of transmission 30 .

A shift knob 44 may be disposed at one end of the shift lever 28 . Additionally, housing 46 may be attached to shift lever 28 . In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 46 is a shroud 48 comprised of a fluid barrier material. The housing 46 is attached to the console 68 via an element 50 positioned between the housing 46 and the console 68 , which may also be used as trim for the vehicle 26 .

The shift lever 28 is movable to enable the passenger to select a gear from a series of various gears of the transmission 30, such as "P" (Park), "R" (Reverse), etc. ), gear “N” (neutral gear), gear “D” (driving gear), “S” (manual shift) and subsequent optional other gears after gear “S” (not shown for brevity out). A button 52 may be provided on or near the shift knob 44 which the driver presses to shift out of gear "P" (Park) while the occupant also puts his/her foot on the brake, Wherein the release from/to "P" is effected mechanically or electrically.

Referring to FIG. 3 , an exploded view of a portion of the components incorporated within the shifter indicating assembly 24 is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment. Element 50 may have markings 54 corresponding to the gears located thereon. A shift lever 28 is operably supported on the base for movement between gears. More specifically, the base may include a bottom 56 having an attachment flange 58 for attachment to the vehicle floor 38 or other support structure on the vehicle 26 . A pivot mount 140 for pivotally supporting the shift lever 28 may extend upwardly from the side of the base 56 and be shaped to cooperatively receive a pivot pin 142 . As shown, the arch 144 extends upwardly from the bottom 56 and may include notches for defining the stops.

Element 50 may include a fixed top 146 configured for fixed snap-attachment or threaded attachment to the base via attachment flange 58 . A slot 148 is formed in element 50 to receive shift lever 28 . Slot 148 extends along marker 54 and allows shift lever 28 to move between gears. Logo 54 can be in any of a variety of different configurations. The logo 54 is shown to include the designation letters "P", "R", "N", "D" and "S". As shown, the logo 54 is adjacent to the light transmissive element portion 150 . In alternative embodiments, the logo 54 may be disposed on and/or formed from the light transmissive element portion 150 . According to one embodiment, element 50 and logo 54 may be made of a single or multiple polymer materials that are molded into the appropriate shape by multi-stage injection molding. It should be understood, however, that element 50 and logo 54 may be made from any useful material known in the art. In addition, it should also be understood that any known fabrication process may be used to form any of the components described herein.

The shifter 28 extends upwardly through a slot 148 in the member 50 and supports a shifter handle that is grasped by a vehicle occupant. A button 52 is provided on the handle to mode engage and disengage the shifter 28 with the plurality of transmissions 30 .

At least one light source 62 is disposed below element 50 and adjacent to logo 54 . In the presently described embodiment, the light source 62 is configured as a lighting assembly 60 that is arranged in the shape of a strip and powered using a vehicle power supply (not shown) or other power source. The power source 62 and/or lighting assembly 60 may include any form of light source 62, such as fluorescent lighting, light emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs), solid state lighting, and/or any Other forms of lighting fixtures. Lighting assembly 60 may also include optics configured to diffuse or focus light emitted by lighting assembly 60 . According to one embodiment, the lighting assembly 60 may include a flexible circuit board (eg, a copper flex circuit) that is connected to the interior of the shifter assembly. In such an arrangement, the flexible circuit board can be bent with the interior to allow the light source 62 to be shaped to match the geometry of the shifter assembly being used. Also, additional lighting assemblies 60 may be attached to other bottom surface portions of the element 50 and/or emblem 54 .

Position indicator 156 may be attached to shift lever 28 by any means known in the art. Alternatively, position indicator 156 may be integrally formed with portions of shift lever 28 . The position indicator 156 may be adapted to protrude selected and restricted portions of the marking 54 to indicate the selected gear of the shift lever 28 . Position indicator 156 may be transparent, translucent, or opaque and may include photoluminescent structure 10 including at least one photoluminescent material 96 therein.

