Vehicle dome lighting system with photoluminescent structure

• US 9,440,583 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Singer, Jeffrey, Majkowski, Matthew, Dassanayake, Mahendra Somasara
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US14/156,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 362487-488, 362/490, 362/493, 362/510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/30 Arrangements for illuminating different zones in the vehicle, e.g. front/rear, different seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• 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 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats

Abstract

A vehicle dome lighting system is provided and includes a headliner and a photoluminescent structure coupled to the headliner. At least one excitation source is operable to emit at least one inputted electromagnetic radiation for exciting an associated area of the photoluminescent structure to produce at least one outputted electromagnetic radiation.

Claims

1. A vehicle dome lighting system comprising:

a headliner coupled to a vehicle roof structure;

a photoluminescent structure contiguously coupled to the headliner; and

a plurality of excitation sources, each operably coupled to one of a headrest, a b-pillar, and the headliner, and operable to emit a primary emission to excite an associated area of the photoluminescent structure, wherein each associated area is formulated to convert the primary emission into a secondary emission and is located in one of a corner area, a side area, and a central area of the photoluminescent structure such that each associated area at least partially overlaps with at least one adjacent associated area.

2. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 1, wherein each excitation source comprises a first blue light emitting diode, a second blue light emitting diode, and a third blue light emitting diode, each operable to output a uniquely associated peak wavelength of blue light.

3. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 2, wherein the primary emission comprises at least one of a first inputted electromagnetic radiation emitted from the first blue light emitting diode, a second inputted electromagnetic radiation emitted from the second blue light emitting diode, and a third inputted electromagnetic radiation emitted from the third blue light emitting diode.

4. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 3, wherein the photoluminescent structure comprises an energy conversion layer having a red-emitting photoluminescent material that is primarily excited by the first inputted electromagnetic radiation, a green-emitting photoluminescent material that is primarily excited by the second inputted electromagnetic radiation, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent material that is primarily excited by the third blue light emitting diode.

5. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 4, wherein the secondary emission comprises at least one of a first outputted electromagnetic radiation, a second outputted electromagnetic radiation, and a third outputted electromagnetic radiation, each having a uniquely associated peak emission wavelength.

6. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 5, wherein the red-emitting photoluminescent material converts the first inputted electromagnetic radiation into the first outputted electromagnetic radiation, the green-emitting photoluminescent material converts the second inputted electromagnetic radiation into the second outputted electromagnetic radiation, and the blue-emitting photoluminescent material converts the third inputted electromagnetic radiation into the third outputted electromagnetic radiation.

7. A vehicle dome lighting system comprising:

a headliner coupled to a vehicle roof structure;

a photoluminescent structure coupled to the headliner; and

a plurality of excitation sources, each operable to emit at least one of a first inputted electromagnetic radiation, a second inputted electromagnetic radiation, and a third inputted electromagnetic radiation for exciting an associated area of the photoluminescent structure, wherein each associated area contains a red-emitting photoluminescent material formulated to convert the first inputted electromagnetic radiation into a first outputted electromagnetic radiation, a green-emitting photoluminescent material formulated to convert the second inputted electromagnetic radiation into a second outputted electromagnetic radiation, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent material formulated to convert the third inputted electromagnetic radiation into a third outputted electromagnetic radiation.

8. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of excitation sources are each operably coupled to one of a headrest, a b-pillar, and the headliner.

9. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 7, wherein each associated area is located in one of a corner area, a side area, and a central area of the photoluminescent structure and at least partially overlaps with at least one adjacent associated area.

10. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 7, wherein the first, second, and third inputted electromagnetic radiations each have a uniquely associated peak wavelength.

11. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 10, wherein the first, second, and third inputted electromagnetic radiations are each expressed as blue light.

12. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 7, wherein the first, second, and third outputted electromagnetic radiations each have a uniquely associated peak emission wavelength.

13. A vehicle dome lighting system comprising:

a headliner coupled to a vehicle roof structure;

a photoluminescent structure coupled to the headliner; and

excitation sources operable to emit a plurality of inputted electromagnetic radiation, at least a portion of which have a uniquely associated peak wavelength, the photoluminescent structure configured to convert the plurality of inputted electromagnetic radiation into a plurality of outputted electromagnetic radiation, each having a uniquely associated peak emission wavelength outputted electromagnetic radiation.

14. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 13, wherein each of the excitation sources are operably coupled to one of a headrest, a b-pillar, and the headliner.

15. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 13, wherein each excitation source excites an associated area of the photoluminescent structure, wherein the associated area comprises one of a corner area, a side area, and a central area of the photoluminescent structure and overlaps with at least one adjacent associated area.

16. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 13, wherein the photoluminescent structure is configured to reflect at least one of the plurality of inputted electromagnetic radiation.

17. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 13, wherein the photoluminescent structure is configured to reflect a portion of at least one of the plurality of inputted electromagnetic radiation and convert a remainder of the at least one of the plurality of inputted electromagnetic radiation.

18. The vehicle dome lighting system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of inputted electromagnetic radiation is emitted from one of a blue light emitting diode and an ultraviolet light emitting diode.