Patents by Inventor Brant Potter

Brant Potter 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).

  • Publication number: 20190063717
    Abstract: A headlamp assembly has a low beam assembly configured to generate a low-beam distribution including a plurality of flat luminous segments configured to produce a composite flat beam pattern when activated; a kink module having a first light source and a second light source; a near-field road-writing segment located about a central vertical position of the low-beam distribution; a far-field road-writing segment located above the near-field road-writing segment of the low-beam distribution; and circuitry configured to inactivate one or more of the flat luminous segments located within the near-field road-writing segment of the low-beam distribution and inactivate the first light source when the near-field road-writing segment and the far-field road-writing segment are activated. The headlamp assembly also has a high beam assembly configured to generate a high-beam distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Brant POTTER
  • Publication number: 20190011109
    Abstract: A fiber bundle includes a plurality of optical fibers, a light source, and a fiber cover. The light source is coupled to the plurality of optical fibers and operable to direct light into input ends of the plurality of optical fibers. The fiber cover has a predetermined cross-sectional shape configured to hold the plurality of optical fibers in a bundled position and to transmit light into an outer region of the plurality of optical fibers defining an illumination region for vehicle lighting functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant POTTER, Kayla GREENE, Nate MONTGOMERY
  • Publication number: 20180345848
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a motor vehicle headlight assembly that includes a headlight module having a first luminous intensity distribution, a first additional headlight module having a second luminous intensity distribution different from the first luminous intensity distribution, and a control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to apply power to the headlight module based on one or more of a switch input and a light/dark input, and apply power to the first additional headlight module when a speed of the motor vehicle exceeds a first predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John ORISICH, Brant POTTER, Emigdio LEON
  • Publication number: 20180347781
    Abstract: A headlamp assembly includes a low beam assembly configured to generate a low beam distribution. The low beam assembly includes a first low beam solid state light source module having a first laser solid state light source optically configured to emit a first luminous intensity distribution and a second laser solid state light source optically configured to emit a second luminous intensity distribution, and a second low beam solid state light source module having a solid state light source optically configured to emit a third luminous intensity distribution which at least partially overlaps at least one of the first and second luminous intensity distributions. The headlamp assembly also has a high beam assembly configured to generate a high beam distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant POTTER, John ORISICH
  • Patent number: 10060587
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a lighting device for a vehicle includes a first light source configured to generate first light, and a second light source configured to generate second light. A fiber optic light panel is optically coupled to the first and second light sources and includes a plurality of optical fibers each configured to emit light along a respective length of the optical fiber. The plurality of optical fibers are arranged to define an illumination region such that the first and second light is output from the illumination region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: VALEO NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kayla Greene, John Orisich, Brant Potter, P. Davis Baker
  • Publication number: 20180142860
    Abstract: A lighting device for a vehicle includes a lighting module for a vehicle having a light source and a panel optically coupled to the light source. The panel includes a plurality of fibers, and a first illumination region of first light output for a first vehicle lighting function and a second illumination region of second light output for a second vehicle lighting function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant POTTER, John ORISICH, Kayla GREENE, P. Davis BAKER, Christophe DUBOSC
  • Publication number: 20180094790
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a lighting device for a vehicle includes a first light source configured to generate first light, and a second light source configured to generate second light. A fiber optic light panel is optically coupled to the first and second light sources and includes a plurality of optical fibers each configured to emit light along a respective length of the optical fiber. The plurality of optical fibers are arranged to define an illumination region such that the first and second light is output from the illumination region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kayla GREENE, John Orisich, Brant Potter, Patton Davis Baker
  • Patent number: 9927087
    Abstract: A lighting module for a vehicle includes a light source, and a light emitting panel optically coupled to the light source and has an array of optical fibers. A light enhancing element is optically coupled to the light emitting panel such that the panel outputs light with a first cone angle to the light enhancing element. The light enhancing element is configured to narrow the first cone angle to a second cone angle smaller than the first cone angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kayla Greene, John Orisich, Brant Potter, Mark Madden
