JP7398255B2 - Method for lens heating system and LED lighting system - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Announced on the website on June 14, 2018 (first time) Announced on the website on December 4, 2018 (second time) ) 1st time: https://www. jwspeaker. com/products/led-snow-plow-headlights-model-9800/2nd time: https://www. jwspeaker. com/products/led-headlight-model-8770-locomotive/

(Description of research and development funded by the federal government)
Not applicable.

The present technology relates to an LED lighting system. More specifically, the present technology relates to systems and methods for providing lens heaters for LED lighting systems.

Most vehicles are equipped with headlamps, taillamps, and some form of other lighting system. Lighting systems using incandescent bulbs or HID bulbs, for example, generate enough radiant heat, especially in the non-visible spectral region, that in cold conditions, condensed water vapor, rain, sleet, snow, etc. Does not form ice which reduces light transmission. Some light sources that use LEDs for illumination do not produce enough radiant heat to melt the snow, causing ice to adhere to the lighting system lenses.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system and method that can sufficiently heat a lighting system lens to melt snow and ice and avoid reducing light transmission through the lighting system lens.

The present technology provides a heating system and method for a lighting system lens.

In one form, the present technology provides a system for heating a lens of an LED lighting system.

In another form, the present technology provides a method for heating an LED lighting system.

According to one embodiment of the present technology, a lens heating system for an illumination system is disclosed. The system includes a generally transparent thermoplastic substrate and a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit on the thermoplastic substrate.

In some embodiments, the heating system further includes a lens heating circuit having a lens heating controller operably coupled thereto.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit is screen printed onto a thermoplastic substrate.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit is a conductive silver trace.

In some embodiments, the conductive film circuit is a conductive silver trace.

In some embodiments, the heating output of the conductive ink circuit is controlled based on the temperature of the conductive ink circuit utilizing positive temperature coefficient (PTC) ink traces.

In some embodiments, the heating system further includes a dielectric overcoat over the conductive ink circuit.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit has a resistance in the range of approximately 5Ω to 300Ω.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit includes a plurality of wires of substantially uniform length.

In some embodiments, the plurality of wires are connected by a bus bar on the non-power connection side.

In some embodiments, the plurality of wires have a width ranging from about 0.05 mm to 1.0 mm.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit outputs about 1 W per square inch.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit comprises substantially transparent ink.

In some embodiments, the lens heating controller controls the voltage of the conductive ink circuit to increase or decrease the power consumed by the conductive ink circuit.

In some embodiments, the heating system further comprises an illumination system lens, and the conductive ink circuit remains exposed inside the illumination system lens.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present technology, an LED lighting system assembly with a heated lens is disclosed. The assembly includes a housing with a lens having an interior lens side and an exterior lens side, and a base, at least one LED located within the base to provide illumination through the lens, a lens heater controller, and a lens heater controller. a substantially transparent thermoplastic substrate positioned on the interior side of the lens; and a conductive ink circuit or conductive film on the thermoplastic substrate operably coupled to the lens heater circuit. It is equipped with a circuit.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink on the thermoplastic substrate is placed in a pocket on the core of an injection molding tool with the conductive ink facing away from the core, with the conductive ink side facing away from the final illumination. Continue to be exposed on the system lens part.

In some embodiments, the conductive ink on the thermoplastic substrate is placed against the cavity side of the injection molding tool such that the conductive ink side is enclosed between the thermoplastic substrate and the final illumination system lens portion. be done.

In some embodiments, a thermoplastic resin is then overmolded onto the thermoplastic substrate and bonded only to the non-printing side of the thermoplastic substrate.

In some embodiments, the injection molding tool uses a vacuum to place and hold the thermoplastic substrate within the core.

In some embodiments, transmission of 90% or more is achieved in both lumens and intensity.

According to another embodiment of the present technology, a method for heating a lens in an illumination system is disclosed. In this method, a conductive ink circuit or a conductive film circuit is coated on a substantially transparent thermoplastic substrate, and the conductive ink circuit is coated on the substantially transparent thermoplastic substrate on at least one of the inner side of the lens and the outer side of the lens. Alternatively, a conductive film circuit is attached, and controlled electric power is applied to the conductive ink circuit or the conductive film circuit to heat the lens.

In some embodiments, the method includes adding a PTC trace in the vicinity of the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit, detecting the resistance of the PTC trace, and determining the conductive trace based on the detected resistance of the PTC trace. The method further includes controlling power applied to the conductive ink circuit or the conductive film circuit.

According to other embodiments of the present technology, a lens heating system is disclosed. The lens heating system can include a generally transparent thermoplastic substrate and a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit disposed on the thermoplastic substrate to heat the thermoplastic substrate. The lens heating system includes a lens heater and can further include a lens heater circuit operably coupled to a lens heater controller. The controller may be configured to measure a temperature associated with the outer surface of the lens and activate the lens heater in response to a determination that the temperature is less than or equal to a threshold temperature. The lens heating system can further include a spring connector including a plurality of pins, the pins being configured to couple to a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit, and the pins further connecting the pins to the conductive ink circuit or conductive film. configured to provide an electrical connection between the circuit and the circuit.

In some embodiments, the controller can be coupled to a thermistor that is configured to measure a temperature associated with the outer surface of the lens.

In some embodiments, the thermistor can be a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor.

In some embodiments, the spring connector can be at least partially disposed within a lens that is coupled to a generally transparent thermoplastic substrate.

In some embodiments, the lens heater circuit can include a circuit board and the spring connector is surface mounted to the circuit board.

In some embodiments, the system further comprises a second spring connector coupled to the second bus bar of the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit, the spring connector coupled to the first bus bar of the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit. are combined.

According to another embodiment of the present technology, a method of heating a lens of an illumination system is disclosed. This method involves applying a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit on a substantially transparent thermoplastic substrate, and coating the conductive ink or film circuit on the substantially transparent thermoplastic substrate on the inner lens side and on the outer lens side. It may include pasting on at least one of the lens sides. The method further includes positioning a spring connector having a plurality of pins relative to the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit, and establishing an electrical connection between the pins and the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit. and applying controlled power to the conductive ink or film circuit to heat the lens.

In some embodiments, the positioning step includes moving the spring connector toward the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit until the pins deflect a predetermined amount corresponding to establishing the electrical connection. may include.

In some embodiments, the method may further include receiving a value from the wireless module and powering the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit based on the value.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a speed value from a speed sensor, determining whether the speed value exceeds a predetermined threshold, and responsive to determining that the speed value exceeds the predetermined threshold. The method may further include supplying a predetermined amount of power to the conductive ink circuit or the conductive film circuit.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving an optical value from the optical sensor, determining whether the optical value is less than a predetermined threshold, and in response to determining that the optical value is less than the predetermined threshold. The method may further include supplying a metered amount of power to the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit.

In some embodiments, the method may further include positioning the spring connector within a lens that is at least partially coupled to a generally transparent thermoplastic substrate.

According to other embodiments of the present technology, a heated lighting system is provided. The system includes a substantially transparent thermoplastic substrate, a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit disposed on the thermoplastic substrate to heat the thermoplastic substrate, a lens in contact with the thermoplastic substrate, and a plurality of an interconnect assembly including a spring connector. The spring connector is positioned in contact with the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit, and the interconnect assembly can be positioned at least partially within the lens.

In some embodiments, the interconnect assembly can be configured to power a conductive ink or film circuit.

In some embodiments, the lens can be adhered to at least a portion of the interconnect assembly and at least a portion of the thermoplastic substrate.

In some embodiments, a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit can be placed on the outer surface of the lens.

In some embodiments, the lens can be constructed from a thermoplastic polymer.

