Sun visor with photoluminescent structure

• US 9,463,739 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• 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., Gardner, Cornel Lewis, Dassanayake, Mahendra Somasara, Kordich, Carol
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US14/301,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 362/492, 362509-510
• 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 3/252 Sun visors
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system is provided. The system includes a sun visor having a visor body movable between a stored position and a use position. A photoluminescent structure is coupled to a surface of the visor body and a light source is coupled to a headliner and oriented to excite the photoluminescent structure when the visor body is in the use position. A switch is included for activating the light source in response to a signal change.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a sun visor having a visor body movable between a stored position and a use position;

a photoluminescent structure coupled to a surface of the visor body;

a light source coupled to a headliner and oriented to excite the photoluminescent structure when the visor body is in the use position; and

a switch for activating the light source in response to a signal change.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is sunken into the headliner.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is at least one of a blue LED and an ultraviolet LED.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the photoluminescent structure contains a photoluminescent material formulated to convert light received from the light source into visible light of a different color.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a magnetic switch embedded in a headliner and is actuated by a magnet embedded in the visor body.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the magnetic switch comprises a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first and second contacts are open when a magnetic field is present and closed when the magnetic field is no longer present.

7. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a sun visor having a visor body movable between a stored and a use position;

a photoluminescent structure coupled to a surface of the visor body; and

a light source remotely located from the visor body and oriented to excite the photoluminescent structure when the visor body is in the use position.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a proximity sensor for activating the light source in response to a signal change.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a magnetic switch embedded in a headliner and is actuated by a magnet embedded in the visor body.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetic switch comprises a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first and second contacts are open when a magnetic field is present and closed when the magnetic field is no longer present.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the light source is coupled to a headliner.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the light source is at least one of a blue LED and an ultraviolet LED.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the photoluminescent structure contains a photoluminescent material formulated to convert light received from the light source into visible light of a different color.

14. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a sun visor having a visor body movable between a stored and a use position;

a photoluminescent structure coupled to a surface of the visor body; and

a light source for exciting the photoluminescent structure when the visor body is in the use position, wherein the light source is coupled to a headliner.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a proximity sensor for activating the light source in response to a signal change.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a magnetic switch embedded in a headliner and is and is actuated by a magnet embedded in the visor body.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the magnetic switch comprises a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first and second contacts are open when a magnetic field is present and closed when the magnetic field is no longer present.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the light source is at least one of a blue LED and an ultraviolet LED.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the photoluminescent structure contains a photoluminescent material formulated to convert light received from the light source into visible light of a different color.