Vehicle interior lighting system

• US 7,476,012 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yoshimoto, Masayuki, Ogawa, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crowe; David R
• Application Number:
  US11/438,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20060268536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23, 362/28, 362/29, 362/30, 362/471, 362/482, 362/487, 362/488, 362/489, 362/459, 362/547, 180/90, 280/752, 296/37.8, 296/37.9, 224/483, 224/281, 131/234, 131/238
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/225 Small compartments, e.g. glove compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/275 Smoking-related fittings, e.g. cigarette lighters or ashtrays

Abstract

A lighting system comprising: an instrument panel having an ashtray and a cigar lighter placed parallel therein in a vehicle width direction; a light emitter; a bulb case extending in the vehicle width direction on a rear surface of the instrument panel above the ashtray and the cigar lighter, and accommodating the light emitter; and a plurality of slits provided in the instrument panel above the ashtray and the cigar lighter, and facing an opening portion of the bulb case, the light emitter being disposed above the slits.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior lighting system, comprising:

an instrument panel having a first concave portion, the first concave portion containing a draw-type ashtray and a second concave portion, provided independently from the first concave portion, the second concave portion containing a fixed-type cigar lighter placed parallel with the draw-type ashtray in a vehicle width direction;

a light emitter;

a bulb case extending in the vehicle width direction on a rear surface of the instrument panel above the first concave portion and the second concave portion, and accommodating the light emitter; and

a first slit provided in the first concave portion and above the ashtray, the first slit emitting light from the bulb case to illuminate a handle of the ashtray when the ashtray is closed and to illuminate a stubbing-out portion of the ashtray when the ashtray is opened; and

a second slit provided in the second concave portion and above the cigar lighter, the second slit emitting light from the bulb case to illuminate the cigar lighter and an interior of a vehicle regardless of a position of the ashtray.

2. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the bulb case diffusely reflects light thrown from the light emitter.

3. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the interior of the vehicle is a console.

4. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third slit provided in the first concave portion and above the ashtray and adjacent the first slit, the third slit emitting light from the bulb case to illuminate the handle of the ashtray when the ashtray is closed and to illuminate the stubbing-out portion of the ashtray when the ashtray is opened.

5. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the light emitter is disposed above the second slit.

6. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a console that extends along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle,

wherein the console is illuminated by light emitted from the second slit regardless of the position of the ashtray.