Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle accessory component for a vehicle. The component makes use of a structural member having a channel. The structural member is attachable to the vehicle. A modular light assembly is included which has a frame and at least one optical element secured to the frame. Electrical cabling couples the optical element to a power source. The frame is insertable into the channel in the structural member and supported within the channel. The frame has at least one opening over which the optical element is positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the channel. This allows the optical element to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical element is powered on.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/052,679, filed Sep. 19, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to accessories for motor vehicles such as running boards, roof rack components and spoilers used with motor vehicles, and more particularly to an accessory component for a motor vehicle which has a modular light assembly that can be quickly and easily installed in the accessory component to provide a degree of lighting to areas which are adjacent the vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0004]    Lighted vehicle accessory components are becoming increasingly popular with manufacturers of passenger cars and trucks. Such accessory components typically include lighted step rails used on minivans, vans, pickup trucks, SUVs and crossovers, as well other types of vehicles. Such lighting is often used to temporarily illuminate certain areas adjacent to the vehicle, for example the ground near the rocker panels of a passenger car, truck, SUV or van, to aid the vehicle operator in entering or exiting the vehicle, or to make the vehicle itself more visually conspicuous to other motorists during use of the vehicle. A popular present day use for such lighting is in connection with step rails used on passenger cars, trucks, SUVs, minivans, full size vans, and crossovers. 
         [0005]    When incorporating lights into an external component of an accessory component of a motor vehicle, the complexity of assembly, cost and reliability become important considerations. Lights used on motor vehicle accessory components are exposed to the elements and therefore must be able to function reliably in conditions involving rain, snow and mud, as well as extreme hot and cold temperatures. This poses a challenge for designers to construct the accessory component so that the lighting elements and associated electrical wiring used to provide power to the lighting elements is integrated in such a way as to be protected from the elements. 
         [0006]    Typically, present day lighting systems involve individual lights that are mounted to, or partially within, the accessory component. Such construction, while possibly providing adequate protection against the elements, can significantly complicate the assembly of the accessory component and/or its attachment to the vehicle during assembly of the vehicle. Attaching lights one by one, along with a wiring harness, to the accessory component such as by adhesives, mechanical fasteners or other means also requires a certain degree of skill, care and experience by the individual performing the installation. Such types of assembly can be challenging to perform when the installation of individual lighting components and associated electrical wiring needs to be done on a traditional vehicle assembly line. Individual lights that are not properly lined up with associated holes or openings in the accessory component during assembly can present areas where excessive water can enter an interior area of the accessory component and potentially compromise the operation of the lighting system. The requirement to have individual lights and associated wiring installed on the accessory component can also add to the overall cost of manufacture of the accessory component and/or the costs associated with installing it on a vehicle. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one aspect the present disclosure relates to a vehicle accessory component for a vehicle. The component makes use of a structural member having a channel. The structural member is attachable to the vehicle. A modular light assembly is included which has a frame and at least one optical element secured to the frame. Electrical cabling couples the optical element to a power source. The frame is insertable into the channel in the structural member and supported within the channel. The frame has at least one opening over which the optical element is positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the channel. This allows the optical element to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical element is powered on. The present disclosure relates to a vehicle accessory component for a vehicle. The component makes use of a structural member having a channel. The structural member is attachable to the vehicle. A modular light assembly is included which has a frame and at least one optical element secured to the frame. Electrical cabling couples the optical element to a power source. The frame is insertable into the channel in the structural member and supported within the channel. The frame has at least one opening over which the optical element is positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the channel. This allows the optical element to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical element is powered on. 
         [0008]    In another aspect the present disclosure relates to a vehicle accessory component for a vehicle. The vehicle accessory component comprises a structural member having a channel which forms an elongated opening along an exterior surface of the structural member, and wherein the structural member is attachable to the vehicle. A modular light assembly is included which has a frame, a plurality of optical elements secured to the frame in spaced apart relationship to one another, and electrical cabling in communication with the optical elements. The electrical cabling enables the optical elements to be coupled to a power source and powered from the power source. The frame is insertable into the channel in the structural member and has a cross sectional shape which is similar to a cross sectional shape of the channel of the structural member. The frame includes a plurality of spaced apart holes over which the optical elements are positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the channel of the structural member. This allows the optical elements to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical elements are powered on. 
