Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Plural light sources
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-03
2004-05-11
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Plural light sources
C362S084000, C362S229000, C362S228000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06733163
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention pertains to the general field of vehicle lights and more particularly to a vehicle auxiliary light that incorporates a centered incandescent light and around its perimeter an electro-luminescent ring light.
BACKGROUND ART
One of the most popular ways to customize a vehicle is to alter the lights. Most vehicles come equipped with various conventional lights, such as head lights, tail lights, turn signal indicators, etc. While these lights do provide adequate illumination for normal driving, many people have discovered that by adding additional lights, such as fog lights, the ability to see and be seen improved substantially. As a result of this, some vehicle manufacturers now provide the additional lights as standard.
As is commonly known, many individuals prefer to individualize their vehicle by adding custom features. A novel approach to customizing would be to provide a means by which a person could alter the appearance and/or function of the illumination from light assemblies that come standard on the vehicle. In this manner, the light assemblies could function as originally intended and also provide a unique visual appearance.
The instant invention adds to the aesthetics and novelty of a conventional auxiliary light assembly by adding a ring-shaped electro-luminescent panel around the inner perimeter of a light assembly housing.
A search of the prior art patents and an industry literature search did not disclose any light assemblies that read on the claims of the instant invention.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
A vehicle auxiliary light assembly such as a fog light which comprises a centered incandescent light and an electro-luminescent ring light that is located around the light assembly's perimeter. The light assembly comprises a housing that has an open front surface and a domed rear surface. A combination light receptacle and connector is attached to a connector bore located on the assembly. A plurality of wiring receptacles protrude from the front of the connector, extend through the connector and terminate with a plurality of respective pins, which protrude through the rear of the connector.
An electro-luminescent panel (ELP) is removably attached to a ring slot located on the light assembly's perimeter. Both the incandescent light bulb and the ELP are electrically connected to respective wiring receptacles to create an electrical circuit for the light assembly.
The incandescent light and the ELP that comprise the light assembly are powered by a vehicle battery. A cable assembly is utilized to apply and control the power that is applied from the battery to the light assembly. By utilizing a first cable assembly the incandescent light bulb and the ELP can be independently activated by use of a power-on light switch or a power-on ELF switch, respectively. A second cable assembly allows the incandescent light bulb and the ELP to be simultaneously turned on when a power-on light/ELF switch is closed. The power-on light/ELP switch is comprised of a vehicle switch that normally operates the auxiliary lights.
In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to provide a vehicle auxiliary light assembly, such as a fog light, that in addition to having a conventional centered incandescent light bulb, utilizes an electro-luminescent panel to provide illumination around the auxiliary light's perimeter.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a vehicle auxiliary light assembly that:
adds a unique visible alteration to conventional light assemblies,
is easy to install, simple to use and maintenance free,
requires a small amount of power for operation,
can be provide as a standard OEM addition to a vehicle light assembly, or may be sold as an after-market item, and
is cost effective from a manufacturer's and a consumer's point of view.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3262224 (1966-07-01), Hardesty
patent: 5595438 (1997-01-01), Burd
patent: 5685637 (1997-11-01), Chapman et al.
patent: 6113433 (2000-09-01), Al-Turki
patent: 6168282 (2001-01-01), Chien
patent: 4135596 (1993-05-01), None
Cariaso Alan
Cota Albert O.
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