System and method for mounting an interior light bar within a vehicle

• US 9,487,131 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STAR SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES LLC
• Original Assignee: Star Headlight & Lantern Company Incorporated (Grote Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Neufeglise, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, NATHANIEL J.
• Application Number:
  US14/179,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies

Abstract

A mounting system for an interior light bar is provided having a pair of brackets pivotally mounted at opposite ends of a housing of a light bar so that the brackets and housing rotate with respect to each other. The brackets each have a front platform with adhesive material for attaching the brackets against a glass surface within a vehicle. With the brackets stationary against a glass surface, the light bar housing is pivoted to horizontally level the light bar despite any curvature or slope of the glass surface. Each of brackets has a pawl member having protrusions which when rotated engage different sets detents along a curved ratchet surface along the back of the housing to releasably lock the housing and brackets with respect to each other along one of multiple pivot positions.

Claims

1. A system for mounting a light bar within a vehicle comprising:

a pair of brackets pivotally mounted at opposite ends of a housing of a light bar providing warning light signals;

each of said brackets having a front portion with means for fastening the bracket against an interior glass surface of a vehicle so that said warning light signals from said light bar are directed outward from said vehicle; and

means at each of said opposite ends of said housing for releasably locking the brackets with respect to the housing at one of a plurality of different pivot positions, wherein said means for releasibly locking comprises a pawl member along each of said brackets which releasibly engages a ratchet surface along said housing at each of said plurality of different pivot positions, and said pawl member of each of said brackets is along a rear portion of the bracket, and said ratchet surface is provided upon an exterior back surface of said housing at each of said opposite ends of said housing.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein each of said ends of said housing has a curved opening, and each of said brackets has a pivot member rotationally mounted along said curved opening to rotate said pawl member along said ratchet surface.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said fastening means is one of a double sided adhesive tape or a layer of adhesive material.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said fastening means releasably attaches the bracket to the glass surface.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said glass surface is along the interior of one of a windshield or window of said vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein said warning light signals extend from said light bar outward from said vehicle via said windshield or window.

7. The system according to claim 1 further comprising mean in said housing of said light bar for generating said warning light signals having one or more of flashing and patterns of illumination.

8. A system for mounting a light bar within a vehicle comprising:

a pair of brackets pivotally mounted at opposite ends of a housing of a light bar providing warning light signals;

each of said brackets having a front portion with means for fastening the bracket against an interior glass surface of a vehicle so that said warning light signals from said light bar are directed outward from said vehicle; and

means at each of said opposite ends of said housing for releasably locking the brackets with respect to the housing at one of a plurality of different pivot positions, wherein each of said ends of said housing has a curved opening, and each of said brackets has a pivot member rotationally mounted along said curved opening to rotate said pawl member along said ratchet surface, and said pivot member extends through said curved opening and has a retainer member which captures the edge of the housing about said opening.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein said pivot member rotates along a rotational axis, and said ratchet surface is curved about said rotational axis.

10. A mounting system for an interior light bar comprising:

a pair of brackets pivotally mounted at opposite ends of a housing of a light bar providing warning light signals so that the brackets and the housing each independently rotate with respect to each other along a common rotational axis;

each of said brackets have a fastener along the front thereof for attaching the brackets against a glass surface within a vehicle; and

each of said brackets has a pawl member having one or more protrusions which is rotatable to engage detents along a ratchet surface of the housing to releasably lock the housing and the brackets with respect to each other along one of multiple pivot positions to at least approximately horizontally level the light bar despite any curvature or slope of the glass surface when the brackets are attached to the glass surface, wherein said ratchet surface is along an exterior back surface of the housing and faces away from said glass surface, and said one or more protrusions of said pawl member face toward said glass surface to engage said ratchet surface at each of said multiple pivot positions.

11. The mounting system according to claim 10 wherein said ratchet surface is curved about said rotational axis.

12. The mounting system according to claim 10 further comprising an optical system in said housing of said light bar for generating said warning light signals having one or more of flashing and patterns of illumination, in which said optical system has at least light sources.

13. The mounting system according to claim 10 wherein said housing comprises a front opening between said ends of said housing, and said warning light signals are outputted from said housing via said front opening which faces said glass surface so that said warning light signals from said light bar are directed outward from said vehicle.

14. A bracket for mounting a light bar to glass surface comprising:

a front portion with a support surface for a fastener for attachment onto a glass surface;

a rear portion with a pawl member having one or more protrusions which engages teeth along a housing of a light bar providing warning light signals; and

a pivot member between said front portion and said rear portion for rotating the bracket about a rotational axis along an angular pivot range with respect to said housing to selectably engage said one or more protrusions to different sets of said teeth along said range, wherein said pivot member is disposed about an opening at one end of the housing to enable rotation of said bracket with respect to said housing, and said teeth are along an exterior curved back surface of the housing and face away from said glass surface and said one or more protrusions of said pawl member face toward said glass surface in selectable engagement with said different sets of said teeth as said pivot member rotates about said opening when said front portion is attached to said glass surface by said fastener.