ILLUMINATED VEHICLE INTERIOR COMPONENT HAVING AN ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL

An illuminated vehicle interior component having a support configured to be mounted to a vehicle interior. The support includes a show surface, a rear surface, and at least one aperture extending between the rear surface and the show surface. The illuminated vehicle interior component also includes an elastomeric material disposed in the at least one aperture of the support. The elastomeric material is configured to receive light from a light source and to direct the light through the elastomeric material from the rear surface to the show surface.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates generally to motor vehicles, and more particularly, to an illuminated vehicle interior component having an elastomeric material.

Vehicles typically include a variety of lighting systems to illuminate various regions of a vehicle interior. For example, certain vehicles include one or more lights configured to illuminate devices in an instrument panel of the vehicle. Furthermore, certain vehicles include one or more lights configured to illuminate devices at other locations throughout the vehicle interior. Such lights may illuminate panels, trays, cup holders, handles, switches, indicators, controls, and so forth. As may be appreciated, lighting systems may provide illumination for enabling a driver to operate the vehicle in low-light conditions. Moreover, lighting systems may provide decorative illumination, which is visible during daytime and/or nighttime operation. These lighting systems may use a light-emitting device positioned to illuminate a component, such as by positioning the light-emitting device behind the component (e.g., for backlighting the component). Accordingly, the light-emitting device may emit light through layers of the component to illuminate the component. Unfortunately, such illuminated vehicle interior components may be expensive to manufacture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an illuminated vehicle interior component having a support configured to be mounted to a vehicle interior. The support includes a show surface, a rear surface, and at least one aperture extending between the rear surface and the show surface. The illuminated vehicle interior component also includes an elastomeric material disposed in the at least one aperture of the support. The elastomeric material is configured to receive light from a light source and to direct the light through the elastomeric material from the rear surface to the show surface.

The present invention also relates to an illuminated vehicle tray assembly having a support comprising a show surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of apertures each extending between the rear surface and the show surface. The illuminated vehicle tray assembly also includes an elastomeric material disposed in each of the plurality of apertures of the support. The illuminated vehicle tray assembly includes a substrate coupled to the rear surface of the support. The illuminated vehicle tray assembly also includes a light source coupled to the substrate, and configured to direct light toward the elastomeric material. The elastomeric material is configured to receive light from the light source and to direct the light through the elastomeric material from the rear surface to the show surface.

The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing an illuminated vehicle interior component. The method includes forming a plurality of apertures in a support and injection molding an elastomeric material configured to be disposed in the plurality of apertures. The elastomeric material is configured to receive light from a light source and to direct the light through the elastomeric material from a rear surface of the support to a show surface of the support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle10that may include an illuminated vehicle interior component, such as an illuminated panel, tray, cup holder, handle, switch, indicator, control, and so forth. The vehicle10, in this case a car, includes an interior12and an exterior14. The illuminated vehicle interior component may be located in the interior12or on the exterior14of the vehicle10. Furthermore, the illuminated vehicle interior component may be manufactured to provide illumination through an elastomeric material of the vehicle interior component. For example, illumination may be provided through friction-resisting components of the vehicle interior component, thereby enabling the friction-resisting components to have a dual purpose (e.g., blocking movement of objects and directing light therethrough). Moreover, by using dual-purpose components to provide illumination, the illuminated vehicle interior component may be manufactured with less cost than traditional illuminated vehicle interior components.

FIG. 2is a perspective view of an embodiment of an illuminated vehicle interior component16, such as the illustrated tray for a floor console. The illuminated vehicle interior component16includes a support18that may be mounted to the interior12or to the exterior14of the vehicle10. The support18includes a show surface20and a rear surface opposite the show surface20. Elongated apertures22extend through the support18between the show surface20and the rear surface. The support18may be manufactured using any suitable material. For example, the support18may be manufactured from any combination of wood, metal, plastic, polymer, or any other suitable material. In certain embodiments, the support18may be a wood panel.

