Vehicle instrumentation/console lighting

• US 5,938,321 A
• Filed: 09/25/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veldman, Roger L., Bos, Brent J., Forbes, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/937,480
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23, 362/84, 362/85, 362/140-142, 362/144, 362/259, 362/295, 362/488-494, 362/503, 362/504, 362/510, 362/548, 362/549
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Interior vehicle instrumentation and/or console lighting is provided by an interior rearview mirror assembly or interior lamp assembly incorporating a non-incandescent, directed, low level, low power, non-glare producing light emitting source. The source illuminates portions of the vehicle interior such as the instrumentation or controls in the instrument panel or console area. One or more of such light emitting sources is optionally mounted on or within the mirror case or mirror support separate from any conventional incandescent lamp or lamps which may be mounted in the mirror assembly to provide general interior lighting. Alternately, the light emitting source can be mounted on or within an interior vehicle lamp assembly such as a dome lamp, rail lamp, or the like. Preferably, the light emitting source is a solid state lamp such as a light emitting diode, is controlled via the ignition switch and/or a rheostat/dimmer switch, and most preferably provides a maximum illumination of about 0.2 to 4.0 lux at 22 to 26 inches at about 20 mA to about 50 mA or less current and about 2.0 volts to about 5.0 volts or less.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle having an engine, at least one electrically operated accessory, and an accessory/ignition circuit with an ignition switch having an accessory on position for operating the accessory and an ignition on position for operating at least the engine and the accessory, said assembly comprising:

a mirror case including a reflective mirror element;

a support for securing said assembly on the vehicle;

said assembly including a non-incandescent, directed, low level, light emitting source; and

said light emitting source positioned on said assembly to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of an interior portion of the vehicle, said light emitting source including a light emitting diode, said light emitting diode being located on said assembly at a distance from the interior vehicle portion to be illuminated, said light emitting diode being adapted for connection to the accessory/ignition circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting diode will be continuously illuminated when the ignition switch is at one of the accessory on and ignition on positions.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said light emitting diode operates at a current less than or equal to about 200 mA.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said light emitting diode operates at a current of less than or equal to about 20 mA.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said light emitting diode operates at a current within the range of about 20 to about 100 mA.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said light emitting diode provides illumination less than or equal to about 4.0 lux at a distance of about 22 to 26 inches from said diode.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said light emitting diode provides illumination of between about 0.2 and 4.0 lux at a distance of about 22 to 26 inches from said diode.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said light emitting diode is formed from a material including at least one of aluminum, indium, gallium, arsenic, and phosphorous.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the interior portion of the vehicle comprises at least one of an instrument panel area of the vehicle and a console area of the vehicle.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the console area is one of a floor console area, a side door console area, a shift lever console area, and a roof console area.

10. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the interior portion is a shift lever console.

11. The assembly of claim 1 including a mount receiving said light emitting diode.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said mount is on or within at least one of said mirror case and said support.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said mount is on or within said mirror case.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said mirror case includes a peripheral portion having a bottom;

said mount and light emitting diode being located so as to emit light downwardly from said bottom.

15. The assembly of claim 14 further including a light opening in said bottom of said mirror case;

at least one incandescent lamp for providing general illumination in the vehicle, said lamp being mounted on said mirror case and directing light downwardly through said light opening.

16. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said one of said mirror case and said support includes an aperture;

said mount including a hollow adapter secured in said aperture, said adapter having first and second ends, said first end receiving said light emitting diode therein, said second end opening through said aperture.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said second end of said hollow adapter includes a lens through which light from said light emitting diode is directed.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said hollow adapter is cylindrical and includes spaced flanges on the exterior thereof for securing said adapter on said bottom;

said light emitting diode also being cylindrical and telescoped within said first end of said adapter.

19. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said support includes a mounting arm, said light emitting diode being mounted on or within said mounting arm.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein at least one of said mirror case and mounting arm includes a mounting ball;

the other of said mirror case and mounting arm including a socket receiving said mounting ball for pivotal adjustment of the position of said mirror case.

21. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a windshield and a header area adjacent the windshield;

said support being adapted for connection to the header area of the vehicle adjacent the windshield.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein said light emitting diode is located on or within said support.

23. The assembly of claim 1 including a vehicle accessory mounting pod attached to said support;

said light emitting diode being located on or within said pod.

24. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said light emitting diode emits light having a wavelength producing a color selected from the group consisting essentially of green, yellow, red, blue, orange, amber and reddish-orange.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein said light emitting diode emits light having a wavelength producing a color selected from the group consisting essentially of amber, red and reddish-orange.

26. The assembly of claim 1 further including at least one incandescent lamp for providing general illumination in the vehicle.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein said mirror case includes a pair of incandescent lamps for general illumination in the vehicle, said lamps being spaced from one another and said low level light emitting diode.

28. The assembly of claim 27 including at least one electrical switch for controlling said lamps and a rheostat electrically connected to said light emitting diode for controlling the light output of said light emitting diode.

29. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said assembly is an electrically operated rearview mirror assembly.

30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein said reflective mirror element is an electro-optic element including an electrochromic medium adapted to darken when an electrical voltage is applied thereacross.

31. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle having an engine, at least one electrically operated accessory, and an accessory/ignition circuit with an ignition switch having an accessory on position for operating the accessory and an ignition on position for operating at least the engine and the accessory, said assembly comprising:

a mirror case including a reflective mirror element and a non-incandescent, directed, low level, light emitting source;

said light emitting source positioned on said assembly to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of an interior portion of the vehicle at a distance from said mirror assembly;

said light emitting source being selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, a vacuum fluorescent source, an electroluminescent source and a semiconductor laser source, said light emitting source being adapted for connection to the accessory/ignition circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting source will be continuously illuminated when the ignition switch is at one of the accessory on and ignition on positions.

32. The assembly of claim 31 wherein the interior portion of the vehicle comprises at least one of an instrument panel area and a console area of the vehicle.

33. The assembly of claim 31 further including at least one lamp for providing general illumination in the vehicle.

34. The assembly of claim 31 wherein said reflective mirror element is an electro-optic element including an electrochromic medium adapted to darken when an electrical voltage is applied thereacross.

35. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle having an electrical circuit with a switch having an off position and at least one on position for operating the vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a mirror case including a reflective mirror element;

a support for securing said assembly on the vehicle;

said assembly including a light emitting diode positioned to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of at least one of an instrument panel area of the vehicle and a console area of the vehicle, said assembly being located at a distance from the instrument panel area or console area of the vehicle to be illuminated, said light emitting diode being adapted for connection to the electrical circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting diode will be continuously illuminated when the switch is at the on position.

36. The assembly of claim 35 wherein said light emitting diode is formed from a material including at least one of aluminum, indium, gallium, arsenic, and phosphorous.

37. The assembly of claim 35 wherein said light emitting diode operates at a current less than or equal to about 200 mA.

38. The assembly of claim 35 wherein said light emitting diode provides illumination less than or equal to about 4.0 lux at a distance of about 22 to 26 inches from said diode.

39. A non-incandescent, directed, low-level, light emitting source mounted on the interior of a vehicle having an engine, at least one electrically operated accessory, and an accessory/ignition circuit with an ignition switch having an accessory on position for operating the accessory and an ignition on position for operating at least the engine and the accessory;

said light emitting source positioned to provide directed, low level, local area illumination of an interior portion of the vehicle, said light emitting source including a light emitting diode, said light emitting diode being located on the vehicle interior at a distance from the interior vehicle portion to be illuminated, said light emitting diode being adapted for connection to the accessory/ignition circuit of the vehicle whereby said light emitting diode will be continuously illuminated when the ignition switch is at one of the accessory on and ignition on positions.

