INTEGRATED LIGHTING

• US 20180079353A1
• Filed: 09/15/2017
• Published: 03/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emergency Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Emergency Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Litke, Mark, Baker, Douglas V., Doenges, Scott, Karel, Randall Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,227,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10339 Specific parts of the laminated safety glass or glazing being colored or tinted tinted glass sheet B32B17/1011; tinted interlayer B32B17/10651
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2615 mounted on the vehicle body, e.g. with magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/263 Snap-in fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/28 for indicating front of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5035 electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/88 Means for plugging to the electrical power supply of the vehicle, e.g. by using cigarette lighter sockets

Abstract

A lighting system for specialty lighting, which may be attached to a motor vehicle with a window (e.g., glass, plastic, etc.) that is light transmissive. The lighting system may include one or more light assemblies attached to the window in an interior of the vehicle or an exterior area of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a light assembly may be internal to the window.

Claims

1. A lighting system for mounting a light assembly to a window of a vehicle, the light system comprising:

a lighting attachment separable from the light assembly, said lighting attachment having an attachment surface constructed to be substantially bonded and/or molded to the window, said lighting attachment having a light assembly interface that removably connects with said light assembly in an interior of the vehicle;

said light assembly configured to removably connect with the light assembly interface of the lighting attachment, said light assembly having a light element that generates light in response to application of power to the light element; and

a shroud that substantially shields the interior of the vehicle from light output from the light element.

2. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light assembly includes the shroud.

3. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the lighting attachment is configured to be substantially bonded to the window in conjunction with an adhesive.

4. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein an edge surface of the shroud interfaces with the window to substantially prevent direct leakage of light output from the light element into the interior of the vehicle, whereby light output from the light element and resulting reflected light indirectly enters the interior of the vehicle.

5. The lighting system of claim 4 wherein a headliner edge surface of the shroud interfaces with a headliner of the interior of the vehicle so that, in conjunction with the edge surface, an entire perimeter edge of the shroud substantially prevents direct leakage of light from the light element into the interior of the vehicle.

6. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein said shroud substantially shields said lighting attachment from view within the interior of the vehicle.

7. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein said light assembly is held in place solely by coupling to the window via at least one of said lighting attachment.

8. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein said lighting attachment includes a plurality of buttons, each of said plurality of buttons including a lighting assembly engagement surface, wherein said plurality of buttons engage a plurality of plurality of attachment interfaces for a planar or nonplanar window.

9. The lighting system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of attachment interfaces are formed in said shroud.

10. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the window includes one or more masked areas aligned with the light assembly to facilitate transmission of light output from the light element.

11. An exterior light attachment assembly for securing a light assembly to a window of a vehicle, the light assembly including wiring constructed to receive power from a vehicle power source, said exterior light attachment assembly comprising:

a light carrier configured to hold a light assembly in a fixed position exterior to the window, said light carrier including a routing path for the wiring of the light assembly;

an exterior window interface capable of bonding to an exterior surface of the window in conjunction with a bonding agent;

an arm that extends over at least a portion of a thickness of the window, wherein said routing path is disposed at least in part in the arm.

12. The exterior light attachment assembly of claim 11 wherein the arm includes a sealing interface adapted to bond to a portion of a pinch weld of the vehicle via an adhesive to form a seal between an exterior and an interior of the vehicle.

13. The exterior light attachment assembly of claim 12 wherein said routing path includes an interior opening disposed in the interior of the vehicle, wherein said routing path bypasses the adhesive such that said wiring is routed from an exterior of the vehicle to an interior of the vehicle with said adhesive being in continuous contact with said sealing interface and the portion of the pinch weld.

14. The exterior light attachment assembly of claim 12 wherein a portion of the glass is removed so that the sealing interface replaces the portion of glass, whereby the portion of glass that is removed would otherwise bond to the portion of the pinch weld.

15. The exterior light attachment assembly of claim 11 wherein said light carrier includes an integrated bracket disposed internal to the exterior light attachment assembly, said integrated bracket including a flexible arm that facilitates releasably capture of the light assembly.

16. The exterior light attachment assembly of claim 11 wherein said routing path includes integral electrical conductors sealed in said arm, said integral electrical conductors having an exterior electrical connector configured to mate with a connector of the light assembly, said integral electrical conductors having an interior electrical connector configured to mate with a power supply and control signal connector coupled to the vehicle power source.

17. A vehicle window for a vehicle comprising:

an interior layer of light transmissive material arranged to provide an interior surface of the vehicle;

an exterior layer of light transmissive material arranged to provide an exterior surface of the vehicle;

a light element disposed between the interior layer and the exterior layer, said light element configured to emit light toward the exterior layer to an exterior space of the vehicle;

an optical barrier arranged in relation to said light element to block at least a portion of the light emitted from the light element, said optical barrier including an aperture to allow transmission of the light to the exterior space of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle window of claim 17 comprising an adhesive disposed between the interior layer and the exterior layer, said adhesive arranged to hold the interior layer and the exterior layer in a fixed relationship with respect to each other.

19. The vehicle window of claim 17 comprising an optical shield arranged to substantially prevent transmission of the light from said light element into a cabin area of the vehicle.

20. The vehicle window of claim 17 comprising flexible circuitry disposed between the interior layer and the exterior layer, said flexible circuitry routed from a perimeter of the vehicle window to said light element.

21. The vehicle window of claim 17 comprising more than one of the light element being disposed between the interior layer and the exterior layer.

22. The vehicle window of claim 21 wherein said optical barrier and said more than one light element are configured to provide messaging capabilities for said vehicle window.