METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A RELIABLE AND DURABLE LIGHT SOURCE

摘要

The present invention provides an exterior skin for a vehicle that includes angularly distributed, individual, fiber-optic elements formed into the exterior skin of a composite, metal, or other material matrix. The vehicle exterior lighting system includes a central light source for providing optical energy of a desired luminescence. A plurality of optical channels of the lighting system transmit the optical energy and are formed from an optically conductive material. The optically conductive material associates through the outer skin of the structural material. The optical channels include terminating ends of the optically conductive material and are essentially flush with the outer skin of the structural material. This permits transmitting the optical energy through the structural material. The invention also includes means for transmitting the optical energy from the central light source to the optical channels. This allows the optical channels to distribute the optical energy from the structural material in the desired directions and at desired intensity levels.