U.S. patent application number 09/732910 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for illuminating plate for car.
Invention is credited to Katagiri, Katuhiro, Sano, Yoshio, Shibata, Minoru, Shigeno, Kazumichi, Suyama, Hiroshi, Tatewaki, Yasumasa, Yamanaka, Osamu.
Application Number | 20010040393 09/732910 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18420695 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010040393 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sano, Yoshio ; et
al. |
November 15, 2001 |
Illuminating plate for car
Abstract
An illuminating plate for a car has a light guide plate; a cover
provided with at least one light transmitting window, and disposed
on the light guide plate; and light reflecting layer formed on the
rear surface of the light guide plate. The light reflecting layer
is formed to cover an area where the light is projected onto the
rear surface of the light guide plate through the corresponding
light transmitting window, and the light reflecting layer being
slightly larger than the area.
Inventors: |
Sano, Yoshio; (Aichi,
JP) ; Yamanaka, Osamu; (Aichi, JP) ; Tatewaki,
Yasumasa; (Aichi, JP) ; Shibata, Minoru;
(Aichi, JP) ; Katagiri, Katuhiro; (Aichi, JP)
; Shigeno, Kazumichi; (Aichi, JP) ; Suyama,
Hiroshi; (Aichi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PILLSBURY WINTHROP LLP
1600 TYSONS BOULEVARD
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Family ID: |
18420695 |
Appl. No.: |
09/732910 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/209 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 13/00 20130101;
G09F 13/044 20210501; B60R 13/02 20130101; G09F 13/18 20130101;
B60Q 1/323 20130101; B60R 2013/046 20130101; B60R 2013/0287
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/209 |
International
Class: |
B60R 013/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 10, 1999 |
JP |
P11-351943 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An illuminating plate for a car, comprising: a light guide
plate; a light source which is located on a side end of said light
guide plate; a cover disposed on a front surface of said light
guide plate and provided with at least one light transmitting
window; and at least one light reflecting layer formed on a rear
surface of said light guide plate so as to cover at least a
corresponding area where said light transmitting window is
projected onto said rear surface, and said light reflecting layer
not covering all over the rear surface of said light guide
plate.
2. An illuminating plate according to claim 1, wherein said light
reflecting layer has a shape which is schematically similar to a
predetermined shape of said light transmitting window.
3. An illuminating plate according to claim 1, wherein said light
reflecting layer is formed by white printing.
4. An illuminating plate according to claim 1, wherein said light
source is constituted by an LED.
5. An illuminating plate according to claim 1, wherein said
illuminating plate is a scuff plate to be disposed in a side step
portion of a car.
6. An illuminating plate for a car, comprising: a light guide
plate; a light source which is located on a side end of said light
guide plate; a cover disposed on a front surface of said light
guide plate and provided with light transmitting window; and at
least one light reflecting layer formed on a rear surface of said
light guide plate so as to cover at least a corresponding area
where said light transmitting window is projected onto said rear
surface, and said light reflecting layer not covering all over the
rear surface of said light guide plate. wherein at least one of
said front surface and said rear surface of said light guide plate
is subjected to half mirror treatment.
7. An illuminating plate according to claim 6, wherein said light
reflecting layer has a shape which is schematically similar to a
predetermined shape of said light transmitting window.
8. An illuminating plate according to claim 6, wherein each of said
light reflecting layer is formed by white printing.
9. An illuminating plate according to claim 6, wherein said light
source is constituted by an LED.
10. An illuminating plate according to claim 6, wherein said
illuminating plate is a scuff plate to be disposed in a side step
portion of a car.
11. An illuminating plate according to claim 6, wherein said half
mirror treatment comprising: a metal layer disposed on said light
guide plate.
12. An illuminating plate according to claim 6, wherein said half
mirror treatment comprising: a metal layer disposed between said
guide plate and said reflecting layer.
13. An illuminating plate according to claim 6, wherein said half
mirror treatment comprising: a first metal layer disposed on said
light guide plate; and a second metal layer disposed between said
guide plate and said reflecting layer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an illuminating plate for a
car, and particularly relates to an illuminating plate such as a
scuff plate or the like for indicating specific shapes with light
from a light source.