According to other embodiments of the present technology, a method of manufacturing a heated lighting system is disclosed. This method involves applying a conductive ink circuit or a conductive film circuit onto a generally transparent thermoplastic substrate, placing the thermoplastic substrate within a cavity of an injection molding tool, and placing the circuit within a pocket of the core of the injection molding tool. The method may include locating a connection assembly. The method may further include positioning an interconnect assembly relative to a thermoplastic substrate to establish an electrical connection between the interconnect assembly and the thermoplastic substrate, and injecting resin into the injection molding tool. . The interconnect assembly can be configured to power the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit through the electrical connections.

In some embodiments, the interconnect assembly includes a plurality of pins, and positioning the interconnect assembly relative to the thermoplastic substrate deflects the plurality of pins relative to the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit. may include steps.

In some embodiments, injecting resin into the injection molding tool may include overcoating at least a portion of an interconnect assembly and at least a portion of a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit.

In some embodiments, placing the thermoplastic substrate within the cavity may include placing a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit on the opposite side of the cavity.

These and other advantages will become more apparent upon thorough examination and consideration of the following detailed description. Also, while the embodiments discussed above are listed as separate embodiments, the embodiments described above may be combined in whole or in part with all elements included therein.

The invention will be better understood, and additional features and advantages will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description. Such detailed description refers to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighting system including a lens heater according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the illumination system of Figure 1 with the lens removed; 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a lens heater assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conductive ink circuit or a conductive film circuit that can be used as a heat generating element according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the conductive ink or film circuit of Figure 4 attached to an illumination lens; It is a table showing resistance value reproducibility for various configurations. 1 is a thermal image of an illumination system with voltage applied to a lens heater assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a thermal image of only the lens of the illumination system with voltage applied to the lens heater assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lighting system with a layer of ice approximately 2 mm thick. 10 is a perspective view of the illumination system of FIG. 9 with voltage applied to the lens heater circuit to substantially remove ice from the viewing area; FIG. FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment having a lens heater circuit configured with wires having substantially non-uniform wire lengths. FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment having a lens heater circuit configured with wires having substantially uniform wire lengths. It is a graph showing the main characteristics of PTC ink. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a lens heater assembly layout (excluding lens heater circuitry) with PTC wiring for temperature sensing. 15 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 14 showing PTC wiring. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the location of ink and screen printed substrates in an injection molding tool for manufacturing a lens for a lighting system with a lens heater according to an embodiment of the invention. 17 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 16. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating alternative locations of ink and screen printed substrates in an injection molding tool for manufacturing lenses of illumination systems with lens heaters according to embodiments of the present invention. 19 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 18. FIG. It is a table showing the optical influence of lens heater wiring in low beam lighting and high beam lighting. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lighting system with a lens heater according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lighting system; FIG. 23 is a front view of the illumination system of FIG. 22; FIG. 23 is an exploded view of the lighting system of FIG. 22; FIG. 23 is an exploded view of the lens, interconnect assembly and thermoplastic substrate of the illumination system of FIG. 22; FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the interconnect assembly of FIG. 22; FIG. 23 is another perspective view of the interconnect assembly of FIG. 22; FIG. 23 is an exploded view of the interconnect assembly and thermoplastic substrate of the lighting system of FIG. 22; FIG. 23 is another view of the interconnect assembly and thermoplastic substrate separated from other components of the lighting system of FIG. 22; FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the lens, interconnect assembly, and thermoplastic substrate of the illumination system of FIG. 22; FIG. FIG. 3 illustrates an example process for manufacturing a lens bonded to at least a portion of a thermoplastic substrate and interconnect assembly, according to some embodiments. 2 illustrates a circuit diagram of a driver circuit and a heater circuit, according to some embodiments. FIG. 1 illustrates an example box diagram for an example heater control system of a lighting system, according to some embodiments. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lighting system; FIG. 35 is a front view of the lighting device of FIG. 34. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lighting system; FIG. 37 is an exploded view of the lighting system of FIG. 36; FIG. FIG. 37 is a front view of the illumination system of FIG. 36; 37 is a diagram of the interconnect assembly, lens, and thermoplastic substrate of the illumination system of FIG. 36; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lighting system; FIG. 41 is a front view of the illumination system of FIG. 40; FIG. 41 is a diagram of the interconnect assembly, lens, and thermoplastic substrate of the illumination system of FIG. 40; FIG. 41 is a diagram of the interconnect assembly, lens, and thermoplastic substrate of the illumination system of FIG. 40; FIG. 41 is a diagram of the interconnect assembly and thermoplastic substrate of the lighting system of FIG. 40; FIG. 41 is another view of the interconnect assembly and thermoplastic substrate of the lighting system of FIG. 40; FIG. 41 is another view of the interconnect assembly and thermoplastic substrate of the lighting system of FIG. 40; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lighting system; FIG. 48 is a front view of the illumination system of FIG. 47; FIG.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are drawn for brevity and clarity and do not need to be drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positions of some of the elements in the figures are exaggerated relative to other elements to enhance an understanding of various embodiments of the invention. Additionally, common, well-known elements useful or necessary in commercially viable embodiments are often not illustrated in order to provide a more easily viewed illustration of these various embodiments. Additionally, while certain acts and/or steps are described and depicted in a specific chronological order, those skilled in the art will appreciate that such particularity as to order is not actually necessary. Furthermore, it will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have their ordinary technical meanings as used by those skilled in the art, unless a different specific meaning is clearly specified.

Before describing embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in scope to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the following description and drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being carried out in various ways. Additionally, the use of expressions and terminology herein is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting the invention. Further, the terms "right", "left", "front", "rear", "upper", "lower" and variations thereof herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting the invention. The use of the words "comprises," "comprising," "having," and variations thereof herein are meant to include the listed items and their equivalents. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms "attachment," "connection," "support," "coupling" and variations thereof are used broadly and include direct or indirect attachment, connection, support, or coupling. Furthermore, "connection" and "coupling" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections and couplings.

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use an embodiment of the invention. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles described herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the embodiments of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description will be interpreted with reference to the drawings, in which like elements in different figures are labeled with like reference numerals. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and are within the scope of embodiments of the invention.

To avoid freezing of certain LED lighting systems, lens heaters with high light transmission are required. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in some embodiments an overcoated screen printed conductive circuit can be used as a heating element in a lighting system 20. Illumination system 20 can have a housing 24 with a base 28 and a lens 32. Lens 32 has a lens inner side 36 and a lens outer side 40. At least one LED 44 is positioned within base 28 to provide illumination through lens 32. Lens heater assembly 70 includes a lens heater controller 48 with a lens heater circuit 52 operably coupled thereto. In some embodiments, a generally transparent thermoplastic substrate 60 is positioned on the inside lens 36 of the lens, and a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit 66 is positioned on the thermoplastic substrate 66 to operatively connect the lens heater circuit. Combine with 52. In some embodiments, a reflector 68 is included to guide illumination light from one or more LEDs 44.

In some embodiments, the heating output of the heating element is adjusted based on the temperature of the heating element trace utilizing positive temperature coefficient (PTC) ink traces.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the lens heater circuit 52. A lens heater circuit 52 is coupled to lens 32 or located within base 28 . When the lens heater circuit 52 is coupled to the lens 32 as shown in FIG. 3, a power line 56 (see FIG. 2) extends from the base 28 and is connected to the connector 54 of the lens heater circuit 52. In some embodiments, conductive element 58 is used to supply power from lens heater circuit 52 to conductive ink circuit 66. The conductive element 58 is, for example, a spring or an electric wire.

4 and 5 show examples of conductive ink circuits or conductive film circuits 66 used as heating elements. The terms ink and film are used interchangeably herein. In some embodiments, conductive film 66 is a conductive silver wire. Other resistive elements can also be used as conductive films. FIG. 4 shows conductive silver wiring screen printed onto a transparent substrate film 60. In some embodiments, substrate 60 is a thermoplastic polymer. In some embodiments, substrate 60 is a polycarbonate substrate. Also, other substrate materials can be used. FIG. 5 shows conductive film 66 on substrate 60 previously attached to illumination system lens 32 for testing. Substrate 60 can be any transparent or nearly transparent substrate film. Opaque substrates can also be used.

