Illuminated electrical center

• US 20080225545A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Seidler, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,635,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/546
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2466 using a planar conductive structure, e.g. printed circuit board

Abstract

An electrical center assembly used in a vehicle provides ambient light to the assembly and the area around the assembly using a light-emitting diode. The electrical center assembly generally includes a housing, an electrically conducting link, removable electrical components and at least one light-emitting diode for illuminating the electrical center.

Claims

1. ) An electrical center for use in a vehicle comprising:

a housing adapted to connect with an electrical source;

at least one electrical conducting link carried by the housing for conducting electrical current from the electrical source into the housing;

at least one removable electrical component carried by the housing and electrically connected to the electrical conducting link; and

at least one light-emitting diode carried on the housing and electrically connected to the electrical conducting link for illuminating the electrical center.

2. ) The electrical center as described in claim 1 wherein the light-emitting diode emits substantially white light.

3. ) The electrical center as described in claim 1 further comprising an electric switch operatively connected with the light-emitting diode for actuating the light-emitting diode.

4. ) The electrical center as described in claim 3 wherein the housing includes a removable cover and the electric switch is associated with the cover for automatically actuating the light-emitting diode when the cover is moved relative to the housing.

5. ) The electrical center as described in claim 3 wherein the switch is mounted on the housing for manually actuating the light-emitting diode.

6. ) The electrical center as described in claim 1 wherein the electrical conducting link is a bus layer.

7. ) The electrical center as described in claim 1 wherein the electrical conducting link includes one of a bus plate, an electrical conducting wire, a printed circuit board and an electrically conductive metal plate or any combination thereof.

8. ) The electrical center as described in claim 1, wherein:

the light-emitting diode has contacts that extend through a portion of the housing to contact the electrical conducting link.

9. ) A method of providing for illumination for an electrical center, the steps comprising:

providing an electrical center for installation in a vehicle, where the electrical center includes a housing;

arranging an electrical conducting link within the housing for carrying electrical current through the housing;

attaching electrical components to the housing for regulating electrical current; and

associating a light-emitting diode with the housing to illuminate the electrical center during servicing operations after the electrical center has been installed in a vehicle.

10. ) The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

providing a manually-operated switch electrically connected to the light-emitting diode for operating the light-emitting diode.

11. ) The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

equipping the housing with a cover that substantially covers at least a portion of the housing to provide protection for the electrical components.

12. ) The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

actuating the light-emitting diode in response to a user moving the cover in relation to the housing using an electric switch associated with the housing and electrically connected to the light-emitting diode.

13. ) The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

actuating the light-emitting diode in response to a user moving the cover in relation to the housing using an electric switch associated with the cover and electrically connected to the light-emitting diode.

14. ) The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

mounting the light-emitting diode on the housing, where the light-emitting diode has contacts that extend through a portion of the housing to contact the link.

15. ) A method of using a light-emitting diode that emits substantially white light, the steps comprising:

providing an electrical center capable of receiving an electrical source for mounting in a vehicle whereby the electrical center regulates electrical current through at least a portion of the vehicle;

attaching electrical components to the electrical center for regulating electrical current; and

associating the light-emitting diode with the housing to provide light to service the electrical center after the electrical center has been installed in a vehicle.

16. ) The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

affixing a switch to the electrical center and electrically connecting the switch to the light-emitting diode for manual actuation.

17. ) The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

adapting the electrical center to carry a cover capable of covering at least part of the electrical center.

18. ) The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:

affixing a switch to the electrical center and electrically connecting the switch to the light-emitting diode for actuating the light-emitting diode in response to a user moving the cover relative to the electrical center.