Vehicle illumination guide

• US 6,880,959 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Timothy K. Houston
• Original Assignee: Timothy K. Houston
• Inventors: Houston, Timothy K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US10/604,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20050047164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 362/511, 362/551, 362/559, 362/581, 362/485, 362/506, 362/544, 362/223, 362/225, 362/244, 362/251, 362/249, 362/295, 362/311, 362/326, 362/370, 362/505, 293/117, 359/515
• US Class Current: 362/511
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/484 for showing outline of vehicle

Abstract

The invention is a vehicle illumination assembly that provides a vertically extending guide member connected to the bumper of a vehicle. The guide member includes a longitudinal opening and a top opening that each provide entry into the hollow interior of the guide member. The longitudinal opening encompasses a first light source that is bright enough to shine light from one end of the vehicle all the way past a second end of a vehicle. The top opening encompasses a marker light that visibly alerts a driver to the width of the vehicle. The vehicle illumination assembly of this invention may include a guide member that connects to a base member attached to a vehicle bumper. The separate guide member rotates around its longitudinal axis to direct light into a variety of directions, selectable by the driver from within the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle illumination assembly for providing light around a vehicle and for visibly marking the width of the vehicle, comprising:

an elongated hollow guide member connected to a bumper on one end of a vehicle, wherein the outer surface of said guide member defines a longitudinal opening to the interior of said hollow guide member; and

a first light source within the longitudinal opening of said guide member to illuminate areas around the side and ends of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein said guide member is perpendicularly connected to a bumper on the vehicle.

3. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein said guide member comprises a curved section and a straight section, with said curved section turning outwardly from the bumper and said straight section extending vertically from said curved section so that the straight section is horizontally displaced away from the bumper.

4. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein said surface defines an opening that extends from about one-half to about three-fourths of the length of said guide member.

5. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first light source extends within the entire length of the opening.

6. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein said guide member is so dimensioned as to house a first light source that provides visible beams of light extending horizontally at least 75 feet from said light source.

7. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first light source comprises at least one light bulb electrically connected to a power source and controlled by a switch.

8. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein said surface defines a second opening at the top of said guide member leading into the hollow interior of said guide member.

9. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a second light source within the second opening at the top of the guide member, said second light source serving to visibly mark the location of the guide member and the width of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 9, wherein said second light source comprises a light bulb that is electrically connected to a power source and controlled by a switch.

11. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 9, wherein said first and second light sources are separately controlled by switches that are selectively operable from within the interior of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 9, wherein said first and second light sources are covered by respective first and second lenses secured to the surface of said guide member to enclose the respective first and second openings in said guide member.

13. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 12, wherein said first and second lenses are each selected from the group consisting of colored lenses, translucent lenses, and transparent lenses.

36. A vehicle illumination assembly according to any one of claims 1, 14, or 25 wherein the first light source is controlled by a motion detector that switches the first light source to the on state upon detecting motion around the vehicle.

14. A vehicle illumination assembly for providing light around a vehicle and for visibly marking the width of the vehicle, comprising:

a hollow base member connected to a bumper on one end of a vehicle;

an elongated hollow guide member connected to said base member, wherein the outer surface of said guide member defines a longitudinal opening to the interior of said hollow guide member; and

a first light source within the longitudinal opening of said guide member to illuminate areas around the side and ends of the vehicle.

15. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 14, wherein said base member curves outwardly from the bumper, and said guide member extends vertically from said base member so that said guide member is horizontally displaced away from the bumper.

16. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 14, wherein said surface defines an opening that extends from about one-half to about three-fourths of the length of the guide member.

17. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 14, wherein the first light source extends within the entire length of the opening.

18. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 14, wherein said guide member is so dimensioned as to house a first light source capable of emitting visible beams of light extending horizontally at least 75 feet from said light source.

19. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 14, wherein said first light source comprises at least one light bulb electrically connected to a power source and controlled by a switch.

20. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 14, wherein said surface defines a second opening at the top of said guide member leading into the hollow interior of said guide member.

21. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 20, further comprising a second light source within the second opening at the top of the guide member, said second light serving to visibly mark the location of the guide member and the width of the vehicle, wherein said second light is electrically connected to a power supply and controlled by a switch.

22. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 21, wherein said first and second light sources are separately controlled by switches within the interior of the vehicle.

23. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 21, wherein said first and second lights are covered by respective first and second lenses secured to the surface of said guide member to enclose the first and second openings in said guide member.

24. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 23, wherein said first and second lenses are each selected from the group consisting of colored lenses, translucent lenses, and transparent lenses.

25. A vehicle illumination assembly for providing light down the side of a vehicle and for visibly marking the width of the vehicle, comprising:

a hollow base member connected to the bumper of a vehicle;

an elongated hollow guide member rotatably connected to said base member such that said guide member rotates around its longitudinal axis and said base member remains stationary, wherein the outer surface of said guide member defines a longitudinal opening to the interior of said hollow guide member;

a motor connected to said guide member for turning said guide member; and

a first light source within the longitudinal opening of said guide member to illuminate areas around the side and ends of the vehicle.

26. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 25, wherein said base member curves outwardly from the bumper and said guide member extends vertically from said base member so that said guide member is horizontally displaced away from the bumper.

27. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 25, wherein said surface defines an opening that extends from about one-half to about three-fourths of the length of the guide member.

28. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 25, wherein the first light source extends the entire length of the opening.

29. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 25, wherein said guide member is so dimensioned as to house a first light source with enough luminescent power to illuminate the length of the vehicle.

30. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 25, wherein said first light source comprises at least one light bulb electrically connected to a power source and controlled by a switch.

31. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 25, wherein said surface defines a second opening at the top of said guide member leading into the hollow interior of said guide member.

32. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 31, further comprising a second light source within the second opening at the top of said guide member, said second light serving to visibly mark the location of the guide member and the width of the vehicle, wherein said second light is electrically connected to a power supply and controlled by a switch.

33. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 32, wherein said first and second light sources are separately controlled by switches within the interior of the vehicle.

34. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 32, wherein said first and second lights are covered by respective first and second lenses secured to the surface of said guide member to enclose the first and second openings in said guide member.

35. A vehicle illumination assembly according to claim 32 wherein said first and second lenses are each selected from the group consisting of colored lenses, translucent lenses, and transparent lenses.

37. A vehicle illumination assembly and vehicle bumper combination, comprising a first elongated hollow guide member connected to a first end of a bumper on a vehicle, wherein the outer surface of said first guide member defines a longitudinal opening to the interior of said first hollow guide member;

a second elongated hollow guide member connected to an opposite end of said bumper, wherein the outer surface of said second guide member defines a longitudinal opening to the interior of said second hollow guide member; and

first and second light sources within each respective longitudinal opening of each respective guide member, providing visible light extending at least as far as the length of the vehicle.