VEHICULAR ILLUMINATION DEVICE

• US 20100271837A1
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Atsushi, Hayakawa, Hidekazu
• Granted Patent: US 8,007,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/549
• 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 1/2626 Screw-nut fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2638 Positioning the device housing by indexing means separate from the fastening means, e.g. pins, rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2642 with provision for adjusting the alignment of the device housing with respect to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/323 on or for doors illuminated exterior door handles B60Q1/2669; illuminated door locks E05B17/10

Abstract

In a vehicular illumination device which illuminates a lower part around an opened part of a door at a side of a vehicle, a side sill garnish is provided below the door-opened part, and a lamp and a lamp garnish which retains the lamp are arranged on a lower face of the side sill garnish. As the lamp is retained by the lamp garnish, the lamp can efficiently and appropriately illuminate an underfoot floor when a person rides on and off the vehicle. Moreover, the lamp garnish has a recess, and an edge which is provided around an opened part of the recess. As the lamp is arranged in the recess, the lamp is not visually recognized directly from the exterior of edge parts, thereby preventing a following vehicle from falsely recognizing the lamp as a backup lamp.

Claims

1. A vehicular illumination device which illuminates a lower part around a door-opened part at a side of a vehicle, wherein an external component is provided below the door-opened part, and a lamp and a lamp garnish which retains the lamp are arranged on a lower face of the external component.

2. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the lamp garnish includes a recess, and an edge part formed around an opened-part of the recess, the lamp is arranged in the recess and a light-emission face of the lamp is arranged inwardly of a face of the edge parts.

3. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2, wherein a position of the edge part at an external side of the vehicle is higher than a position of the edge part at an internal side of the vehicle in a state held on the lower face of the external component.

4. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 1, wherein a light-emission unit of the lamp is so arranged as to be inclined toward the exterior of the vehicle.

5. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2, wherein a light-emission unit of the lamp is so arranged as to be inclined toward the exterior of the vehicle.

6. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 3, wherein a light-emission unit of the lamp is so arranged as to be inclined toward the exterior of the vehicle.

7. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 4, wherein the light-emission unit of the lamp is so arranged as to be inclined toward the exterior of the vehicle.

8. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 1, wherein a light-emission unit of the lamp has an inclination angle adjustable relative to the lamp garnish.

9. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2, wherein a light-emission unit of the lamp has an inclination angle adjustable relative to the lamp garnish.

10. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2, wherein a light-emission unit of the lamp has a clearance between a face of the edge parts and the light-emission unit adjustable.

11. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 3, wherein a light-emission unit of the lamp has a clearance between a face of the edge parts and the light-emission unit adjustable.

12. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2, wherein a shielding part is provided at the edge part.

13. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 3, wherein a shielding part is provided at the edge part.

14. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the lamp comprises a casing, a translucent cover which is attached to the casing, and the light-emission unit which is attached in the casing.

15. The vehicular illumination device according to claim 2, wherein the lamp comprises a casing, a translucent cover which is attached to the casing, and the light-emission unit which is attached in the casing.