[0003] The present application is based on Japanese Patent
Application No. Hei. 11-351943, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A scuff plate or the like designed to indicate specific
shapes, specific characters, or the like, is hitherto used as an
interior part of a car. For example, JP-U-6-18078 discloses a plate
with an illuminator provided in a side step portion. In the plate,
a light emitting portion is coated with transparent resin (light
guide), and further covered with a cover in which light
transmitting holes each having a desired shape are punched like
windows. Thus, light from a light source is taken out through the
window-like light transmitting holes provided in the cover, so that
the desired shapes are indicated.
[0006] With such a configuration, the light emitting portion, the
light guide plate and the cover are put on one another sequentially
so that the total thickness of the plate increases. In addition,
the light emitting portion is located just under the cover through
the light guide plate so that a load from the plate top surface
(cover surface) is applied directly to the light emitting portion.
As a result, for example, if the plate is installed, like a scuff
plate, in a place where the plate may be trodden by a crew who is
getting on/off, a load not lower than necessary one may be given to
the light emitting portion so as to damage the function of the
light emitting portion.
[0007] As means for solving the foregoing problems, there is
considered a method in which a light emitting portion, that is, a
light source is disposed not under a light guide plate but on the
side of a light guide plate so that light is introduced from a side
surface of the light guide plate. In this method, for example, a
reflecting layer is provided, by rough surface treatment, white
print, or the like, all over the surface of the light guide plate
opposite to the surface which is covered with a cover. The light
introduced from the side surface of the light guide plate is
reflected toward the cover by the reflecting layer provided thus,
so that the light is taken out through window-like light
transmitting holes of the cover. With such a configuration,
however, the reflecting layer is so broad that the reflection
efficiency becomes insufficient. As a result, there is a fear that
unevenness appears in light emission. It is also considered that
the reflecting layer is not formed all over the surface but printed
like dots so as to reduce the reflection area. In this case,
however, there is a fear that the light taken out through the light
transmitting hole of the cover is observed to be dotted. That is
not preferred in view of design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, which
has been developed in consideration of the foregoing problems, it
is an object of the present invention to provide an illuminating
plate of a car which can indicate a desired character, a desired
figure, or the like, with a uniform light volume all over an
indicating portion, and which is thin and excellent in durability.
The illuminating plate has a configuration which comprises:
[0009] An illuminating plate for a car, comprising:
[0010] a light guide plate;
[0011] a light source which is located on a side end of said light
guide plate; a cover disposed on a front surface of said light
guide plate and provided with at least one light transmitting
window; and
[0012] at least one light reflecting layer formed on a rear surface
of said light guide plate so as to cover at least a corresponding
area where said light transmitting window is projected onto said
rear surface, and said light reflecting layer not covering all over
the rear surface of said light guide plate;
[0013] With such a configuration, the light reflecting layer is
formed only in a portion corresponding to each of the light
transmitting windows formed in the cover. Accordingly, the area of
the light reflecting layers can be reduced, so that light from a
light source can be condensed onto the whole of the light
reflecting layers uniformly. It is therefor possible to make light
emission with a uniform light volume all over the light reflecting
layers. In addition, the light emitting portion is not provided in
a position where the light emitting portion, the cover and the
light guide plate are put on one another. Accordingly, the
illuminating plate as a whole can be made thin. Further, the light
source can be provided in any desirable position in the lateral
direction of the light guide plate. Accordingly, even in the case
where the illuminating plate is installed in a position where a
load is given thereto, it is possible to prevent the influence of
the load on the light source, so that it is possible to improve the
durability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a top view of a scuff plate according to an
embodiment in a first aspect of the present invention, and a
sectional view taken on line A-A;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a top view of a scuff plate according to an
embodiment in a second aspect of the present invention, and a
sectional view taken on line B-B;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the scuff
plate according to the embodiment in the second aspect;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the scuff plate according to
the embodiment in the second aspect;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the scuff
plate according to the embodiment in the second aspect; and
[0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a car to which the scuff
plate according to the present invention is applied.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The configuration according to the first aspect of the
present invention will be described below with reference to an
embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 1 includes a top view of a scuff plate 1 according to
an embodiment in the first aspect of the present invention, and a
sectional view taken on line A-A. The scuff plate 1 is roughly
constituted by a cover 10, housings 20 and 30, and a light guide
plate 40.
