External safety illumination for a bus with light mounted to mirror arm
First Claim
1. A vehicle area illumination system for a bus or truck vehicle including an electrical mirror and mirror housing assembly, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:
- a mirror mount securing the electrical vehicle mirror and mirror housing assembly to the vehicle and having a mirror electrical harness therethrough;
a light structure coupled to said mirror electrical harness and supported by said mirror mount, which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area located adjacent a door of the vehicle, in a manner which enables a driver to view a passenger located in the area via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of lower visibility, wherein the light structure is powered by an electrical path running through the mirror mount;
at least one triggering device detecting an occurrence of an event including at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode, and said triggering device transmitting a signal responsive thereto;
a processor controlling the light structure in response to the signal received from said triggering device determining the occurrence of the event including the at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode, and said processor controls turning off the light structure after a lapse of a set or user-adjustable time period after the occurrence of the event.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A light source along the mirror mounting arm of a school bus or other passenger vehicle to reduce the risk of people or other objects being injured by the school bus. The light source may be mounted directly on the mirror mounting arm or embedded within a mirror mount. The light source may be focused downward to illuminate the ground and may provide vehicle status information and guiding information. Additionally the light source may sweep the ground back and forth or be directed under the control of the driver. The light source may be activated automatically when movement is detected near the vehicle.
43 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A vehicle area illumination system for a bus or truck vehicle including an electrical mirror and mirror housing assembly, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:
-
a mirror mount securing the electrical vehicle mirror and mirror housing assembly to the vehicle and having a mirror electrical harness therethrough; a light structure coupled to said mirror electrical harness and supported by said mirror mount, which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area located adjacent a door of the vehicle, in a manner which enables a driver to view a passenger located in the area via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of lower visibility, wherein the light structure is powered by an electrical path running through the mirror mount; at least one triggering device detecting an occurrence of an event including at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode, and said triggering device transmitting a signal responsive thereto; a processor controlling the light structure in response to the signal received from said triggering device determining the occurrence of the event including the at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode, and said processor controls turning off the light structure after a lapse of a set or user-adjustable time period after the occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A vehicle area illumination system for a bus or truck vehicle including an electrical mirror and mirror housing assembly, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:
-
a mirror mount securing the electrical vehicle mirror and mirror housing assembly to the vehicle and having a mirror electrical harness therethrough; a light structure supported by said mirror mount, which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area located adjacent a door of the vehicle, in a manner which enables a driver to view a passenger located in the area via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of lower visibility, wherein the light structure is powered by an electrical path running through the mirror mount; a light meter that detects an amount of ambient light and transmits a signal in response to said detection; an interface which receives the signal from said light meter;
that detects an amount of ambient light and triggers the light structure when visibility falls below a minimum acceptable range in response to the occurrence of the event;a processor in operative communication with said interface and said light structure, said processor controlling activation of said light structure in response the signal received from said interface and an occurrence of an event including at least one of closing or opening a passenger door of the vehicle, issuance of a manual command to turn on or off the light structure, and a shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode, and said processor controls turning off the light structure after a lapse of a set or user-adjustable time period after the occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A vehicle area illumination system for a bus or truck vehicle including an electrical mirror and mirror housing assembly, the vehicle area illumination system comprising:
-
a mirror mount securing the electrical vehicle mirror and mirror housing assembly to the vehicle and having a mirror electrical harness therethrough; a light structure supported by said mirror mount, which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area located adjacent a door of the vehicle, in a manner which enables a driver to view a passenger located in the area via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of lower visibility, wherein the light structure is powered by an electrical path running through the mirror mount; a light meter that detects an amount of ambient light and transmits a signal in response to said detection; an interface which receives the signal from said light meter;
that detects an amount of ambient light and triggers the light structure when visibility falls below a minimum acceptable range in response to the occurrence of the event;a processor in operative communication with said interface and said light structure, said processor controlling activation of said light structure in response to the signal received from said interface and an occurrence of an event including shifting of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission into a park or drive mode, and said processor controls turning off the light structure after a lapse of a set or user-adjustable time period after the occurrence of the event.
-
Specification