Method and apparatus for vehicle opaque see-through attachment
AssigneePutco, Inc.
InventorJames P. Elwell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The attachment for a vehicle and the method for providing the attachment to the vehicle includes mounting a housing on the outside of the vehicle. The housing includes a back attachable to the vehicle, a compartment within the housing, and a lens visible from outside the vehicle. At least one or more lights is contained within the compartment between the lens and the outside of the compartment. The lens is opaque when the lights are turned off so as to conceal the lights within the compartment and the lens is visible from outside the vehicle when the lights are turned on.
Claims4
An attachment for a vehicle comprising:
- a lens having a curved plastic shell and a plating visible from outside the vehicle, the curved plastic shell being adapted for being adhered to an outer surface of a vehicle;
- a light fixture adhered directly to the plating and having an opening therein including a bottom end and a top end;
- one or more lights inserted in the top end of the opening of the light fixture;
- an opaque cover having side edges resting on the light fixture confining the lighting to the lights;
- an electrical mechanism connected to the lights and being capable of turning the lights on or off;
- the plating on the lens adjacent the bottom end of the opening of the light fixture;
- and
- the plating being opaque when the lights are turned off so as to conceal the lights from outside the lens and prevent the lights from being seen outside the vehicle, and permitting the lights to show through and be visible from outside the vehicle when the lights are turned on so as to permit the lights to be seen from outside the vehicle.
An illuminated attachment to an external surface of a vehicle, the illuminated attachment comprising:
- an outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer shell having an arcuate cross section with an open rear portion, the rear portion of the shell being adapted for being adhered to a desired location on an exterior surface of a vehicle;
- a coating on the inner surface of the outer shell, the coating being opaque to light from outside the shell and transmissive of light from inside the shell;
- and
- a plurality of light emitting devices operatively attached to the shell such that the light emitting devices are covered and protected by the shell when the rear portion of the shell is adhered to the vehicle, light produced by the light emitting devices being visible through the shell when the light emitting devices are illuminated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.