Retractable running board with long-persistence phosphor lighting

• US 9,499,094 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: Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Salter, Stuart C., Maj, Michael Henry, Johnson, Aaron Bradley, Musleh, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jason Moon
• Application Number:
  US15/018,279
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 362/495, 362509-510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0001 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/16 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles B29C45/0062 takes precedence; feeding colouring materials into the injection unit B29C45/1816
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0018 having particular optical properties, e.g. fluorescent or phosphorescent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/325 on or for running boards or steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/02 Retractable steps or ladders, e.g. movable under shock B60R3/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/16 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element

Abstract

A running board of a vehicle is provided herein. The running board includes a step pad and a photoluminescent structure coupled to the step pad. The photoluminescent structure is configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by an external light assembly and the photoluminescent structure continues to luminesce for a period of time after the excitation light ceases to be provided.

Claims

1. A running board of a vehicle, comprising:

a step pad on the running board;

a photoluminescent structure coupled to the step pad;

wherein the photoluminescent structure is configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by a separate external light assembly on the vehicle; and

wherein the photoluminescent structure continues to luminesce for a period of time after the excitation light ceases to be provided.

2. The running board of claim 1, wherein the step pad is injection molded from a base material containing polypropylene or thermoplastic olefin.

3. The running board of claim 2, wherein the photoluminescent structure is injection molded from a secondary material containing one or more long-persistence phosphors and is bonded to the step pad.

4. The running board of claim 3, wherein the secondary material further contains a clarified polypropylene or a clarified thermoplastic olefin.

5. The running board of claim 3, wherein the one or more long-persistence phosphors make up 0.1 to 25% of the secondary material.

6. The running board of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent structure is tinted.

7. The running board of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent structure is disposed in a plurality of grooves in a step area of the step pad.

8. A running board of a vehicle, comprising:

a step pad of the running board having a step area with a plurality of grooves;

a photoluminescent structure coupled to the grooves of the step area;

wherein the photoluminescent structure is configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by a separate external light assembly on the vehicle; and

wherein the photoluminescent structure continues to luminesce for a period of time after the excitation light ceases to be provided.

9. The running board of claim 8, wherein the step pad is injection molded from a base material containing polypropylene or thermoplastic olefin.

10. The running board of claim 9, wherein the photoluminescent structure is injection molded from a secondary material containing one or more long-persistence phosphors and is bonded to the step pad.

11. The running board of claim 10, wherein the secondary material further contains a clarified polypropylene or a clarified thermoplastic olefin.

12. The running board of claim 10, wherein the one or more long-persistence phosphors make up 0.1 to 25% of the secondary material.

13. The running board of claim 8, wherein the photoluminescent structure is tinted.

14. The running board of claim 8, wherein the grooves are arranged in parallel and extend longitudinally across the step pad.

15. A method of constructing a running board of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

injecting a base material into a mold to form a step pad having a step area with a plurality of grooves for the running board; and

injecting a secondary material into the mold to form a photoluminescent structure that is bonded to the grooves and is configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by a separate external light assembly on the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the base material contains polypropylene or thermoplastic olefin.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the secondary material contains one or more long-persistence phosphors.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the secondary material further contains a clarified polypropylene or a clarified thermoplastic olefin.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more long-persistence phosphors make up 0.1 to 25% of the secondary material.

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