Illuminated running board for vehicle

An illuminated running board for a vehicle includes a running board body and at least one light-emitting device installed in the running board body. The running board body includes two lateral ends and an outer end portion extending between the lateral ends. The light-emitting device includes a light guide bar and at least one illuminant. The light guide bar is held inside the outer end portion and includes a plane facing the outer end portion for development of a luminous surface. The illuminant is adjacent to an end face of the light guide bar and projects light rays which are guided into the light guide bar through the end face and emitted from the outer end portion, so that the running board can be clearly observed by passengers and other vehicle drivers for better security of the running board in service.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a running board and, more particularly, to an illuminated running board adapted to be installed on a vehicle's lateral side.

In general, a vehicle with a large height (e.g., a support utility vehicle, van, etc.) is laterally provided with running boards on which passengers tread to get on or off the vehicle. For improved security of passengers getting on or off a vehicle, light-emitting devices have been installed in running boards of some vehicles. When a vehicle is parked or a car door is opened, an illuminant (consisting of light emitting diodes) in the light-emitting device is activated and projects light rays on a top of the running board which can be treaded by a passenger.

However, a passenger to get on or off a vehicle may stumble his/her leg against a running board and be hurt, because light rays projected on the top of the running board are not spread to the ground on which the vehicle is parked or because a parking lot provides insufficient lighting at night. In addition, a protruded running board of a parked vehicle is difficult to observe and collided with accidentally by other running vehicles. Moreover, a conventional illuminated running board, which is not known for its sealing, allows moisture to permeate inside and damage any light-emitting device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an illuminated running board for a vehicle which can be clearly observed by a passenger or other vehicle drivers through light rays from the illuminated running board for better security of the running board in service when the vehicle has been parked. Furthermore, the illuminated running board is characteristic of good sealing, waterproof effect, and extended service life.

To achieve this and other objectives, an illuminated running board for a vehicle of the present invention includes a running board body and a light-emitting device. The running board body is adapted to be installed on a vehicle's lateral side and includes a top extending in a longitudinal direction of the running board body. The running board body further includes two lateral ends spaced in the longitudinal direction and an outer end portion extending in the longitudinal direction and between the two lateral ends. The outer end portion is extended downward from the top, and an accommodation space is formed inside the outer end portion and extends in the longitudinal direction. The light-emitting device is installed inside the running board body and includes at least one light guide bar and at least one illuminant. The light guide bar is held in the accommodation space of the running board body and has a first plane and a second plane opposite to the first plane. The first plane faces the outer end portion to form a luminous surface. The light guide bar includes two lateral ends spaced in the longitudinal direction. The illuminant is adjacent to an end face of at least one lateral end of the light guide bar and projects light rays which are guided into the light guide bar through the end face and emitted from the outer end portion of the running board body.

In an embodiment, the second plane is integrated with a reflective piece for development of a reflecting surface. The outer end portion is provided with an opening extending therethrough and being in communication with the accommodation space. At least one joint groove is defined inside the outer end portion and spaced from the accommodation space. The illuminant is held in an illuminant holder and includes at least one salient portion formed at a lateral end of illuminant holder and correspondingly inserted into the joint groove in the running board body. The light-emitting device further includes a transparent tubing which covers peripheries of the light guide bar and the reflective piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An illuminated running board for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 1 through 6of the drawings and generally designated10. The illuminated running board10includes a running board body12and a light-emitting device14. The running board body12is adapted to be installed on a vehicle's lateral side. In this embodiment, the running board body12is a metallic frame made of aluminum alloy and includes a top16extending in a longitudinal direction of the running board body12. A cover plate18is engaged on an upper surface of the top16and provided with a plurality of non-skid grooves20thereon. The running board body12further includes two lateral ends22spaced in the longitudinal direction, and each lateral end22is covered with a side cap24for combining the cover plate18and the running board body12when the cover plate18is mounted on the top16.