  • Publication number: 20180017227
    Abstract: An optical mixer for a vehicle lighting device having a light source and an optical fiber panel that inputs light from the light source. The optical mixer includes a light input face configuration to input light from the light source, and a light output face configured to output light to the input to panel. A sidewall connects the light input face to the light output face. The optical mixer is configured to provide output light from the output face having greater spatial uniformity than input light entering the input face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kayla Greene, John Orisich, Brant Potter, Mark Madden
  • Publication number: 20170211775
    Abstract: A thin aspect lighting system and method are shown. The system and method include at least one module having a reflector that is generally elliptical in one cross-section and generally parabolic in another cross-section. Each module is adapted to generate at least one of a flat beam pattern, a high beam pattern or a low beam pattern, such as a low beam pattern with a kink or elbow. Also shown is a headlamp assembly having a plurality of modules that generate the same or a different light beam pattern. Manipulation and variation of facets and/or positions of various components, such as at least one light source, have been found to provide improved characteristics in one or more of the light beam patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Brant Potter, John Steven Orisich, Matthew Berry
  • Patent number: 9222637
    Abstract: An automotive lightguide includes a main guide portion with a light entrance surface and a reflective rear edge surface; and an exit lens joined to the main guide portion, the exit lens having an exit surface with an arcuate exit profile. In use, light rays from a light source enter the main guide portion through an entrance surface, travel through the main guide portion and reflect off the rear edge surface to the exit lens which images the reflected light rays as a light beam pattern having a predetermined sharp horizontal cutoff and a predetermined horizontal spread, the arcuate profile of the rear edge surface determining the horizontal cutoff and vertical spread of the light beam pattern with respect to the horizontal optical axis H-H, and the exit profile of the exit lens determining the horizontal spread of the light beam pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Brant Potter
  • Publication number: 20140268847
    Abstract: An automotive lightguide includes a main guide portion with a light entrance surface and a reflective rear edge surface; and an exit lens joined to the main guide portion, the exit lens having an exit surface with an arcuate exit profile. In use, light rays from a light source enter the main guide portion through an entrance surface, travel through the main guide portion and reflect off the rear edge surface to the exit lens which images the reflected light rays as a light beam pattern having a predetermined sharp horizontal cutoff and a predetermined horizontal spread, the arcuate profile of the rear edge surface determining the horizontal cutoff and vertical spread of the light beam pattern with respect to the horizontal optical axis H-H, and the exit profile of the exit lens determining the horizontal spread of the light beam pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Valeo Sylvania L.L.C.
    Inventor: Brant Potter
  • Publication number: 20080094842
    Abstract: A lamp assembly with a thin actual dimension providing an image of greater apparent depth may be formed from a light source, reflector and a partially reflective and partially transmissive lens. The mirrored surface is oriented axially to face a field to be illuminated. A partially light reflective and partially light transmissive lens having a first surface faces the reflector. The lens is offset from the mirrored surface, thereby defining a cavity intermediate the reflector and the lens. The mirrored surface and the first surface of the lens are smoothly bowed with respect of one to the other. At least one LED (light emitting diode) light source capable of emitting visible light, is positioned near the cavity and oriented to direct light into the cavity intermediate the reflector and the lens. Because of the bowing, the multiple reflected images are offset inducing an optical illusion of depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: VALEO SYLVANIA LLC
    Inventors: Robert Lee King, David Egly, Brant Potter
  • Publication number: 20050099821
    Abstract: A system for visually aiding a vehicle driver's depth perception includes a headlamp assembly mounted on a forward portion of the vehicle, first and second beam projectors mounted in the headlamp assembly, the first beam projector being adapted to project a first beam in a plane and parallel to a lengthwise axis of the vehicle, and the second beam projector being adapted to project a second beam in the plane and in a direction intersecting the first beam. The beam projectors are separated in the headlamp assembly by a selected distance and the second beam projector is disposed such that the second beam intersects the first beam in the plane at a selected angle, whereby the beam intersection provides a unitary beam pattern on a surface transverse to the plane at a selected distance forward of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Applicant: Valeo Sylvania LLC.
    Inventors: Brant Potter, Robert King