Method for illuminating colors in a backlit driver airbag emblem

• US 8,061,861 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Matsu, Richard L., Phillips, Henry Vernon, Paxton, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DZIERZYNSKI, EVAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/290,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/462, 280/728.3, 280/731, 428/31
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21543 with emblems

Abstract

An airbag emblem may be backlit or illuminated to provide the emblem with greater visual appeal. In order to accomplish this illumination, an illumination source is used. This illumination source may be electroluminescent foil. The emblem includes colors that are added or inserted onto the emblem. These colors are translucent so that they may be illuminated by the illumination source. This emblem may be placed as part of an airbag cover on a steering wheel.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus comprising:

an illumination source; and

a colored emblem aligned with the illumination source, the colored emblem comprising an emblem outline having at least one pocket, the colored emblem further comprising at least one translucent color plaque disposed within the at least one pocket, the at least one translucent color plaque is illuminated by light passing through the colored emblem from the illumination source.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the illumination source comprises EL foil.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the illumination source comprises a light guide illuminated by an LED.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the at least one pocket of the emblem outline is disposed on a front surface of the colored emblem.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the colored emblem has a front surface and the emblem outline comprises at least one opening, the at least one color plaque is positioned on a back plate disposed behind the front surface, each color plaque being inserted through one of the openings in the emblem outline.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the colored emblem comprises a transparent dome, the at least one pocket of the emblem outline and each color plaque being disposed on the rear surface of the dome.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the emblem outline comprises a translucent chrome portion protected by a coating finish.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising studs on the colored emblem, the studs connectable to an airbag cover.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising studs positioned on an airbag cover, the studs connectable to the colored emblem.

10. An emblem for connection to an airbag cover, the emblem comprising an emblem outline having a plurality of pockets and an illumination source aligned with the emblem, further comprising one or more translucent color plaques, each color plaque being disposed within one of the plurality of pockets of the emblem outline and being_disposed so that at least a portion of the emblem is translucent for backlighting by light from the illumination source passing through the emblem.

11. An emblem as in claim 10 wherein the emblem outline has at least one opening for receiving one or more of the color plaques.