Vehicle light assembly with photon recycling

Abstract

A vehicle light assembly comprising a light chamber secured to a vehicle member. The chamber includes a partially transmissive lens and an interior. The interior includes a plurality of isotropically luminant surfaces and a substantially reflective surface. Further, the vehicle light assembly includes a light source arranged within the light chamber, and the light source is substantially oriented to emanate light that initially strikes the substantially reflective surface, propagates within the chamber along the isotropically luminant surfaces, and exits the chamber through the lens.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A vehicle light assembly, comprising:
 a light chamber secured to a vehicle member, the chamber having a partially transmissive lens and an interior with a plurality of isotropically luminant surfaces; and   a light source arranged within the light chamber, the light source substantially oriented to emanate light that initially strikes at least one of the luminant surfaces, subsequently propagates within the chamber along the luminant surfaces, and exits the chamber through the lens.   
     
     
         2 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source is a plurality of LED lights. 
     
     
         3 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source is a single LED light. 
     
     
         4 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the partially transmissive lens comprises a prismatic element. 
     
     
         5 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the partially transmissive lens comprises a multi-faceted element. 
     
     
         6 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the partially transmissive lens substantially reflects light from the light source oriented at an angle less than or equal to 42° from a direction normal to the lens. 
     
     
         7 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle member is located in a rear portion of the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the light chamber is configured as a vehicle tail light. 
     
     
         9 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an anti-reflective lens, wherein the light that exits the chamber through the partially transmissive lens also passes through the anti-reflective lens and appears as a color selected from the group consisting of red, amber, yellow and white.   
     
     
         10 . A vehicle light assembly, comprising:
 a light chamber secured to a vehicle member, the chamber having a partially transmissive lens and an interior comprising a plurality of isotropically luminant surfaces and a substantially reflective surface; and   a light source arranged within the light chamber, the light source substantially oriented to emanate light that initially strikes the reflective surface, subsequently propagates within the chamber along the luminant surfaces, and exits the chamber through the lens.   
     
     
         11 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the light source is a plurality of LED lights. 
     
     
         12 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the light source is a single LED light. 
     
     
         13 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the substantially reflective surface is configured substantially within a plane defined by the partially transmissive lens. 
     
     
         14 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the partially transmissive lens permits approximately 60% to 70% of incident light from the light source within the chamber to pass through the lens. 
     
     
         15 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the partially transmissive lens comprises a partially transmissive film that permits approximately 60% to 70% of the incident light from the light source within the chamber to pass through the lens. 
     
     
         16 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the partially transmissive film comprises a layer metalized with aluminum. 
     
     
         17 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle member is located in a rear portion of the vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the light chamber is configured as a vehicle tail light. 
     
     
         19 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an anti-reflective lens.   
     
     
         20 . A vehicle light assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the light that exits the chamber through the partially transmissive lens also passes through the anti-reflective lens and appears as a color selected from the group consisting of red, amber, yellow and white.