In operation, the photoluminescent structure 10 is configured to emit light in response to excitation by light emitted by the lighting assembly 60 . More specifically, light emitted by lighting assembly 60 undergoes an energy conversion process in which the emitted light is converted by photoluminescent material 96 and re-emitted from photoluminescent material 96 at a different wavelength. The re-emitted light is then directed at the logo 54, thereby backlighting the logo 54. Light emitted by lighting assembly 60 is referred to herein as input light 100 and is shown by solid arrows in FIGS. 4B-4E , while light re-emitted by photoluminescent material 96 is referred to herein as converted light 102. and is shown by dashed arrows in FIGS. 4B-4E . According to one embodiment, photoluminescent material 96 may be prepared to convert input light 100 to longer wavelength light, otherwise known as down conversion. Alternatively, photoluminescent material 96 may be prepared to convert input light 100 to shorter wavelength light, otherwise known as up-converting. Either way, light converted by photoluminescent material 96 can then be output from photoluminescent structure 10 or otherwise used in an energy cascade in which converted light 102 is used as Input light 100 excites further formulations of photoluminescent material 96 located in energy conversion layer 16, whereby subsequently converted light 102 can then be output from photoluminescent structure 10 or used as input light 100, and so on. With respect to the energy conversion process described here, the difference in wavelength between the input light 100 and the converted light 102 is called the Stokes shift and serves as the main driver of the energy conversion process corresponding to the wavelength change of the light mechanism.

According to one embodiment, photoluminescent material 96 may be prepared to have a Stokes shift that produces converted light 102 having an emission spectrum that exhibits a desired color, depending on the lighting application And change. For example, the energy conversion process may be performed by frequency down conversion, where the input light 100 includes light at the lower end of the visible spectrum, such as blue light, violet light, or ultraviolet (UV) light. Such use of a blue, violet or UV LED as the LED may provide a relative cost advantage over LEDs of other colors or simply using LEDs of the desired color together with the omission of the photoluminescent structure 10 .

Referring to FIGS. 4A-4E , cross-sectional views of a light source 62 capable of being used on a vehicle 26 are shown, according to one embodiment, having an outer photoluminescent structure 10 . As illustrated in FIG. 4A , light source 62 may have a stacked arrangement including lighting assembly 60 , photoluminescent structure 10 , viewable portion 64 , and overmold material 66 . It should be appreciated that the viewing portion 64 and the overmold material 66 may be two separate components or may be integrally formed as one component.

Light emitting assembly 60 may correspond to a thin film or printed light emitting diode (LED) assembly and includes substrate 12 as its lowest layer. Substrate 12 may comprise approximately 0.005 to 0.060 inches thick polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material and is disposed over the desired vehicle surface, light source 62 is received on the surface (eg logo 54). Alternatively, as a cost-saving measure, substrate 12 may correspond directly to existing vehicle 26 structure (eg, portions of the shift assembly, portions of element 50 , etc.).

The lighting assembly 60 includes an anode 70 disposed over the substrate 12 . Positive electrode 70 includes a conductive epoxy, such as, but not limited to, silver-containing or copper-containing epoxy. Anode 70 is electrically connected to at least a portion of a plurality of LED sources 72 disposed within semiconductor ink 74 and applied over anode 70 . Likewise, negative electrode 76 is also electrically connected to at least a portion of LED source 72 . The negative electrode 76 is disposed over the semiconductor ink 74 and includes a transparent or translucent conductive material, such as but not limited to indium tin oxide. In addition, each of the positive pole 70 and the negative pole 76 is electrically connected to the controller 78 and the power source 80 through corresponding bus bars 82 , 84 and wires 86 , 88 . The bus bars 82, 84 may be printed along opposite sides of the positive and negative electrodes 70, 76, and the connection points between the bus bars 82, 84 and the wires 86, 88 may be located at diagonal corners of each bus bar 82, 84, thereby facilitating Uniform current distribution of the bus bars 82 , 84 . It should be understood that the orientation of components within lighting assembly 60 may vary in alternative embodiments without departing from the inventive concepts. For example, negative electrode 76 may be disposed below semiconducting ink 74 and positive electrode 70 may be disposed above semiconducting ink 74 . Likewise, additional components such as bus bars 82, 84 may also be arranged in any orientation so that light assembly 60 may emit light 100 toward a desired location.

LED sources 72 are dispersed in semiconducting ink 74 in a random or controlled manner and can be configured to emit focused or unfocused light toward photoluminescent structure 10 . LED source 72 may correspond to micro-LEDs of gallium nitride elements approximately 5 to about 400 microns in size and semiconductor ink 74 may include a variety of binders and dielectric materials including, but not limited to, gallium, One or more of indium, silicon carbide, phosphorus and/or a translucent polymer binder.

