Patent Application
20150049500
The present invention generally relates to vehicle lighting, and more particularly relates to a portable lighting device configured for use as a vehicle interior light.
Automotive vehicles are typically equipped with various lighting assemblies for providing interior lighting. A vehicle dome light assembly is often installed in the headliner or the overhead bin of a vehicle to provide dome lighting for passengers within the vehicle. A dome light assembly typically includes a light source and a cover lens, and employs a switch for activating the light on and off. The light source is typically fixed to the dome light assembly which is fixedly installed on the vehicle and not intended to be readily removed therefrom. It is desirable to provide for a lighting device that may easily provide accessory lighting for various applications.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle light assembly is provided. The vehicle light assembly includes a housing having a light support. The vehicle light assembly also includes a portable lighting device including a light source and a plurality of reconfigurable support legs. The lighting device installs onto the light support within the housing to serve as a vehicle interior light and is removable from the light support for use as a portable accessory light.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle light assembly is provided. The vehicle light assembly includes a housing including a light support. The vehicle light assembly also includes a portable lighting device including a light source and a reconfigurable support that is configurable to support the lighting device. The lighting device installs onto the light support within the housing to serve as a fixed vehicle interior light and is removable from the light support for use as a portable accessory light.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to a detailed design; some schematics may be exaggerated or minimized to show function overview. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Referring to
The portable accessory lighting device 50 is shown in
The vehicle light assembly 20 and its installation and removal of the portable accessory lighting device 50 relative to housing 22 are illustrated further in
The cover door 24 may include a push-push click latch to latch and unlatch the cover door 24 with successive forced actuations. In one embodiment, the cover door 24 includes a pair of upper extending and spaced connecting pins 30 that are configured with enlarged heads to engage resilient prongs 34 of a female receiving member 32 to hold the cover door 24 in the closed position with sufficient resistance during normal vehicle driving conditions. A user may apply upward force onto the cover door 24 by pressing on the bottom surface of door 24 to force connecting pins 30 into frictional engagement with prongs 34 or to disengage connecting pins 30 from engagement with prongs 34 to open the door 24.
The housing 22 may be installed onto the headliner 12 of the vehicle, an overhead console, or other interior ceiling member such that the light assembly 20 is generally located near the vehicle interior ceiling to provide overhead light illumination downward within the passenger compartment of the vehicle 10, according to one embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the light assembly 20 is centrally located overhead in the vehicle passenger compartment to serve as a vehicle dome light. The housing 22 includes a light support 40 that is adapted to retain and hold the portable accessory lighting device 50 in position within housing 22 for use as the overhead dome lamp. Light support 40 has a shape and size similar to the shape and size of a base portion 54 of the lighting device 50 to receive and retain the lighting device 50 in a desired position and orientation. Specifically, light support 40 has a semicircular receiving portion 46 having opposing end prongs 42 and 44 that receive the cylindrical base portion 54 of the accessory lighting device 50 to hold the accessory lighting device 50 in position within housing 22. The opposing end prongs 42 and 44 may be resilient so as to flex when the base portion 54 is forcibly inserted into engagement within receiving portion 46 or removed therefrom.
The light support 40 further includes a pair of electrical contacts 48 in the form of contact pins that are positioned to engage and make electrical contact with recessed charging contacts 82 provided on the base portion 54 of the accessory lighting device 50. The electrical contacts 48 may include spring biased contacts that are spring biased via springs 49 to ensure physical contact between contacts 48 and the recessed charging contacts 82 despite variations in placement of the accessory lighting device 50 relative to the light support 40 and housing 22. The recessed charging contacts 82, in turn, are electrically coupled to a rechargeable battery within the accessory lighting device 50. As such, the rechargeable battery is recharged with electrical energy from the vehicle electrical source (e.g., car battery) when the accessory lighting device 50 is aligned and installed on the light support 40 within housing 22 and recessed charging contacts 82 are in electrical contact with contacts 48. While the electrical charging configuration shown and described herein employs electrical contacts that physically contact one another, according to one embodiment, it should be appreciated that other charging circuitry may be employed, such as wireless inductive charging, according to other embodiments. In addition, it should be appreciated that a dome light signal may be transmit from the vehicle to the lighting device either wirelessly or via a signal contact provided in the housing 22 to activate the light source to provide dome lighting.
The portable accessory lighting device 50 includes three articulating and reconfigurable support legs 100 which serve as the supporting portion 56 of lighting device 50 to serve as a stand, a twist or wrap support or other supporting structure. One of the reconfigurable support legs 100 is illustrated in
In one embodiment, the rubber segments 110 are flexible and may bend independent of the pivoting ball and socket connection formed with the links 112. The links 112 may be rigid, according to one embodiment. According to other embodiments, the links 112 may be made of a flexible material that may flex independent of the ball and socket connection and the segments 110 may be made of a rigid material. The ball and socket connection between segments 110 and links 112 allows for rotation of segments 110 relative to links 112 about the longitudinal axis and rotation in other axes. Each segment 110 and interconnecting link 112 allows for relative motion therebetween to allow for various configurations of the reconfigurable legs 100. In addition, the uppermost enlarged spherical head of link 112 serves as a tripod pivot connector 102 that is adapted to connect to a tripod stand to support the leg 100 relative to the other legs 100 and may include various shapes and sizes for allowing articulating motion of each leg 100.
The articulating legs 100 are easily reconfigured to various configurations. The reconfigurable legs 100 may be aligned substantially straight and parallel to one another in an unexpanded arrangement as shown in
Referring to
The head portion 52 of lighting device 50 is connected to base portion 54 which has a housing 80 adapted to be fastened to support bezel 60. Housing 80 has a compartment for receiving a battery receptacle 84 with positive and negative contacts 86 and 88 which are adapted to receive a rechargeable battery 90. Electrical circuitry is included to supply electrical power from the battery 90 to the light sources 64 when switch 76 is activated. The battery compartment 84 has electrical circuitry connected to electrical contacts 82 which allows for the rechargeable battery 90 to be charged when electrical contact is made with the spring biased contacts 48 within the housing 22. The rechargeable battery 90 may supply DC voltage and charging circuitry may be included in the vehicle 10, the light assembly housing 22 or the lighting device 50.
The supporting portion of the accessory lighting device 50 is shown having three flexible articulating and reconfigurable legs 100. Each of the three reconfigurable legs 100 has a tripod pivot connector 102 at the top end thereof configured to be received within any opening or socket 104 in tripod support member 106. As such, the ball and socket connection between each tripod pivot connector 102 and socket 104 allows each of the three supporting legs 100 to articulate by pivoting and rotating in various directions. A plate 92 is disposed over member 106. Legs 100 further have suction cups 120 formed on the bottom ends thereof to allow for suctioned coupling to a smooth surface such as a window. It should be appreciated that each of the legs 100 may be self-supported and yet is reconfigurable to be adjusted into various orientations to position the accessory light device 50 as desired by a user.
Accordingly, the vehicle light assembly and accessory light device disclosed herein advantageously provides for a vehicle interior lighting, and further provides for an accessory light that is portable for both uses on and off the vehicle. As such, the vehicle light assembly and accessory lighting device advantageously provide multiple functions for improved vehicle lighting needs.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
