Light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle

• US 7,036,965 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STAR SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES LLC
• Original Assignee: Star Headlight & Lantern Company Incorporated (Grote Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Neufeglise, Steven W., Dalton, William H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US10/414,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 362/488, 362/492, 362/540, 362/545, 362/546, 362/237, 362/238, 362/240, 362/368, 362/371, 362/800, 362/427, 362/430, 362/547
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/28 for indicating front of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/88 Means for plugging to the electrical power supply of the vehicle, e.g. by using cigarette lighter sockets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light bar contains one or more rows of light-emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) in a housing which extends across substantially the entire width of a windshield of a vehicle and is narrow in width to minimize interference with visibility through the windshield. The LED'"'"'s are arranged in banks generally symmetrically arrayed about the center of the length of the housing. Two of the banks, preferably equidistant from the center, are tilted in opposite directions to each other so as to project light toward the right side and left side of the vehicle. A mechanism is provided for displacing and tilting the housing and may use pivotal arms attached to the end of the housing or adjustable Z-shaped hangers attached preferably to clamps such as visor clips already on the vehicle.

Claims

1. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle, through a window of the vehicle, said window being of a width extending laterally across the window, said window being of a height extending from bottom to top of the window, said light bar comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) in at least one row of length corresponding substantially to the width of said window, a housing defining a channel containing said row of LED'"'"'s, said channel having a throat which directs illumination from said row of LED'"'"'s in a beam restricted by said throat through said window, and wherein said housing further comprises means for adjustably mounting said housing which enables adjustment of said housing and said throat angularly and vertically with respect to said window.

2. The light bar according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises arms pivotably attached to said housing at opposite ends thereof to said vehicle.

3. The light bar according to claim 2 wherein said mounting means further comprises pads attached to said window near the top and at opposite ends of the width of said window, and said arms being pivotable at opposite ends thereof adjacent said pads and said housing ends, respectively.

4. The light bar according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises at least one generally sloped hanger which is displaceably attached, for movement toward and away from said window, to said housing which defines said channel and an attachment above said windshield.

5. The light bar according to claim 4 wherein said slope is provided by said hanger being a generally Z-shaped bar having a center and legs, at least one of said legs defining a slot of sufficient length to enable adjustable positioning of said light bar housing.

6. The light bar according to claim 5 wherein said ends are fork-shaped to define said slot.

7. The light bar according to claim 5 wherein said slot is in both of said legs.

8. The light bar according to claim 5 wherein said center of said hanger is adjustable in height.

9. The light bar according to claim 8 wherein said center leg has overlapping sections which are adjustably, vertically positionable with respect to each other.

10. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle, through a window of the vehicle, said window being of a width extending laterally across the window, said window being of a height extending from bottom to top of the window, said light bar comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) in at least one row of length corresponding substantially to the width of said window, a housing defining a channel containing said row of LED'"'"'s, said channel having a throat which directs illumination from said row of LED'"'"'s in a beam restricted by said throat through said window, and wherein said housing has upper and lower walls closed at opposite ends, said walls defining said channel and said throat thereof and a back between said walls and ends wherein said walls and ends are plates of flexible material.

11. The light bar according to claim 10 wherein said material is plastic.

12. The light bar according to claim 10 wherein said LED'"'"'s are mounted on boards which space said top and bottom walls from each other and define the height of said channel.

13. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle, through a window of the vehicle, said window being of a width extending laterally across the window, said window being of a height extending from bottom to top of the window, said light bar comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) in at least one row of length corresponding substantially to the width of said window, a housing defining a channel containing said row of LED'"'"'s, said channel having a throat which directs illumination from said row of LED'"'"'s in a beam restricted by said throat through said window, and wherein said throat and front of said housing is arcuately curved.

14. The light bar according to claim 13 wherein said window is a windshield curved along the width thereof and the curvature of said front of said housing and said throat corresponds to the curvature of said windshield.

15. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle through a window thereof having a width and height, comprising a housing defining a channel extending laterally, said channel having an elongated throat, a plurality of banks of LED'"'"'s each having one or more rows of height less than said channel disposed in said housing facing said throat, at least one of said banks being oriented to project illumination in a different direction through said window than others of said banks, and wherein said window is a windshield and said different direction of orientation of said at least one of said banks is generally parallel to said windshield so that illumination therefrom is generally perpendicular to said windshield and, other of said banks are tilted in opposite directions, said banks thereby providing illumination across an angle illumination toward right and left sides of said vehicle and between said right and left sides.

16. The light bar according to claim 15 wherein the color of illumination from certain of said banks is different from the color of illumination from other of said banks.

