Auxiliary lamp arrangement for automotive vehicle or the like

• US 4,626,967 A
• Filed: 03/13/1985
• Issued: 12/02/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Segoshi, Touru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cross, E. Rollins
• Application Number:
  US06/711,323
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/80, 362/82, 362/83, 362/268, 362/304, 362/309, 362/328, 362/329, 362/335, 362/145, 340/71, 340/74, 340/69, 340/87, 340/97
• US Class Current: 362/503
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window

Abstract

In order to reduce the height of an auxiliary stop or turn indication lamp which may be mounted either immediately adjacent the rear windshield or housed on top of the trunk lid of an automotive vehicle, a light bulb is arranged in an essentially vertically extending base section of a housing so that the filament thereof is located at a level just above that of the floor of an elongate capsule-like upper section provided on top of the base member. The filament is arranged parallel with a lens or similar light transmissive member which is disposed in an opening formed in the upper section.

Claims

1. In a vehicle

a lamp arrangement comprising:

a housing which is arranged to be mounted on a portion of said vehicle and which is formed with an opening, said opening having a shadow which is cast into said housing; and

a light source disposed within said housing so that the light generating portion of said light source is located in the lower peripheral portion of said shadow.

4. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light generating portion takes the form of an elongate filament, said filament being arranged to be essentially parallel with a plane defined by said opening.

5. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes:

a base portion in which said light source is supported and

an upper section being elongate in a direction essentially normal to said base portion.

6. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said base portion is arranged to be connected to a structure of said vehicle located immediately adjacent a rear windshield of the vehicle.

7. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said base portion is arranged to extend through an aperture formed in a trunk lid of said vehicle.

8. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said upper section is arranged to be housed in a cowl member disposed on said trunk lid.

9. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said upper section includes a wall section which is arranged to reflect light emitted from said light source toward said opening.

10. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light transmissive member disposed within said housing so as to close said opening.

11. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said housing is provided with a section about said opening which contacts said rear windshield and prevents ight emitted from said light source from being reflected off said rear windshield in a manner to enter a zone on the inboard side of said rear windshield.

2. A lamp arrangement for use with a vehicle, comprising:

a housing having an opening closed by a light transmissive member; and

a light source disposed in said housing so that a light generating portion thereof is located at a level proximate the level of the lower periphery of said light transmissive member.

3. In a vehicle

a lamp arrangement comprising:

a housing which is arranged to be mounted on a portion of said vehicle and which is formed with an opening, said opening having a lower periphery; and

a light source disposed within said housing so that the light generating portion of said light source is located at essentially the same level as said lower periphery.

12. In a vehicle having:

a cabin;

a windshield at one end of said cabin; and

a structure immediately adjacent said windshield;

a lamp arrangement comprising;

a base portion fixed to said structure and arranged to extend upwardly toward said windshield;

an upper section disposed on said base portion, said upper section having an opening formed therein, said opening being oriented toward said windshield, said opening having a shadow which projects back into said upper section;

a light transmissive member disposed so as to close said opening;

a light source disposed in said base portion, said light source having a light generating portion, said light generating portion being arranged to be located in the lower portion of said shadow and essentially aligned with a lower periphery of said opening; and

a wall section defined in said upper section for reflecting light emitted from said light source toward said opening.

13. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a member disposed about said opening, said member extending between said upper section and said windshield and which contacts said windshield to prevent light emitted from said light source from entering said cabin.

14. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein said light generating portion takes the form of an elongate filament, said filament being arranged to be essentially parallel with a plane defined by said opening.

15. In a vehicle

a trunk lid;

an aperture formed in said trunk lid;

a cowl member disposed on said trunk lid so as to extend over said aperture; and

a lamp arrangement disposed on said trunk lid so as to enclosed by said cowl member, said lamp arrangement comprising;

a base member which extends through said aperture;

an upper section disposed on top of said base member and which is located in the space defined between said trunk lid and said cowl member;

means defining an opening in said upper section, said opening having a shadow which extends back into said upper section;

a light transmissive member disposed so as to close said opening; and

a light source mounted in said base member, said light source having a light generating element, said light generating element being arranged to project into the lower peripheral portion of said shadow and thus be essentially aligned with the lower periphery of said opening.

16. In a vehicle having:

a cabin having a front-to-rear axial direction;

a windshield at one end of said cabin; and

a structure immediately adjacent said windshield;

a lamp arrangement comprising;

a base portion fixed to said structure and arranged to extend upwardly toward said windshield;

a generally closed upper section elongated along said axial direction and disposed on said base portion, said upper section having an opening formed therein, said opening being oriented toward said windshield, and said opening defining a field of view within said upper section when viewed from the direction of said windshield;

a light transmissive member disposed so as to close said opening;

an incandescent light source disposed in said base portion and having a filament, said light source being arranged so that the filament is located in the lower portion of said field of view defined by said opening; and

means, including a reflective surface in said upper section, for reflecting light from said light source essentially parallel to said axial direction toward said opening.