[0022] The cover 10 is made of material which does not transmit
light. For example, various metals, alloys, etc. may be used
therefor. Of course, material such as not-transparent resin,
not-transparent plastic, or the like, may be used so long as it
does not transmit light. A thin plate of such material is formed by
press work or the like so as to form a cover having a desired
shape. Although the cover 10 has a rectangular shape in plan view
in this embodiment, the shape is not limited to this, but is
defined optionally in accordance with the characters to be
indicated, the place where the scuff plate 1 is attached, and so
on. Light transmitting windows 11 are formed like characters in the
cover 10. Figures or desired graphic designs as well as such
characters shown in this embodiment can be punched out by press
work or the like so as to form the window-like light transmitting
windows 11. Alternatively, light non-transmissive ink may be
printed to portions excluding the desired shape of the cover 10 so
as to form the light transmitting windows.
[0023] The light transmitting windows 11 may be filled with
transparent resin, such as polyvinyl chloride, epoxy resin,
polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate or the like. In addition,
the whole of the scuff plate 1 may be coated with transparent resin
or the like. This coating improves the durability of the scuff
plate.
[0024] The housing 20 is provided for the protection of the light
guide plate 40, and so on. The housing 30 is provided also for the
protection of the light guide plate 40, and so on.
[0025] A light source 21 is provided inside the housing 20. The
light source 21 is constituted by an LED light source. In this
embodiment, an RGB-type LED which can emit any desirable color is
used. Of course, another type of LED or a bulb may be used as the
light source. In view of power consumption and heat generation, it
is preferable that an LED is used as the light source.
[0026] The light source 21 is connected to a not-shown power supply
and a not-shown control circuit so that the lighting state of the
light source 21 is controlled. For example, the light source 21 may
be turned on/off in response to the open/close of a door.
Alternatively, the light source 21 may be turned on/off in response
to the one/off of a room lamp or a front lamp.
[0027] The light guide plate 40 is put under the cover 10. The
light guide plate 40 is made of transparent resin or glass, or the
like. If there is a fear that an external load is given to the
light guide plate 40 like the case in a scuff plate, it is
preferable that high-strength material is used. For example, epoxy
resin, acrylic resin, or polycarbonate may be used. In addition,
the front surface or the rear surface of the light guide plate 40
may be finished to be concave or convex so that the light guide
plate 40 can have a lens effect.
[0028] Reflecting layers 50 made of light reflective ink are
provided on a rear surface 41 of the light guide plate 40. In this
embodiment, the reflecting layers 50 are formed of white ink by
silk-screen printing. Such reflecting layers may be formed by
another printing method, vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like.
Alternatively, the reflecting layers may be provided by pasting a
white tape to the rear surface 41 of the light guide plate 40. As
the light reflective ink, high-reflective one is used. Preferably,
white ink is used. Alternatively, the light guide plate rear
surface 41 may be roughed by etching, sand blasting,
electric-discharge machining, or the like, so as to form the
reflecting layers.
[0029] The reflecting layers 50 are formed not all over the light
guide plate rear surface 41 but in the respective areas
corresponding to the light transmitting windows 11 of the cover 10.
Since the area of the reflecting layer 50 is reduced thus, the area
where the light from the light source 21 is condensed and reflected
is reduced. As a result, uniform light emission is performed all
over the reflecting layers 50. In detail, the reflecting layers 50
are formed over the respective area where the light transmitting
windows 11 are orthographically projected onto the light guide
plate rear surface 41. Each reflecting layer 50 has an area which
is slightly larger than the aforementioned area where the
corresponding window 11 is projected onto the light guide plate.
