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US 5,477,432 AGranted
Illumination mechanism for a vehicle entertainment device
AssigneeChrysler Corporation
InventorsAndrew D. Magic, James P. Muccioli, Andrew P. Person
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illumination mechanism is provided for the receiving opening of an automobile entertainment device. The mechanism includes at least one light pipe fitted in the face of the entertainment device in close proximity to the area to be illuminated. This light pipe extends to a lamp or other light source otherwise used in the automobile for other illumination.
Claims11
The combination comprising:
- an entertainment device having a face plate of generally light opaque material with exterior and interior surfaces, control buttons extending through said face plate, a receiving slot having two ends in said face plate for receiving separate entertainment media, and a plurality of light sources within said entertainment device and remote from said receiving slot and said face plate interior surface, at least one of said light sources positioned to illuminate said control buttons;
- and
- an illumination mechanism including light guide means having a pair of first end parts, each with an externally visible portion at a respective end of said receiving slot and a second end adjacent to said remote light source, said light guide means guiding the light emitted from said remote light source to the externally visible portion of each said first part located at each end of said receiving slot, said externally visible portions visually defining the ends of said receiving slot into which the entertainment media is to be inserted and directing light toward said receiving slot.
An automotive entertainment device comprising:
- a housing;
- a plurality of light sources within said housing;
- a front panel attached to said housing and having control buttons extending therethrough, said front panel defining a slot opening configured to receive entertainment media, at least one of a said light sources being positioned within said housing to illuminate said control buttons and being remote from said slot opening;
- and
- a pair of light pipes within said housing, each light pipe having one end receiving light from said light source and a light emitting end recessed within said front panel at a respective end of said slot opening, each said light pipe guiding light emitted from said remote light source to its respective light emitting end to direct light toward at least a part of said slot opening and said light emitting ends indicating the slot opening therebetween to facilitate the insertion of the entertainment media.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.