Abstract: A vehicle interior trim assembly and an illuminable emblem assembly is provided. The assembly includes a vehicle interior trim part such as an air bag cover which has at least one opening which defines an emblem pattern. An illumination module including at least one light source is configured to generate visible light rays when energized. A lens including at least one layer is molded in a molding process to have a 3D emblem shape fitted through and matching the at least one opening. The lens has at least one surface-defining portion which is sized and shaped to have the emblem pattern at the front surface of the part. The lens gathers and redirects light rays from the illumination module to generate light in the emblem pattern of substantially uniform intensity through the at least one surface-defining portion and into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle interior trim assembly such as an air bag cover assembly having an illuminable emblem is provided. The assembly includes a vehicle interior trim part and an illumination module having a light source configured to generate visible light rays when energized. A lens includes at least one layer molded in a molding process from an optical-grade material. The lens has a pattern of light-extracting deformities to extract light rays from an interior of the lens at a set of surface-defining areas of the lens. The surface-defining areas are sized, shaped and arranged laterally relative to each other in an emblem pattern. A decorative emblem has reflective surfaces overlying and spaced away from the surface-defining areas by an air gap. The extracted light rays traveling across the gap are reflected by the reflective surfaces to generate light in the emblem pattern about peripheral surfaces of the decorative emblem.

Abstract: An illuminable vehicle interior assembly such as safety belt buckle assembly is provided. An illumination module includes a substrate, a light source supported on the substrate to emit incoherent visible light rays through a light emitting surface of the light source and a driver supported on the substrate to controllably supply electrical power to the light source based on a command signal from a remote electronic control unit over a vehicle bus. A lens is molded in a molding process to have a light transmissive output surface and a light transmissive input surface aligned with the light source. The lens gathers and receives the light rays at the input surface and redirects gathered light rays to the output surface to generate light in a pattern of substantially uniform intensity into a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Abstract: An illuminable vehicle interior assembly such as safety belt buckle assembly is provided. An illumination module includes a substrate, a light source supported on the substrate to emit incoherent visible light rays through a light emitting surface of the light source and a driver supported on the substrate to controllably supply electrical power to the light source based on a command signal from a remote electronic control unit over a vehicle bus. A lens is molded in a molding process to have a light transmissive output surface and a light transmissive input surface aligned with the light source. The lens gathers and receives the light rays at the input surface and redirects gathered light rays to the output surface to generate light in a pattern of substantially uniform intensity into a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle interior trim assembly such as an air bag cover assembly having an illuminable emblem is provided. The assembly includes a vehicle interior trim part and an illumination module having a light source configured to generate visible light rays when energized. A lens includes at least one layer molded in a molding process from an optical-grade material. The lens has a pattern of light-extracting deformities to extract light rays from an interior of the lens at a set of surface-defining areas of the lens. The surface-defining areas are sized, shaped and arranged laterally relative to each other in an emblem pattern. A decorative emblem has reflective surfaces overlying and spaced away from the surface-defining areas by an air gap. The extracted light rays traveling across the gap are reflected by the reflective surfaces to generate light in the emblem pattern about peripheral surfaces of the decorative emblem.

Abstract: A vehicle interior trim assembly and an illuminable emblem assembly is provided. The assembly includes a vehicle interior trim part such as an air bag cover which has at least one opening which defines an emblem pattern. An illumination module including at least one light source is configured to generate visible light rays when energized. A lens including at least one layer is molded in a molding process to have a 3D emblem shape fitted through and matching the at least one opening. The lens has at least one surface-defining portion which is sized and shaped to have the emblem pattern at the front surface of the part. The lens gathers and redirects light rays from the illumination module to generate light in the emblem pattern of substantially uniform intensity through the at least one surface-defining portion and into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Abstract: An illuminator assembly for use in a conventional safety seat belt buckle is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the illuminator assembly comprises a base including a substrate mountable internally of the buckle housing. A light source is mounted on the substrate. The light source has a light emitting surface for emitting incoherent, visible optical radiation or light rays when the light source is energized. A lens has a light-transmissive input surface aligned to receive light rays emitted from the light emitting surface of the light source. A light-transmissive output surface is configured to be placed proximate an opening slot in the buckle housing. A waveguide is intermediate the input surface and the output surface. The waveguide may be configured to guide or direct light rays to the output surface in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of the light rays emitted by the light source.