         [0009]    In still another aspect the present disclosure relates to a vehicle accessory component for a vehicle. The vehicle accessory component may comprise a structural member having an oval shape and a generally C-shaped channel which forms an elongated opening along an exterior surface of the structural member. The structural member is attachable to the vehicle by a plurality of brackets and forms a step rail to assist an operator in entering and exiting the vehicle. A modular light assembly is included which has a generally U-shaped frame, a plurality of optical elements secured to the U-shaped frame in spaced apart relationship to one another, and electrical cabling in communication with the optical elements. The electrical cabling enables the optical elements to be coupled to a power source and to be supplied with power from the power source. The U-shaped frame is insertable into the C-shaped channel in the structural member and has a cross sectional shape which is similar to a cross sectional shape of the C-shaped channel of the structural member. The U-shaped frame includes a plurality of spaced apart holes over which the optical elements are positioned when the modular light assembly is inserted into the C-shaped channel of the structural member. This allows the optical elements to provide illumination to an area adjacent the vehicle when the optical elements are powered on. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pickup truck showing a step rail in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure mounted thereon; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the step rail of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional end view of the step rail taken in accordance with section line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional perspective end view of a cross bar of a vehicle roof rack which incorporates a modular light assembly of the present disclosure in a channel of the cross bar; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional perspective end view of a support rail of a vehicle roof rack which incorporates a modular light assembly of the present disclosure in a channel of the support rail; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional end view of a vehicle spoiler which incorporates a modular light assembly of the present disclosure in a channel of the spoiler; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional end view of a vehicle front air dam which incorporates a modular light assembly of the present disclosure in a channel of the air dam. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown accessory component assembly  10  for use on a motor vehicle  12 . In this example the accessory component  10  assembly is a step rail and the motor vehicle  12  is a pickup truck. Merely for convenience, the following discussion will reference the accessory component assembly as “step rail  10 ”. In this example the step rail  10  provides a small degree of supplemental lighting  14  to areas adjacent the vehicle  12 , and more specifically on the ground near the vehicle doors. 
         [0020]    It will be appreciated immediately that the present teachings could be employed in connection with a wide variety of other forms of accessory components, for example and without limitation, side rails of roof rack systems, article supporting cross bars of roof rack systems, spoilers used on motor vehicles, and possibly even on front air dams, door mounted side rear view mirrors, vehicle rocker panels, etc. The present teachings are also not limited to use with pickup trucks but may be employed in connection with virtually any type of vehicle including SUVs, crossovers, minivans, full size vans, sedans, etc. The present teachings may also find utility in connection with recreational vehicles, campers, ATVs, boats and other marine vessels, snowmobiles, heavy duty earth moving equipment, etc. The present teachings may find utility in connection with any type of vehicle where it is desirable to provide some supplemental lighting to better help illuminate the vehicle or specific areas around the vehicle. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the step rail  10  is shown in greater detail in exploded form. The step rail  10  may include a structural member  16  that may a single extruded, roll formed, or stamped metallic part which has a track or C-shaped channel  18  formed on an undersurface  20  thereof. The structural member  16  may be secured to a frame portion of the motor vehicle  12  by a plurality of conventional, suitable brackets  17  and conventional threaded fasteners (not shown) which position the structural member below the lower edge of the door of the motor vehicle  12 . The precise cross sectional shape and/or configuration of the structural member  16  is not critical as long as it has the channel  18  or some form of elongated opening on its undersurface  20 . Preferably the channel  18  extends along a major portion or the entire length of the structural member  16 . The structural member  16  may be made from aluminum or any other material, possibly even high strength plastic, which is sufficiently strong to be used as a step rail on a vehicle. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , positioned within the channel  18  is a modular light assembly  22 . The modular light assembly  22  may include a frame  24  having a pair of oppositely extending shoulders  26  of dimensions enabling the shoulders  26  to ride on ledges  28  of the channel  18 . In this example, the engagement of the ledges  28  and the shoulders  26  enables the frame  24  to be slid into the channel  18  so that the modular light assembly  22  may be positioned at a desired position within the structural member  16 . 
         [0023]    Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the modular light assembly  22  may include a plurality of lights  30  spaced apart at predetermined positions by lengths of electrical cables  32 . An additional length of electrical cable  34  is electrically coupled to a connector assembly  36  so that electrical power can be provided from the vehicle&#39;s electrical system to the lights  30  via the lengths of electrical cables  32 . Electrical cables  32  and the electrical cable  34  cooperatively form a wiring harness that lies within the frame  24  when the modular light assembly  22  is assembled into the frame  24 . The lights  30  may be wired in series or parallel, but preferably are wired in parallel. 
         [0024]    The lights  30  are spaced apart so as to lay over associated openings or holes  38  in the frame  24  when the modular light assembly  22  is fully assembled. In this manner light from the lights  30  may project through the holes  38  and illuminate areas of a ground surface adjacent the rocker panel areas of the vehicle  12 . Adhesives or other suitable fasteners may be used to hold the lights  30  directly over the holes  38 . 
