Integrated in-surface lens assembly

Abstract

A seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel. The vehicle panel has an inside surface and an outside surface. The vehicle panel has a light aperture extending from the inside surface of the vehicle panel to the outside surface of the vehicle panel. Connected to the inside surface of the vehicle panel is a bracket. The seamless lighting arrangement further includes a lens with a bracket connection portion that connects to the bracket and a transmission portion positioned within the light aperture of the vehicle panel. The lens further includes a light unit fixedly connected to the lens. The light unit has a projector port for emitting light from a light source. The light transmission portion of the lens has a light input surface region formed on an inside surface of the lens and a light output surface region formed on an outside surface of the lens.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel comprising:
 a vehicle panel having an inside surface and an outside surface;   a light aperture extending from the inside surface of the vehicle panel to the outside surface of the vehicle panel;   a bracket connected to the inside surface of the vehicle panel, wherein the bracket has two walls and at least one fitting aperture formed on one of the two walls;   a light unit having at least one snap tang for engaging the at least one fitting aperture to connect the light unit to the bracket, wherein the light unit has a projector port for emitting light and a light tube having a distal end, and   a lens having a shoulder that connects to the distal end of the light tube at a connection and the lens includes a transmission portion extending into the light aperture of the vehicle panel.   
     
     
         2 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the connection between the shoulder and the distal end of the light tube is a watertight connection formed using one of welding or adhesives. 
     
     
         3 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the light tube has a diameter and the shoulder of the lens is less than or equal to the diameter of the light tube. 
     
     
         4 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the transmission portion and an outside surface of the vehicle panel are flush when the light unit is connected to the bracket. 
     
     
         5 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 1  wherein the light source is controlled by signals received from a controller located remote from the light generator and the seamless light arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 1  further comprising an inside surface of the lens having a wedge formed on the inside surface of the lens, with at least a portion of the wedge being formed on the light input surface region so that light received from the light projector port is deflected and exits the light output surface region at an angle relative to the direction light is received at the light input surface region. 
     
     
         7 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the bracket has a flange that that connects the bracket to the inside surface of the vehicle panel using adhesives, welding, fastener clips, snap lock features or fasteners depending on the needs of a particular application. 
     
     
         8 . A seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel comprising:
 a vehicle panel having an inside surface and an outside surface;   a light aperture extending from the inside surface of the vehicle panel to the outside surface of the vehicle panel;   a bracket connected to the inside surface of the vehicle panel, wherein the bracket has two walls each having a fitting aperture;   a lens having a U-shape with two opposing walls, a transmission portion and a wedge,   a snap tang formed on each one of the two opposing walls, wherein each snap tang is configured to engage a respective fitting aperture of the bracket to connect the lens to the bracket such that the transmission portion of the lens is positioned in the light aperture of the vehicle panel, and   a light unit having a projector port for emitting light and a light tube having a distal end, wherein there is a connection between the distal end of the tube and the wedge of the lens.   
     
     
         9 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 8  wherein the connection between the distal end of the light tube and the wedge of the lens is a watertight connection formed using one of welding or adhesives. 
     
     
         10 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 8  wherein the wedge has a surface area that is larger than a perimeter of the light tube. 
     
     
         11 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 8  wherein the transmission portion and an outside surface of the vehicle panel are flush when the light unit is connected to the bracket. 
     
     
         12 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 8  wherein the light source is controlled by signals received from a controller located remote from the light generator and the seamless light arrangement. 
     
     
         13 . A seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel comprising:
 a vehicle panel having an inside surface and an outside surface;   a light aperture extending from the inside surface of the vehicle panel to the outside surface of the vehicle panel;   a bracket connected to the inside surface of the vehicle panel;   a lens with a bracket connection portion that connects to the bracket and a transmission portion positioned within the light aperture of the vehicle panel;   a light unit fixedly connected to the lens, the light unit has a projector port for emitting light from a light source, wherein the light transmission portion has a light input surface region formed on an inside surface of the lens and a light output surface region formed on an outside surface of the lens.   
     
     
         14 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 13  wherein the transmission portion extends through the light aperture from the inside surface of the vehicle panel to the outside surface of the vehicle panel. 
     
     
         15 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 13  wherein the light source is controlled by signals received from a controller located remote from the light generator and the seamless light arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 13  wherein the projector port further includes a light tube extending from the projector port and connected at a distal end to the lens. 
     
     
         17 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle of  claim 16  further comprising a weld connection between the inside surface of the lens and the distal end of the light tube. 
     
     
         18 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 16  further comprising a flange extending from a housing of the light unit that is used to align and connect the light unit to the lens, wherein the flange is connected to the lens using welding, adhesives, or other connections. 
     
     
         19 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 13  further comprising a weld connection between the inside surface of the lens and the projector port. 
     
