Interior illuminating apparatus for vehicle

• US 6,871,986 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Masahiro, Yamanaka, Osamu, Koyama, Shuichi, Shibata, Minoru, Sugihara, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US10/095,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 362/135, 362/488, 362/489, 362/490, 362/494, 362/84, 362/510
• US Class Current: 362/490
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/12 lighting onto the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light

Abstract

An interior illuminating apparatus for a vehicle includes an interior rear-view minor which is connected and fixed to an interior ceiling of the vehicle for observing the rear. An LED is provided in a vicinity of the interior rear-view mirror at a forward position in a traveling direction of the vehicle and radiates ultraviolet light on a center part of an instrument panel. An operating unit adapted to receive the ultraviolet light from the LED is provided in the center part of the instrument panel. The apparatus includes a starting switch for actuating the LED on and off. The operating unit has fluorescent layers coated thereon and containing a substance which emits fluorescence when irradiated with the ultraviolet light from the LED.

Claims

1. An interior illuminating apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

an interior rear-view mirror fixed to an interior ceiling of said vehicle;

a light emitting device provided in a vicinity of said interior rear-view mirror and on a front side in a forward traveling direction of said vehicle with respect to said interior rear-view mirror and radiating ultraviolet light on a center part of an instrument panel;

an operating unit adapted to receive said ultraviolet light and provided in said center part of the instrument panel; and

a switch device for actuating said light emitting device on and off;

a fluorescent layer provided on said operating unit and including a substance which emits fluorescence when irradiated with said ultraviolet light from said light emitting device.

2. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting device comprises a light emitting diode that emits ultraviolet light including a light emitting wave length in a range of 380 to 400 nm.

3. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluorescent layers continue to emit fluorescence for a predetermined period after said ultraviolet light from said light emitting device has been shielded.

4. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said switch device is interlockingly operated with illumination of an auxiliary lamp.

5. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting device comprises a light emitting diode.

6. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said light emitting diode comprises a light emitting layer including a group Ill nitride compound semiconductor.

7. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting device emits ultraviolet light.

8. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting device emits ultraviolet light including a light emitting wave length in a range of 380 to 400 nm.

9. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rear-view mirror comprises a fixed portion and a moveable portion, said light emitting device being disposed on said fixed portion.

10. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ultraviolet light, radiated from said light emitting device on said operating unit, comprises a substantially vertical radiating angle with respect to said vehicle.

11. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting device is disposed to radiate said ultraviolet light on said operating unit at a radiating angle extending in a direction that is not equal to a direction extending from said light emitting device and through a window of said vehicle.

12. An interior illuminating apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a light emitting device operable to radiate ultraviolet light and positioned in front of a rear view mirror in a forward traveling direction of said vehicle with respect to said interior rear-view mirror and on an interior ceiling of said vehicle; and

an operating unit disposed in said vehicle and comprising a fluorescent layer,

wherein said light emitting device is positioned to radiate ultraviolet light on said operating unit.

13. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said fluorescent layer comprises a substance that emits fluorescence when irradiated with said ultraviolet light from said light emitting device.

14. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said operating unit is disposed in a center part of an instrument panel of said vehicle.

15. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting device is disposed on an interior rear-view mirror of said vehicle.

16. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said interior rear-view mirror is independently repositionable with respect to said light emitting device.

17. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting device is disposed on a front side of an interior rear-view mirror of said vehicle in a forward traveling direction of said vehicle with respect to said interior rear-view mirror.

18. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting device is disposed on a forward end of a fixation part of an interior rear-view mirror of said vehicle.

19. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting device is disposed on an inner face of a ceiling of said vehicle.

20. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a switch device for actuating said light emitting device on and off.

21. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting device comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes that emit ultraviolet light.

22. The interior illuminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said operating unit comprises a plurality of operating units.

23. An interior illuminating apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

means for emitting ultraviolet light disposed in front of a rear view mirror in a forward traveling direction of said vehicle with respect to said rear view mirror and in a vicinity of at least one of an interior ceiling of said vehicle and said rear view mirror; and

an operating unit disposed in said vehicle and comprising a fluorescent layer, wherein said means for emitting ultraviolet light is positioned to radiate ultraviolet light on said operating unit.