Embodiments of lens heater assembly 70 were tested using multiple types of ink with and without a dielectric overcoat. Lens heater assembly 70 was also tested for multiple substrate thicknesses. FIG. 6 shows resistance value reproducibility data for various configurations. In some embodiments, lens heater circuit 52 has a resistance value ranging from about 5 ohms to about 300 ohms, depending on the application. For some 12-24V lighting system applications, it is on the order of about 30Ω. Other voltage and resistance values are also possible.

One version of the lens heater assembly 70 was taped to an existing molded outer lens 32, and heating tests were performed on the lamp assembly as well as the independent lens. 7 and 8 show a thermal image of the illumination system assembly 20 (FIG. 7) and of only the lens 32 with the lens heater assembly 70 energized (FIG. 8). In each figure, reference numerals 72 indicate hot, 74 warm, 76 cool, and 78 cold. These descriptions of hot, warm, cool, and cold are relative terms and are intended as a gradation of the temperature range formed by lighting system 20.

FIG. 9 shows a lighting system 20 with a freezing layer 80 approximately 2 mm thick in a cooling chamber saturated at -20°C. Turning now to FIG. 10, the same lighting system 20 is illustrated, for example, energizing the low beam and high beam LEDs 44 and energizing the lens heater circuit 52, consuming approximately 18 watts. The ice layer 80 was removed from the optical area 84 in a few minutes. The cooling chamber was maintained at −20° C. with significant air convection.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment including a lens heater circuit 52 configured with wiring 88 having unequal wiring lengths. This arrangement caused uneven heating of the wiring 88. This arrangement is useful for certain applications. The center 92 was seen to be slightly hotter compared to the edges 96. FIG. 12 shows another embodiment with wires 88 of generally equal length. A more uniform heat generation was observed. Wiring 88 is connected to bus bar 100 on non-power connection end 104 to allow for equal wiring length. In each figure, reference numerals 72 indicate hot, 74 warm, 76 cool, and 78 cold. These descriptions of hot, warm, cool, and cold are relative terms and are intended as a gradation of the temperature range formed by lighting system 20.

In some embodiments, a silver-based screen printable ink is used as lens heater traces 88. Silver allows for low-resistance interconnects even when the interconnects are very thin. In some embodiments, the ink is printed at a thickness of about 5-15 μm (other embodiments vary above/below this thickness). Other conductive inks may also be used if the overall resistance requirements are met for various applications.

In some embodiments, the width of the lens heater wire used as the heating element is about 0.35 mm. This varies from about 0.05 mm to about 1.0 mm depending on various embodiments. In order to uniformly heat the entire lens surface, the lens heater wires are spaced approximately 8 mm apart. This distance can still be effectively increased to about 15 mm and is smaller for other applications. Other dimensions are also possible.

In some embodiments, the overall resistance of lens heater circuit 52 is approximately 30Ω. In other embodiments, this varies from about 5 ohms to about 300 ohms in various designs.

Through testing, it has been found that applying approximately 1 W per square inch to the inner surface of the thermoplastic polymer outer lens 32 is a sufficient amount of power per viewing area of an LED lamp to effectively remove ice. Other embodiments increase to 2 W per square inch or more in other designs. Some embodiments of lighting system 20 are designed to consume approximately 18 watts of energy. Other consumption quantities are also possible.

In other embodiments, the lens heater portion does not necessarily require opaque traces of conductive ink. The lens heater wiring 88 can be, for example, a substantially transparent ink having a transmittance of about 85% or more or less, and can cover part or all of the surface of the heater substrate 60. This transparent ink may be screen printed with a more conductive ink over it to form busbars and power input connection points. Non-limiting examples of transparent conductive inks include those based on indium tin oxide, silver and copper Micro Foil Grids, as well as carbon or graphite nanotechnology, silver micro- or nanostructures, etc. Equipped with highly conductive ink.

As mentioned above, PTC ink wiring 108 can also be incorporated into lens heater circuit 52. FIG. 13 is a graph showing the main characteristics of PTC ink. As the temperature increases, the resistance value of the PTC ink also increases. From a given temperature, the resistance increases exponentially. In some embodiments, PTC trace 108 is provided near one or more lens heater traces 88. In some embodiments, as the temperature of the lens heater wire 88 approaches approximately 40.degree. C. to 60.degree. C., the resistance of the PTC wire tends to infinity. Lens heater controller 48 identifies this change in resistance and changes the voltage supplied to lens heater circuit 52 so that lens heater wiring 88 maintains approximately 40 degrees Celsius during operation. In some embodiments, a 40° C. PTC ink from Henkel AG & Company, KGaA is used. PTC inks from DuPont and others can also be used.

FIG. 14 shows an example layout of a lens heater assembly 70 (with lens heater circuit 52 omitted) including PTC wiring 108 for temperature sensing. With opposing busbars 120, in some embodiments most or all of the wires can be heated uniformly over substantially equal lengths. There are multiple connection points (more than one connection point per power bus bar 116 can be used to reduce the current through one connection point). Top connection point 128 and bottom connection point 132 support a potential across lens heater trace 88 . Top connection point 128 and center connection point 136 allow measurement of resistance across PTC wire 108, which acts as a thermist.

FIG. 15 shows an enlarged view of the PTC wiring 108. Since the PTC wiring 108 runs along the lens heater wiring 88, it has the same temperature as the lens heater wiring 88. When the temperature of the lens heater wiring 88 approaches 40° C., the resistance value of the PTC wiring 108 begins to increase exponentially. At some point on the exponential curve 144 (see FIG. 13), the lens heater controller 48 begins to regulate the lens heater voltage to reduce the power consumed by the lens heater circuit 52.

FIG. 16 shows the position of ink 66 and screen printed substrate 60 within an injection molding fixture 146 to form an illumination system lens with a lens heater. FIG. 17 is a partially enlarged view. A transparent substrate 60 with a screen printed pattern of conductive ink 66 is placed in a pocket within the core 148 with the ink side facing the core 148 . In this arrangement, the exposed ink side remains exposed on the lens portion 32 of the final illumination system. The molten resin then overcoats the substrate 60 and bonds only to the non-printing side of the transparent substrate 60. In some embodiments, various types of thermoplastic polymers, such as polycarbonate materials, are utilized as the injection resin 152 for the lens 32. Other assembly arrangements are possible as long as the ink 66 side remains exposed on the lens portion 32 of the final illumination system.

FIG. 18 shows an alternative arrangement of ink 66 and screen printed substrate 60 locations within an injection molding fixture 146 to form an illumination system lens with a lens heater. FIG. 19 is a partially enlarged view. Ink 66 is encapsulated with a transparent substrate 60 placed opposite the cavity side 156 of the jig.

Testing has shown that overcoating of a thermoplastic film substrate with screen printed lens heater traces 88 was successful. Both were taped to the core of the injection molding jig to prevent material from lifting the label against the cavity 156. The jig 146 can be deformed to recess the thermoplastic substrate 60 and conductive ink 66 toward the core 148 and hold it therein in a vacuum. In some embodiments, conductive ink 66 is exposed on interior side 36 of lens 32.

FIG. 20 is a table showing the optical influence of the lens heater wiring 88 in low beam illumination and high beam illumination. The optical impact of lens heater trace 88 on the illumination output is minimal and imperceptible, and can be further reduced through thinner lens heater traces. In some examples, transmission of greater than 90% was achieved in terms of both lumen and intensity. This can be varied depending on the lighting system application by varying the thickness of the lens heater traces and the materials used for conductive traces 66 and substrate 60.

