US 6,419,379 B1Granted

Vehicle center console with interior illumination

AssigneeFederal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.

InventorGeorge Robert Hulse

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A center console assembly for mounting in a vehicle between the driver and front passenger seats to provide occupant conveniences and interior illumination. The user conveniences include storage trays, cupholders, a main storage bin, and an armrest. The assembly includes an illumination system for illumination of the user conveniences at the console, as well as illumination of external vehicle interior components and regions, such as the driver and front passenger seat buckles and the front and rear occupant foot wells. The illumination system uses at least one light source and one or more waveguides to route light within the console so that multiple lighting functions can be obtained using a small number of individual light sources. The external components and areas are illuminated via side openings in the console, which permits the illumination system to be completely housed within the console so that no external routing of light is necessary.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A console assembly for use at a central location within the interior of a vehicle, said console assembly comprising:

a console having an opaque housing and including a receptacle positioned at a first location on said console, said housing having an opening positioned at a second location on said console, said opening being located on an outer surface of said housing such that when said console is installed within the interior of a vehicle at the central location, said opening is oriented relative to a vehicle interior component so as to permit direct illumination of the interior component from light exiting said opening;
and
an illumination system disposed within said console, wherein said illumination system includes:
a light source positioned within said console to provide illumination at one of said first and second locations;
and
a waveguide optically coupled to said light source to thereby receive light from said light source said waveguide extending away from said light source toward the other of said first and second locations to thereby conduct the received light toward the other location.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/705,427Filed 4 Nov 2000 · us provisional application
Priority: 4 Nov 1999
Granted: 16 Jul 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G02B 6/0008
The light guides being of the fibre type: the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
B60N 2/793
Adaptations for additional use of the arm-rests: for use as storage compartments
B60N 3/002
Of tables or trays: of trays
B60N 3/102
Of receptacles for food or beverages, e.g. refrigerated: storable or foldable in a non-use position