Interior decorating item and use of an optical wave guide as decorative thread on such interior decorating items

• US 6,450,678 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LISA Drã¤Xlmaier GmbH (Fritz Dräxlmaier Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: LISA Drã¤Xlmaier GmbH (Fritz Dräxlmaier Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Bayersdorfer, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US09/458,069
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 362/551, 362/553, 362/554, 362/556, 362/555, 362/559, 362/570, 362/566, 362/576, 362/581, 362/470, 362/471, 362/488, 362/483, 362/26, 362/131
• US Class Current: 362/581
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges

Abstract

An interior decorating item such as a seat for motor vehicles or aircraft, an instrument console, an inner cover for vehicle doors or the like comprises an optical wave guide (1) which emits visible light along at least part of its length and is held in a fastening device (2, 3). The optical wave guide (1) is positioned inside a strip of material (3) of the fastening device, which strip forms a transparent hollow part (2). In its cross section, the fastening device has a strip of material extending away from the hollow part (2) and serving as fastening lug (4) with which the optical wave guide (1) is held in the hollow part (2) and is attached to the interior decorating item. At least one end of the optical wave guide (1) has a light source for introducing light into the optical wave guide (1). The interior decorating item can also be an optical wave guide visibly held under a seam or sewn into the item.

Claims

1. An interior decorating system comprising a flexible optical wave guide of substantial length for emitting light over at least a part of the length of the wave guide, a fastening device comprising an elongated strip of flexible light permeable material of substantial length extending lengthwise on the wave guide and surrounding the wave guide with opposite side edge portions of the strip secured to each other adjacent said wave guide and extending outwardly from the wave guide to define a fastening lug secured to a structural component for securing the wave guide to said structural component and a source of light adjacent at least one end of the wave guide for supplying light to the wave guide.

2. An interior decorating system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the opposite side edge portions of the strip are secured to each other by adhesion.

3. An interior decorating system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the flexible light permeable material is a transparent film.

4. An interior decorating system according to claim 1 wherein the flexible light permeable material is a fabric.

5. An interior decorating item according to claim 1 wherein the optical wave guide is comprised of a PMMA fiber (polymethyl methacrylate) having a diameter of between 0.2 and 3.0 mm.

6. An interior decorating system comprising at least one structural component having a cover thereon and a partial semicircular groove, a flexible optical wave guide disposed in said groove and secured therein by a holding seam comprised of at lest one thread secured to said cover on opposite sides of the wave guide and extending over the length of the wave guide and spaced to permit visible light from the wave guide emitting through spaces between the seam, and a source of light disposed adjacent at least one end of the optical wave guide for supplying light to the wave guide.

7. An interior decorating item according to claim 6 wherein the optical wave guide is comprised of a PMMA fiber (polymethyl methacrylate) having a diameter of between 0.2 and 3.0 mm.