An alternative embodiment of a lighting system 200 is shown in FIG. Illumination system 200 includes a base 204 and a lens 208. Lens 208 has an inner lens 216 and an outer lens 212. At least one LED 220 is located within base 204 to provide illumination through lens 208. Lens heater assembly 222 includes a lens heater controller 224 and a lens heater circuit 228 operably coupled to lens heater controller 224 . In some embodiments, a generally transparent thermoplastic substrate 232 is positioned on the lens interior 216 of the lens, and a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit 236 is positioned on the thermoplastic substrate 232 and operates with the lens heater circuit 228. Combine as possible. In some embodiments, a reflector 240 is included to guide illumination from one or more LEDs 220. In some embodiments, lens heater circuit 228 includes one or more contacts 248 that can transfer power from lens heater circuit 228 to conductive ink circuit 236. A conductive element 244, such as a spring or wire, is provided to electrically connect contacts 248 and contacts 252 on conductive ink circuit 236. In some embodiments, conductive element 244 extends through reflector plate 240 to provide power from lens heater circuit 228 to conductive ink circuit 236 .

Referring to FIGS. 22-29, components of a lighting system 256 are shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Illumination system 256 can include a base 260 and a lens 264. As shown, lens 264 has an inner lens surface 268 and an outer lens surface 272. According to some embodiments, at least one LED 276 can be placed within base 260 to provide illumination through lens 264. Lighting assembly 280 (eg, as shown in FIG. 24) can include a controller and/or regulation circuit coupled to at least one LED 276 to control power provided to at least one LED 276. Additionally, lighting assembly 280 may be connected to an interconnection assembly (e.g., as shown in FIG. 25) to control power supplied to interconnection assembly 284 and/or communication between lighting assembly 280 and interconnection assembly 284. Can be coupled to assembly 284. Interconnect assembly 284 may be used to provide heat to thermoplastic substrate 288, as described below.

In some embodiments (eg, as shown in FIG. 25), thermoplastic substrate 288 can be made from certain materials including generally transparent thermoplastics. A conductive ink circuit 292, also referred to as a conductive film circuit, can be disposed on the thermoplastic substrate 288 and coupled to the interconnect assembly 284, as described in detail below. In some embodiments, conductive ink circuit 292 can include conductive silver deposited onto thermoplastic substrate 288 using known techniques such as screen printing. Conductive ink circuit 292 can provide heat when appropriate power is provided to conductive ink circuit 292.

In some embodiments, conductive ink circuit 292 can be disposed on inner thermoplastic substrate surface 296 (eg, as shown in FIG. 25). Additionally, an inner thermoplastic substrate surface 296 can be placed over the lens 264. The outer surface 300 of the thermoplastic substrate may be exposed to the environment surrounding the lighting system 256 (eg, including low temperatures). In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit 292 is arranged such that the thermoplastic substrate 288 tops the lens 264 (e.g., due to the relative thickness of the thermoplastic substrate 288 as compared to the lens 264). , over the lens 264) may effectively prevent ice from forming on the illumination system 256. A thinner thermoplastic substrate can transfer heat more efficiently to the uppermost surface of the lighting system 256 and can prevent ice from building up and potentially interfering with the illumination from the at least one LED 276. .

In some embodiments, interconnect assembly 284 can be coupled to conductive ink circuit 292 to power conductive ink circuit 292. As shown in FIG. 26, interconnect assembly 284 can include a spring connector 304 coupled to a circuit board 308, which can be a printed circuit board. A portion of conductive ink circuit 292 can function as a bus bar to enable efficient power transfer from spring connector 304 to conductive ink circuit 292. In some embodiments, spring connectors 304 can be included at the power and ground terminals of conductive ink circuit 292. Each spring connector 304 can have any number of pins 312, such as two pins, three pins, four pins, or five pins. The additional pins may allow for higher current carrying capacity due to the larger connection area on the conductive ink circuit 292. In some embodiments, spring connector 304 can be a battery type connector, such as a 9155-200 battery connector provided by AVX®. When interconnect assembly 284 is pressed against thermoplastic substrate 288, pins 312 may flex and/or be depressed. The pins 312 may be configured to be biased to the outermost position and gradually increase in order to be further flexed and/or depressed as the interconnect assembly 284 is pressed against the thermoplastic substrate 288. It requires the power to Pin 312 and interconnect assembly 284 may be held in place when injection molded around interconnect assembly 284 to form lens 264, as described next.

Bus bar 316 can be placed in contact with spring connector 304 and coupled to interconnect assembly 284, the details of which are described below. Bus bar 316 has a larger cross-sectional area along the length of bus bar 316 and therefore reduced resistance compared to other parts of conductive ink circuit 292, which can utilize higher resistance values to generate heat. has value. Bus bar 316 may include a first bus bar 316A and a second bus bar 316B. Depending on the electrical configuration of interconnect assembly 284, first bus bar 316A can function as a power bus bar and second bus bar 316B can function as a ground or neutral bus bar. Alternatively, first bus bar 316A can function as a ground or neutral bus bar and second bus bar 316B can function as a power bus bar.

A thermistor 320, which can be a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) resistor, can be coupled to the circuit board 308 and placed in contact with the lens 264 during manufacture of the lens 264, as described below. Explain in detail. Thermistor 320 can be used to sense the temperature of lens 264. According to some embodiments, the power provided to conductive ink circuit 292 may be controlled based on the temperature sensed by thermistor 320.

In some embodiments, a pin connector 324 can be placed on the circuit board and coupled to the thermistor 320 and/or spring connector 304. Pin connector 324 can have any number of interfaces, such as pins, to provide a suitable electrical connection to a circuit board. For example, four pins may be included to provide a power connection, a ground connection, a connection for a first terminal of thermistor 320, and a connection for a second terminal of thermistor 320, respectively. The power and ground connections can be used to directly power the conductive ink circuit 292 or the regulation circuitry of the circuit board 308 to control the power supplied to the conductive ink circuit 292. will be explained below. The connection to thermistor 320 can be used to provide a measurement of resistance across thermistor 320 to other circuit boards and/or controllers. In some embodiments, additional pins may be provided for other electrical devices that may be coupled to circuit board 308, such as optical sensors, additional conductive ink circuits, or additional thermistors.

In some embodiments, an indicator light 327 can be coupled to the circuit board 308 and configured to illuminate when the conductive ink circuit 292 is powered. As an example, indicator light 327 can be an LED coupled to conductive ink circuit 292. In some embodiments, the indicator light 327 is coupled to a dedicated indicator pin included in the pin connector 324, and an external light coupled to the indicator pin and configured to selectively power the indicator light pin. Controlled by a circuit and/or controller.

According to one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, lighting system 256 has been tested for functionality and de-icing capabilities over a range of temperatures. The test procedure involved placing a thermocouple in the center of the outer surface of the outer lens, in this case thermoplastic substrate 288. The lighting system 256 was then oriented as it would be within the vehicle (eg, lens 264 placed near the LED lights), and the thermoplastic substrate 288 and lens 264 were positioned to be visible through the viewing window. Thermocouple and current measurements of the current supplied to the lighting system were recorded over the test period. The sampling rate of the measurements was high enough to observe the temperature at which the heater turned on. The lighting system 256 was placed in a 30° C. thermal chamber and powered on with 13.5 VDC high and low beams. The temperature inside the chamber was varied from 30°C to -30°C over 1 hour. The temperature inside the chamber was then maintained at −30° C. for 1 hour. A 2 mm thick layer of ice is then applied to the thermoplastic substrate 288 and/or lenses 264 by occasionally adding water to the thermoplastic substrate 288 and/or lenses 264 while exposing the illumination system 256 to a temperature of −30° C. for one hour. 288 and/or on lens 264. The lighting system 256 was then supplied with 13.5 VDC with high and low beams on. Ice monitoring was stopped when the ice on the lighting system 256 exhibited a steady state (defined as no change for 10 minutes) or when the lighting system 256 was powered on for one hour. The lighting system 256 is then evaluated to determine whether functionality is maintained after testing, whether all ice has been removed from the thermoplastic substrate 288 and/or lenses 264, and whether the lighting system 256 is free from damage from the testing. I decided whether or not I received it. Here, functionality was maintained, the ice was removed, and the lighting system 256 did not suffer any damage. Therefore, lighting system 256 was deemed to have passed the test criteria.

