Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LIT RUNNING BOARD
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to running board assemblies. More particularly, the
invention
relates to running board assemblies including a lamp assembly for providing
nighttime
visibility.
Background of the Invention
Running boards are popular accessories for certain motor vehicles having a
high
ground clearance, such as pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. It is
desirable to illuminate
these running boards to allow users to find a stepping surface thereof at
night. Current
lighted running boards utilize, however, lower cost lamps that provide uneven
light
distribution and result in glare to the user, which actually reduces
visibility to the running
board. In addition, current running board lamps are located in unprotected
lower regions of
the motor vehicle and are, as a result, susceptible to damage.
Summary of the Invention
According to one aspect of the invention, a running board assembly includes a
frame
having an interior and a top surface. The top surface of the frame includes at
least one slot
extending therethrough. A lightpipe step-strip includes a first portion
disposed within the
interior of the frame and a second portion mounted along the top surface of
the frame. A
lamp assembly is fixedly secured to the frame for transmitting light towards
the lightpipe
step-strip. The first portion of the lightpipe step-strip redirects light
through the at least one
slot in the frame to light the second portion of the lightpipe step-strip and
provide nighttime
visibility of the running board assembly.
According to another aspect of the invention, a running board assembly
includes a
frame having opposing top and bottom surfaces defining an interior. The bottom
surface
includes at least one slot extending therethrough. A lightpipe step-strip is
disposed within the
interior of the frame and is visible through the at least one slot in the
bottom surface. A lamp
assembly is fixedly secured to the frame for transmitting light into the
interior of the frame.
The lightpipe-step strip redirects light from the interior of the frame to the
portion of the
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lightpipe step-strip visible through the at least one slot to allow visibility
of the area below
the running board assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The embodiments of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same
becomes
better understood by reference to the following detailed description when
considered in
connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a running board assembly according to one
embodiment of the invention including a frame and a lamp assembly secured
thereto;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the running board assembly including the
frame
defining an interior;
Figure 3 is an exploded, perspective view of the running board assembly;
Figure 4 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of the running board
assembly
including a lightpipe step-strip;
Figure 5 is cross sectional view of the running board assembly taken along
lines 5-5
in Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a planar section view of the running board assembly;
Figure 7 is a planar section view of the running board assembly in Figure 6
depicting
light being redirected at the lightpipe step-strip;
Figure 8 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the running board assembly when
lit;
and
Figure 9 is a sectional view of a running board assembly according to another
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figures 1 through 3, a running board assembly, generally shown at
10, is
provided for a motor vehicle. The running board assembly 10 includes a frame,
generally
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indicated at 12, extending longitudinally between opposing ends 14, 16. The
frame 12
includes a top surface 18, a bottom surface 20, and spaced apart sidewalls 22,
24 extending
between the top 18 and bottom 20 surfaces. The frame 12 also includes an
interior 26 defined
in part by the top 18 and bottom 20 surfaces and spaced apart sidewalls 22,
24. The frame 12
may be formed from steel. An end cap 27 is fixedly mounted to one end 16 of
the frame 12.
The top surface 18 defines at least one slot 28, shown in Figure 3, extending
therethrough and open to the interior 26 of the frame 12. In the current
embodiment, there
are three spaced apart slots 28 extending longitudinally between the opposing
ends 14, 16
parallel to one another. It is, however, appreciated that the particular size,
shape, number,
and orientation of the slots 28 may vary.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the running board assembly 10 also includes a
lightpipe
step-strip, generally indicated at 30, disposed within the interior 26 of the
frame 12 and
mounted along the top surface 18 thereof. The lightpipe step-strip 30 is a
molded plastic
article that is transparent and, as a result, capable of transmitting light.
In one embodiment,
the lightpipe step-strip 30 includes a plate 32 extending between first 34 and
second 36 ends.
The plate 32 includes an upper surface 35 and an opposing lower surface 37. At
least one
strip 38 extends along the plate 32. The at least one strip 38 is mounted
along the upper
surface 35 of the plate 32 and is raised relative thereto. In the current
embodiment, there are
three spaced apart strips 38 each extending longitudinally between the first
34 and second 36
ends.
The lightpipe step-strip 30 also includes at least one downwardly extending
member
40 extending out from the lower surface 37 of the plate 32. In the current
embodiment, the
lightpipe step-strip 30 includes three spaced apart downwardly extending
members 40 that
are received within the respective three slots 28 of the frame 12 to couple
the lightpipe step-
strip 30 to the frame 12. When the downwardly extending members 40 are
received within
the respective slots 28, the downwardly extending members 40 are disposed
within the
interior 26 of the frame 12 and the lower surface 37 of the plate 32 of the
lightpipe step-strip
abuts against the top surface 18 of the frame 12.
