Interior light assembly for vehicles, especially for motor vehicles

• US 7,066,629 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems Germany GmbH & Co. KG.
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems Germany GmbH & Co. KG.
• Inventors: Ulloa, Stephan, Diez, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/065,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 362/487, 362/369, 362/390, 362/84, 362/135, 362540-545, 362/228, 362/244, 362/464, 362/471, 362/488, 340/479, 340/475, 340/471, 340/815.76, 296/76
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• 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

Abstract

An interior light assembly for motor vehicles has a frame and at least one lens arranged in the frame. At least one illumination element is arranged behind the at least one lens in the interior of the light assembly, and at least one electroluminescent film is additionally arranged behind the at least one lens n the interior of the light assembly. The electroluminescent film rests against a backside of the at least one lens, wherein the electroluminescent film has a contour identical to the contour of the at least one lens. The frame surrounds the at least one lens.

Claims

1. An interior light assembly for motor vehicles, the interior light assembly comprising:

a frame having a frame opening and defining an interior of the interior light assembly;

at least one lens connected to the frame and filling out the frame opening, wherein the at least one lens includes a first lens portion and a second lens portion; and

at least one illumination element and at least one electroluminescent film arranged within the area of the frame opening behind the at least one lens in the interior of the interior light assembly so that light emitted by the at least one illumination element and the at least one electroluminescent film passes from the interior through the at least one lens arranged in the frame opening for illuminating a vehicle interior passenger compartment;

wherein the light transmitted through the first lens portion is of a first intensity and the light transmitted through the second lens portion is of a second intensity, wherein the first intensity is greater than the second intensity.

2. The interior light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electroluminescent film is attached to a backside of the at least one lens facing the interior of the interior light assembly.

3. The interior light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electroluminescent film has a contour identical to a contour of the at least one lens.

4. The interior light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the frame surrounds the at least one lens.

5. The interior light assembly according to claim 1, wherein a first one of the at least one lens is correlated with the at least one illumination element and a second one of the at least one lens is correlated with the at least one electroluminescent film.

6. The interior light assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first lens for the at least one illumination element is smaller than the second lens for the at least one electroluminescent film.

7. The interior light assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first lens for the at least one illumination element has a backside facing the interior of the interior light assembly and provided at least partially with at least one optic.

8. The interior light assembly according to claim 7, wherein the at least one optic is comprised of serrations or corrugations.

9. The interior light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one illumination element is an incandescent light bulb.