Retractable running board with long-persistance phosphor lighting

• US 9,499,093 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wilson, Terrence, Salter, Stuart C., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Johnson, Aaron Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jason Moon
• Application Number:
  US15/018,156
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 362/495, 362509-510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/325 on or for running boards or steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/10 Electro- or photo- luminescent surfaces, e.g. signalling by way of electroluminescent strips or panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/02 Retractable steps or ladders, e.g. movable under shock B60R3/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre

Abstract

A lighting system of a vehicle is provided herein. The lighting system includes a running board having a step pad and a photoluminescent structure coupled thereto. A light assembly is configured to excite the photoluminescent structure when the running board is in a stowed position. The photoluminescent structure luminesces in response to light excitation and continues to luminesce for a period of time after the running board is moved to a deployed position and excitation light ceases to be provided.

Claims

1. A lighting system of a vehicle, comprising:

a running board having a step pad and a photoluminescent structure coupled thereto; and

a light assembly separately mounted to the vehicle and configured to excite the photoluminescent structure while the running board is stowed, wherein the photoluminescent structure luminesces in response to light excitation and continues to luminesce for a period of time after the running board is deployed and excitation light ceases to be provided.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent structure is coupled to a step area of the step pad.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent structure is coupled to an outer edge portion of the step pad.

4. The lighting system of claim 3, wherein the step area includes a light-permeable portion optically coupled to a light-propagating element that is disposed inside the step pad.

5. The lighting system of claim 4, wherein excitation light provided by the light assembly is received inside the light-propagating element via the light-permeable portion and is supplied to the photoluminescent structure.

6. The lighting system of claim 5, wherein the outer edge portion to which the photoluminescent structure is coupled is light-permeable.

7. A lighting system of a vehicle, comprising:

a running board having a step pad and configured to move between a stowed and deployed position;

a first photoluminescent structure coupled to a first location on the step pad;

a second photoluminescent structure coupled to a second location on the step pad; and

a light assembly separately disposed on the vehicle to excite the first and second photoluminescent structures when the running board is in the stowed position, wherein the first and second photoluminescent structures luminesce in response to light excitation by the light assembly.

8. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the first photoluminescent structure is coupled to a step area of the step pad.

9. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the second photoluminescent structure is coupled to an outer edge portion of the step pad.

10. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the step pad includes a step area having a light-permeable portion optically coupled to a light-propagating element that is disposed inside the step pad.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein excitation light provided by the light assembly is received inside the light-propagating element via the light-permeable portion and is supplied to the second photoluminescent structure.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the outer edge portion to which the second photoluminescent structure is coupled is light-permeable.

13. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the light assembly comprises:

a housing member;

an optical member;

at least one printed circuit board disposed inside the housing member;

at least one light-emitting diode coupled to the at least one printed circuit board;

a light collector coupled to the at least one printed circuit board; and

a light pipe optically coupled to the light collector;

wherein the light collector is configured to receive and direct light emitted from the at least one light-emitting diode into the light pipe; and

wherein light propagating inside the light pipe is outputted from the light assembly via the optical member.

14. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the first and second photoluminescent structures continue to luminesce for a period of time after the excitation light ceases to be provided.

15. A lighting system of a vehicle, comprising:

a running board having a step pad;

a first photoluminescent structure coupled to a step area of the step pad;

a second photoluminescent structure coupled to an outer edge portion of the step pad; and

a light assembly separately disposed on the vehicle to excite the first and second photoluminescent structures when the running board is in a stowed position, wherein the first and second photoluminescent structures luminesce in response to light excitation by the light assembly.

16. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein the step area includes a light-permeable portion optically coupled to a light-propagating element that is disposed inside the step pad.

17. The lighting system of claim 16, wherein excitation light provided by the light assembly is received inside the light-propagating element via the light-permeable portion and is supplied to the second photoluminescent structure.

18. The lighting system of claim 17, wherein the outer edge portion to which the second photoluminescent structure is coupled is light-permeable.

19. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein the light assembly comprises:

a housing member;

an optical member;

at least one printed circuit board disposed inside the housing member;

at least one light-emitting diode coupled to the at least one printed circuit board;

a light collector coupled to the at least one printed circuit board; and

a light pipe optically coupled to the light collector;

wherein the light collector is configured to receive and direct light emitted from the at least one light-emitting diode into the light pipe.

20. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein the photoluminescent structure continues to luminesce for a period of time after the excitation light ceases to be provided.