40. The light emitting source of claim 39 wherein the interior of the vehicle includes a windshield, a headliner, a header region adjacent the windshield, an upper windshield area, and a rearview mirror, said light emitting diode being mounted on one of the headliner, the header region, the upper windshield area, and or the rearview mirror.

41. The light emitting source of claim 40 wherein said light emitting diode is mounted on the rearview mirror at a position generally above the interior portion to be illuminated.

42. The light emitting source of claim 41 wherein the rearview mirror includes a support for mounting the rearview mirror on the vehicle, said light emitting diode being mounted on said support.

43. The light emitting source of claim 42 wherein the support for the rearview mirror further includes a vehicle accessory mounting pod mounted on said support, said light emitting diode mounted on or within said pod.

44. The assembly of claim 41 wherein said rearview mirror includes a mirror case and a reflective mirror element, and a mount on or within said mirror case receiving said light emitting diode.

45. The assembly of claim 44 wherein said mirror case includes a peripheral portion having a bottom;

said mount and light emitting diode being located so as to emit light downwardly from said bottom.

46. The assembly of claim 44 further including a light opening in said bottom of said mirror case;

at least one incandescent lamp for providing general illumination in the vehicle, said lamp being mounted on said mirror case and directing light downwardly through said light opening.

47. The assembly of claim 44 wherein said mirror case includes an aperture;

said mount including a hollow adapter secured in said aperture, said adapter having first and second ends, said first end receiving said light emitting diode therein, said second end opening through said aperture.

48. The assembly of claim 47 wherein said second end of said hollow adapter includes a lens through which light from said light emitting diode is directed.

49. The assembly of claim 48 wherein said hollow adapter is cylindrical and includes spaced flanges on the exterior thereof for securing said adapter on said bottom;

said light emitting diode also being cylindrical and telescoped within said first end of said adapter.

50. The assembly of claim 44 wherein said rearview mirror is an electrically operated rearview mirror.

51. The assembly of claim 50 wherein said reflective mirror element is an electro-optic element including an electrochromic medium adapted to darken when an electrical voltage is applied thereacross.

52. The assembly of claim 39 wherein said light emitting diode is formed from a material including at least one of aluminum, indium, gallium, arsenic, and phosphorous.

53. The assembly of claim 39 wherein the interior portion of the vehicle illuminated by said light emitting diode comprises at least one of an instrument panel area of the vehicle and a console area of the vehicle.

54. The assembly of claim 53 wherein the console area is one of a floor console area, a side door console area, a shift lever console area, and a roof console area.

55. The assembly of claim 53 wherein the interior portion is a shift lever console.

56. The assembly of claim 39 wherein said light emitting diode operates at a current less than or equal to about 200 mA.

57. The assembly of claim 56 wherein said light emitting diode operates at a current of less than or equal to about 20 mA.

58. The assembly of claim 56 wherein said light emitting diode operates at a current within the range of about 20 to about 100 mA.

59. The assembly of claim 39 wherein said light emitting diode provides illumination less than or equal to about 4.0 lux at a distance of about 22 to 26 inches from said diode.

60. The assembly of claim 59 wherein said light emitting diode provides illumination of between about 0.2 and 4.0 lux at a distance of about 22 to 26 inches from said diode.

61. The assembly of claim 39 wherein said light emitting diode emits light having a wavelength producing a color selected from the group consisting essentially of green, yellow, red, blue, orange, amber and reddish-orange.

62. The assembly of claim 59 wherein said light emitting diode emits light having a wavelength producing a color selected from the group consisting essentially of amber, red and reddish-orange.

63. The assembly of claim 39 further including at least one incandescent lamp for providing general illumination in the vehicle.

64. The assembly of claim 63 wherein said mirror case includes a pair of incandescent lamps for general illumination in the vehicle, said lamps being spaced from one another and said low level light emitting diode.

65. The assembly of claim 64 including at least one electrical switch for controlling said lamps and a rheostat electrically connected to said light emitting diode for controlling the light output of said light emitting diode.