Vehicle mini lamp retrofit attachment assembly

• US 8,104,941 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Truck-Lite Company LLC (Truck-Lite Holdings 2 Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Truck-Lite Company LLC (Truck-Lite Holdings 2 Corp.)
• Inventors: Kolstee, Todd, DiPenti, Timothy A., Johnson, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Y My Quach
• Application Number:
  US12/107,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20080219015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 362540-546, 362/548, 362/549, 362/485, 362/488, 362/490, 362/493
• US Class Current: 362/549
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2623 Details of the fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/10 Retrofit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/04 Provision of filling media

Abstract

A retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly for attaching a mini lamp to an existing opening in a vehicle surface includes a housing having a body with an interior portion and a lens portion covering a top end of the interior portion. The lamp assembly also includes circuitry disposed within the interior portion of the housing and at least one light source being electrically connected to the circuitry. An attachment member is also provided. The attachment member includes an aperture therein adapted to receive the housing, a rim adapted to abut the vehicle surface around the existing opening, and a spacer portion extending laterally from the aperture to the rim. The spacer portion includes an outer surface, wherein the lens portion of the housing is substantially continuous with the outer surface of the spacer portion.

Claims

1. A retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly for attaching a mini lamp of a first circumference to an existing opening of a second circumference in a vehicle surface, said retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly comprising:

a housing having an interior portion and a lens portion covering a top end of said interior portion;

circuitry disposed within said interior portion of the housing;

at least one light source being electrically connected to said circuitry; and

an attachment member having a aperture therein for receiving said housing, a rim for abutting said vehicle surface around said existing opening, and a spacer portion extending laterally from said aperture to said rim, said spacer portion having an outer surface and being sized to span a difference in size between the first circumference and the second circumference, wherein said lens portion of said housing is substantially continuous with said outer surface of said spacer portion.

2. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said attachment member further includes an outer lip around a perimeter of the spacer portion, said outer lip abutting an outer face of said vehicle surface.

3. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said spacer portion is a convex surface such that said aperture of said attachment member is positioned in front of said vehicle surface.

4. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said rim includes ribs that abut the vehicle surface around said existing opening.

5. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said vehicle lamp is a clearance lamp, a side marker lamp, or an identification lamp.

6. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said attachment member further includes a circumferential ledge extending radially from a lower end of rim, said circumferential ledge abutting an inner face of said vehicle surface.

7. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said lens is selected from a group consisting of:

a red lens, emitting a generally red light from said vehicle lamp, a yellow-amber lens, emitting a generally yellow-amber light from said vehicle lamp, or a clear lens and said at least one light source emits red light, emitting red light from said vehicle lamp, or said at least one light source emits yellow-amber light, emitting yellow-amber light from said vehicle lamp.

8. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said vehicle lamp further includes a potting compound for filling at least a portion of said housing.

9. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said lens is integrally formed with said body of said housing.

10. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said attachment member is formed from a flexible material.

11. The retrofit vehicle mini lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said attachment member is formed from rigid material.