Vehicle light

• US 5,329,429 A
• Filed: 10/22/1992
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathias, Larry E., Hathaway, Jason M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertsch, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOCHAROV, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/964,930
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 362/83.3, 362/61, 362/74, 362/364, 362/396
• US Class Current: 362/490
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor

Abstract

A lamp assembly for a vehicle is integrally formed in a vehicle panel which includes a concave recess for receiving a lamp socket and lamp. A plurality of lens receiving slots extend around the periphery of the concave recess for snap-fitting a lens to the panel. In a preferred embodiment, the concave recess is offset by a peripheral convex rim to position the lens toward the vehicle interior. In a preferred embodiment also, the panel is a vehicle headliner and the concave recess includes an aperture for receiving a spring clip which mounts a lamp socket to the headliner within the concave recess.

Claims

1. A lamp assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle panel for mounting to a vehicle, said panel having a surface facing the interior of the vehicle, said panel formed to integrally include a depression formed in said surface, said depression having a floor and curved sidewalls, a plurality of spaced lens receiving mounting slots formed in said panel at the periphery of said depression, said depression including a pair of spaced apertures, with one of said apertures formed in the floor thereof and the other of said apertures formed in said sidewall, said panel further including a bridge extending between said apertures;

a lamp socket including clip means for attaching said socket to said bridge for positioning a lamp fitted in said socket with said depression of said panel; and

lens means including tab means extending into said mounting slots for snap mounting said lens means to said vehicle panel.

2. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said vehicle panel comprises a headliner.

3. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said depression is generally triangular.

4. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said panel includes a mounting slot at each apex of said generally triangular depression.

5. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said slip comprises a spring-steel clip having spaced arms which compressible engage opposite sides of said bridge.

6. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein a first of said pair of apertures is aligned with said lamp and a second of said pair of apertures receives conductors associated with said socket.

7. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel further includes an outwardly projecting rim extending around the periphery of said depression and said slot means are formed in said rim such that said lens is offset with respect to said vehicle panel.

8. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said panel is a vehicle headliner.

9. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said depression and said rim are generally triangular.

10. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said headliner panel includes a mounting slot at each apex of said generally triangular depression.

11. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said clip comprises a spring-steel clip having spaced arms which compressible engage opposite sides of said bridge.

12. The lamp assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein a first of said pair of apertures is aligned with said lamp and a second of said pair of apertures receives conductors associated with said socket.