The semiconductor ink 74 may be applied by a variety of printing processes, including inkjet and screen printing processes to selected portions of the positive electrode 70 . More specifically, it is contemplated that LED sources 72 are dispersed within semiconductive ink 74 and shaped and sized such that a plurality of LED sources 72 are aligned with anode 70 and cathode 76 during deposition of semiconductive ink 74 . Portions of LED source 72 that are ultimately electrically connected to positive pole 70 and negative pole 76 may be illuminated by a combination of bus bars 82 and 84 , controller 78 , power supply 80 and wires 86 and 88 . According to one embodiment, the power supply 80 may correspond to a vehicle power supply 80 operating at a direct current of 12 to 16V. Additional Information Concerning Construction of Lighting Assembly 60 In U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0264396A1, filed March 12, 2014, by Lowenthal et al. "Thin Printed LED Layer" patent application, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Still referring to FIG. 4A , the photoluminescent structure 10 described above is disposed over the negative electrode 76 as a coating, layer, film, or other suitable deposited layer. With regard to the presently described embodiments, the photoluminescent structure 10 may be provided as a multilayer structure comprising an energy conversion layer 16 , an optional stabilization layer 18 and an optional protective layer 20 .

The visible portion 64 is disposed above the photoluminescent structure 10 . In some embodiments, visible portion 64 may comprise plastic, silicon, or polyurethane material and be molded over photoluminescent structure 10 and light emitting assembly 60 . Preferably, the visible portion 64 should be at least partially light transmissive. In this way, visible portion 64 can be illuminated by photoluminescent structure 10 at any time during the energy conversion process. In addition, by encapsulating the visible portion 64 , it can also be used to protect the photoluminescent structure 10 and the lighting assembly 60 . The visible part 64 can be configured as a plane and/or curved to improve its visibility. Similar to photoluminescent structure 10 and lighting assembly 60 , visible portion 64 may also benefit from a thin design, which facilitates fitting light source 62 into the small assembly space of vehicle 26 .

In some embodiments, a decorative layer 98 may be disposed between the viewable portion 64 and the photoluminescent structure 10 . Decorative layer 98 may include a polymeric material or other suitable material and is configured to control or change the appearance of visible portion 64 of light source 62 . For example, the decorative layer 98 may be configured to give the visible portion 64 the appearance of a trim piece on the vehicle 26 when the visible portion 64 is in an unilluminated state. In other embodiments, the decorative layer 98 may be colored any color to complement the photoluminescent structure 10 of the vehicle 26 receiving the light source 62 . In any event, the decorative layer 98 should be at least partially light transmissive so as not to prevent the photoluminescent structure 10 from illuminating the visible portion 64 at any time during the energy conversion process.

An overmold material 66 is disposed about the lighting assembly 60 and/or the photoluminescent structure 10 . The overmold material 66 can protect the lighting assembly 60 from physical and chemical damage caused by environmental exposure. The overmold material 66 may be viscoelastic (i.e., have both viscous and elastic properties), a low Young's modulus, and/or a high strain to failure compared to other materials such that the overmold material 66 may be viscoelastic when contacted. Protect the luminous assembly 60. For example, the overmold material 66 may protect the light assembly 60 from contacting other components of the shift mechanism indicator assembly 24 when the shift lever 28 is moved from the first position to the second position. It is also contemplated that the visible portion may be formed from a portion of the overmold material 66 .

In some embodiments, photoluminescent structure 10 may be used alone and separately from lighting assembly 60 . For example, photoluminescent structure 10 may be positioned on indicium 54 , position indicator 156 , and/or any surface adjacent to, but not in physical contact with, lighting assembly 60 (eg, components adjacent to shifter indicator assembly 24 ). It should be understood that in embodiments where the photoluminescent structure 10 is contained in a different component than the light source 62, the light source 62 still has the same or similar structure as the light source 62 described with reference to FIG. 4A.

Referring to FIG. 4B , an energy conversion process 104 for producing monochromatic light emission is shown, according to one embodiment. For purposes of illustration, the energy conversion process 104 is described below using the light source 62 depicted in FIG. 4A . In this embodiment, energy conversion layer 16 of photoluminescent structure 10 includes a single photoluminescent material 96 configured to convert input light 100 received from LED source 72 to have The relevant wavelength 100 is different from the output light 102 of wavelength. More specifically, photoluminescent material 96 is prepared to have an absorption spectrum that includes the emission wavelengths of input light 100 supplied from LED source 72 . Photoluminescent material 96 is also prepared to have a Stokes shift that produces converted visible light 102 having an emission spectrum that exhibits a desired color, which can vary for each lighting application. Converted visible light 102 is output from light source 62 through visible portion 64, thereby illuminating visible portion 64 in a desired color. Illumination provided by viewable portion 64 can provide a unique, generally uniform and/or appealing visual experience that is difficult to replicate by non-photoluminescent means.