         [0025]    Referring further to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the step rail  10  may also include a pair of end caps  40  that close off the ends of the structural member  16  after the modular light assembly  22  is inserted into the channel  18 . Optionally, one or more holes in the structural member  16  may be formed to permit an external electrical cable from the vehicle&#39;s  12  wiring harness to be coupled to the electrical cable  34  either within the interior area of the structural member  16 , or otherwise at some other area outside of the structural member. 
         [0026]    With further reference to  FIG. 2 , one or more sections of a rubber or like pad  48  may be secured to an upper surface  50  of the structural member  16  to provide a generally non-slip or reduced-slip surface which is comfortable to step on. The pad  48  may incorporate any suitable means for attachment to the structural member  16 , but in this example a plurality of barbed, resilient plugs or tangs  52  are formed to project from a lower surface of the pad  48 . The tangs  52  may be press fit into correspondingly positioned slots or openings  54  ( FIG. 3 ) in the structural member  16 , after which they are essentially non-removable or removable only by applying a high degree of force to the pad  48  to pull the tangs  52  from the openings  54 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a cross bar  100  of a vehicle roof rack (i.e., vehicle article carrier) system employing the modular light assembly  22  in a complementary shaped, downwardly opening, C-shaped channel  102 . The cross bar  100  is typically employed to support articles thereon above a roof surface of the vehicle on which it is employed. Usually the cross bar  100  will be supported on a pair of support rails so as to extend perpendicularly above the vehicle roof between the support rails. If the cross bar  100  is formed with a slight curvature over its length, then the frame  24  of the modular light assembly  22  will typically require a corresponding curvature so that it can be inserted into the channel  102  without undue stress on the frame  24 . Thus, the teachings herein may be used to allow a small degree of lighting  104  to be directed at the vehicle roof, which may provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance at night time as well as enhance visibility of the vehicle to other motorists during night time driving. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows one example of a support rail  200  incorporating the modular light assembly  22  in a downwardly opening, C-shaped channel  202  of the support rail  200 . The support rail  200  may form part of a roof rack of a vehicle, and typically is attached to a roof surface of the vehicle to extend longitudinally along a major length of the roof surface. Again, if the support rail  200  is formed with a slight curvature over its length, then the frame  24  is preferably formed with a like curvature to enable easy insertion into the channel  202 . This enables light  204  to be applied along side areas of the vehicle roof over which the support rail  200  is mounted. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  shows a spoiler  300  having a downwardly opening, C-shaped channel  302  formed therein in which the frame  24  of the modular light assembly is inserted. This allows light  304  to be provided to an area adjacent the rear bumper area of the vehicle. 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  shows a front air dam  400  for a vehicle having a rearwardly opening, C-shaped channel  402  in which the frame  24  of the modular light assembly  22  is positioned. This enables light  404  to be provided to a ground area under the front end of the vehicle. 
         [0031]    While the foregoing embodiments have illustrated the modular light assembly  22  being slidably insertable into a correspondingly shaped channel, it is also possible that the modular light assembly may be fit into an elongated recess of the accessory component (e.g., step rail) and held therein by a flexible lip associated with the frame  24  which engages an inwardly projecting lip of the elongated recess. Another means of attachment may be through the use of conventional, external barbed or Christmas-like fasteners that engage within small holes in the structural member  16  of the step rail  10  once the modular light assembly  22  is fully inserted into the elongated recess. And while one long modular light assembly  22  is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , it will be appreciated that a series of shorter, independent modular light assemblies could be used and interconnected by suitable electrical cabling and connectors. Such an embodiment may be desirable where the modular light assembly would need to bend around a sharp corner (e.g., 90 degree bend), but where the designer still wishes to provide the appearance of a generally continuous light source. As such, one skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous ways that the modular light assembly  22  could be configured and secured to the structural member  16  or to other accessory components often used on a vehicle. Thus, the use of a C-shaped channel (i.e., channel  18 ) is merely one way that attachment can be effected. 
         [0032]    The step rail  10  with its modular light assembly  22  provide a number of important advantages over previously constructed step rails that have typically employed individual lights which are individually attached to the structural member portion of the step rail. For one, using a modular construction for the modular light assembly  22  allows assembly to be performed in a controlled environment, and thus helps to ensure a high level of quality control over the manufacturing process. This can help to better ensure that no small openings are left during the manufacturing process which could allow excessive water to enter into the interior areas directly around the lights where they project through the openings in the structural member, and potentially compromise the operability of the lights. The modular light assembly approach described herein also allows assembly to be performed even more quickly and without special assembly skills or special tools. This can potentially reduce the cost of the overall step rail. 
         [0033]    While various embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications or variations which might be made without departing from the present disclosure. The examples illustrate the various embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, the description and claims should be interpreted liberally with only such limitation as is necessary in view of the pertinent prior art.