Window lighting system of a vehicle

• US 9,604,569 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2016
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2016
• 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., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Abdelnour, Sleiman N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moonhan, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/213,921
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 362/487, 362/503, 362/510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/20 with luminescent surfaces or parts luminescent compositions C09K11/00; light sources using luminescence F21K2/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/049 giving information to passengers inside the vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system is provided herein and includes a window of a vehicle. A light-producing assembly is coupled to the window and includes a photoluminescent member configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by a light source and a decorative member for concealing the photoluminescent member, wherein the photoluminescent member luminesces to accentuate an indicium defined by the decorative member.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a window of a vehicle;

a light-producing assembly coupled to the window and comprising;

a photoluminescent member configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by a light source located outside the vehicle; and

a decorative member for concealing the photoluminescent member, wherein the photoluminescent member luminesces to accentuate an indicium defined by the decorative member.

2. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent member comprises at least one long-persistence phosphor that continues to luminesce for a sustained period of time after the excitation light ceases to be provided.

3. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the decorative member comprises one of a metallized film and an ink having a metallized appearance.

4. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the light-producing assembly further comprises an overmold configured to seal the photoluminescent member and the decorative member and is adhered to a side of the window facing a vehicle interior such that the decorative member is most vehicle-inboard.

5. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the indicium comprises a source-identifying logo.

6. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises sunlight.

7. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the window comprises one of a moonroof, a sunroof, a windshield, and a side window of the vehicle.

8. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a window of a vehicle; and

a light-producing assembly coupled to the window and comprising;

a light source;

a photoluminescent member arranged over the light source and configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by the light source and an additional light source located outside the vehicle; and

a decorative member for concealing the light source and the photoluminescent member, wherein the photoluminescent member luminesces to accentuate an indicium defined by the decorative member.

9. The vehicle lighting system of claim 8, wherein the light source comprises a printed LED arrangement electrically coupled to a conductive strip provided at an edge of the window via a conductive coating coupled to the window.

10. The vehicle lighting system of claim 9, wherein the conductive strip comprises one of a copper, an aluminum, a silver, a silver ink, and a graphene.

11. The vehicle lighting system of claim 9, wherein the conductive coating comprises one of an indium tin oxide and an optically clear conductive ink.

12. The vehicle lighting system of claim 8, wherein the additional light source comprises sunlight.

13. The vehicle lighting system of claim 8, wherein the window comprises one of a moonroof, a sunroof, a windshield, and a side window of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a window of a vehicle roof;

a light-producing assembly coupled to the window and comprising;

a light source; and

a photoluminescent member configured to luminesce in response to excitation light provided by the light source; and

a power delivery system having a conductive strip provided at an edge of the window and electrically coupled to the light source via a substantially transparent conductive coating coupled to the window.

15. The vehicle lighting system of claim 14, further comprising a controller for controlling an operational state of the light source.

16. The vehicle lighting system of claim 15, wherein the controller operates the light source based on information provided by a light sensor.

17. The vehicle lighting system of claim 15, wherein the controller operates the light source based on input provided by a user-input device.

18. The vehicle lighting system of claim 14, wherein the conductive strip comprises one of a copper, an aluminum, a silver, a silver ink, and a graphene.

19. The vehicle lighting system of claim 14, wherein the conductive coating comprises one of an indium tin oxide and an optically clear conductive ink.

20. The vehicle lighting system of claim 14, wherein the light source comprises a printed LED arrangement.