Vehicle rear signal light assembly of the high mounted type
First Claim
1. A vehicle rear signal light assembly of a high mounted type, comprising:
- a body panel having a rear extremity including a header that has outer and inner, outer and inner flanges and an outwardly opening intermediate portion located between the flanges;
a rear window having an edge portion that is secured to the outer and inner flanges of the header and includes an obscuration band that hides the header from sight through the rear window;
the obscuration band of the edge portion of the rear window having an opening between the outer and inner flanges of the header;
a lens mounted in alignment with the opening in the obscuration band of the edge portion of the rear window; and
a signal light source mounted within the outwardly opening intermediate portion of the header in alignment with the lens to shine light rearwardly therethrough to provide a signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle rear signal light assembly (16) of the high mounted type is mounted within a rear roof header (18) of a roof panel (12) to shine a light signal from a source (40) through a lens (38) aligned with an opening (36) in an obscuration band (34) of an upper rear window edge portion (28) covering an outwardly opening flanged construction of the roof header. The signal light assembly (16) by utilizing existing vehicle structure does not intrude into the interior space of the occupant compartment either at its storage shelf or its headroom. Different embodiments of the signal light assembly (16,16a,16b) provide a brake signal, turn signals, and both brake and turn signals. The light source (40) may be either an electric bulb that shines through a lens (38) or one or more light emitting diodes (56) that shine through the lens which is aligned with the opening (36) in the obscuration band (40) through which the signal shines.
92 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vehicle rear signal light assembly of a high mounted type, comprising:
- a body panel having a rear extremity including a header that has outer and inner, outer and inner flanges and an outwardly opening intermediate portion located between the flanges;
a rear window having an edge portion that is secured to the outer and inner flanges of the header and includes an obscuration band that hides the header from sight through the rear window;
the obscuration band of the edge portion of the rear window having an opening between the outer and inner flanges of the header;
a lens mounted in alignment with the opening in the obscuration band of the edge portion of the rear window; and
a signal light source mounted within the outwardly opening intermediate portion of the header in alignment with the lens to shine light rearwardly therethrough to provide a signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- a body panel having a rear extremity including a header that has outer and inner, outer and inner flanges and an outwardly opening intermediate portion located between the flanges;
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18. A vehicle rear signal light assembly of a high mounted type, comprising:
- a roof panel having a rear extremity including a rear roof header that has outer and inner flanges and an outwardly opening intermediate portion located between the outer and inner flanges;
a rear window having an upper edge portion;
an adhesive bond that secures the upper edge portion of the rear window to the outer and inner flanges of the rear roof header;
the upper edge portion of the rear window including an obscuration band that hides the rear roof header from sight through the rear window;
the obscuration band of the upper edge portion of the rear window having an opening between the outer and inner flanges of the rear roof header;
a lens mounted in alignment with the opening in the obscuration band of the upper edge portion of the rear window;
a seal that prevents the adhesive bond from contacting the lens in alignment with the opening in the obscuration band of the upper edge portion of the rear window; and
a signal light source mounted within the outwardly opening intermediate portion of the rear roof header in alignment with the lens to shine light rearwardly therethrough to provide a signal.
- a roof panel having a rear extremity including a rear roof header that has outer and inner flanges and an outwardly opening intermediate portion located between the outer and inner flanges;
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19. A vehicle rear signal light assembly of a high mounted type, comprising:
- a roof panel having a rear extremity including a rear roof header that has outer and inner flanges and an outwardly opening intermediate portion located between the flanges;
a rear window having an upper edge portion;
an adhesive bond that secures the upper edge portion of the rear window to the flanges of the rear roof header;
the upper edge portion of the rear window including an obscuration band that hides the rear roof header from sight through the rear window;
the obscuration band of the upper edge portion of the rear window having an opening between the flanges of the rear roof header;
a seal that prevents the adhesive bond from contacting the lens in alignment with the opening in the obscuration band of the upper edge portion of the rear window;
a lens mounted in alignment with the opening in the obscuration band of the upper edge portion of the rear window;
another adhesive that secures the lens to both the outer and inner flanges of the rear roof header;
a signal light source mounted within the outwardly opening intermediate portion of the rear roof header in alignment with the lens to shine light rearwardly therethrough to provide a signal; and
the signal light source being selected from the group consisting of an electric bulb and a light emitting diode.
- a roof panel having a rear extremity including a rear roof header that has outer and inner flanges and an outwardly opening intermediate portion located between the flanges;
Specification