ILLUMINATED EXTERIOR STRIP

• US 20150307020A1
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• 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, Gardner, Cornel Lewis
• Granted Patent: US 9,821,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2615 mounted on the vehicle body, e.g. with magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2669 on door or boot handles lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/323 on or for doors illuminated exterior door handles B60Q1/2669; illuminated door locks E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/04 External Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices thereon fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/16 Laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/176 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting system for a vehicle panel is provided herein. The lighting system includes an outer panel mated to an inner panel. An aperture is disposed in the outer panel. A light-producing assembly is arranged as a strip and includes a plurality of light sources. A photoluminescent structure is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the plurality of light sources. A retention feature is coupled to the light-producing assembly and insertable through the aperture for disposing the light-producing assembly on the outer panel.

Claims

1. A body panel for a vehicle, comprising:

a panel having an aperture provided therein;

a light-producing assembly comprising a plurality of light sources arranged as a strip attached to a portion of the panel; and

a photoluminescent structure on the light-producing assembly configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the plurality of light sources, wherein the plurality of light sources is dispersed in a variable density along the strip.

2. The body panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a retention feature coupled to the light-producing assembly and insertable through the aperture for disposing the light-producing assembly on the panel.

3. The body panel of claim 1, wherein the panel includes an outer panel and an inner panel and a cavity is formed therebetween.

4. The body panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement.

5. The body panel of claim 1, such that portions of the photoluminescent structure located proximate a vehicle feature exhibits a greater degree of luminescence than portions of the photoluminescent structure located along other portions of the panel.

6. The body panel of claim 3, further comprising:

a set of conductive leads disposed through the aperture and into the cavity.

7. The body panel of claim 1, wherein the light-producing assembly is configured to illuminate in a plurality of colors.

8. A lighting system for a vehicle panel, comprising:

a panel having a first surface; and

a light-producing assembly disposed on the first surface of the panel including a plurality of light sources;

a photoluminescent structure disposed on the panel configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the plurality of light sources; and

an overmold material disposed over a portion of the light-producing assembly extending over a second surface of the panel.

9. The lighting system for a vehicle panel of claim 8, further comprising a controller for selectively activating the plurality of light sources.

10. The lighting system for a vehicle panel of claim 8, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement.

11. lighting system for a vehicle panel of claim 10, wherein the LEDs are dispersed in a variable density such that portions of the photoluminescent structure located above occupant seating areas exhibit a greater degree of luminescence than portions of the photoluminescent structure located above non-occupant seating areas.

12. The lighting system for a vehicle panel of claim 8, wherein the light-producing assembly illuminates indicia disposed over a portion of the light-producing assembly.

13. The lighting system for a vehicle panel of claim 12, wherein the overmold material and an conductive lead are disposed in an indent in the panel at an intersection of the first and second surfaces of the panel.

14. A lighting system for a vehicle, comprising:

a first light-producing assembly disposed on a first panel of a vehicle;

a second light-producing assembly disposed on a second panel of a vehicle, wherein the first and second light-producing assemblies each includes a plurality of light sources dispersed at variable densities therein and a photoluminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the plurality of light sources.

15. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a controller for selectively activating the plurality of light sources.

16. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first and second light-producing assemblies are arranged as strips.

17. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement.

18. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the plurality of light sources are dispersed such that portions of the photoluminescent structure proximate to a vehicle feature exhibit a greater degree of luminescence than portions of the photoluminescent structure located remotely from the feature.

19. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first and second light-producing assemblies each illuminate in a first and a second color.

20. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first and second light-producing assemblies are disposed proximate to one another so as to appear as a single continuous strip.