Abstract:
A system is provided for mounting a lamp having a plurality of different types of mounting members. One of the mounting members is a rigid tray mountable by fasteners flush upon a surface of a vehicle to enable an on-surface mounting mode, and other of said mounting members, such as a grommet or bracket, are mountable at least partially in an opening or hole when present along such surface of a vehicle to enable an inset mounting mode. The different mounting members each engage a common shape housing of the lamp, such as round or oval, so that by selection of one of the mounting members, on-surface or inset mounting of the lamp can readily be achieved. One or more common engagement features are provided along the housing to facilitate engagement of the housing of the lamp by mounting members in on-surface and inset mounting modes.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/773,123, filed Mar. 5, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system for mounting a lamp with respect to a surface along a vehicle, and more particularly to, a system having different mounting members each adapted to receive a common shape of the lamp&#39;s housing, where such mounting members enable different mounting modes with respect to a surface of a vehicle. For example, one type of mounting member facilitates a flush on-surface mounting mode, while other types of mounting members facilitate an inset mounting mode via an opening or hole in a surface of a vehicle. This invention is advantageous by avoiding the need for lamps of the same optical design requiring different housings to accommodate different mounting applications to vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Lamps, such as of Par 36 type, provide signaling and warning functions for vehicles, such as buses, trucks, locomotives, or planes. These lamps have housings designed to be received in fixtures or brackets mounted in a hole drilled in an external surface of a vehicle&#39;s body. Wires from the lamp may then be connected to the vehicle&#39;s electronics to supply power and function control. Such inset mounting of a lamp may be acceptable where a vehicle&#39;s body can accommodate a hole for receiving the lamp and its mounting fixture; however, often this is not the case and the lamp must be on-surface mounted instead (or if otherwise considered more desirable than inset mounting). This necessitates use of an entirely different lamp model having a housing designed for an on-surface mounting fixture. As a result, lamps having the same optical design require two different housing configurations, one for each different type of mounting modes, e.g., inset surface mounted or on-surface mounted, as desired for the particular vehicle applications. It would thus be desirable to provide a lamp having a housing that can be mounted to a vehicle regardless of the mounting mode needed, thus avoiding manufacturing lamps of the same optical design having different housings to accommodate different mounting modes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system having different mounting members for mounting a lamp with respect to a surface in different modes in which each of the mounting members is adapted to receive a common shaped housing of the lamp. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a lamp having a housing with one or more features that enable engagement with different mounting members for mounting the lamp with respect to a surface. 
     Briefly described, the system embodying the present invention has a plurality of different types of mounting members. One of the mounting members is mountable flush upon a surface of a vehicle to enable an on-surface mounting mode, and one or more other of the mounting members are each mountable at least partially in an opening or hole when present along such surface of a vehicle to enable an inset mounting mode. The different mounting members each engage a common shape housing of the lamp, such as round or oval, so that by selecting one of the mounting members on-surface or inset mounting of the lamp can readily be achieved. 
     In addition to the different mounting members being sized to receive the common lamp housing, the housing has one or more common features along its outer periphery to facilitate engagement with each of the different mounting members. Such one or more engagement features may be provided by a continuous flange or projecting ridge extending along the curved sides of the housing of the lamp. The flange represents a single or multiple engagement features depending on whether the entire flange, or multiple sections (or arcs) thereof, are used by the particular mounting member to retain the lamp housing. For example, a mounting member may have clip members disposed to capture the housing along sections of the flange at different locations around the housing when the housing is properly located in the mounting member, or a mounting member may be of elastomeric material so as to deform to engage the outer periphery of the housing, including the entire flange, when pressed into the mounting member. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the mounting member providing on-surface mounting is a tray of rigid material having an interior surface with clip members for engaging the flange at different locations along the housing of the lamp, thereby retaining the housing of the lamp in the tray. A deformable member between the bottom of the tray and the housing of the lamp is provided for biasing the housing of the lamp forward to facilitate the clip members engagement with such flange. The tray may be fixable upon the surface of a vehicle by one or more fasteners through holes in such surface provided for extending such fasteners. A flexible member of sealing material is provided between the tray and the surface of the vehicle when fixed upon the surface of the vehicle. The bottom of the tray has an opening through which one or more wires from the lamp extend to a hole in the surface of the vehicle provided for extending such wires. The on-surface mode mounting member provided by such tray thus maintains the lamp upon a surface of a vehicle and disposed over such surface so that light from the lamp, such as from LED light sources therein, may be emitted from a front surface of the housing of the lamp. The front surface may have lens or lenses for shaping such light as typical of a vehicular lamp. