Patent Application
20100194080
Airbag systems are commonly used on vehicles and especially in steering wheels. These airbags are designed to inflate during an accident to prevent the occupant from harmful impact with the steering wheel during a crash. Accordingly, the airbag system will generally be positioned in the steering wheel.
It is also known that most vehicle manufacturers want to have their logo or trademark on the steering wheel. These logos or trademarks are often colored images and are positioned on the steering wheel (such as on the cover of the steering wheel that is used to cover the airbag system). Some logos may also have a metallic chrome portion for improved appearance. Such positioning of the logo fosters brand recognition and also helps the vehicle occupant to remember that cars made by the vehicle manufacturer have airbags and are thus safer.
In order to further make the company's logo “stand out,” some parties have even begun to seek for ways to illuminate the logo/trademark. One example of this type of system is found in International Patent Publication No. WO 2007/084031, which document is expressly incorporated herein by this reference.
The present embodiments relate to different methods and ways to illuminate/backlight an emblem using non-traditional lighting methods that involve the use of direct light from a LED or light bulb. Such backlighting may be preferable as it can improve the aesthetic appeal of the emblem. Accordingly, the present embodiments involve an airbag apparatus. This apparatus comprises an airbag cover with an emblem that is positioned in front of an illumination source that operates to illuminate (backlight) the emblem. The illumination source may be an OLED, a light diffuser, or a fiber optic rope which are all illumination sources that do not involve a light guide or EL foil.
In one embodiment, the illumination source will be an organic light emitting diode (“OLED”) that may be powered via DC power (i.e., a DC power source). The use of DC power is advantageous as it is generated by the vehicle and does not require the additional step of conversion to AC power. OLEDs are presently known and used in video screens on computers, cell phones, etc. and are thus, inexpensive. More than one OLED may be used. The OLED is positioned on a substrate and would be positioned rearward of the emblem to provide the light to backlight the emblem. The OLED may comprise one or more layers of organic material (such as organic polymers) that emit the light. Those skilled in the art will appreciate how to construct, obtain, and/or illuminate the OLED. For example, the organic polymers may be part of a paint that is painted onto the substrate via one or more layers. The various layers may be positioned on the substrate. In some embodiments, the substrate may be a component of the OLED.
For example, in some embodiments, the OLED comprises a cathode, an anode, a conductive layer and an emissive layer, the conductive and emissive layers being positioned between the cathode and the anode. The cathode may be the top layer of the OLED and the anode may be the bottom layer of the OLED.
In another embodiment, the illumination source may comprise a rope structure of fiber optic fibers (which may also be referred to as fiber optic filaments). More than one rope structure may also be used. These fibers are grouped or wound together to form a rope-like structure. A light is positioned at one end of the fibers. When illuminated, light will exit or glow out of the side of the fibers, thereby providing the light that operates to backlight/illuminate the emblem. Thus, this embodiment may be referred to as a side glow fiber optic rope. This rope structure may be flexible and thus it may be bent or twisted into any desired shape or configuration, providing the vehicle manufacturer with the ability to tailor the illumination of the emblem how he or she desires.
Moreover, in some embodiments, light may also exit out of the distal end of the fibers when the light source is activated. Thus, if some of the fibers in the rope-structure are cut to have various, differing lengths. These fibers of different (shorter lengths) may be distributed evenly or unevenly throughout the rope structure. the light will exit out of these shorter ends, thereby creating a visually appealing design.
Additional embodiments may be constructed in which the illumination source comprises a light diffuser. More than one light diffuser may also be used. The light diffuser may be an opaque or translucent (i.e., non-transparent) surface behind which LEDs are mounted. The surface diffuses and distributes the light evenly, thereby preventing the formation of “dark spots” or “bright spots.” Rather, the illuminated emblem has a consistent, illuminated appearance. In some embodiments, the diffuser is made of a white, translucent plastic. Any other additional colors may be used, as desired.
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other features and advantages of the invention are obtained will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The presently preferred embodiments of the present invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, as represented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of presently preferred embodiments of the invention.
As noted above, some vehicle manufacturers may want to illuminate or backlight the emblem 14 in order to make the emblem 14 more visually appealing and make the emblem “stand out.” The embodiments herein describe various non-traditional methods for illuminating or backlighting the emblem 14 that do not involve EL foil or a light guide.
Referring now to
The light diffuser 28 also includes a diffuser 40. The LEDs 32 are mounted to the rear surface 39 of the diffuser 40. The diffuser 40 may be an opaque surface, such as a white opaque surface made of plastic, paper, or other similar materials. Translucent materials, such as white translucent plastic, may also be used as the diffuser 40. The diffuser 40 is designed to diffuse and scatter the light. If no diffuser is used, “bright spots” may be formed on the illuminated emblem 14 corresponding to the position of the LEDs 32 and darker spots are formed where the LEDs are not located. However, by using this diffuser 40, the light is equally distributed/diffused so that there are no light spots or dark spots on the emblem. For example,
Accordingly, the rope structure 60 can be spread over the back side of an emblem 14 of
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its structures, methods, or other essential characteristics as broadly described herein and claimed hereinafter. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
