Photoluminescent cargo area illumination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9493113-B2
Application number	US-201414519226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2013
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises a storage compartment forming an interior cavity disposed in a cargo area and a cover. The cover comprises a handle configured to facilitate access to the storage compartment from a closed position to an open position. The illumination apparatus further comprises at least one photoluminescent portion disposed proximate the storage compartment configured to illuminate at least a portion of the handle in the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle illumination apparatus comprising:
a storage compartment forming an interior cavity disposed in a cargo area of a vehicle;
a cover comprising a handle configured to facilitate access to the storage compartment from a closed position to an open position; and
at least one photoluminescent portion disposed proximate the storage compartment and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the handle in the closed position, wherein the at least one photoluminescent portion is further operable to illuminate at least a portion of the storage compartment in the open position.

2. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one photoluminescent portion comprises a first photoluminescent portion and a second photoluminescent portion.

3. The illumination apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first photoluminescent portion is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the handle in the closed position.

4. The illumination apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second photoluminescent portion is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the cover in the open position.

5. The illumination apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a light source configured to emit a first emission of light configured to excite the first photoluminescent portion and the second photoluminescent portion.

6. The illumination apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the light source is disposed at least partially within the storage compartment.

7. The illumination apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the handle is configured to illuminate in a back-lit configuration.

8. A vehicle illumination apparatus comprising:
a storage compartment forming an interior cavity disposed in a cargo area of a vehicle;
a cover comprising a handle configured to facilitate access to the storage compartment from a first position to a second position; and
at least one photoluminescent portion disposed proximate the storage compartment configured to illuminate at least a portion of the handle in a back-lit configuration corresponding to the first position.

9. The illumination apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first position corresponds to a closed position and the second position corresponds to an open position.

10. The illumination apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one photoluminescent portion is further operable to illuminate at least a portion of the storage compartment in the open position.

11. The illumination apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one photoluminescent portion comprises a first photoluminescent portion and a second photoluminescent portion.

12. The illumination apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first photoluminescent portion is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the handle in the closed position.

13. The illumination apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the second photoluminescent portion is configured to illuminate at least a portion of an interior surface of the cover in the open position.

14. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
a light source disposed at least partially in a storage compartment, the storage compartment forming an interior cavity disposed in a cargo area of a vechicle;
a cover comprising a handle configured to facilitate access to the storage compartment from a closed position to an open position; and
at least one photoluminescent portion disposed proximate the storage compartment configured to illuminate at least a portion of the storage compartment in the open position.

15. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the light source is configured to illuminate the at least one photoluminescent portion in the closed position and the open position.

16. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one photoluminescent portion comprises a first photoluminescent portion and a second photoluminescent portion.

17. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the second photoluminescent portion is configured to illuminate a portion of the handle in the closed position.

18. The illumination apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein light source is configured to illuminate the second photoluminescent portion in a back-lit configuration.

19. The illumination apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein light source is configured to illuminate the first photoluminescent portion in a front-lit configuration.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B60Q3/008

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q3/0233

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q3/06 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q3/68

  using ultraviolet light · CPC title

• B60Q3/30 Primary

  for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments · CPC title