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the mounting member providing inset mounting mode may be a grommet or a bracket. The grommet is of elastomeric material having an interior surface which frictionally engages an outer periphery, including the above-described flange, of the lamp housing, and an exterior surface which frictionally engages the opening or hole when present in the surface of the vehicle. The bracket has interior clip members which engage the back of the lamp housing, and exterior clip members for engaging the surface about the opening or hole when present in the surface of the vehicle. The grommet or bracket thus maintains the lamp in such hole or opening so that light may be emitted from the lamp via the front surface of the housing of the lamp. Each of these inset mode mounting members may have a front or upper portion which covers or frames along the edge of the opening or hole in the vehicle when the rest or rear of the mounting member is received in such opening or hole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other objects features and advances of the invention will become more apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view showing a mounting member for on-surface mounting of a lamp upon a surface of a vehicle in an example of a round shaped housing for the lamp; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective and front views, respectively, showing the assembly of the lamp received in the mounting member of  FIG. 1 , in which the surface of the vehicle is not shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 3  along the lines  3 A- 3 A when on-surface mounted; 
         FIG. 4A  is a front view of the mounting member of  FIGS. 1-4  without the housing of the lamp; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view showing a mounting member for inset mounting of the same lamp as shown in  FIGS. 1-4  in a opening or hole extending through a surface of a vehicle; 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are perspective and front views, respectively, showing the assembly of the lamp received in the mounting member of  FIG. 5 , in which the surface of the vehicle is not shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 7  along the lines  7 A- 7 A which includes also the surface into which the lamp is being in-set mounted by the mounting member of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view showing another mounting member for inset mounting of the same lamp as shown in  FIGS. 1-4  in a opening or hole extending through a surface of a vehicle; 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  are perspective and front views, respectively, showing the assembly of the lamp received in the mounting member of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 11  along the lines  11 A- 11 A which also includes a surface into which the lamp is being in-set mounted by the mounting member of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIGS. 13-17  are similar views to  FIGS. 1-4 and 4A , respectively, showing another mounting member which is similar to the on-surface mode mounting member of  FIGS. 1-4 , but for the an example of a oval shaped housing for the lamp; 
         FIGS. 18-21  are similar views to  FIGS. 5-8 , respectively, showing another mounting member which is similar to the inset mode mounting member of  FIGS. 5-8  for an example of a oval shaped housing for the lamp; 
         FIGS. 22-25  are similar views to  FIGS. 9-12 , respectively, showing another mounting member which is similar to the inset mode mounting member of  FIGS. 9-12  for an example of a oval shaped housing for the lamp; 
         FIG. 26  is an exploded view of lamp of  FIGS. 1-12  without any mounting member; and 
         FIG. 27  is an exploded view of lamp of  FIGS. 13-25  without any mounting member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 5, and 9 , a lamp  10  is shown having a round shaped housing  12  with a base  13 , an outer periphery provided by sides  14 , and a front surface  16  providing lens or lens elements  17  through which light is projected from the lamp. The assembly of the lamp is shown in more detail in  FIGS. 4, 8, 12, and 26 . The housing  12  is an assembly of an upper housing portion  18  with front surface  16 , and a lower housing portion  19  providing base  13 . Sandwiched between portions  18  and  19 , which mate along the edges thereof, is a circuit board  20  having an array of light sources  20   a , such as LEDs, with electronics coupled to wires  22 , and a gasket member  23  of flexible elastomeric material, such as rubber. Each light source  20   a  should be disposed to provide light to a lens element  17 , such as a Fresnel lens, along front surface  16 . Such Fresnel lens may be similar to lens elements  17   a  as shown in  FIG. 27 . However, front surface  16  may have other optics for desired shaping of light from light sources  20   a . For example, wires  22  connect to circuit board  20  to provide power and/or control to light sources  20   a . Lens or lens elements  17  and light sources  20   a  provide the optical system of lamp  10 . As best shown in  FIG. 26 , screws  24  are received in holes  21  along circuit board  20  to mount the circuit board into threaded holes  29   a  of lower portion  19 . Screws  25  are received through holes  26  and  27  of lower portion  19  and gasket member  23 , respectively, and tightened in threaded holes  28  of upper portion  18 , to complete the assembly of housing  12 . When assembled, wires  22  extend through an opening  29  in lower housing portion  19 . Gasket member  23  provides a seal between upper and lower portion  18  and  19 . Light sources  20   a  are of wattage which does not generate enough heat that would require a heat sink in housing  12 . The assembled housing  12  has an exterior flange, projecting ridge, or step  14   a  along sides  14  of lower housing portion  19 , as best shown in the  FIGS. 4 and 8 . The upper housing portion  18  along with integrated lens or lenses  17 , and lower housing portion  19 , may be made of molded plastic material. 
