Light bar and bumper

• US 8,714,792 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fontaine Commercial Trailer, Inc (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated), Fontaine Commercial Trailer Company
• Original Assignee: Fontaine Trailer Co., Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Adams, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/702,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20100202150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 362459-549
• US Class Current: 362/505
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/56 Fittings damping bouncing force in truck collisions, e.g. bumpers; Arrangements on high-riding vehicles, e.g. lorries, for preventing vehicles or objects from running thereunder

Abstract

A bumper adapted for mounting to a trailer is provided. The bumper comprises a tail skirt extending horizontally across the rear of the trailer. Upright bars mount to and intersect the tail skirt. The tail skirt comprises a groove for receiving a recessed light bar comprising multiple signal lights. The wiring harness extends from the light bar into a space behind the upright bars and passes through openings in the tail skirt behind the upright bars.

Claims

1. A rear bumper adapted for mounting to a trailer, the rear bumper comprising:

a tail skirt having a groove formed therein;

at least one bumper upright bar that perpendicularly intersects the tail skirt and extends downwardly from the tail skirt;

a light bar recessed and mounted within the groove between the at least one bumper upright and an end of the tail skirt, wherein the light bar comprises a housing, a translucent cover that affixes to the housing, and a plurality of signal lights that shine through the translucent cover in a first direction when illuminated;

a wiring harness that provides power to the plurality of signal lights;

said light bar including a translucent protrusion that extends beyond the end of the tail skirt, wherein the protrusion reflects light from at least one of the plurality of signal lights in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.

2. The rear bumper of claim 1, wherein the rear bumper comprises two bumper upright bars extending downwardly from the tail skirt and terminating in a rear step.

3. The rear bumper of claim 2, wherein one or more seals are disposed between the light bar housing and the translucent cover.

4. The rear bumper of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of signal lights is a light emitting diode (LED).

5. The rear bumper of claim 1, further comprising a space behind the bumper upright and in front of the back tail wall where the bumper upright perpendicularly intersects the tail skirt and an opening formed through the back tail wall and positioned behind the bumper upright and wherein the wiring harness passes through the space and the opening.

6. The rear bumper of claim 5, wherein the wiring harness exits an inner side edge of the light bar.

7. The rear bumper of claim 1, wherein the rear bumper further comprises a second light bar recessed and mounted at a second end of the tail skirt within the groove.

8. The rear bumper of claim 7, wherein the bumper comprises a first bumper upright bar and a second bumper upright bar that each perpendicularly intersects the tail skirt and extends downwardly from the tail skirt, and the second light bar is mounted between the second bumper upright and the second end.

9. The rear bumper of claim 1, wherein the translucent protrusion comprises an angled prism and a forward-facing surface, and light is reflected from the angled prism through the forward-facing surface in the second direction.

10. The rear bumper of claim 9 wherein the translucent protrusion is contiguous with the cover.

11. The rear bumper of claim 1 further comprising a generally horizontal tail rail positioned generally above and extending rearward from the tail skirt.

12. The rear bumper of claim 1 wherein in the groove is defined by a horizontally-extending flange, an upper lip and a generally vertical back tail wall connected between and joining the flange and the upper lip.