     
         20 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 13  further comprising an inside surface of the lens having a wedge formed on the inside surface of the lens, with at least a portion of the wedge being formed on the light input surface region so that light received from the light projector port is deflected and exits the light output surface region at an angle relative to the direction light is received at the light input surface region. 
     
     
         21 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the bracket has a flange that that connects the bracket to the inside surface of the vehicle panel using adhesives, welding, fastener clips, snap lock features or fasteners depending on the needs of a particular application. 
     
     
         22 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a housing of the lens with two fastener bosses extending from the surface of the housing of the lens; 
 a housing of the light unit having two fastener tabs that align and connect with the two fastener bosses extending from the housing of the lens, and 
 two fasteners extending through a respective one of the fasteners tabs and engaging a respective one of the fasteners bosses to connect the housing of the light unit to the housing of the lens. 
 
     
     
         23 . A seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel comprising:
 a vehicle panel having an inside surface and an outside surface;   a light aperture extending from the inside surface of the vehicle panel to the outside surface of the vehicle panel;   a bracket connected to the inside surface of the vehicle panel;   a lens with a bracket connection portion that connects to the bracket and a transmission portion positioned within the light aperture of the vehicle panel;   a light unit fixedly connected to the lens, the light unit has a projector port for emitting light from a light source, wherein the light transmission portion has a light input surface region formed on an inside surface of the lens and a light output surface region formed on an outside surface of the lens;   a light tube extending from the projector port and connected at a distal end to the lens, and   a flange extending from a housing of the light unit that is used to align and connect the light unit to the lens, wherein the flange is connected to the lens using welding, adhesives, or other connections.   
     
     
         24 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 23  wherein the transmission portion extends through the light aperture from the inside surface of the vehicle panel to the outside surface of the vehicle panel. 
     
     
         25 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 23  wherein the light source is controlled by signals received from a controller located remote from the light generator and the seamless light arrangement. 
     
     
         26 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle of  claim 23  wherein the connection between the flange and the lens is a weld connection between the inside surface of the lens and the distal end of the light tube. 
     
     
         27 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 23  further comprising an inside surface of the lens having a wedge formed on the inside surface of the lens, with at least a portion of the wedge being formed on the light input surface region so that light received from the light projector port is deflected and exits the light output surface region at an angle relative to the direction light is received at the light input surface region. 
     
     
         28 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 23  wherein the bracket has a flange that that connects the bracket to the inside surface of the vehicle panel using adhesives, welding, fastener clips, snap lock features or fasteners depending on the needs of a particular application. 
     
     
         29 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 23  further comprising:
 a housing of the lens with two fastener bosses extending from the surface of the housing of the lens; 
 a housing of the light unit having two fastener tabs that align and connect with the two fastener bosses extending from the housing of the lens, and 
 two fasteners extending through a respective one of the fasteners tabs and engaging a respective one of the fasteners bosses to connect the housing of the light unit to the housing of the lens. 
 
     
     
         30 . A seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel comprising:
 a bracket for connection to a vehicle panel;   a lens with a bracket connection portion that connects to the bracket and a transmission portion of the lens;   a light unit fixedly connected to the lens, the light unit has a projector port for emitting light from a light source, wherein the light transmission portion has a light input surface region formed on an inside surface of the lens and a light output surface region formed on an outside surface of the lens.   
     
     
         31 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 30  wherein the projector port further includes a light tube extending from the projector port and connected at a distal end to the lens. 
     
     
         32 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle of  claim 31  further comprising a weld connection between the inside surface of the lens and the distal end of the light tube. 
     
     
         33 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 31  further comprising a flange extending from a housing of the light unit that is used to align and connect the light unit to the lens, wherein the flange is connected to the lens using welding, adhesives, or other connections. 
     
     
         34 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 31  further comprising a weld connection between the inside surface of the lens and the projector port. 
     
     
         35 . The seamless lighting arrangement for a vehicle panel of  claim 30  further comprising an inside surface of the lens having a wedge formed on the inside surface of the lens, with at least a portion of the wedge being formed on the light input surface region so that light received from the light projector port is deflected and exits the light output surface region at an angle relative to the direction light is received at the light input surface region. 
     
     
         36 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 30  wherein the bracket has a flange that that connects the bracket to the vehicle panel using adhesives, welding, fastener clips, snap lock features or fasteners depending on the needs of a particular application. 
     
     
         37 . The seamless lighting arrangement of  claim 30  further comprising:
 a housing of the lens with two fastener bosses extending from the surface of the housing of the lens; 
 a housing of the light unit having two fastener tabs that align and connect with the two fastener bosses extending from the housing of the lens, and 
 two fasteners extending through a respective one of the fasteners tabs and engaging a respective one of the fasteners bosses to connect the housing of the light unit to the housing of the lens.