22-30, cross-sectional views of the positioning of thermoplastic substrate 288 and interconnect assembly 284 within lens 264 are shown. An injection molding process can be used to overcoat thermoplastic substrate 288 and interconnect assembly 284 with a thermoplastic polymer, such as a polycarbonate material, to create lens 264. An injection molding tool with a cavity and a core can be used to position thermoplastic substrate 288 and interconnect assembly 284. Thermoplastic substrate 288 can be positioned relative to the cavity such that conductive ink circuit 292 faces away from the cavity.

In some embodiments, at least a portion of interconnect assembly 284 may be positioned with spring connector 304 opposing thermoplastic substrate 288 within a pocket of the core. The portion of interconnect assembly 284 that may be placed within the pocket of the core includes heating connector 304 and circuit board 308. The pockets may be sized to hold interconnect assembly 284 in place before the resin cools around interconnect assembly 284 and hardens. Once the resin has cooled, the lens 264 adheres to at least a portion of the interconnect assembly 284 and at least a portion of the thermoplastic substrate 288, holding the interconnect assembly 284 and thermoplastic substrate 288 in place and forming the lens 264, Thermoplastic substrate 288 and interconnect assembly 284 may be formed as a single component (ie, lens 264 may resist removal of thermoplastic substrate 288 and/or interconnect assembly 284). In some embodiments, interconnect assembly 284, spring connector 304, and/or pin 312 may be positioned at least partially within lens 264.

Forming lens 264, thermoplastic substrate 288, and interconnect assembly 284 as a single component may facilitate repairs to lighting system 256, such as replacing LEDs. By way of example, a user may connect interconnect assembly 284 and/or thermoplastic substrate 288 to make suitable electrical connections between pins 312 of interconnect assembly 284 and conductive ink circuit 292 disposed on thermoplastic substrate 288. Simply remove the lens 264 and disconnect the pin connector 324 from any attached cables without removing it from the position where the interconnect assembly 284 is connected, as described below. The potentially complex step of repositioning the conductive ink circuit 292 and/or the thermoplastic substrate 288 can be eliminated.

According to some embodiments, core and interconnect assembly 284 may then be moved toward cavity and thermoplastic substrate 288 until pin 312 is depressed slightly. As an example, pin 312 is depressed approximately 10% to 30% of its full range of motion and contacts bus bar 316 and/or conductive ink circuit 292. As mentioned above, thermoplastic polymers such as polycarbonate materials can be utilized as the injection resin plastic material to form the lens 264. After pressing pin 312 down, resin plastic material can be injected into the tool. A plastic material and/or lens 264 can overlay at least a portion of conductive ink circuit 292. The plastic material and/or lens 264 can insulate the portions of the conductive ink circuit 292 that are not in contact with the spring connector 304. Once the plastic material has cured, the lens 264 holds the spring connector 304 and interconnect assembly 284 in place, with the pins 312 depressed, ensuring that the interconnect assembly 284 is properly electrically connected to the conductive ink circuit 292. Ensures it remains connected.

The placement of spring connector 304 relative to interconnect assembly 284 and, more specifically, thermoplastic substrate 288 may be selected to ensure that spring connector 304 maintains proper electrical connection with conductive ink circuit 292. . If the interconnect assembly 284 is placed too inward toward the thermoplastic substrate 288, the pins 312 may apply too much pressure to the conductive ink circuit 292 and potentially puncture the conductive ink circuit 292. If interconnect assembly 284 is positioned too far from thermoplastic substrate 288 , pins 312 may not be depressed sufficiently and may fall out of contact with conductive ink circuit 292 .

In some scenarios, if the pin 312 is not depressed enough, the injected resin can move the pin 312 out of contact with the conductive ink circuit 292. As discussed above, the pins may be configured to require progressively increasing force to further bend and/or push down as the interconnect assembly 284 is pressed against the thermoplastic substrate 288. . Once the pin 312 has been displaced a relatively short distance, it may require a relatively small amount of force to displace further. After interconnect assembly 284 is placed against thermoplastic substrate 288, resin can be injected into an injection molding tool. The injected resin may push pin 312 in a manner sufficient to push pin 312 further away from the thermoplastic substrate (and thus out of contact with conductive ink circuit 292). This can occur if the pins are not pushed down far enough and are biased outward with insufficient force to resist further push from the injection resin.

In some embodiments, a suitable electrical connection between pin 312 and conductive ink circuit 292 may be a low resistance connection. Preferably, the resistance of the electrical connection is close to zero ohms. In some embodiments, a suitable amount of resistance can be about 10% or less of the resistance of conductive ink circuit 292.

A thermal camera is used to determine the proper electrical connection between interconnect assembly 284 and conductive ink circuit 292 in order to determine the proper position for positioning interconnect assembly 284 relative to thermoplastic substrate 288. It is possible to measure whether there is A thermal camera can be used to detect heat around the area where pin 312 contacts conductive ink circuit 292. Power can be applied to interconnect assembly 284 and conductive ink circuit 292, and excess heat is dissipated around the area where pins 312 contact conductive ink circuit 292, causing interconnect assembly 284 and conductive It is believed that the electrical connection to the ink circuit 292 is not efficient. The position of interconnect assembly 284 relative to thermoplastic substrate 288 can be adjusted until a threshold of maximum heat dissipated is met without causing pins 312 to penetrate the conductive ink.

Thermistor 320 can be overcoated with resin and placed in contact with lens 264. Thermistor 320 can then be used to sense the temperature of lens 264, which can be indicative of the temperature of outer lens surface 272 of lens 264. Due to the thickness of lens 264, the temperature indicated by the resistance of thermistor 320 may be below ambient temperature. For example, a resistance value indicating 20° C. may correspond to a temperature of 5 to 15° C. on the outer lens side 272. The difference in temperature powers the conductive ink circuit 292 such that the conductive ink circuit 292 provides heat when the temperature of the outer lens side 272 is low enough to potentially freeze the outer lens side 272. Can be accounted for through circuits.

FIG. 31 shows an example process 328 for manufacturing a lens bonded to at least a portion of a thermoplastic substrate and interconnect assembly. In process step 332, a conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit can be placed on the thermoplastic substrate using known techniques such as screen printing. In some embodiments, the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit can include silver wiring. Once the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit has hardened, process 328 can proceed to step 336.

At step 336, a thermoplastic substrate can be placed into a cavity of an injection molding tool. Specifically, placing the side of the thermoplastic substrate without the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit against the wall of the cavity, with the conductive ink or film circuit facing away from the cavity. Can be done. The process can then proceed to step 340.

In process step 340, the interconnect assembly may be placed within a pocket of the core of an injection molding tool. The interconnect assembly can have one or more spring connectors each having a plurality of pins and a thermistor disposed on the side of the circuit board. The interconnect assembly may be arranged such that the spring connector faces the cavity, more specifically the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit. The process can then proceed to step 344.

At process step 344, the interconnect assembly may be positioned relative to the thermoplastic substrate to establish proper electrical connections between the interconnect assembly and the thermoplastic substrate. Specifically, connections can be established with conductive ink or film circuits while closing the injection molding tool. As discussed above, the placement of the interconnect assembly, and more specifically the spring connector, relative to the thermoplastic substrate 288 is selected to ensure that the spring connector maintains proper electrical connection with the conductive ink circuit. can do. If the interconnect assembly is placed too far inward toward the thermoplastic substrate, excessive pressure may be applied to the conductive ink circuit, potentially puncturing the conductive ink circuit. If the interconnect assembly is positioned too far from the thermoplastic substrate, the pins will not be depressed enough and may fall out of contact with the conductive ink circuit during resin injection.