That is, each reflecting layer 50 is provided to cover at least the
area of the light guide plate rear surface 41 which can be viewed
through the corresponding light transmitting window 11 directly in
front of the scuff plate 1 from the cover 10 side. More preferably,
as shown in FIG. 1, each reflecting layer 50 is formed in the area
having the shape schematically similar to that of the corresponding
light transmitting window 11. Thus, the reflecting layer is
provided also in the area of the light guide plate rear surface 41
which can be viewed through the corresponding light transmitting
window 11 of the case 10 even when the scuff plate 1 is viewed
obliquely. As a result, the state of light emission through the
light transmitting windows 11 is prevented from changing in
accordance with the angle to see. Alternatively, the shape of each
reflecting layer 50 may be provided not to be similar to but to be
matched to the shape of the corresponding light transmitting window
11. For example, in this embodiment, a triangle is matched to the
character "A", and quadrangles are matched to the characters "B"
and "C" respectively.
[0030] The light emitted from the light source 21 is condensed on
the reflecting layers 50 through the light guide plate 40, and then
reflected toward the cover 10. The reflected light is taken out to
the outside through the light transmitting windows 11 of the cover
10.
[0031] Next, description will be made about a second aspect of the
present invention. According to the second aspect, it is an object
to provide an illuminating plate which changes its indicating mode
by use of a half mirror effect. The configuration is as
follows.
[0032] The illuminating plate has a configuration comprises:
[0033] a light guide plate;
[0034] a light source which is located on a side end of said light
guide plate; a cover disposed on a front surface of said light
guide plate and provided with light transmitting window; and
[0035] at least one light reflecting layer formed on a rear surface
of said light guide plate so as to cover at least a corresponding
area where said light transmitting window is projected onto said
rear surface, and said light reflecting layer not covering all over
the rear surface of said light guide plate;
[0036] wherein at least one of said front surface and said rear
surface of said light guide plate is subjected to half mirror
treatment.
[0037] With such a configuration, in the state where light from a
light source is not introduced to the light guide plate (in the
state where the outside is brighter than the inside of the light
guide plate), light irradiation into the inside of the light guide
plate from the outside is reflected on the light guide plate front
surface subjected to half mirror treatment. Due to this reflected
light, metallic color is observed through the light transmitting
windows of the cover. On the other hand, in the state where light
from the light source is introduced to the light guide plate (in
the state where the inside of the light guide plate is brighter
than the outside), light emitted from the light source is taken out
to the outside by the half mirror effect. Thus, the color of the
light source is observed. In such a manner, there is provided an
illuminating plate in which the observed color is changed in
accordance with the on/off of the light source.
[0038] The configuration in the second aspect of the present
invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Parts the same as those in the scuff plate 1 according to the
embodiment in the first aspect are referenced correspondingly, and
the description thereof will be therefore omitted.
[0039] FIG. 2 includes a top view of a scuff plate 2 and a
sectional view taken on line B-B.
[0040] A half mirror layer 60 is formed on a front surface 42 of a
light guide plate 40. The half mirror layer 60 is constituted by
three layers as shown in FIG. 3, that is, an ink layer 61, a
protective layer 62 and a metal layer 63 which are put on one
another sequentially in the ascending order of the distance from
the cover 10.
[0041] The method of forming the half mirror layer 60 will be shown
by way of example as follows. First, Al is vapor-deposited on the
light guide plate front surface 42 so as to form the metal layer 63
of an Al thin film. The metal layer 63 is formed so as to be thick
enough to reflect, on its front surface, light having brightness in
the car in the daytime, and so as to be thin enough to transmit
light from a light source 21 to thereby obtain a half mirror
effect. Next, transparent resin such as epoxy resin or the like is
put on the metal layer 63 by printing, coating, or the like, so as
to form the protective layer 62. Finally, the ink layer 61 is
formed by printing, coating, or the like, with color ink of yellow
or the like. Of course, the method of forming the half mirror layer
60 is not limited to this. In addition, the materials of the metal
layer and the protective layer, and the material and color of the
ink layer may be selected optionally.