17. The light bar according to claim 15 wherein first and second pluralities of said banks are disposed about a region centrally of said housing.

18. The light bar according to claim 17 wherein the disposition of said banks is generally symmetrically about said centrally disposed region.

19. The light bar according to claim 18 wherein two of said symmetrically disposed banks are tilted angularly with respect to each other away from said window to project illumination in directions angularly corresponding to the tilt thereof.

20. The light bar according to claim 19 wherein said banks disposed between said tilted banks are oriented generally in the same direction to project illumination in the same general direction out through said window.

21. The light bar according to claim 15 further comprising means for energizing said banks to selectively provide continuous and different sequences of flashing illumination.

22. The light bar according to claim 15 further comprising optics attached to said banks for each LED thereof for focusing illumination provided from said banks.

23. The light bar according to claim 22 wherein said optics represent separate plates of transparent material carrying lenses disposed on the LED'"'"'s of each bank.

24. A method for providing an interior light bar for a vehicle having a windshield comprising the steps of:

providing a light bar much narrower than said windshield in height, said bar having LED'"'"'s for projecting light in different directions; and

attaching said light bar between the roof and visors of the vehicle to direct light from said light bar out of the windshield of the vehicle, and wherein said attaching step further comprises the step of adjustably attaching said light bar to one of the windshield of said vehicle or the visors of said vehicle by having rods or brackets from which said bar hangs.

25. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle, through a window of the vehicle, said window being of a width extending laterally across the window, said window being of a height extending from bottom to top of the window, said light bar comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) in at least one row of length corresponding substantially to the width of said window, a housing containing said row of LED'"'"'s, illumination from said row of LED'"'"'s being projected through said window;

and wherein said housing further comprises means for adjustably mounting said housing which enables adjustment of said housing angularly and vertically with respect to said window.

28. The light bar according to claim 25 wherein said mounting means comprises at least one generally sloped hanger which is displaceably attached, for movement toward and away from said window, to said housing and to an attachment above said windshield.

29. The light bar according to claim 28 wherein said slope is provided by said hanger being a generally Z-shaped bar having a center and legs, at least one of said legs defining a slot of sufficient length to enable adjustable positioning of said light bar housing.

30. The light bar according to claim 29 wherein said ends are fork-shaped to define said slot.

31. The light bar according to claim 29 wherein said slot is in both of said legs.

32. The light bar according to claim 29 wherein said center of said hanger is adjustable in height.

33. The light bar according to claim 32 wherein said center leg has overlapping sections which are adjustably, vertically positionable with respect to each other.

26. The light bar according to claim 26 wherein said mounting means comprises arms pivotably attached to said housing at opposite ends thereof to said vehicle.

27. The light bar according to claim 27 wherein said mounting means further comprises pads attached to said window near the top and at opposite ends of the width of said window, and said arms being pivotable at opposite ends thereof adjacent said pads and said housing ends, respectively.

34. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle, through a window of the vehicle, said window being of a width extending laterally across the window, said window being of a height extending from bottom to top of the window, said light bar comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) in at least one row of length corresponding substantially to the width of said window, a housing containing said row of LED'"'"'s, illumination from said row of LED'"'"'s being projected through said window;

and wherein said housing has at least one wall and opposite ends, and a back along said wall and between said ends, and wherein said wall and ends are plates of flexible material.

35. The light bar according to claim 34 wherein said material is plastic.

36. The light bar according to claim 35 wherein said LED'"'"'s are mounted on boards which define the height of said housing.

37. A method for providing an interior light bar for use inside a vehicle against a windshield thereof comprising the steps of:

providing a light bar having LED'"'"'s for projecting light, and said light bar being much narrower than said windshield in height and substantially the same length as said windshield;

attaching said light bar between the roof and visors of the vehicle to direct light from said light bar out of the windshield of the vehicle; and

wherein said attaching step further comprises the step of adjustably attaching said light bar to one of the windshield of said vehicle or the visors of said vehicle by having rods or brackets from which said bar hangs.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein said attached light bar is located below said visors of the vehicle.

39. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle through a window thereof comprising a housing presenting a laterally extending opening, a plurality of banks of LEDs having one or more rows disposed in said housing and facing out of said opening, at least one of said banks being generally parallel to said window so that illumination is projected generally perpendicular to said window and others of said banks being tilted in opposite directions, said banks thereby providing illumination across and angle sufficient to provide illumination toward right and left sides of said vehicle and between said right and left sides.

40. The light bar according to claim 39 wherein said window is a windshield of said vehicle which extends at least partially between right and left sides of said vehicle.

41. The light bar according to claim 40 wherein said at least one of said banks is laterally spaced from said titled banks and is disposed between said tilted banks.