As mentioned above, the pins may be configured to require increasing force to bend and/or be pushed down further as the interconnect assembly is pressed against the thermoplastic substrate. Once the pin has been displaced a relatively short distance, it may require a relatively small amount of force to displace further. After placing the interconnect assembly against the thermoplastic substrate, resin can be injected into the injection molding tool. The injected resin can push the pin in a manner sufficient to push the pin further down from the thermoplastic substrate (and thus out of contact with the conductive ink circuit). This can occur if the pins are not pushed down far enough and are biased outward with insufficient force to resist further push from the injection resin.

In some embodiments, a suitable electrical connection between the pin and the conductive ink circuit can have a small percentage resistance of the conductive ink circuit alone. For example, if the conductive ink circuit has a resistance of 200Ω, a suitable electrical connection may have a resistance of 10Ω, or about 5% of the total resistance of the conductive ink circuit. In some embodiments, a suitable electrical connection is about 1% or less of the resistance of the conductive ink circuit, about 2% or less of the resistance of the conductive ink circuit, about 5% or less of the resistance of the conductive ink circuit, or about 5% or less of the resistance of the conductive ink circuit. The conductive ink circuit 292 can have a resistance of about 8% or less of the resistance of the conductive ink circuit 292, or about 10% or less of the resistance of the conductive ink circuit 292. Once proper electrical connections are made, the process can proceed to step 348.

In process step 348, the resin may be injected into an injection molding tool. The resin can be a thermoplastic polymer. Portions of the interconnect assembly, portions of the thermistor, and/or portions of the spring connector may be overmolded with resin. A portion of the interconnect assembly, a portion of the thermistor, and/or a portion of the spring connector may be partially housed within the lens and/or may be adhered to the lens. A portion of the thermistor can then be brought into contact with a lens formed of resin. A portion of the thermistor can then be brought into contact with a lens formed of resin. A thermistor can then be used to sense the temperature of the lens, which can indicate the temperature on the outer lens side of the lens. Once the resin is cured to form the lens, the interconnect assembly, thermoplastic substrate, and lens can form a monolithic component. The process can then proceed to step 352. In process step 352, the monolithic part can be removed from the injection molding tool and placed into or utilized in a heated lighting system.

Referring to FIG. 32, a circuit diagram of driver circuit 372 and heater circuit 376 is shown, according to some embodiments. Driver circuit 372 may include a temperature difference amplifier 380 and a drive amplifier 384. Temperature difference amplifier 380 may be coupled to a temperature set point voltage supply 388 at a first input 392 . Temperature set point voltage source 388 may provide a predetermined voltage corresponding to a temperature threshold below which driver circuit 372 will power heater element 396 . Heater element 396 can include a conductive ink circuit arranged as described above. In some embodiments, heater element 396 can be a conductive ink circuit. For simplicity, the amplifier power connections are not shown.

A temperature difference amplifier 380 may be coupled to resistor 400 and thermistor 404 at a second input 408. Resistor 400 may be coupled to a fixed voltage power supply 412. Fixed voltage source 412 may provide a predetermined voltage that is higher than the voltage provided by temperature set point voltage source 388.

Thermistor 404 can be an NTC resistor as described above. Thermistor 404 can generally follow a predetermined resistance versus temperature curve, which can be provided by the thermistor 404 manufacturer. Thermistor 404 may provide greater resistance as temperature decreases. Thermistor 404 can be configured to sense the temperature of a lens of a heated lighting system as described above, such as being placed in contact with an overcoated lens. As mentioned above, the temperature indicated by thermistor 404 may be different than the external lens temperature. This temperature difference can be accounted for by selecting the appropriate voltages to be provided by temperature set point voltage source 388 and fixed voltage source 412.

The voltage at second input 408 may change as thermistor 404 becomes more or less resistant based on temperature. As the temperature decreases and thermistor 404 provides more resistance than resistor 400, the voltage across resistor 400 from fixed voltage source 412 decreases and the voltage at second input 408 increases as thermistor 404 Relatively higher than the voltage at second input 408 when providing lower resistance. If the voltage at second input 408 is higher than the voltage at first input 392 (i.e., the voltage provided by temperature set point voltage source 388), temperature difference amplifier 380 may provide a non-zero voltage to driver amplifier 384. can. Driver amplifier 384 can amplify the supplied voltage and provide power to heater element 396 . If the voltage at second input 408 is less than the voltage at first input 392, temperature difference amplifier 380 may provide approximately zero voltage to driver amplifier 384. Driver amplifier 384 then provides no power to heater element 396.

Portions of driver circuit 372 and heater circuit 376 may be located at various locations within the lighting system. In some embodiments, both driver circuit 372 and heater circuit 376 may be included in an interconnect assembly, such as interconnect assembly 284, as described above in connection with FIGS. 22-30. For example, driver circuit 372 and heater circuit 376 may be included on a circuit board, such as circuit board 308, as described above in connection with FIGS. 22-30. In some embodiments, the heater circuit 376 may be included within the interconnect assembly and the driver circuit may be located elsewhere within the lighting system. In some embodiments, drive circuit 372 may be included in a lighting assembly configured to power the LEDs of the lighting system.

In some embodiments, the fixed voltage power supply 412 is an electrical or electromechanical switch to allow a user or a device, such as an electrical or mechanical device, to control the power provided to the heater element 396. It can be connected to a switch such as When fixed voltage power supply 412 is not providing voltage to second input 408, driver circuit 372 may not provide power to heater element 396. A user or device can effectively turn on the heater by closing the switch or turn it off by opening the switch. When the switch is closed, power can be supplied to the heater element 396 to be supplied based on the resistance of the thermistor 404 and therefore the temperature of the lens of the lighting system. When the switch is open, power can be prevented from being supplied to the heater element 396.

Referring to FIG. 33, a box diagram for a heater control system 416 of a lighting system is shown, according to some embodiments. Heater control system 416 may include a controller 420 coupled to and in communication with a speed sensor 424, an optical sensor 428, and a temperature sensor 432. Controller 420 may also be coupled to heater element 436 and configured to selectively provide power to the heater element. Controller 420 may be located within the housing of the lighting system. The heater element 436 can include a conductive ink circuit disposed on the thermoplastic substrate of the lighting system as described above. Controller 420 may provide power to heater element 436 based on signals received from speed sensor 424, optical sensor 428, and/or temperature sensor 432, as described below.

Controller 420 can receive temperature values from temperature sensor 432. The temperature value may be a signal indicative of the temperature sensed by temperature sensor 432. Temperature sensor 432 may be a thermistor included in the interconnect assembly as described above. Controller 420 can provide power to heater element 436 based on the temperature value. In some embodiments, controller 420 receives the temperature value, determines that the temperature value is less than a predetermined threshold, and in response to determining that the temperature value is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, controller 420 adjusts the temperature value to A corresponding predetermined amount of power may be provided to heater element 436. Controller 420 can provide more power to heater element 436 for lower temperature values. To better provide the appropriate amount of power for a given temperature, controller 420 may have multiple predetermined amounts of power that correspond to multiple predetermined threshold temperature values. In some embodiments, controller 420 inputs a temperature value to a model configured to output an amount of power, receives an amount of power from the model, and provides power to heater element 436 based on the amount of power. can be supplied. The model can include algorithms to determine the power delivered as a function of temperature values, and field test data of the effectiveness of the lighting system and the amount of power delivered to the heater element 436 at various temperatures. can be determined based on.

Controller 420 can receive optical values from optical sensor 428. The optical value may be a signal indicative of light sensed by optical sensor 428. A light sensor 428 can be placed within the lighting system to measure how much light is being emitted through the lens and/or thermoplastic substrate of the lighting system. A low optical value may indicate that the illumination system is at least partially frozen or blocked by sleet, ice, snow, etc. If the optical value is below a predetermined threshold, controller 420 may provide power to heater element 436. In some embodiments, controller 420 receives the optical value, determines that the optical value is less than a predetermined threshold, and in response to determining that the optical value is less than the predetermined threshold, controls the optical element. A predetermined amount of power can be provided to heater element 436 corresponding to . Controller 420 can provide more power to heater element 436 for lower optical values. To better provide the appropriate amount of power for a given optical value, controller 420 can have multiple predetermined amounts of power that correspond to multiple predetermined thresholds of optical values. In some embodiments, controller 420 inputs optical values to a model configured to output an amount of power, receives the amount of power from the model, and powers heater element 436 based on the amount of power. can be supplied. The model can include an algorithm to determine the power delivered as a function of the optical value, and at various occlusion levels corresponding to the sensed optical value and the amount of power delivered to the heater element 436. The effectiveness of the lighting system can be determined based on field test data.

