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US 6,774,505 B1Granted
Vehicle switch assembly with proximity activated illumination
AssigneeLear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
InventorJoseph Wnuk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The inventive vehicle switch assembly includes a switch for producing a signal to control a vehicle accessory, a light for illuminating the assembly, and a sensor for actuating the light in response to detecting an object in proximity to the switch. Preferably, the switch is illuminated only when a hand of a vehicle occupant is placed within a predetermined distance of the switch.
Claims3
A switch assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- a switch for producing a signal to control a vehicle accessory;
- a light bulb for providing a beam of light;
- a tubular fiber optic light pipe which extends about the periphery of said switch and optically connected to said light bulb for receiving said beam of light and illuminating said assembly;
- and
- a proximity sensor for producing an actuation signal in response to detecting an object in proximity to said switch;
- and
- a control including a one-shot timer circuit for actuating said light for a predetermined period of time in response to said actuation signal.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.