Patents by Inventor Harald SCHAFFLER

Harald SCHAFFLER has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11732863
    Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes at least one light source and an elongated waveguide which is delimited along the length thereof by a lateral surface. The waveguide is configured to guide light from the at least one light source along a light propagation direction in a totally reflective manner, the light propagation direction corresponding to the length of the waveguide. The light of the at least one light source can be coupled into the waveguide via a coupling surface at an end face of the waveguide, and a decoupling structure is provided in the lateral surface of the waveguide for decoupling light, which exits the waveguide via an exit region of the lateral surface along the light propagation direction, thereby overriding the total reflection condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Mueller, Daniel Niebler, Mohamed Rabeh, Harald Schaffler
  • Publication number: 20230134469
    Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes at least one light source and an elongated waveguide which is delimited along the length thereof by a lateral surface. The waveguide is configured to guide light from the at least one light source along a light propagation direction in a totally reflective manner, the light propagation direction corresponding to the length of the waveguide. The light of the at least one light source can be coupled into the waveguide via a coupling surface at an end face of the waveguide, and a decoupling structure is provided in the lateral surface of the waveguide for decoupling light, which exits the waveguide via an exit region of the lateral surface along the light propagation direction, thereby overriding the total reflection condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Michael MUELLER, Daniel NIEBLER, Mohamed RABEH, Harald SCHAFFLER