Recessed light source for vehicle seat belts

• US 7,131,756 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FRAM Group IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Leslie, Stuart, Zeder, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US10/821,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 362/488, 362/800, 362/487, 362/184, 362/191, 362/396, 362/234, 362/253, 362/545, 362/200, 362/197, 362/199
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/242 Safety belts; Body harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/59 Lighting devices mounted in the vehicle interior and adapted for portability
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44

Abstract

A portable recessed light source configured for use with a vehicle seat belt, the light source including: a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first housing portion having a light emitting source electrically coupled to a power supply, the first housing portion being pivotally secured to the second housing portion; and a retaining clip for securing the housing to the seat belt, the retaining clip being secured to the second housing portion, wherein the first housing portion is positionable into at least two discrete positions with respect to the second housing portion.

Claims

1. A portable light source configured for use with a vehicle seat belt, comprising:

a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion, said first housing portion being pivotally secured to said second housing portion, said first housing portion defining a receiving area for receiving and covering substantially all of said second housing portion therein;

a light emitting source, said light emitting source being disposed in a recessed area of said first housing portion and is electrically coupled to a power supply disposed in said second housing portion by an activation switch; and

a retaining clip for securing said second housing portion to the seat belt, said retaining clip being pivotally secured to said second housing portion and comprises an engagement tab for engaging a portion of said second housing portion, wherein said first housing portion is positionable into at least two discrete positions with respect to said second housing portion and said retaining clip is configured to have a width not much larger than the width of the seat belt, wherein said second housing portion further comprises a movable engagement tab being positionable from a first position to a second position, said movable engagement tab being formed of a material having resilient characteristics and said movable engagement tab being configured to engage a portion of said first housing portion.

2. The portable light source as in claim 1, wherein said activation switch is manipulated by a switching member disposed on an upper surface of said portable light source.

3. The portable light source as in claim 1, wherein said activation switch is disposed on a circuit board having circuitry for providing a low-level and a high-level of said light emitting source.

4. The portable light source as in claim 1, wherein said light emitting source is a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

5. The portable light source as in claim 4, wherein said light emitting diodes are disposed within a recessed portion of said portable light source.

6. The portable light source as in claim 1, wherein said retaining clip and the overall width of said portable light source are configured to receive the width of a vehicle seat belt therein while the overall width of the portable light source is substantially similar to the width of the vehicle seat belt.

7. The portable light source as in claim 6, wherein said retaining clip is pivotally mounted to said second housing portion.

8. The portable light source as in claim 7, wherein said light emitting diodes are disposed within a recessed portion of said portable light source.

9. The portable light source as in claim 8, wherein said light emitting source is a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

10. The portable light source as in claim 1, wherein the width of said first housing portion is substantially similar to the width of the vehicle seat belt.

11. The portable light source as in claim 1, wherein said movable engagement tab further comprises a pair of projections for engaging a portion of said first housing, said pair of projections being located to define angular positions of said first housing with respect to said second housing such that the direction of light emitted from said light emitting source is redirected, wherein said movable engagement tab limits the range of movement of said first housing with respect to said second housing.

12. The portable light source as in claim 11, wherein said movable engagement tab is integrally formed with said second housing portion.

13. A portable light source configured for use with a vehicle seat belt, comprising:

a housing comprising an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion, said upper housing portion being pivotally secured to said lower housing portion, said upper housing portion defining a receiving area for receiving and covering substantially all of said lower housing portion therein;

a light carrying portion comprising a portion of said upper housing portion, said light carrying portion being configured to receive and dispose a light emitting source within a recessed portion of said portable light source, said upper housing further comprises a switching member, said switching member being movably mounted to said upper housing portion, a portion of said switching member being disposed within an opening of said upper housing portion, wherein said switching member is capable of movement from a first position to a second position upon application of an applied force and said switching member manipulating a switching mechanism of said portable light source as said switching member is manipulated from said first position to said second position, wherein said switching mechanism is configured to electrically couple a power supply to said light emitting source, wherein said lower housing portion further comprises a movable engagement tab being positionable from a first position to a second position, said movable engagement tab being formed of a material having resilient characteristics and said movable engagement tab being configured to engage a portion of said upper housing portion.

14. The portable light source as in claim 13, further comprising:

a retaining clip for securing said light emitting source to an object, wherein the width of said retaining clip is substantially similar to the width of a vehicle seat belt.

15. The light emitting source as in claim 14, wherein said clip further comprises a protrusion for engaging the vehicle seat belt between said retaining clip and said lower housing portion.

16. The light emitting source as in claim 13, wherein said lower housing portion is configured to define a carriage for receiving a plurality of batteries.

17. The light emitting source as in claim 13, wherein said light carrying portion is integrally formed wit said upper housing portion.

18. The light emitting source as in claim 13, wherein said light emitting source is a circuit board with a plurality of LEDs disposed on a surface thereof.

19. The portable light source as in claim 18, further comprising:

a retaining clip for securing said light emitting source to an object, wherein the width of said retaining clip is substantially similar to the width of a vehicle seat belt.

20. The portable light source as in claim 13, wherein a width of said upper housing portion is substantially similar to the width of a vehicle seat belt.