Motor vehicle accessory component having modular light assembly
First Claim
1. A vehicle accessory component for a vehicle comprising:
- a rigid structural member having a channel extending along a full length thereof and forming an opening along an exterior surface thereof, the structural member being attachable to the vehicle to extend along a body surface area of the vehicle, the channel including a pair of inwardly projecting ledges and opposing ends;
a support component for securing the structural member to the vehicle;
a modular light assembly having a frame, at least one optical element secured to the frame, and electrical cabling in communication with the optical element and adapted to be coupled to a power source, to enable the optical element to be supplied with power from the power source, the frame having a cross sectional shape which is complementary to a cross sectional shape of the channel so that the frame of the modular light assembly is slidably insertable, as an entire subassembly, from at least one end of the structural member into the channel of the structural member and fully supported within the channel by the inwardly projecting ledges; and
the frame including at least one opening aligned with the opening formed by the channel, over which the optical element is positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the channel of the structural member, to thus allow the optical element to provide illumination out through the opening in the channel to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical element is powered on.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle accessory component for a vehicle. The component makes use of a structural member having a channel. The structural member is attachable to the vehicle. A modular light assembly is included which has a frame and at least one optical element secured to the frame. Electrical cabling couples the optical element to a power source. The frame is insertable into the channel in the structural member and supported within the channel. The frame has at least one opening over which the optical element is positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the channel. This allows the optical element to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical element is powered on.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A vehicle accessory component for a vehicle comprising:
-
a rigid structural member having a channel extending along a full length thereof and forming an opening along an exterior surface thereof, the structural member being attachable to the vehicle to extend along a body surface area of the vehicle, the channel including a pair of inwardly projecting ledges and opposing ends; a support component for securing the structural member to the vehicle; a modular light assembly having a frame, at least one optical element secured to the frame, and electrical cabling in communication with the optical element and adapted to be coupled to a power source, to enable the optical element to be supplied with power from the power source, the frame having a cross sectional shape which is complementary to a cross sectional shape of the channel so that the frame of the modular light assembly is slidably insertable, as an entire subassembly, from at least one end of the structural member into the channel of the structural member and fully supported within the channel by the inwardly projecting ledges; and the frame including at least one opening aligned with the opening formed by the channel, over which the optical element is positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the channel of the structural member, to thus allow the optical element to provide illumination out through the opening in the channel to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical element is powered on. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A vehicle accessory component for a vehicle forming a load supporting element for supporting a load thereon, the vehicle accessory component comprising:
-
a rigid structural member having a C-shaped channel which forms an elongated opening along an exterior surface of the structural member, the structural member being attachable to the vehicle and suitable for acting as a load bearing surface to support an external load thereon; a modular light assembly having a frame, a plurality of optical elements secured to the frame in spaced apart relationship to one another, and electrical cabling in communication with the optical elements for coupling the optical elements to a power source to be supplied with power from the power source, the frame having a cross sectional shape complementary to the C-shaped channel and being slidably insertable into the C-shaped channel in the structural member, from at least one end of the structural member, and retained therein by inwardly projecting ledges of the C-shaped channel; and the frame including a plurality of spaced apart holes over which the optical elements are positioned when the modular light assembly is slidably inserted into the channel of the structural member, to thus allow the optical elements to provide illumination out through the elongated opening in the C-shaped channel to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical elements are powered on. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A vehicle accessory component for a vehicle comprising:
-
a structural member having an oval shape and a generally C-shaped channel which forms an elongated opening along an exterior surface of the structural member, the structural member being attachable to the vehicle and forming a step rail to assist an operator in entering and exiting the vehicle; a plurality of brackets for attaching the structural member to the vehicle; a modular light assembly having a generally U-shaped frame, a plurality of optical elements secured to the U-shaped frame in spaced apart relationship to one another, and electrical cabling in communication with the optical elements and to enable the optical elements to be coupled to a power source, to enable the optical elements to be supplied with power from the power source, the U-shaped frame being insertable into the C-shaped channel in the structural member and having a similar cross sectional shape to a cross sectional shape of the C-shaped channel of the structural member; and the U-shaped frame including a plurality of spaced apart holes over which the optical elements are positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the C-shaped channel of the structural member, to thus allow the optical elements to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical elements are powered on.
-
-
18. An accessory component for a vehicle comprising:
-
a structural member having and a generally C-shaped channel which forms an elongated opening along an exterior surface of the structural member, the structural member being attachable to the vehicle and forming an elongated, rigid, rail-like component; at least one bracket for attaching the structural member to the vehicle; a modular light assembly having a generally U-shaped frame, a plurality of optical elements secured to the U-shaped frame in spaced apart relationship to one another, and electrical cabling in communication with the optical elements and to enable the optical elements to be coupled to a power source, to enable the optical elements to be supplied with power from the power source, the U-shaped frame being insertable into the C-shaped channel in the structural member and having a complementary shape to a cross sectional shape of the C-shaped channel of the structural member;
the U-shaped frame retained therein by inwardly projecting ledges of the C-shaped channel; andthe U-shaped frame including a plurality of spaced apart holes over which the optical elements are positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the C-shaped channel of the structural member, to thus allow the optical elements to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical elements are powered on.
-
Specification