Vehicle seal assembly

• US 10,137,831 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Walawender, Chester Stanislaus, Glickman, David Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US15/653,736
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/503 using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 specific to autonomous vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/50 Mounting arrangements for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments B60Q3/30; specially adapted for specific vehicle types B60Q3/40
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/62 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/20 with luminescent surfaces or parts luminescent compositions C09K11/00; light sources using luminescence F21K2/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/227 Electroluminescent displays for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/04 mica
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/22 characterised by the chemical or physical composition or the arrangement of auxiliary dielectric or reflective layers

Abstract

An illuminated seal assembly is provided herein. The illuminated seal assembly includes a carrier that is configured to attach to a vehicle. The carrier has a first region and a second region having varied light transmissivities. A first light source is disposed on the carrier. A light guide is operably coupled with the first light source.

Claims

1. An illuminated seal assembly comprising:

a carrier that is configured to attach to a vehicle, the carrier having a first region and a second region having varied light transmissivities;

a first light source disposed on the carrier; and

a light guide operably coupled with the first light source.

2. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a second light source, wherein the first light source emits light along the light guide and the second light source emits light towards a vehicle window.

3. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a first leaf on the carrier, the first leaf configured to abut a vehicle window.

4. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

a second leaf on the carrier, the second leaf configured to retain a trim member.

5. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 3, wherein the first leaf includes a plurality of fibers thereon.

6. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a trim member attached to the carrier.

7. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 6, further comprising:

a luminescent structure disposed on the trim member, the luminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light.

8. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a reflective material disposed on an interior surface of the light guide.

9. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a luminescent structure disposed on a vehicle window and configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light from the first light source.

10. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the luminescent structure is not readily visible when the luminescent structure is in a non-luminescent state.

11. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the window includes a light-directing member for accepting and transmitting the excitation light through the window.

12. The illuminated seal assembly for a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a second light source, wherein the first light source emits light along the light guide and the second light source emits light towards a vehicle window.

13. The illuminated seal assembly for a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle window includes a luminescent structure thereon and the second light source excites the luminescent structure.

14. The illuminated seal assembly for a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a first leaf on the carrier, the first leaf configured to abut a vehicle window.

15. The illuminated seal assembly for a vehicle of claim 14, further comprising:

a second leaf on the carrier, the second leaf configured to retain a trim member.

16. The illuminated seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the first region is disposed inboard of a second leaf and the second region is disposed outboard of the second leaf.

17. A vehicle comprising:

a flange formed by a panel of the vehicle;

a window defined within the panel;

an illuminated seal assembly coupled with the flange; and

a light source configured to emit light in an outboard direction and an inboard direction from within the seal assembly.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the light emitted in the inboard direction is transmitted through the window.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the light emitted in the outboard direction is transmitted along the panel.

20. An illuminated seal assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a carrier having a first region and a second region having varied light transmissivities, wherein the first region is inboard of the second region;

a first light source disposed on the carrier; and

a light guide operably coupled with the first light source.