[0042] Next, description will be made about the operation and
effect of the half mirror layer 60. In the state where the light
source 21 is not turned on, that is, in the state where the outside
is brighter than the inside of the scuff plate 2, light from the
outside is radiated toward the light guide plate 40 through the
light transmitting windows 11 of the cover 10. Such light is
reflected on the metal layer 63 of the half mirror layer 60,
transmitted through the protective layer 62 and the ink layer 61,
passed through the light transmitting windows 11 of the cover 10
again, and taken out to the outside. The metallic color light
reflected on the metal layer 63 is colored with the color of the
ink layer 61 when the light passes through the ink layer 61. As a
result, the light taken out to the outside is recognized as a mixed
color of the metallic color and the color of the ink layer 61. For
example, when the silver of Al and the yellow are mixed with each
other, the light is recognized as golden light.
[0043] On the other hand, when the light source 21 is turned on to
introduce light into the light guide plate 40 in the state where
the outside is darker (for example, in the nighttime), the
introduced light is reflected on the reflecting layer 50 so as to
go toward the cover 10. Thus, the reflected light reaches the metal
layer 63 of the half mirror layer 60. The metal layer 63 is formed
so as to be thin enough to transmit the light from the light source
21. Therefore, the light emitted from the light source 21 and
reached the metal layer 63 is transmitted through the metal layer
63, the protective layer 62 and the ink layer 61 sequentially, and
then taken out to the outside through the light transmitting
windows 11 of the cover 10. In such a manner, when the light source
21 is turned on, the light from the light source 21 is taken out
through the light transmitting windows 11 so that the color of the
light emitted from the light source 21 is observed.
[0044] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a scuff plate 3 in which a
half mirror layer 70 is provided on a rear surface 41 of a light
guide plate 40. As shown in FIG. 5, the half mirror layer 70 is
constituted by an ink layer 71, a protective layer 72, a metal
layer 73 and a protective layer 74 which are put on one another
sequentially in the ascending order of the distance from the light
guide plate rear surface 41. The ink layer 71 and the metal layer
73 are formed of the same materials and by the same methods as
those of the ink layer 61 and the metal layer 63 in the
aforementioned scuff plate 2, respectively. Similarly, the
protective layers 72 and 74 are formed of the same material and by
the same method as that of the aforementioned protective layer
62.
[0045] In addition, reflecting layers 50 are formed over
predetermined areas of the surface of the protective layer 74.
[0046] Next, description will be made about the operation and
effect of the half mirror layer 70. In the state where the light
source 21 is not turned on, that is, in the state where the outside
is brighter, light from the outside is passed through light
transmitting windows 11 of a cover 10, transmitted through the
light guide plate 40, and then reaches the half mirror layer 70.
Such light is reflected on the metal layer 73 of the half mirror
layer 70, transmitted through the protective layer 72 and the ink
layer 71 sequentially, transmitted through the light guide plate
40, and taken out through the light transmitting windows 11 of the
cover 10. The light is colored with the color of the ink layer 71
when the light passes through the ink layer 71. As a result, the
light taken out to the outside is recognized as a mixed color of
the metallic color and the color of the ink layer. In this
embodiment, the silver of Al and the yellow are mixed with each
other so that the light is recognized as golden light.
[0047] On the other hand, when light from the light source 21 is
introduced into the light guide plate 40 in the state where the
outside is darker (for example, in the nighttime), the introduced
light is transmitted through the half mirror layer 70 and reflected
on the reflecting layers 50 because the metal layer 73 of the half
mirror layer 70 is formed to be thin enough to transmit the light
from the light source. The reflected light is transmitted through
the half mirror layer 70 again, succeedingly transmitted through
the light guide plate 40, and taken out through the corresponding
light transmitting windows 11 of the cover. In such a manner, when
the light source 21 is turned on, the color of the light emitted
from the light source 21 is observed from the light transmitting
windows 11 of the cover.
[0048] Not to say, the operation and effect of the scuff plate 1
according to the embodiment in the first aspect can be likewise
performed also in the scuff plates 2 and 3.
[0049] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a car to which the scuff
plate according to the present invention is applied. The scuff
plate is disposed in a side step portion of the car.
[0050] The present invention is not limited to the description of
the embodiments according to the present invention but is
applicable to various illuminating plates for a car. Various
modifications which are able to be figured out easily by those
skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the
accompanying claims also belong to the present invention.
* * * * *