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Each of the downwardly extending members 40 generally extends longitudinally
between the first 34 and second 36 ends of the lightpipe step-strip 30. In the
current
embodiment, each of the downwardly extending members 40 includes a lower edge
42 that
approaches the plate 32 as the lower edge 42 extends from the second end 36 to
the first end
34 of the plate 32. It is, however, appreciated that the particular shape and
size of the
lightpipe step-strip 30, and the various portions thereof, may vary.
The running board assembly 10 further includes a cover 44 that is fixedly
secured to
the frame 12 to partially cover the lightpipe step-strip 30. In the current
embodiment, the
cover 44 includes spaced apart slots 46 extending therethrough. The cover 44,
which may be
opaque, is situated above the lightpipe step-strip 30 such that the spaced
apart strips 38 of the
lightpipe step-strip 30 are visible through the corresponding spaced apart
elongated slots 46.
Thus, the spaced apart strips 38 are visible through the cover 44.
Referring to Figures 3 through 6, a lamp assembly, generally indicated at 48,
is
fixedly secured to the frame 12. The lamp assembly 48 includes a housing 50
that is mounted
to the end 14 of the frame 12. It is, however, contemplated that the lamp
assembly 48 could
be mounted to either the other end 16 of the frame 12 or to both ends 14, 16
of the frame 12.
The housing 50 may be mounted to the frame 12 in any of numerous ways. The
housing 50
includes an interior portion 52. A clear lens 54 is fixedly secured to the
housing 50 to close
off the interior portion 52.
A light source 56 is mounted within the interior portion 52 of the housing 50.
The
light source 56 is completely encased by the housing 50 and the adjacent frame
12. As a
result, the light source 56 is completely shielded from the outside
environment and is not
susceptible to damage. The light source 56 is operably connected to a power
source (not
shown.) Upon activation of the lamp assembly 48, the strips 38 of the
lightpipe step-strip 30
glow or light up to and the running board assembly 10 is in a lit mode, as
shown in Figure 8.
The light source 56 and the lightpipe step-strip 30 are invisible when the
lamp
assembly 48 is not activated. As such, vehicle styling may be streamlined and
not
compromised by lighting geometrical requirements.
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In operation, the light source 56 transmits light to the lightpipe step-strip
30 upon
activation of the lamp assembly 48. The downwardly extending members 40
redirect the
light upwards, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, so that the strips 38 of the
lightpipe step-strip 30
light up or glow. The glowing strips 38 are visible through the slots 28
formed in the frame
12 and the slots 46 formed in the cover 44, as shown in Figure 8, to allow
nighttime visibility
of the running board assembly 10. The light escaping the frame 12 and the
cover 44 allows
users who are entering or exiting the motor vehicle to easily locate the
running board
assembly 10. In addition, there is no glare from the lamp assembly 48, which
might
otherwise interfere with visibility of the running board assembly 10.
It is appreciated that although only one lightpipe step-strip 30 and one lamp
assembly
48 are shown in the Figures and described above, in another embodiment of the
invention the
running board assembly 10 includes a second lightpipe step-strip 30 and a
second lamp
assembly 48 at the opposing end 16 of the frame 12.
Moreover, it is contemplated that the lightpipe step-strip 30 may be made from
translucent materials in various colors and with highly specular particles
suspended within to
provide unique styling advantages in both lit and unlit modes.
Referring to Figure 9, wherein like primed reference numerals represent
similar
elements as those described above, in a second embodiment of the invention the
lightpipe
step-strip 30' includes the plate 32' having the at least one strip 38'
extending therealong. At
least one upwardly extending member 58 extends out from the plate 32'. The
bottom surface
20' of the frame 12' includes at least one slot 28' that corresponds to the
shape of the at least
one strip 38' so that the at least one strip 38' is exposed to the outside
environment. Upon
activation of the lamp assembly 48', the light source 56' transmits light to
the lightpipe step-
strip 30', which redirects the light downward so that the at least one strip
38' begins to glow.
The light escapes the interior 26' of the frame 12' through the at least one
slot 28' in the
bottom surface 20' of the frame 12' so that the area directly below the
running board
assembly 10' is visible. This so-called puddle lamp allows users to see and
avoid any
standing water, mud, or other undesirable ground conditions below the running
board
assembly 10' as they approach the motor vehicle.
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The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be
understood that
the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words
of description
rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention
are possible in
light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended
claims, the
invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.
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