The miming board body12further includes an outer end portion26extending in the longitudinal direction and between the two lateral ends22. The outer end portion26faces an outer side of the vehicle when the running board body12is installed on the vehicle. The outer end portion26is extended downward from an outer end of the top16and develops an inwardly curved shape (seeFIG. 4). A bottom28extends inward from a lower end of the outer end portion26and is opposite to and spaced from the top16. An accommodation space30is formed inside the outer end portion26and extends in the longitudinal direction. The outer end portion26is provided with an opening32extending through the outer end portion26and in communication with the accommodation space30. The opening32may be replaced by a plurality of through-holes spaced in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, a plurality of joint grooves34is defined inside the outer end portion26and spaced from the accommodation space30.

The light-emitting device14is installed in the running board body12and includes at least one light guide bar36and at least one illuminant38. In this embodiment, the light-emitting device14includes a light guide bar36which is held in the accommodation space30of the running board body12and has a first plane40facing the outer end portion26and a second plane42opposite to the first plane40. In this embodiment, the first plane40faces the opening32of the outer end portion26and is formed as a luminous surface. A U-shaped reflective piece44, such as an optical reflection film or reflection sheet, is engaged on the second plane42and two side planes43of the light guide bar36for development of a reflecting surface with excellent effect of the optical reflection (seeFIG. 5). The side planes43of the light guide bar36extend between the first and second planes40and42respectively. Furthermore, the first plane40is provided with an optical diffusion film45, and the second plane42is provided with a micro-structure46consisting of geometric dots for better uniformity of luminance. Further, the light guide bar36includes two lateral ends48, with each of which having an end face50adjacent to an associated illuminant38for development of an incident plane at the end face50(seeFIG. 6). As shown in another embodiment inFIG. 7, the light-emitting device14includes two light guide bars36adjacent to each other.

In this embodiment, the light-emitting device14includes two illuminants38which consist of light emitting diodes (LEDs) electrically connected to a car battery, so that radiation from the illuminants38is controllably guided into the light guide bar36via the end faces50of the light guide bar36respectively. In an alternative embodiment, the light-emitting device14includes only one illuminant38which is closed to one of the lateral ends48of the light guide bar36.

In this embodiment, each illuminant38can be truly held and positioned in an illuminant holder52which is securely mounted in a corresponding lateral end22of the running board body12with a plurality of salient portions54designed at one lateral end of the illuminant holder52and correspondingly inserted into the joint grooves34inside the running board body12. In this embodiment, the illuminant holder52made of silicone is internally provided with thermal conductivity glue55(seeFIG. 6) or heat sinks for sealing an outer side opening of the illuminant holder52. The thermal conductivity glue55contributes to thermal dissipation of the LED illuminants38and tightness of the illuminant holder52and the running board body12without permeation of moisture.

The light-emitting device14further includes a transparent heat-shrinkable tubing56which covers peripheries of the light guide bar36and the reflective piece44to prevent the light-emitting device14from permeation of moisture and to ensure that the reflective piece44and optical diffusion film45can be tightly attached to the light guide bar36. The light-emitting device14further includes a translucent clamping body58having two clip arms60and a joint portion62connecting the clip arms60. The clip arms60are used to clamp the tubing56, and the joint portion62is located between the first plane40of the light guide bar36and the opening32of the outer end portion26for secure installation of the light-emitting device14inside the running board body12.

In the implementation of the illuminated running board10, light rays out of the illuminants38are projected into the light guide bar36through the end faces50of the light guide bar36, reflected by the reflective piece44, and emitted from the first plane40of the light guide bar36. The illuminated running board10protruded on a parked vehicle can be clearly observed by passengers and other drivers in running vehicles when light rays out of the first plane40are emitted through the transparent tubing56, the translucent clamping body58and the opening32in the outer end portion26and projected toward the outer side of the running board body12and on the ground, obtaining better security of the illuminated running board10in service. Moreover, the light-emitting device14, which is securely sealed, prevents the illuminated running board10from permeation of ambient moisture and contributes to service life of the light-emitting device14.