     Lamp  10  is thin, such as for example having a height from its base  13  to front surface  16  of ⅞ inches, with housing  12  being ¾ of that height, and lens or lens elements  17  along front surface  16  extending a height of ⅛ inches. Housing  12  for example may have a diameter of 4.4 inches, but other diameters may be used. The thinness of lamp  10  is enabled by avoiding the need for a heat sink in housing  12 . For example, lamp  10  may be of PAR 36 type lens, such as shown, for example, in U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/374,905, now U.S. Pat. No. D693,035, but other lenses may be used to provide the desired projected illumination from the lamp. The shape of the housing (e.g., thickness and outer sides) is such that it may be received in one of multiple mounting members (or fixtures)  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c , as described below in connection with  FIGS. 1-4, 4A, 5-8, and 9-12 , respectively. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , mounting member  30   a  is shown for enabling on-surface mounting mode of lamp  10  so that it lies flush onto an exterior surface  40  of a vehicle body wall  41 . Mounting member  30   a  represents a rigid tray, such of molded plastic material, having a bottom wall  36   a  which meets inner or interior wall  36   b , and an outer or exterior wall  36   c  which meets interior wall  36   b  along a rounded edge  36   d  at the front end of mounting member  30   a . The outer wall  36   c  may be of a frusto-conical shape in that it forward slopes and tapers in diameter to round edge  36   d , while interior wall  36   b  tapers in diameter from round edge  36   d  to bottom wall  36   a . There is thus a general triangular cross-sectional shape along walls  36   b  and  36   c  with an open ended cavity there between, as best shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The surface of mounting member  30   a  along interior wall  36   b  is sized to receive sides  14  of housing  12  and retained therein by clips (or clip members)  32  to capture housing  12  along portions of its flange  14   a  as shown in  FIG. 4 . A front view of mounting member  30   a  is shown in  FIG. 4A , showing for example four clips  32  spaced at different locations along wall  36   a . Each clip  32  has an inwardly extending tab portion  33  which is downwardly sloped. The diameter of member  30   a  along interior wall  36   b  is larger than the outer diameter of lamp housing  12  so as to facilitate engagement of clips  32  of housing  12  when received in mounting member  30   a . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a pad  34 , such as of foam material, is placed along the interior surface of bottom wall  36   a  of mounting member  30   a  so as to provide a forward bias onto base  13  so that tab portion  33  of each of clips  32  lies against flange  14   a  when housing  12  is received in mounting member  30   a.    
     For example, outer wall  36   c  may be 5.1 inches in diameter at lower end of mounting member  30   a  and 4.9 inches in diameter at round edge  36   d , while interior wall  36   b  may be 4.5 inches in diameter at rounded edge  36   d , and 4.4 inches in diameter when meeting bottom wall  36   a , where walls  36   a - c  may each be 1/16 inches thick. However, other dimensions may be used if desired so long as lamp  10  can engage clips  32  when received in member  30   a.    
