Powering and illuminating a vehicle accessory
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsKeith Weston, Dave D. Friske, Michael Joseph Niksa, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Brendan Diamond, Stuart C. Salter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle accessory may include an accessory body configured to operably couple to the vehicle, a power transfer assembly configured to operably couple a first power source at the vehicle to the accessory body to transfer electrical power to the accessory body, and an electroluminescent material disposed at the accessory body to emit light when powered. The power transfer assembly may transfer the electrical power to the accessory body responsive to installation in or operation of the vehicle, and the electrical power may excite the electroluminescent material to emit light.
Claims19
A vehicle accessory for a vehicle, the vehicle accessory comprising:
- an accessory body configured to operably couple to the vehicle;
- a power transfer assembly configured to operably couple a first power source at the vehicle to the accessory body to transfer electrical power to the accessory body;
- and
- an electroluminescent material disposed at the accessory body to emit light when powered;
- wherein the power transfer assembly transfers the electrical power to the accessory body responsive to installation in or operation of the vehicle,
- wherein the electrical power excites the electroluminescent material to emit light,
- wherein the vehicle accessory and the accessory body are flexible, and
- wherein a control circuit disposed at the accessory body and printed via conductive ink printing to maintain flexibility transfers the electrical power to excite the electroluminescent material to emit light.
A vehicle accessory for a vehicle, the vehicle accessory comprising:
- an accessory body configured to operably couple to the vehicle;
- a power transfer assembly configured to operably couple a first power source at the vehicle to the accessory body to transfer electrical power to the accessory body;
- and
- a control circuit disposed at the accessory body and configured to transfer the electrical power to emit light from the accessory body,
- wherein the power transfer assembly transfers the electrical power to the accessory body responsive to installation in or operation of the vehicle,
- wherein the vehicle accessory and the accessory body are flexible, and
- wherein the control circuit is printed via conductive ink printing to maintain flexibility.
A vehicle accessory for a vehicle, the vehicle accessory comprising:
- an accessory body configured to operably couple to the vehicle;
- a power source disposed at the accessory body to transfer electrical power to the accessory body;
- an electroluminescent material disposed at the accessory body to emit light when powered, and
- a control circuit disposed at the accessory body and configured to transfer the electrical power to the electroluminescent material,
- wherein the power source transfers electrical power to the accessory body responsive to installation in the vehicle, operation of the vehicle, or an illumination trigger,
- wherein the electrical power excites the electroluminescent material to emit light,
- wherein the vehicle accessory and the accessory body are flexible, and
- wherein the control circuit is printed via conductive ink printing to maintain flexibility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.