Ultra-violet selective vehicle decoration

• US 8,683,722 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Cowan, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoge, Gary
• Application Number:
  US13/654,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 405/43, 405/59, 405/91
• US Class Current: 40/543
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/02 Signs, boards, or panels, illuminated by artificial light sources positioned in front of the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/20 with luminescent surfaces or parts luminescent compositions C09K11/00; light sources using luminescence F21K2/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/048 Advertisement panels on sides, front or back of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/049 giving information to passengers inside the vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus and method for selectively decorating a vehicle surface are disclosed. The apparatus is a removable applique with a front face including a graphic comprising ultra-violet responsive material and a back face including an attachment agent having the ability to be applied and removed from the surface of the vehicle without causing damage. The method includes receiving the removable applique on the surface of a vehicle. The method further includes sending an instruction to illuminate an ultra-violet source to direct ultra-violet light at the graphic of the removable applique to render the graphic visible. In one embodiment, the instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source can be sent in response to the activation of a switch, button, control panel or other input means of controlling the ultra-violet source. In another embodiment, the instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source can be sent in response to a vehicle state.

Claims

1. A selectively decorated vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle surface;

a removable applique applied to the vehicle surface, the removable applique including a graphic comprising ultra-violet responsive material;

an ultra-violet source for directing ultra-violet light at the graphic to render the graphic visible; and

means for sending an instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source based on the level of the volume of an audio system in the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle surface is an exterior surface; and

the ultra-violet source is positioned adjacent to the exterior surface.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle surface is an interior surface; and

the ultra-violet source is positioned on an interior trim panel adjacent to the interior surface.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the removable applique includes:

a front face including the graphic comprising ultra-violet responsive material; and

a back face including an attachment agent having the ability to be applied and removed from the surface of the vehicle without causing damage to the surface of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the attachment agent is magnetic.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the attachment agent is statically charged.

7. A selectively decorated vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle surface;

a removable applique applied to the vehicle surface, the removable applique including a graphic comprising ultra-violet responsive material;

an ultra-violet source for directing ultra-violet light at the graphic to render the graphic visible positioned adjacent to the vehicle surface; and

means for sending an instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source based on shifting the vehicle into reverse.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein:

the exterior surface is a backlight;

the ultra-violet source is positioned on a brake lamp of the vehicle adjacent to the backlight; and

the ultra-violet responsive material of the graphic includes a textual warning.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the removable applique includes:

a front face including the graphic comprising ultra-violet responsive material; and

a back face including an attachment agent having the ability to be applied and removed from the surface of the vehicle without causing damage to the surface of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the attachment agent is magnetic.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the attachment agent is statically charged.

12. A method of selectively decorating a surface of a vehicle comprising:

receiving a removable applique on the surface of the vehicle, the removable applique comprising ultra-violet responsive material and including at least two graphics with a first graphic positioned adjacent a second graphic;

sending an instruction to illuminate an ultra-violet source to direct ultra-violet light at the first graphic to render the first graphic visible;

sending an instruction to stop illuminating the ultra-violet source directing ultra-violet light at the first graphic; and

sending an instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source to direct ultra-violet light at the second graphic to render the second graphic visible.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the surface of the vehicle is an exterior surface; and

the ultra-violet source is positioned adjacent to the exterior surface.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the exterior surface is a door exterior surface;

the ultra-violet source is positioned on a side mirror of the vehicle adjacent to the door exterior surface; and

the sending of the instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source to direct ultra-violet light at the one or more graphics is in response to the activation of a switch.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the surface of the vehicle is an interior surface;

the ultra-violet source is positioned on an interior trim panel adjacent to the interior surface; and

the sending of the instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source to direct ultra-violet light at the at least two graphics is in response to the volume level in an audio system of the vehicle reaching a given threshold.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the removable applique includes:

a front face including the at least two graphics, each graphic comprising ultra-violet responsive material; and

a back face including an attachment agent having the ability to be applied and removed from the surface of the vehicle without causing damage to the surface of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the attachment agent is magnetic.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the attachment agent is statically charged.