Lighting system for mass-transit vehicles

In a mass-transit vehicle having a passenger compartment with side windows, an aisle extending along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a passenger seating area on one side of the aisle, a lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area and minimizing the illumination of the aisle and side windows, said lighting system comprising:

• a light fixture including an elongated lamp housing longitudinally disposed in the passenger compartment above the seating area for preferentially directing light into the seating area;
• a light source mounted in the vehicle adjacent said passenger compartment;
• an elongated light pipe having an input end optically coupled to said light source to receive light therefrom, said light pipe extending from said light source into the passenger compartment and longitudinally extending above the seating area adjacent said lamp housing, said light pipe being adapted to conduct light along its length while laterally emitting light from along its length into the passenger compartment;
• and
• an elongated mounting fin integrally and laterally extending from along said length of said light pipe to an elongated fin upper edge, said mounting fin adapted to engage said light fixture and support said light pipe without blocking light emitted from said light pipe into said seating area.

In a mass-transit vehicle having a passenger compartment with a ceiling, side walls, cornice areas, side windows, an aisle extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a passenger seating area on one side of the aisle, a lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area and minimizing the illumination of the aisle and side windows, said lighting system comprising:

• a lighting fixture mounted in the cornice area above the seating area, said fixture comprising a face panel having an upper edge and a lower edge, said upper edge adapted to be supported by the vehicle ceiling;
• said fixture additionally comprising an air duct extension panel adapted to mount between the vehicle side wall and said face panel to space the face panel from the side wall, said air duct extension panel having an inner edge connected to said face panel lower edge, and an outer edge connected to the vehicle side wall;
• and
• an elongated lamp housing fixed to said air duct extension panel in a position adjacent and generally parallel to said air duct extension panel inner edge, said face panel being detachably connected to said duct extension panel inner edge along said face panel lower edge to allow said face panel to be removed without removing said lamp housing.

In a mass-transit vehicle having a passenger compartment with a ceiling, side walls, cornice areas, side windows, an aisle extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a passenger seating area on one side of the aisle, a lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area and minimizing the illumination of the aisle and side windows, said lighting system comprising:

• a lighting fixture mounted in the cornice area above the seating area, said fixture comprising a face panel having an upper edge and a lower edge, said upper edge adapted to be supported by the vehicle ceiling;
• said fixture additionally comprising an air duct extension panel adapted to mount between the vehicle side wall and said face panel to space the face panel from the side wall, said air duct extension panel having an inner edge connected to said face panel lower edge, and an outer edge connected to the vehicle side wall;
• and
• an elongated lamp housing fixed to said air duct extension panel in a position adjacent and generally parallel to said air duct extension panel inner edge, said face panel being pivotally connected to said duct extension panel inner edge along said face panel lower edge to allow said face panel to be rotated downward to open said light fixture without removing said lamp housing.