Referring to FIG. 4C , a second energy conversion process 106 for generating multiple colors of light is shown according to one embodiment. For consistency, the second energy conversion process 106 is also described below using the light source 62 shown in FIG. 4A . In this embodiment, the energy conversion layer 16 includes a first photoluminescent material 96 and a second photoluminescent material 108 dispersed in the energy conversion layer 16 . Alternatively, the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 may be separated from each other, if desired. Likewise, it should be appreciated that the energy conversion layer 16 may comprise more than two different photoluminescent materials 96 and 108, in which case the teachings provided below apply equally. In one embodiment, the second energy conversion process 106 occurs by down-conversion using blue, violet and/or UV light as an excitation source.

With respect to the presently described embodiment, the excitations of the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 are mutually exclusive. That is, the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 are prepared to have non-overlapping absorption spectra and Stokes shifts that produce different emission spectra. Likewise, in preparing the photoluminescent materials 96, 108, care should be taken to select the associated Stokes shift such that converted light 102 emitted from one of the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 does not excite the other. , unless desired. According to an exemplary embodiment, a first portion of LED source 72 , shown illustratively as LED source 72a, is configured to emit input light 100 having the ability to excite only photoluminescent material 96 and cause input light 100 to be converted into An emission wavelength of visible light 102 of a first color (eg, white). Likewise, a second portion of LED source 72 , exemplarily shown as LED source 72 b , is configured to emit input light 100 having the effect of exciting only second photoluminescent material 108 and causing input light 100 to be converted into a second photoluminescent material 108 . The emission wavelengths of visible light 102 of two colors (eg, red). Preferably, the first color and the second color are visually distinguishable from each other. In this manner, controller 78 may be used to selectively activate LED sources 72a and 72b to cause photoluminescent structure 10 to emit light in various colors. For example, controller 78 may activate only LED source 72a to excite photoluminescent material 96 alone, causing viewable portion 64 to illuminate in the first color. Alternatively, the controller 78 may activate only the LED source 72b to excite the second photoluminescent material 108 alone, causing the viewable portion 64 to illuminate in the second color.

Still alternatively, the controller 78 may simultaneously activate the LED sources 72a and 72b so that both the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 are activated, causing the viewable portion 64 to illuminate in a third color that is the first and the third color. The blend color of the second color (e.g. pink). The intensity of the input light 100 emitted from each light source 62 may also be varied proportionally to each other to obtain additional colors. For energy conversion layers 16 comprising more than two different photoluminescent materials, a greater variety of colors can be achieved. Conceivable colors include red, green, blue, and combinations thereof, including white, all of which can be achieved by selecting the appropriate photoluminescent material and operating the corresponding LED source 72 appropriately.

Referring to FIG. 4D , a third energy conversion process 110 is illustrated according to an alternative embodiment. The third energy conversion process 110 includes the lighting assembly 60 as described with reference to FIG. 4A and the photoluminescent structure disposed on the lighting assembly 60 10. Photoluminescent structure 10 is configured to convert input light 100 received from LED source 72 into visible light 102 having a different wavelength than the associated wavelength of input light 100 . More specifically, the photoluminescent structure 10 is fabricated to have an absorption spectrum that includes the emission wavelengths of the input light 100 provided by the LED source 72 . Photoluminescent material 96 is also prepared to have a Stokes shift that produces converted visible light 102 having an emission spectrum that exhibits a desired color, which can vary depending on the lighting application.

The photoluminescent structure 10 may be applied to only a portion of the lighting assembly 60, for example, in a strip-like manner. Between the photoluminescent structures 10 may be light transmissive portions 112 that allow input light 100 emitted from the LED source 72 at the first wavelength to pass through the light transmissive portions 112 . The light transmissive portion 112 may be an open space or may be a transparent or translucent material. The light 100 emitted through the light transmissive portion 112 may be directed from the light emitting assembly 60 to the second photoluminescent structure 10 disposed adjacent to the light emitting assembly 60 . The second photoluminescent structure 10 may be configured to emit light in response to input light 100 directed through the light transmissive portion 112 .