     Prior to placement of lamp  10  in mounting member  30   a , the mounting member  30   a  is disposed over surface  40  with a pad  38  of flexible elastomeric material, such as rubber, between surface  40  and exterior surface of bottom wall  36   a  of mounting member  30   a . The outer diameter of pad  38  is preferably the same, or slightly larger than, the outer diameter of mounting member  30   a  at lowest end of outer wall  36   c , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . The pad  38  provides sealing material between the back of mounting member  30   a  and surface  40 . Fasteners provided by screws  38   a  and nuts  38   c  are used to install mounting member  30   a  with pad  38  onto surface  40 . Four screws  38   a  are then received via holes  37  in bottom wall  36   a  of mounting member  30   a , and holes  38   b  in pad  38 , into holes  39   a  drilled into surface  40 , and retained by nuts  38   c  (see  FIGS. 1 and 4 ). Lamp  10  is placed in mounting member  30   a  until flange  14   a  passes and pushes outwardly upon inwardly extending tab portions  33  of clips  32  until such portions of flange  14   a  facing tab portions  33  are captured under tab portions  33  under the forward bias of compressed pad  34 . When mounted, wires  22  extend through an opening  34   a  of pad  34 , an opening  35  of mounting member  30   a , an opening  38   d  of pad  38 , and then an opening  39   b  drilled in surface  40 . 
     The completed mounting of lamp  10  with mounting member  30   a , along with pads  34  and  38 , is shown in  FIGS. 3, and 4 . A portion of lens or lens elements  17  of front surface  16  may extend from mounting member  30   a , if desired. In this manner, lamp  10  is flush mounted onto (and over) surface  40  with pad  38  there between for on-surface mounting with a bezel mounting appearance. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-8 , mounting member  30   b  is shown for enabling inset mounting mode of lamp  10  in a drilled hole or opening  42  extending through exterior surface  40  of a vehicle body wall  41 . Mounting member  30   b  is a generally cylindrical shaped grommet of flexible elastomeric material, such as rubber. For example, mounting member  30   b  may be a Model 60 Mounting Grommet manufactured by Truck-Lite Company LLC, but grommets of other manufacturers may be used which are similarly adapted to the shape of housing  12 . Mounting member  30   b  has a lower portion  44  and a upper portion  45 , where lower portion  44  is insertable into opening  42  and upper portion  45  extends to frame about opening  42  along surface  40 . Lower portion  44  has a ledge  47   a  which presses against side wall  43  of hole  42  to retain mounting member  30   b  in opening  42 . An exterior ridge  47   b  may also be provided along lower portion  44  to frictionally engage side wall  43  if thicker than shown in  FIG. 8 . Upper portion  45  has three walls  49 ,  50 , and  51  which provide a frame upon surface  40 . Walls  49  and  51  are generally parallel to each other, and wall  50  connects walls  49  and  51  and is generally perpendicular thereto, as best shown in  FIG. 8 . Wall  49  of upper section  45  extends continuously with the surface of an interior wall  48  of lower section  44 . Wires  22  from lamp  10  extend through opening  54  of mounting member  30   b  when lamp  10  is received in mounting member  30   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , mounting member  30   b  is sized along its interior walls  48  and  49  so as to frictionally engage housing  12  of lamp  10  when received therein so that flange  14   a  engages wall  48  of lower portion  44 , and base  13  of the lamp is disposed along interior of bottom ledge or wall  46  of mounting member  30   b . Mounting member  30   b  with lamp  10  received therein is pressed into opening  42  so that its ridge  47   b  and ledge  47   a  deform to engage the opening&#39;s wall  43 , and edge  52  from wall  51  of the upper portion  45  lies against surface  40  providing an annual cavity  53  between walls  49 - 51 , thereby retaining the assembly of the mounting member  30   b  and lamp  10  in opening  42  inset in surface  40  and also sealing opening  42  from the external environment. The completed mounting of lamp  10  with mounting member  30   b  is shown in  FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 , where wall  41  is removed in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9-12 , mounting member  30   c  is shown for also enabling inset mounting mode of lamp  10  in a drilled hole or opening  42  extending through exterior surface  40  of a vehicle body wall  41 . Mounting member  30   c  is a circular bracket which may be made of stainless steel, such bracket may be for example Model No. 97334 Security Flange manufactured by Truck-Lite Company LLC. Mounting member  30   c  has a lower surface  55  having legs  58  extending there from generally perpendicular with respect to the lower surface  55 . Each leg  58  has an interior clip member  60  which captures the rear of lamp housing  12 , i.e., at a location along the outer periphery of base  13 , when the lamp  10  is pressed into mounting member  30   c  from the back side thereof to retain lamp  10  to mounting member  30   c . Each leg  58  further has two exterior clip members  61  which clip under the back surface  62  of wall  41  below opening  42  when the mounting member  30   c  with lamp  10  received therein is pressed into opening  42  of surface  40 . 