Controller 420 can receive speed values from speed sensor 424 . In some embodiments, speed sensor 424 can be a speedometer coupled to a vehicle to which the lighting system is coupled. The speed value may be a signal indicative of the speed sensed by speed sensor 424. At speed values associated with relatively high speeds, such as highway speeds, more power is applied to the heater element 436 because sleet, snow, and/or ice accumulates on the lighting system more quickly than at relatively low speeds. may need to be supplied. If the speed value exceeds a predetermined threshold, controller 420 may provide power to heater element 436. In some embodiments, the controller 420 receives the speed value, determines that the speed value exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to determining that the speed value exceeds the predetermined threshold, controls the speed. A predetermined amount of power corresponding to the value can be provided to heater element 436 . Controller 420 can provide more power to heater element 436 for higher speed values. To better provide the appropriate amount of power for a given speed value, controller 420 may have multiple predetermined amounts of power that correspond to multiple predetermined thresholds of speed values. In some embodiments, controller 420 inputs a speed value to a model configured to output an amount of power, receives the amount of power from the model, and provides power to heater element 436 based on the amount of power. can be supplied. The model can include an algorithm to determine the power delivered as a function of the speed value, and the lighting system at various speeds corresponding to the sensed speed value and the amount of power delivered to the heater element 436. The effectiveness of the test can be determined based on field test data. In this way, the appropriate amount of power to be delivered at a given speed can be determined.

In some embodiments, controller 420 can power heater element 436 based on a combination of speed, optical, and/or temperature values received. For example, controller 420 can have a stored lookup table of power values, each power value corresponding to a predetermined speed, optical, and/or temperature value. Using the combination of speed, optical, and/or temperature values received to determine power output allows controller 420 to provide a more appropriate level of power to the heater than if a single value were used. element 436.

Controller 420 can be coupled to switch 440. Controller 420 can receive wired inputs from switch 440, thereby allowing a user or a device, such as an electrical or mechanical device, to input commands to controller 420. The wired input value can be used to determine how much power is provided to heater element 436. The wired input values can have a range of values based on the configuration of switch 440. For example, if the switch is a two-position selector switch or relay, switch 440 can provide an "on" value and an "off" value. Alternatively, switch 440 can provide an "off" value, a first position value, and a position level value if the switch is a three position selection switch. Additionally, if the switch is a potentiometer, a continuous range of values can be provided. Other ranges of values corresponding to one range of power values can be provided to heating element 436. Controller 420 may provide a predetermined amount of power corresponding to a position of switch 440, ie, an “on” value, a first position value, and/or a second position value. If the switch 440 is capable of providing a continuous range of values, the controller 420 receives a wired input value and the wired input value is a switch position value, such as an "on" value, a first position value, or a second position value. , and then provide a predetermined amount of power to heater element 436 corresponding to the switch position value.

In some embodiments, controller 420 can be coupled to and communicate with wireless module 444. Controller 420 is a transceiver capable of one-way or two-way communication using one or more wireless protocols, including but not limited to Bluetooth, WiFi, Zigbee, or other suitable wireless communication protocols. Wireless input values can be received from possible wireless modules 444. Wireless input values can be transmitted from an electrical device that can be external to the lighting system, such as a smartphone or a control FOB. The smartphone can be configured to run an application that can receive user input from the interface and send appropriate wireless input values based on the user input. In some embodiments, wireless module 444 can be included in controller 420. Controller 420 receives a wireless input value, the wireless input value being an "on" value corresponding to a fixed predetermined power level, or a range of power values, such as a first power value and/or a second power value. A determination may be made indicating a power level to be provided to a heater element 436, such as one of the heater elements 436, and a predetermined amount of power corresponding to the power level may be provided to the heater element 436.

Referring to FIGS. 34 and 35, an additional embodiment of a lighting system 448 is shown. Illumination system 448 can include a base 452 and a lens 462. At least one LED 456 can be placed within base 452 to provide illumination through lens 462. A conductive ink or film circuit 460 can be placed inside a thermoplastic substrate 466. Thermoplastic substrate 466 can be placed on the outside of lens 462 such that conductive ink circuit 460 faces lens 462. Interconnect assembly 468 can be at least partially overlain by lens 462 as described above and can be electrically coupled to conductive ink circuit 460. Lens 462 can be bonded to thermoplastic substrate 466 and at least a portion of interconnect assembly 468. In some embodiments, lens 462, thermoplastic substrate 466, and interconnect assembly 468 may form a monolithic component. Interconnect assembly 468 includes a spring connector, such as those described above, for contacting conductive ink circuit 460 and providing a suitable electrical connection for powering conductive ink circuit 460 and thus heating lens 462. It may have. The interconnect assembly may include and/or be coupled to a driver circuit as described above and a portion of a heater circuit as described above, or alternatively may be coupled to a conductive ink circuit 460 as described above. The controller may be coupled to a controller configured to provide power.

A bus bar 464 can be placed in contact with the spring connector and coupled to an interconnect assembly 468. Compared to other parts of conductive ink circuit 460, which can utilize higher resistance values to generate heat, bus bar 464 has a larger cross-sectional area along the length of bus bar 464, and thus reduced resistance. has value. Bus bar 464 may include a first bus bar 464a and a second bus bar 464b. Depending on the electrical configuration of interconnect assembly 468, first bus bar 464a can function as a power bus bar and second bus bar 464b can function as a ground or neutral bus bar. Alternatively, first bus bar 464a may function as a ground or neutral bus bar and second bus bar 464b may function as a power bus bar.

36-39, various components of another embodiment of a lighting system 472 are shown. Illumination system 472 can include a base 476 and a lens 500. At least one LED 497 can be placed within base 476 to provide illumination through lens 500. A conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit 480 can be placed inside the thermoplastic substrate 496. Thermoplastic substrate 496 is placed outside lens 500 and conductive ink circuit 480 faces lens 500. Conductive ink circuit 480 may include a plurality of busbars 484, each of which may be a power busbar or a neutral or ground busbar. Interconnect assembly 488 can be at least partially overlain by lens 500 as described above and can be electrically coupled to conductive ink circuit 480. Lens 500 can be bonded to at least a portion of thermoplastic substrate 496 and interconnect assembly 488, and lens 500, thermoplastic substrate 496, and interconnect assembly 488 can form a unitary structural component. Interconnect assembly 488 includes a spring, such as those described above, for contacting conductive ink circuit 480 and providing an electrical connection suitable for powering conductive ink circuit 480 and thus heating lens 500. It can have a connector. The interconnect assembly can include and/or be coupled to a driver circuit as described above and a portion of a heater circuit as described above, or selectively power conductive ink circuit 480 as described above. The controller can be coupled to a controller that is configured to supply the information. The lighting system 472 can power the conductive ink circuit 480 at a rate of about 2 watts per square inch, thereby making the lighting system 472 more convenient for comparison, such as being mounted on a snow blower operating on a highway. It can be used for high speed applications.