Referring to FIG. 4E , a fourth energy conversion process 114 for generating light of various colors by using the light emitting assembly 60 described with reference to FIG. 4A and the photoluminescent structure 10 disposed on the light emitting assembly 60 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the photoluminescent structure 10 is disposed above the top 146 of the lighting assembly 60 . Excitation of the photoluminescent material 96 is prepared such that a portion of the input light 100 emitted from the LED source 72 passes through the photoluminescent structure 10 at the first wavelength (i.e., the input light 100 emitted from the light source 62 is not illuminated by the photoluminescent structure). 10 conversions). The intensity of emitted light 100 can be varied by pulse width modulation or current control to vary the amount of input light 100 emitted from LED source 72 that passes through photoluminescent structure 10 without conversion to second output wavelength 102 . For example, if light source 62 is configured to emit light 100 at a low level, substantially all of light 100 may be converted to second wavelength 102 . In this configuration, light 102 may be emitted from lighting assembly 60 corresponding to a color of photoluminescent structure 10 . If light source 62 is configured to emit input light 100 at a high level, only a portion of the first wavelength is converted by photoluminescent structure 10 . In such a configuration, a first portion of emitted light 100 may be converted by photoluminescent structure 10 and a second portion of light 100 may be directed by light assembly 60 at a first wavelength toward an additional photoluminescent light disposed adjacent to light source 62 . Structure 158 launches. Additional photoluminescent structures 158 may emit light in response to light 100 emitted from light source 62 .

According to an exemplary embodiment, a first portion of LED source 72, exemplarily shown as LED source 72d, is configured to emit input light 100 having the ability to excite photoluminescent material 96 within photoluminescent structure 10 and to cause The input light 100 is converted to a wavelength of visible light 102 of a first color (eg, white). Likewise, a second portion of LED source 72 , exemplarily shown as LED source 72 c , is configured to emit input light 100 with light passing through photoluminescent structure 10 and exciting an additional light source disposed adjacent to illumination system 22 . The wavelength of the photoluminescent structure 158 is thereby illuminated in the second color. The first and second colors are visually distinguishable from each other. In this manner, the controller 78 may be used to selectively activate the LED sources 72d and 72c to cause the lighting system 22 to emit light in various colors.

Lighting assembly 60 may also include optics 116 configured to direct light 100 emitted from LED sources 72d, 72c and light 102 emitted from photoluminescent structure 10 toward a predetermined location. For example, light 100 , 102 emitted from LED sources 72 d , 72 c and photoluminescent structure 10 may be directed and/or focused toward a desired component and/or location adjacent to light source 62 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , a light emitting assembly 60 according to one embodiment is illustrated from a top view having LED sources 72a, 72d of different types and densities laterally along the light emitting assembly 60 . As shown, first portion 118 of lighting assembly 60 includes LED source 72a configured to emit input light 100 having an emission wavelength within a spectrum of a first color (eg, red). Likewise, second portion 120 of lighting assembly 60 includes LED source 72d configured to emit input light 100 having an emission wavelength within the spectrum of a second color (eg, orange). The first portion 118 and the second portion 120 of the lighting assembly 60 may be separated from adjacently disposed portions by an isolating or non-conductive barrier 122 by any means known in the art such that each portion 118, 120 may be independent of any The other parts 118, 120 are illuminated. The insulating barrier 122 may also prevent a significant amount of emitted light 100 from nearby lit light sources 72a, 72d from passing through the isolation barrier 122. Furthermore, each section 118, 120 disposed within the lighting assembly 60 may include a respective bus bar 82, 84, 124, 126, 128, 130 connected to the controller 78 and configured to illuminate the respective section 118, 120 , 132, 134, 136, 138.

According to one embodiment, the first and second colors are visually distinguishable from each other. In this manner, the LED sources 72a and 72d may be selectively activated using the controller 78 to illuminate the LED sources 72a, 72d in different colors. For example, controller 78 may activate only LED source 72a to solely illuminate portion 118 of lighting assembly 60 in the first color. Alternatively, controller 78 may activate only LED source 72d to solely illuminate portion 120 of lighting assembly 60 in the second color. It should be appreciated that the lighting assembly 60 may include any number of sections 118, 120 having different LED sources 72a, 72d illuminated in any desired color. Furthermore, it should also be understood that the sections with different LED sources 72a, 72d may be oriented in any feasible manner and need not be arranged adjacently.

As mentioned above, the photoluminescent structure 10 may be disposed on a portion of the lighting assembly 60 . Any of the LED sources 72a, 72d may be used to excite any photoluminescent material 96 disposed adjacent to and/or above the lighting assembly 60, if desired.