     When the assembly of lamp  10  and mounting member  30   c  is received in opening  42 , lower surface  55  of the mounting member  30   c  partially lies flat against surface  40  about opening  42 , i.e., over radial distance between legs  58  and the outer edge  57  of the mounting member  30   c . The upper surface  56  of mounting member  30   c  then lies generally parallel to the surface  40  providing a trim appearance with the lamp inset surface mounting to the vehicle body wall  41 . 
     Although the above round housing  12  is described above, other lamp housing shapes may be provided which can be similarly received in mounting members  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  adapted to the particular housing shape. For example, a lamp  10   a  with an oval housing  12   a  may be provided with an upper housing portion  18   a  mating a lower housing portion  19   a , lens or lens elements  17   a  along a front surface  16   a , sides  67 , a base  13   a , and a flange, ridge or step  68 , such as shown in  FIGS. 13-25  which is mountable in oval mounting members  30   d ,  30   e , and  30   f  in the same manner as described above for mounting members  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c , respectively, as in the case of a round lamp housing  12 , and thus have like numerals. 
     In particular, mounting member  30   d  provides an oval tray for on-surface mounting lamp  10   a  with oval shaped pads  34  and  38  by fasteners  38   a  and  38   c , as shown in  FIG. 13-17 , in the same manner as described earlier for mounting member  30   a . A flange  68  is provided along lamp  10   a  and provides the same function as flange  14   a  of lamp  10 , such as to engage clips  32  by tab portions  33  when placed in mounting member  30   d . However, one difference is that the number and position of clips  32  along mounting member  30   d  differ due to the oval shape of housing  12   a . For example, three clips  32  are provided at spaced locations from each other, two along one side and one on the other side for mounting member  30   d  as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
     Mounting member  30   e  provides an oval shaped grommet of elastomeric material for receiving lamp  10   a  as shown in  FIGS. 18-21  in same manner as mounting member  30   b , but in an oval shaped opening or hole  42 . Thus, when lamp  10   a  is received in mounting member  30   e , interior wall  48  engages the outer sides of housing  12   a , including flange  68 . 
     Mounting member  30   f  provides an oval bracket for inset mounting lamp  10   a  as shown in  FIGS. 22-25  in the same manner as mounting member  30   c , but in an oval shaped opening or hole  42 . However, one difference is that the number and position of legs  58  along mounting member  30   f  differs due to the oval shape of housing. For example, six legs  58  are provided at spaced locations from each other as shown in  FIG. 22 . 
     The assembly of lamp  10   a  is shown in  FIG. 27 , and other than difference in shape of components, such assembly is similar to that described earlier for lamp  10 . In particular, housing  12   a  is an assembly of upper housing portion  18   a  with front surface  16   a , and lower housing portion  19   a  providing base  13   a . Flange  68  extends along the outer periphery of the surface of lower housing portion  19   a . Sandwiched between portions  18   a  and  19   a , which mate along the edges thereof, is a circuit board  20   b  having an array of light sources, such as LEDs, facing front surface  16   a  with electronics coupled to wires  22 , and a gasket member  23   a  of flexible elastomeric material, such as rubber. The light sources on circuit board  20   b  are the same as light sources  20   a  shown in  FIG. 26  and are spaced from each other to direct light to lens elements  17   a , which may be Fresnel lenses. However, front surface  16   a  may have other optics for desired shaping of light from light sources  20   a . Screws  24   a  are received in holes  21   a  along circuit board  20   b  to mount the circuit board into threaded holes  29   c  of lower portion  19   a . Such attachment of the circuit board to lower housing portion  19   a  may be the same as screws  24  via holes  21  to threaded holes  29   a  of lamp  10 . Screws  25   a  are received through holes  26   a  and  27   a  of lower housing portion  19   a  and gasket member  23   a , respectively, and tightened in threaded holes  28   a  of upper housing portion  18   a , to complete the assembly of housing  12   a . When assembled, wires  22  extend through an opening  29   b  in lower housing portion  19   a . The upper and lower portions  18   a  and  19   a  may be made of molded plastic. 
     From the foregoing description it will be apparent that there has been provided a system for mounting a lamp with respect to a surface along a vehicle. Variations and modifications herein this described system, apparatus, and method will undoubtedly suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Accordingly the foregoing description should be taken as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.