Low voltage illuminated automobile trim

• US 5,434,013 A
• Filed: 10/29/1993
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Auto Accessories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Auto Accessories Incorporated
• Inventors: Fernandez, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US08/145,759
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 428/690, 428/917, 428/457, 428/58, 428/31, 428/192, 428/172, 428/195, 428/913, 428/917, 313/504, 313/506
• US Class Current: 428/690
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/00 Processes for producing special ornamental bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/323 on or for doors illuminated exterior door handles B60Q1/2669; illuminated door locks E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/00 Electroluminescent light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 44/00 Circuit arrangements for operating electroluminescent light sources for operating light emitting diodes H05B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

A luminescent automobile trim apparatus includes structure for positioning on a portion of an automobile to render the portion visible at night an electroluminescent strip formed of several layers of material joined together substantially face to face, including a layer of conductive film, under a first layer of phosphor of a certain first color, under a first layer of electrode material, for radiating light of a certain color. The apparatus preferably additionally includes a structure for altering electrical frequency and voltage applied to the first layer of electrode material for changing the color of the radiated light. The structure for altering preferably includes a musical sound system; where the frequency and voltage are controlled by electrical representations of music within the sound system, such that color changes are synchronized with changes in the electrical representations. The apparatus alternatively additionally includes a second layer of phosphor of a certain second color and an adjacent second layer of electrode material, and structure for selectively directing electric current to one of these layers of electrode material, for activating the particular layer of phosphor material to radiate light of a color corresponding to the phosphor color.

Claims

1. An automobile comprising:

an automobile surface portion shaped to create a distinguishing artistic appearance,

an electroluminescent strip formed of a plurality of layers of material joined together substantially face to face, comprising a layer of conductive film, under a first layer of phosphor of a certain first color, under a first layer of electrode material, for radiating light of a certain color, having a perimetric edge shaped to follow and highlight said surface portion,

means for positioning on said surface portion said electroluminescent strip to render said surface portion visible in the dark for causing said surface portion to convey its artistic shape in the dark.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising means for altering electrical frequency and voltage applied to said first layer of electrode material for changing the color of said radiated light.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, additionally comprising:

a musical sound system;

wherein said frequency and voltage are controlled by electrical representations of music within said sound system, such that color changes are synchronized with changes in said electrical representations.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a second layer of phosphor of a certain second color and an adjacent second layer of electrode material, and means for selectively directing electric current to one said layer of electrode material, for activating said layer of phosphor material to radiate light of a color corresponding to said phosphor color.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said sound system comprises a frequency discriminator, and said frequency and voltage are controlled by said equalizer.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for selecting is controlled by electrical representations of music in said sound system, such that color changes are synchronized with changes in said electrical representations of music.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said sound system comprises an equalizer, and said means for selecting is controlled by said equalizer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first layer of phosphor comprises discrete patches of phosphor of at least two colors.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one said patch is shaped to form a letter of an alphabet.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least two said patches are contiguous with each other.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least two said patches are spaced apart from each other.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of said automobile comprises an emblem.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of said automobile comprises a speaker cover.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of said automobile comprises a license plate frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of said automobile comprises rocker panel molding.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of said automobile comprises dash trim.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of said automobile comprises lock molding.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of said automobile comprises outer automobile body trim.

12. An automobile floor mat apparatus, comprising:

a sheet of flexible mat material having an upper surface,

an electroluminescent strip formed of a plurality of layers of material joined together substantially face to face, comprising a layer of conductive film, under a first layer of phosphor of a certain first color, under a first layer of electrode material, for radiating light of a certain color secured to said upper surface of said sheet of flexible mat material to render said mat visible in the dark for aiding automobile occupants in safely gaining their footing without dependency upon automobile cabin lights.