The semiconductor ink 74 may also contain various densities of LED sources 72a, 72d such that the density of LED sources 72a, 72d or the number of LED sources 72a, 72d per unit area can be adjusted for various lighting applications. In some embodiments, the density of LED sources 72 a , 72 d may vary throughout the length of light emitting assembly 60 . For example, first portion 118 of lighting assembly 60 may have a greater density of LED sources 72 than optional portion 120, or vice versa. In such an embodiment, the light source 62 and/or the sign 54 may appear brighter or have greater illumination to preferentially illuminate a predetermined location. In other embodiments, the density of LED sources 72a, 72d may increase or decrease with increasing distance from a preselected point.

According to one embodiment, the lighting assembly 60 includes a higher density of LED sources 72a adjacent to the emblem 54 having a "P" designation, thereby indicating that the vehicle 26 is in park, while having a lower density with respect to other modes of the transmission 30. density. Alternatively or additionally, portions 188 may have a higher density to inform the occupant of the selected mode of operation.

Referring to FIGS. 6A-6B , a top view of element 50 and a corresponding cross-sectional view of shifter indicator assembly 24 are shown, respectively. Position indicators 156 are disposed above plurality of light assemblies 60 and below markers 54 . Likewise, a position indicator 156 is attached to the shift lever 28 so that both components move simultaneously. Position indicator 156 includes photoluminescent structure 10 disposed therein and/or thereon, photoluminescent structure 10 configured to emit light in response to excitation by input light 100 emitted by plurality of lighting assemblies 60 . Since the position indicator 156 is in close proximity to the logo 54 , the logo 54 is backlit by the converted light 102 emitted by the photoluminescent structure 10 . Since the position indicator is positioned below a single emblem 54 at a time, the backlit emblem 54 informs the occupants of the vehicle 26 of the positional state of the shift lever 28 , and thereby the current mode of operation of the transmission 30 . However, it should be understood that, depending on the shift mechanism indicating assembly 24 used in the vehicle assembly, the position indicator could be attached directly to the shift lever 28 by using additional components without departing from the concepts presented herein. Attached to or otherwise move with the shift lever 28 .

As shown, five lighting assemblies 60 are disposed longitudinally adjacent to each other and below each indicia 54 disposed on element 50 . Each lighting assembly 60 may be individually illuminated when position indicator 156 is positioned above. Optionally, all lighting assemblies 60 can be illuminated at the same time, while the vehicle power supply provides power to the illumination sources.

According to one embodiment, an additional photoluminescent structure 158 may be disposed on and/or used to form the logo 54 . In such a configuration, lighting assembly 60 may be simultaneously illuminated and configured to output light at the first wavelength. Position indicator 156 has located therein and/or thereon first photoluminescent structure 10 configured to output light at a second wavelength in response to receiving input light 100 from lighting assembly 60 . At the same time, additional photoluminescent structures 158 may be configured to illuminate at a third wavelength. Thus, the position indicator can emit a first color from behind the sign 54 while the sign 54 can emit a second color. The first and second colors are visually distinguishable from each other. In such a configuration, the current mode of the transmission 30 may be illuminated by a combined color of the first color and the second color, while modes not currently in use may be illuminated by the second color only.

Referring to FIGS. 7A-7B , a top view of element 50 and a corresponding cross-sectional view of shifter indicator assembly 24 are shown, respectively, according to an alternative embodiment. As shown, the photoluminescent structure 10 is disposed on or integrally formed with the logo 54 . Lighting assembly 60 is disposed on and/or forms position indicator 156 to move simultaneously with shift lever 28 . In such a configuration, lighting assembly 60 emits light at the first wavelength toward element 50 , which is disposed adjacently above lighting assembly 60 . The photoluminescent structure 10 is configured to emit light at a second wavelength in response to receiving light at a first wavelength.

As shown, the lighting assembly 60 is sized such that it is positioned under only one sign 54 at a time. Additional components may be added to the ends of lighting assembly 60 to further prevent light emitted from lighting assembly 60 from exciting nearby photoluminescent structures. Also, the electrical connectors in this configuration may be provided through the shift lever 28 so as not to interfere with any other components of the shift mechanism assembly.