According to one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, lighting system 472 has been tested for functionality and de-icing capabilities over a range of temperatures. The test procedure involved placing a thermocouple in the center of the outer surface of the outer lens, in this case thermoplastic substrate 496. The lighting system 472 was then oriented within the vehicle (eg, lens 500 placed near the LED lights), and the thermoplastic substrate 496 and lens 500 were oriented to be visible through the viewing window. Thermocouple and current measurements of the current supplied to the lighting system were recorded over the test period. The sampling rate of the measurements was high enough to observe the temperature at which the heater turned on. The lighting system 472 was placed in a 30° C. thermal chamber with high and low beams on at 13.5 VDC. The temperature within the chamber was ramped from 30°C to -30°C over 1 hour. The temperature inside the chamber was then maintained at −30° C. for 1 hour. Illumination system 472 is then activated while a 2 mm thick layer of ice accumulates on thermoplastic substrate 496 and/or lenses 500 by occasionally applying water to thermoplastic substrate 496 and/or lenses 500. Exposure to a temperature of -30°C for 1 hour. The lighting system 472 was then supplied with 13.5 VDC with high and low beams on. Ice monitoring was stopped when the ice on the lighting system 472 exhibited a steady state (defined as no change for 10 minutes) or when the lighting system 472 was powered on for one hour. Then to determine whether functionality is maintained after the test, whether all ice has been removed from the thermoplastic substrate 496 and/or lens 500, and whether the lighting system 472 has suffered damage from the test. The lighting system 472 was evaluated. Here, functionality was maintained, the ice was removed, and the lighting system 472 did not suffer any damage. Therefore, lighting system 472 was deemed to have passed the test criteria.

40-46, components of yet another embodiment of a lighting system 504 are shown. Illumination system 504 can include a base 508 and a lens 532. At least one LED 529 may be placed within base 508 to provide illumination through lens 532. Lighting assembly 520 can be configured to power at least one LED 529. A conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit 516 can be placed inside the thermoplastic substrate 528. Thermoplastic substrate 528 can be placed on the outside of lens 532 such that conductive ink circuit 516 faces lens 532. Conductive ink circuit 516 can include a plurality of busbars 544, and each busbar 544 can be a power busbar or a neutral or ground busbar. Interconnect assembly 524 can be at least partially overlain by lens 532 as described above and can be electrically coupled to conductive ink circuit 516. Interconnect assembly 524 may include a spring connector 536 having one or more pins 540. A pin of each spring connector 536 can be positioned to contact one of the bus bars 544. Lens 532 can be bonded to thermoplastic substrate 528 and at least a portion of interconnect assembly 524. In some embodiments, lens 532, thermoplastic substrate 528, and interconnect assembly 524 may form a monolithic component. Interconnect assembly 524 contacts conductive ink circuit 516 and includes a spring connector as described above to provide a suitable electrical connection for powering conductive ink circuit 516 and thus heating lens 532. It may have. The interconnect assembly may include and/or be coupled to a driver circuit as described above and a portion of a heater circuit as described above, or selectively power conductive ink circuit 516 as described above. The controller can be coupled to a controller that is configured to supply the information.

In accordance with one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, lighting system 504 was tested for functionality and de-icing capabilities over a range of temperatures. The test procedure involved placing a thermocouple in the center of the outer surface of the outer lens, in this case thermoplastic substrate 528. The lighting system 504 was then oriented within the vehicle (eg, lens 532 placed near the LED lights), and the thermoplastic substrate 528 and lens 532 were oriented to be visible through the viewing window. Thermocouple and current measurements of the current supplied to the lighting system were recorded over the test period. The sampling rate of the measurements was high enough to observe the temperature at which the heater turned on. The lighting system 504 was placed in a 30° C. thermal chamber with high and low beams on at 13.5 VDC. The temperature within the chamber was ramped from 30°C to -30°C over 1 hour. The temperature inside the chamber was then maintained at −30° C. for 1 hour. Illumination system 504 is then heated while a 2 mm thick layer of ice accumulates on thermoplastic substrate 528 and/or lenses 532 by occasionally applying water to thermoplastic substrate 528 and/or lenses 532. Exposure to a temperature of -30°C for 1 hour. The lighting system 504 was then supplied with 13.5 VDC with high and low beams on. Ice monitoring was stopped when the ice on the lighting system 504 exhibited a steady state (defined as no change for 10 minutes) or when the lighting system 504 was powered on for one hour. Then, to determine whether functionality is maintained after the test, whether all ice has been removed from the thermoplastic substrate 528 and/or lens 532, and whether the lighting system 504 has suffered damage from the test. The lighting system 504 was evaluated. Here, functionality was maintained, the ice was removed, and the lighting system 504 did not suffer any damage. Therefore, lighting system 504 was deemed to have passed the test criteria.

47-48, various components of another embodiment of a lighting system 548 are shown. Illumination system 548 may include a base 552 and a lens 553. At least one LED 556 can be placed within base 552 to provide illumination through lens 553. A conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit 560 can be placed inside the thermoplastic substrate. The thermoplastic substrate is placed outside the lens 553 such that the conductive ink circuit 560 faces the lens 553. Conductive ink circuit 560 can include multiple bus bars 564. Bus bars 564B and 564C may each be a power bus bar or a neutral or ground bus bar. Bus bar 564C may be a bridge bus bar configured to provide a low resistance electrical connection between bus bars 564B and 564C. Interconnect assembly 568 can be at least partially overlain by lens 553 as described above and can be electrically coupled to conductive ink circuit 560. Lens 553 can be bonded to at least a portion of thermoplastic substrate and interconnect assembly 568, and lens 553, thermoplastic substrate, and interconnect assembly 568 can form an integral component. Interconnection assembly 568 includes a spring connector, such as those described above, for contacting conductive ink circuit 560 and providing a suitable electrical connection for powering conductive ink circuit 560 and thus heating lens 553. It may have. The interconnect assembly may include and/or be coupled to a driver circuit as described above and a portion of a heater circuit as described above, or selectively power conductive ink circuit 560 as described above. The controller can be coupled to a controller that is configured to supply the information.

It should be appreciated that the heated lighting assemblies presented in this disclosure may be used in a variety of applications where heated lighting assemblies may perform better than unheated lighting assemblies. For example, vehicle applications operating in cold regions (e.g. snow plows, helicopters, snowmobiles, semi-trucks, freight and passenger trains, airplanes, ice resurfacing, etc.), refrigeration system applications requiring lighting (e.g. industrial freezers, warehouses, laboratory equipment, etc.), outdoor lighting applications in cold environments (e.g. construction sites, oil drilling platforms, various water vessels, street lights, large flashlights, tunnel lighting, road lighting, etc.), and low-temperature environments. and other lens applications associated with it.

Although this disclosure has been described in embodiments with reference to the drawings, like numerals may represent the same or similar elements. References throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or similar phrases indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. means. Thus, all appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" and similar phrases throughout this specification, although not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

Any feature, structure, or characteristic described in an embodiment may be combined with one or more other embodiments in any suitable manner. In the specification, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that the embodiments may be practiced with other methods, components, materials, etc., without one or more of the specific details. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the art should be determined from the following claims, and should not be limited by the above disclosure.

Claims (4)

A method of manufacturing a heated lighting system, the method comprising:
A conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit is coated on a nearly transparent thermoplastic substrate ,
placing the thermoplastic substrate within a cavity of an injection molding tool;
placing an interconnect assembly within a pocket of the core of the injection molding tool;
positioning the interconnect assembly relative to the thermoplastic substrate to establish an electrical connection between the interconnect assembly and the thermoplastic substrate;
injecting resin into the injection molding tool;
The method wherein the interconnect assembly is configured to power the conductive ink circuit or the conductive film circuit via an electrical connection. the interconnect assembly includes a plurality of pins;
5. The step of positioning the interconnect assembly relative to the thermoplastic substrate includes deflecting the plurality of pins relative to the conductive ink circuit or the conductive film circuit. The method described in 1. Injecting the resin into the injection molding tool includes overcoating at least a portion of the interconnect assembly and at least a portion of the conductive ink circuit or conductive film circuit. The method according to claim 1. 2. The step of arranging the thermoplastic substrate in the cavity includes the step of arranging the conductive ink circuit or the conductive film circuit on a side opposite to the cavity. the method of.