The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 1989
Filed:
Aug. 18, 1987
David V Tinder, Dearborn, MI (US);
Glen G Wodnicki, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
United Technologies Automotive, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A light pipe including a light diverting section, in which light flowing through the light pipe in a longitudinal direction is diverted at least generally radially out from the light pipe or, alternatively, the light diverting section can be used as a receiver (rather than a transmitter) to collect light rays from light emanating around the device and divert them for passage down through the light pipe. An automotive application of the former, transmitter mode is serving as a visula indicator from a remote location in which the surface end of the light pipe is not clearly visible, such as for example on a 'black box' located under a vehicle seat. An automotive application of the latter, receiver mode is as a light collector to receive or accept infrared rays from any compass position and from a range of vertical positions and direct them to a receptor, as part of an infrared personal entry system into the vehicle. The light diverting section includes a centrally located reflective surface on its side distal to the light pipe section which is conical (FIGS. 4 and 5) or concavely curved (FIGS. 1 and 2), the latter causing vertical as well as radial dispersion.