Referring to FIG. 8 , a block diagram of a vehicle 26 is shown in which the lighting system 22 is implemented. The lighting system 22 includes a controller 78 in communication with the lighting assembly 60 . The controller 78 may include a memory 160 having instructions embodied therein for execution by a processor 162 of the controller 78 . The controller 78 may provide power to the light sources 62 or respective bus bars 82 , 84 via a power source 80 located on the vehicle 26 . Additionally, controller 78 may be configured to control the light output by each light source 62 based on feedback received from one or more vehicle control modules 164 such as, but not limited to, a body control module, an engine control module, a steering control modules, brake control modules, etc. and/or combinations thereof. By controlling the light output of the light source 62, the lighting system 22 may be illuminated in various colors and/or patterns to provide an aesthetic appearance or may provide vehicle information to an intended viewer. For example, the lighting assembly 60 may illuminate the emblem 54 and/or the location indicator 156 within the vehicle 26 when the vehicle engine is on.

In operation, each photoluminescent structure 10 may exhibit constant monochromatic or polychromatic illumination. For example, controller 78 may activate light source 62 to emit only a first wavelength of light through the LED to illuminate photoluminescent structure 10 in a first color (eg, white). Alternatively, the controller 78 may activate the light source 62 to emit only the second wavelength of light through the LED to illuminate the photoluminescent structure in a second color (eg, red). Still alternatively, the controller 78 may activate the light source 62 to simultaneously emit light at the first and second wavelengths to illuminate the photoluminescent structure in a third color (e.g., pink) that is a combination of the first and second colors. additive mixed light defined. Also, an additional photoluminescent structure 158 can be added to the illumination system 22, which photoluminescent structure converts the light emitted from the light source 62 to a different wavelength. Still optionally, the controller 78 may activate the light source 62 to alternate between periodically emitting light at a first wavelength and light at a second wavelength such that the photoluminescent structure 10 glows by alternating between the first color and the second color. Illuminated periodically. Controller 78 may activate light source 62 to periodically emit light at the first wavelength and/or light at the second wavelength at regular and/or irregular time intervals.

In another embodiment, lighting system 22 may include user interface 166 . User interface 166 may be configured to allow a user to control the wavelength of light emitted by the LEDs and/or which LEDs are illuminated. Such a configuration may allow the user to control which components are illuminated, thereby facilitating setting the vehicle transmission 30 in a desired mode. The user interface 166 may be disposed within the vehicle cabin or on any surface accessible to a user during use of the lighting system 22 as described herein. User interface 166 may use any type of controller known in the art for controlling light source 62, such as, but not limited to, a proximity sensor.

With regard to the above examples, the controller 78 may vary the intensity of emitted light of the first and second wavelengths through pulse width modulation or current control. In some embodiments, controller 78 may be configured to adjust the color of emitted light 100 by sending a control signal that is used to adjust the intensity or energy output level of light source 62 . For example, if light source 62 is configured to output the first emission at a low level, substantially all of the input light 100 may be converted to output visible light. If light source 62 is configured to emit input light 100 at a high level, only a portion of input light 100 may be converted by photoluminescent structure 10 into output light. In this configuration, light corresponding to a mixed color of the input light 100 and the output light may be output as emitted light. In this manner, each controller 78 can control the output color of the emitted light.

Although the low and high intensity levels are described with reference to the input light 100, it should be understood that the intensity of the input light 100 can be varied between various intensity levels to adjust the intensity corresponding to the light 100, 102 emitted from the illumination system 22. Color tint. As described herein, the color of the output light may depend primarily on the particular photoluminescent material 96 used in the photoluminescent structure 10 . Furthermore, the switching capability of the photoluminescent structure 10 is primarily dependent on the concentration of the photoluminescent material 96 used in the photoluminescent structure 10 . By adjusting the range of intensities emitted from light source 62, the concentration and ratio of photoluminescent material 96 in photoluminescent structure 10 as described herein and the type of photoluminescent material used in photoluminescent structure 10 can be operated to Multiple color shades of emitted light are produced by mixing input light 100 with output light 102 . It is also contemplated that the intensity of each light source 62 may be varied simultaneously or independently of any number of other light sources 62 .

Accordingly, a lighting system embodied as a shift indicator assembly for a vehicle has been advantageously described herein. The lighting system can provide a variety of benefits, including a simple and cost-effective means for producing a variety of lighting features that can be used as a styling feature and/or when using the illuminated shift indicator assembly 24 auxiliary crew.

It should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the construction of the present invention, as well as other components, is not limited to any particular material. Other exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may be formed from a variety of materials unless otherwise indicated herein.

For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "connect" (in all of its forms, connected (present tense), connected (present participle), connected (past tense), etc.) generally means that two parts are directly or indirectly joined (electrically or indirectly) to each other. mechanical). Such engagement may be fixed in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved through the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any further intermediate elements integrally formed with each other or with the two components as a single unit. Such engagement may be permanent in nature or removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.

