Luminescent seating assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409515-B2
Application number	US-201514719042-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	Nov 21, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A lighting system for a vehicle headrest is provided herein. The lighting system includes a support attached to a headrest on a first end and removably coupled to a seatback on the opposing end. A light source is disposed on the headrest. A first photoluminescent structure is disposed within the system and is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light source. The light source may comprise a plurality of printed LEDs employing a thin configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting system for a vehicle headrest, comprising:
a light source disposed on the headrest; and
a plurality of photoluminescent structures configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light source, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent structures are separated by a plurality of light transmissive portions such that a first portion of light emitted from the light source is converted to a second wavelength and a second portion of light emitted from the light source passes through a light transmissive portion.

2. The lighting system for a vehicle headrest of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of printed LEDs.

3. The lighting system for a vehicle headrest of claim 2 , wherein the photoluminescent structure comprises at least one photoluminescent material configured to down convert an inputted light received from at least a portion of the light sources into a visible light that is outputted to a viewable portion.

4. The lighting system for a vehicle headrest of claim 3 , wherein the inputted light comprises one of blue light, violet light, and UV light.

5. The lighting system for a vehicle headrest of claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the photoluminescent structures is separated from and disposed proximate the headrest.

6. The lighting system for a vehicle headrest of claim 1 , further comprising a controller for controlling an activation state of the light source in response to at least one vehicle-related condition.

7. The lighting system for a vehicle headrest of claim 6 , wherein the controller determines at least one of a light emission intensity and a light emission duration of each of the light source.

8. A headrest for a vehicle, comprising:
a body portion of the headrest defined by an exterior shell;
a light source having a portion thereof disposed within the shell;
a luminescent structure on a seatbelt configured to luminesce in response to excitation by at least a portion of the light source; and
a controller configured to control an activation state of the light source.

9. The headrest for a vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the light source comprises a printed LED.

10. The headrest for a vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the luminescent structure comprises at least one luminescent material configured to down convert an inputted light received from at least a portion of the printed LED into a visible light that is outputted to a viewable portion.

11. The headrest for a vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the inputted light comprises one of a blue light, violet light, and UV light.

12. The headrest for a vehicle of claim 8 , wherein a plurality of luminescent structures are separated by a plurality of light transmissive portions such that a first portion of light emitted from the light source is converted to a second wavelength and a second portion of light emitted from the light source passes through a light transmissive portion.

13. The headrest for a vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the controller determines at least one of a light emission intensity and a light emission duration of the light source.

14. A lighting system for a vehicle seating assembly, comprising:
a light source disposed within the headrest of the seating assembly;
a first photoluminescent structure disposed on the light source; and
a second photoluminescent structure disposed on a component separate from and disposed proximate the seating assembly, wherein the first and second photoluminescent structures are configured to luminesce in response to excitation by light output from at least a portion of the light source.

15. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the light sources comprise a plurality of printed LEDs.

16. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the first photoluminescent structure comprises at least one photoluminescent material configured to down convert an inputted light received from at least a portion of the light sources into a visible light that is outputted to a viewable portion.

17. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the inputted light comprises one of blue light, violet light, and UV light.

18. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the first photoluminescent structure illuminates in a first color and a second photoluminescent structure illuminates in a second color.

19. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a controller for controlling an activation state of the light source in response to at least one vehicle-related condition.

20. The lighting system for a vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the controller determines at least one of a light emission intensity and a light emission duration of the light source.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Surman James J
• Gardner Cornel Lewis

Classifications

• B60Q3/233 Primary

  Seats; Arm rests; Head rests · CPC title

• F21V9/40

  with provision for controlling spectral properties, e.g. colour, or intensity · CPC title

• F21V9/32

  characterised by the arrangement of the photoluminescent material · CPC title

• F21V13/08

  the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements and reflectors · CPC title

• H05B47/105

  in response to determined parameters · CPC title