Trailer light system
OwnerRaymond A. Ruppelinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle lighting system for use with trucks or trailers which will assist a driver in observing conditions at the rear of the vehicle at night when backing, turning corners and the like by illuminating the rear wheels and areas adjacent the rear wheels of the vehicle. The lighting system includes a light unit mounted under a vehicle body above but forwardly and/or rearwardly of the rear wheels with the light unit being constructed in such a manner to direct a light beam downwardly and outwardly in relation to the vehicle body and wheels to illuminate ground surface areas and obstacles that may exist up to a certain height to enable a driver to more safely operate a vehicle at night and avoid the possibility of the light shining into the eyes of other vehicle operators.
Claims10
In combination with a vehicle including a load carrying body having a rear wheel assembly at each side of the rear portion of the body, said vehicle including front steerable wheels spaced a substantial distance from the rear wheel assemblies whereby the rear wheel assemblies do not track in the same path as the front path steerable wheels when the vehicle makes a turn, the improvement comprising illuminating means mounted on the load body above but forwardly and/or rearwardly of each rear wheel assembly, each illuminating means including a lamp assembly and means mounting the lamp assembly from the load body to direct a continuous light beam, when energized, downwardly and outwardly at a small angle to illuminate the rear wheel assembly and surface areas adjacent thereto to enable an operator of the vehicle to observe the position of the rear wheel assemblies and the areas adjacent to the rear wheel assemblies during nighttime operation of the vehicle without binding other vehicle operators and pedestrians.
In combination with a vehicle including a load carrying body having a rear wheel assembly at each side o the rear portion of the body, said vehicle including front steerable wheels spaced a substantial distance from the rear wheel assemblies whereby the rear wheel assemblies do not track in the same path as the front steerable wheels when the vehicle makes a turn, the improvement comprising illuminating means mounted on the load body above but forwardly and/or rearwardly of each rear wheel assembly, each illuminating means including a lamp assembly and means mounting the lamp assembly from the load body to direct a continuous light beam, when energized, downwardly and outwardly at a small angle to illuminate the rear wheel assembly and surface areas adjacent thereto to enable an operator of the vehicle to observe the position of the rear wheel assemblies and the areas adjacent to the rear wheel assemblies during nighttime operation of the vehicle without blinding other vehicle operators and pedestrians, said mounting means including a housing, means resiliently supporting the lamp assembly in the housing, said housing including an inclined mounting surface which has a lower portion closer to the light beam emitted by the lamp assembly that the upper portion of the mounting surface, said mounting surface engaging a vertical support surface on the vehicle body and extending inwardly therefrom, fastener means securing the mounting surface to the support surface thereby orienting the lamp assembly to emit a light beam downwardly and outwardly of the rear wheel assembly to illuminate the rear wheel assembly and adjacent areas.
In combination with a vehicle including a load carrying body having a rear wheel assembly at each side of the rear portion of the body, said vehicle including front steerable wheels spaced a substantial distance from the rear wheel assemblies whereby the rear wheel assemblies do not track in the same path as the front steerable wheels when the vehicle makes a turn, the improvement comprising illuminating means mounted on the load body above but forwardly and/or rearwardly of each rear wheel assembly, each illuminating means including a lamp assembly and means mounting the lamp assembly from the load body to direct a continuous light beam, when energized, downwardly and outwardly at a small angle to illuminate the rear wheel assembly and surface areas adjacent thereto to enable an operator of the vehicle to observe the position of the rear wheel assemblies and the areas adjacent to the rear wheel assemblies during nighttime operation of the vehicle without blinding other vehicle operators and pedestrians, said mounting means including a housing, said housing including vertically disposed side walls with one of said side walls engaging the interior of a vertical wall defining a periphery of the load carrying body with the housing extending inwardly from the interior surface of the vertical wall to eliminate outwardly extending obstructions on the load body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.