EXTERNAL SAFETY ILLUMINATION FOR A BUS WITH LIGHT MOUNTED TO MIRROR ARM

• US 20090273941A1
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Inventors: MCDONALD, David, ENGLANDER, Benjamin, SERER, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/464
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2657 mounted on a shaft, e.g. telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2692 retractable lights retractable headlights B60Q1/05
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5035 electronic displays
• 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 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake

Abstract

A light source along the mirror mounting arm of a school bus or other passenger vehicle to reduce the risk of people or other objects being injured by the school bus. The light source may be mounted directly on the mirror mounting arm or embedded within a mirror mount. The light source may be focused downward to illuminate the ground and may provide vehicle status information and guiding information. Additionally the light source may sweep the ground back and forth or be directed under the control of the driver. The light source may be activated automatically when movement is detected near the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle area illumination system for a vehicle, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:

a mirror housing;

a lens attachable to said mirror housing and the vehicle using a mirror mount attachable to said mirror housing, the lens comprising a mirror lens portion and a clear portion for allowing light to pass from behind the lens to a location outside of the lens and the mirror lens portion including a light reflective portion for reflecting light; and

a light member positioned behind the mirror lens positioned to emit light through the at least one clear portion and secured by at least one of said mirror housing and said lens.

2. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, wherein the clear portion comprises a transparent portion of the mirror face.

3. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, wherein the clear portion comprises a one-way mirror portion of the mirror face, the one-way mirror being reflective to light from the outside.

4. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, further comprising a second light member positioned behind the mirror face at a second clear portion of the mirror lens, the second clear portion being separated from the clear portion by a part of the light reflective portion.

5. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light member is oriented to direct light primarily at least one of downward of the mirror face and to the side of the mirror face.

6. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light member comprises a plurality of light sources.

7. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light member comprises at least three LED light sources.

8. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light member comprises at least one light which is capable of providing a sweeping light beam that illuminates the vehicle area.

9. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 1, further comprising a second light member to provide status information visible through said clear portion.

10. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 9, wherein said second light member comprises a plurality of light sources.

11. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 9, wherein said second light member comprises an LED display.

12. A vehicle area illumination system for a vehicle, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:

a mirror housing;

a lens attachable to said mirror housing and the vehicle using a mirror mount attachable to said mirror housing, the lens comprising at least a mirror lens portion for reflecting light wherein the lens does not cover the entire mirror housing leaving at least one opening between said lens and said mirror housing; and

a light member positioned between the lens and the mirror housing and positioned to emit light through said opening.

13. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 12, further comprising a second light member positioned behind the lens at a second opening, the second opening being separated from the first opening by a part of the light reflective mirror lens portion.

14. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 12, wherein the light member is oriented to direct light primarily at least one of downward of the mirror face and to the side of the mirror face.

15. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 12, wherein the light member comprises a plurality of light sources.

16. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 12, wherein the light member comprises at least three LED light sources.

17. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 12, wherein the light member comprises at least one light which is capable of providing a sweeping light beam that illuminates the vehicle area.

18. A vehicle area illumination system for a vehicle including a vehicle mirror and mirror housing assembly, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:

a mirror mount securing the vehicle mirror and mirror housing assembly to the vehicle; and

a light structure supported by said mirror mount, which directs light primarily at the ground level and along an area located adjacent a door of the vehicle, in a manner which enables a driver to view a passenger located in the area via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of lower visibility.

19. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, wherein said mirror mount comprises a mount and an support arm connected to said mount, and wherein the light structure is positioned on the mount or on the arm of the mirror mount, the arm of the mirror mount extending away from at least one of the passenger side exterior wall and the driver side exterior wall.

20. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, wherein the light structure is positioned above windows of the vehicle, in an orientation where the light from the light structure is directed toward the ground.

21. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, wherein the light structure is positioned above windows of the vehicle, in an orientation where the light from the light structure is directed down and to the side of the vehicle.

22. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, wherein the light structure includes components that are located both at the passenger side and the driver'"'"'s side walls of the vehicle.

23. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, wherein the light structure includes components that are located both at the passenger side and the rear side walls of the vehicle.

24. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, wherein the light structure includes components that are located both at the driver'"'"'s side and the rear side walls of the vehicle.

25. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, further including an interface which receives an input signal from one or more of a transmission, manual switches, and a passenger door control.

26. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, including a control and an associated timer which control the light structure in response to an event comprising at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or turn off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode.

27. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 26, including turning off the light structure after the lapse of a set time period after occurrence of the event.

28. The vehicle illumination system of claim 27, wherein the set time period is adjustable.

29. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 18, including an interface which receives an input signal from a sensor and which controls the light structure in response to the output the sensor.

30. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 29, wherein the sensor is one of a visibility sensor, an infrared sensor, a LADAR sensor and a motion sensor.

31. A vehicle area illumination system for a vehicle including a light source and light structure, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:

a light source secured to a light structure; and

a light structure secured to the vehicle, said light structure including a light shield wherein the light shield prevents the driver from directly viewing the light from the light source and wherein the light structure is mounted in an orientation where the light from the light structure is directed down and to the side of the vehicle.

32. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 31, wherein the light structure includes components that are located both at the passenger side and the driver'"'"'s side walls of the vehicle.

33. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 31, wherein the light structure includes components that are located both at the passenger side and the rear side walls of the vehicle.

34. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 31, wherein the light structure includes components that are located both at the driver'"'"'s side and the rear side walls of the vehicle.

35. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 31, further including an interface which receives an input signal from one or more of a transmission, manual switches, and a passenger door control.

36. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 31, including a control and an associated timer which control the light structure in response to an event comprising at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or turn off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode.

37. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 36, including turning off the light structure after the lapse of a set time period after occurrence of the event.

38. The vehicle illumination system of claim 37, wherein the set time period is adjustable.

39. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 31, including an interface which receives an input signal from a sensor and which controls the light structure in response to the output the sensor.

40. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 39, wherein the sensor is one of a visibility sensor, an infrared sensor, a LADAR sensor and a motion sensor.

41. The vehicle area illumination system of claim 31, further comprising a signal lamp and signal lamp housing, wherein the signal lamp housing is disposed between the light source and the driver of the vehicle.