Lighting system for mass-transit vehicles

• US 6,238,075 B1
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transmagic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transmagic Incorporated
• Inventors: McCauley, Alvin D., Domas, Ben V., Dealey, Onward K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hobden, David V.
• Application Number:
  US09/210,286
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 362/223, 362/581, 362/219, 362/576, 362/396, 362/225, 362/217, 362/478-481, 362/543, 362/544, 362/151, 362/224, 362/249, 362/329, 362/330, 362/332, 362/367 , 362/294, 362/373, 248/56, 248/71, 248/74.2, 248/231.81, 248/316.77
• US Class Current: 362/551
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/20 associated with air conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/43 General lighting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence

Abstract

A lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area of a mass-transit vehicle includes a light fixture with a lamp housing longitudinally disposed above the seating area. An electrically energized light source is mounted at at least one end of the light fixture. At least one solid-core semi-rigid light pipe extends from and is optically coupled to the light source. The light pipe receives light from the light source, transmits the light along its length, and emits the light laterally into the passenger compartment. The light pipe runs parallel to and is suspended from the lamp housing between the lamp housing and the seating area so that the lamp housing can direct laterally emitted light from the pipe into the seating area.

Claims

1. A method for installing a light pipe in a light fixture, the light fixture including an elongated lamp-support panel having an elongated slot extending through a thickness of the lamp-support panel and extending longitudinally along a length of the lamp-support panel, an elongated light pipe, an elongated mounting fin comprising an elongated stem extending from along a length of the light pipe, the mounting fin additionally comprising a first engagement surface disposed adjacent the stem;

said method including the steps of;

longitudinally inserting the fin stem into one end of the slot; and

sliding the mounting fin longitudinally into an installed position where the fin stem is disposed within and along the length of the slot, the first engagement surface of the fin engages an upper surface of the light fixture and the light pipe is suspended below the lamp-support panel.

2. A method for installing a light pipe in a light fixture, the light fixture including an elongated lamp-support panel having an elongated slot extending through a thickness of the lamp-support panel and extending longitudinally along a length of the lamp-support panel;

an elongated light pipe, an elongated mounting fin comprising an elongated stem extending from along the light pipe, the mounting fin further including an elongated apex defining a fin upper edge and a pair of elongated ramp surfaces tapering outward and downward from along the apex to an outer edge of each of two fin engagement surfaces to form elongated barbs;

said method including the steps of;

laterally inserting the fin upper edge into the slot along the length of the slot with the elongated fin ramp surfaces engaging a lower surface of the lamp support panel; and

moving the light pipe mounting fin into the elongated slot so that the elongated barbs first compress inward against the elongated stem and then snap back outward after passing through the slot to retain the light pipe in an installed position with the fin stem disposed in the slot with the barbs spread-out over and above the slot and the light pipe suspended below the slot.

3. A method for installing a light pipe in a light fixture including the steps of:

providing a lamp support panel having an elongated slot extending through a thickness of the lamp-support panel and extending longitudinally along a length of the lamp-support panel;

providing an elongated light pipe including an elongated mounting fin comprising an elongated stem extending from along the light pipe, the mounting fin additionally comprising a first engagement surface disposed adjacent the stem;

longitudinally inserting the fin stem into one end of the slot; and

sliding the mounting fin longitudinally into an installed position where the fin stem is disposed within and along the length of the slot, the first engagement surface of the fin engages an upper surface of the light fixture and the light pipe is suspended below the lamp-support panel.

4. A method for installing a light pipe in a light fixture including the steps of:

providing an elongated lamp-support panel having an elongated slot extending through a thickness of the lamp-support panel and extending longitudinally along a length of the lamp-support panel;

providing an elongated light pipe having an elongated mounting fin comprising an elongated stem extending from along the light pipe, the mounting fin further including an elongated apex defining a fin upper edge and a pair of elongated ramp surfaces tapering outward and downward from along the apex to an outer edge of each of two fin engagement surfaces to form elongated barbs;

laterally inserting the fin upper edge into the slot along the length of the slot with the elongated fin ramp surfaces engaging a lower surface of the lamp support panel; and

moving the light pipe mounting fin into the elongated slot so that the elongated barbs first compress inward against the elongated stem and then snap back outward after passing through the slot to retain the light pipe in an installed position with the fin stem disposed in the slot with the barbs spread-out over and above the slot and the light pipe suspended below the slot.