It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of elements of the invention shown in the exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in the present invention, those skilled in the art who review the present invention will readily understand that, without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter, many Variations are possible (eg, size, dimension, configuration, shape and proportions of various elements, parameter values, mounting settings, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.). For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed in multiple parts or elements shown in multiple parts may be integrally formed, interacting may be reversed or otherwise varied, structural and/or elements or connections or other system elements The length or width may vary, and the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between elements may vary. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a variety of colors, textures, and combinations thereof. Accordingly, all such variations are intended to be included within the scope of this invention. Other substitutions, changes, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is to be understood that any described procedure, or step within a described procedure, may be combined with other disclosed procedures or steps to form structures within the scope of the invention. The exemplary structures and procedures described herein are for purposes of illustration and are not to be construed as limitations.

It is also to be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the structures and methods described above without departing from the inventive concepts and it is further to be understood that these concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless such claims express otherwise through its text.

Claims (20)

1. A shift mechanism indicating assembly, comprising: a light source positioned under multiple signs; and A first photoluminescent structure adjacent to the sign and configured to emit light in response to being excited by the light source, wherein the first photoluminescent structure selectively illuminates a single sign at a time. 2. The shift indicator assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of printed LEDs. 3. The shifter indicator assembly of claim 2, wherein the first photoluminescent structure comprises at least one photoluminescent material configured to render the light from at least a portion of the The input light received by the light source is down-converted into visible light, and the visible light is output to the visible part. 4. The shift indicator assembly of claim 3, wherein the input light comprises one of blue light, violet light, and ultraviolet light. 5. The shift mechanism indicating assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: A position indicator configured to move with a shift lever, wherein the position indicator includes the first photoluminescent structure disposed on the position indicator. 6. The shift mechanism indicating assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: A position indicator configured to move with the shift lever, wherein the light source is disposed on the position indicator and configured to direct light toward the first photoluminescent structure. 7. The shift mechanism indicating assembly according to claim 5, further comprising: A second photoluminescent structure disposed on the emblem, the second photoluminescent structure configured to emit light in a color different from the color emitted by the first photoluminescent structure in response to being excited by the light source. 8. A shift mechanism indicator assembly for a vehicle, comprising: an element having a plurality of logos located on the element; a position indicator configured to move with the shift lever, wherein the position indicator cooperates with the emblem to notify an occupant of a transmission mode; a light source positioned below the sign; and A light emitting structure configured to emit light to illuminate the sign in response to being excited by the light source. 9. The shifter indicator assembly for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said indicium is formed by said light emitting structure. 10. The shift mechanism indicating assembly for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the light emitting structure is provided on the position indicator. 11. The shift indicator assembly for a vehicle of claim 9, wherein the light source is disposed on the position indicator. 12. The shift indicator assembly for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein the light source comprises a printed LED. 13. The shifter indicator assembly for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting structure comprises at least one light emitting material configured to receive light from at least a portion of said printed LEDs. The incoming light is down-converted to visible light. 14. A shift mechanism indicating assembly, comprising: an element having one or more transmissive element portions located therein; a position indicator configured to move with the shift lever; one or more light sources disposed below the position indicator; and A first photoluminescent structure is disposed on the position indicator, wherein the photoluminescent structure is configured to emit light in response to being excited by the light source. 15. The shift indicator assembly of claim 14, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of printed LEDs. 16. The shift indicator assembly of claim 15, wherein said photoluminescent structure comprises at least one photoluminescent material configured to cause light from at least a portion of said light source The received input light is down-converted to visible light. 17. The shift indicator assembly of claim 14, wherein said transmissive element portion includes an indicium disposed on said transmissive element portion, said indicium being associated with an operating state of a vehicle transmission. 18. The shift indicator assembly of claim 16, wherein the input light comprises one of blue light, violet light, and ultraviolet light. 19. The shifter indicating assembly of claim 14, further comprising: a second photoluminescent structure disposed adjacent to the transmissive element portion, the second photoluminescent structure configured to emit light in a color different from that of the first photoluminescent structure in response to being excited by the light source glow. 20. The shifter indicating assembly of claim 14, wherein the current state of the vehicle transmission is illuminated in a third color by an indicator positioned adjacent to said transmissive portion, said third color being induced by said first light The additively mixed light of the light emitting structure and the second photoluminescent structure is defined.