An elastomeric material24is disposed in the apertures22of the support18and may be used to block movement of objects placed on the show surface20of the support18. For example, in certain embodiments, the elastomeric material24may act as friction strips. The elastomeric material24may be manufactured using any suitable material. For example, the elastomeric material24may include an injected molded elastomer, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a light-transmissive material, and/or a dark tinted material. In certain embodiments, the elastomeric material24may appear dark or opaque when not illuminated. The elastomeric material24is configured to receive light from a light source and to direct the light through the elastomeric material24from the rear surface of the support18to the show surface20of the support18.

In addition, the elastomeric material24may be composed of a material particularly selected to provide durability, while maintaining an elastic texture. As will be appreciated, flexibility and durability of the elastomeric material24may be measured by determining the hardness of the constituent material. One measure of hardness is the resistance to indentation, otherwise referred to as Durometer, denoted in the Shore A scale, for example. Within the Durometer scale, materials are generally characterized based on ranges. Hard or rigid elastomers generally include those having a Durometer greater than about 90 Shore A, soft elastomers generally include those having a Durometer of about 60 Shore A to about 90 Shore A, and super-soft elastomers generally include those having a Durometer below about 60 Shore A. In certain embodiments, the elastomeric material24may be composed of a material having a Durometer of less then approximately 90 Shore A. Utilizing such a material may facilitate increasing the friction of the show surface20, while maintaining durability and smoothness of the show surface20.

As may be appreciated, in certain embodiments, the support18and the elastomeric material24may be integrally formed by an injection molding process. As illustrated, the support18is coupled to a substrate26. The substrate26may provide structural support to the support18and may facilitate mounting of lighting devices, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), a light source (e.g., light emitting diode (LED)), a light guide, and so forth.

Using the techniques discussed above, the illuminated vehicle interior component16may be manufactured such that the elastomeric material24appears to be an opaque friction providing strip when not illuminated. Furthermore, the elastomeric material24may be illuminated to provide an ambient glow and to add decorative effect to the illuminated vehicle interior component16. Thus, the elastomeric material24of the illuminated vehicle interior component16may provide a dual functionality of a friction-inducing surface and a source of illumination. As such, the aesthetic appeal of the illuminated vehicle interior component16may be enhanced without significantly increasing manufacturing cost.

FIG. 3is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the illuminated vehicle interior component16. As illustrated, the support18includes a rear surface28opposite the show surface20. Furthermore, the elastomeric material24extends between the show surface20and the rear surface28. The elastomeric material24includes legs30and32that extend under the rear surface28to hold the elastomeric material24in place. A light guide34is positioned behind each aperture22and directs light from a light source toward the elastomeric material24. In the illustrated embodiment, each printed circuit board36includes a light source38(e.g., LED) to emit light toward the elastomeric material24in the light guides34. Accordingly, light emitted from the light source38is directed through the light guides34to the elastomeric material24. Moreover, the light is directed through the elastomeric material24from the rear surface28to the show surface20of the support18. As such, the elastomeric material24is illuminated.

FIG. 4is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the illuminated vehicle interior component16. As illustrated, the light sources38are side firing LEDs. Accordingly, the light guide34directs light emitted from the side firing LEDs toward the elastomeric material24. While two light sources38are illustrated, the illuminated vehicle interior component16may include fewer or more light sources38for each aperture22. In certain embodiments, the light sources38may emit light upward, sideways, or in any suitable direction. Therefore light may be emitted from the light sources38toward the elastomeric material24.

FIG. 5is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method40for manufacturing the illuminated vehicle interior component16. Apertures (e.g., apertures22) are formed in a support (e.g., support18) (block42). In some embodiments the apertures may be formed by removing material from the support, while in other embodiments the apertures may be formed by a molding process used to manufacture the support. In certain embodiments, the elastomeric material (e.g., elastomeric material24) may be tinted with a light transmissive tint (block44). For example, the elastomeric material may be tinted to appear dark when not illuminated, such as by using a smoke colored tint. The elastomeric material is injection molded separately from the apertures and thereafter inserted into the apertures (block46). However, in other embodiments, the elastomeric material is injection molded directly into the apertures. As discussed above, the elastomeric material is configured to receive light from a light source and to direct the light through the elastomeric material from a rear surface of the support to a show surface of the support.

The support is coupled to a substrate (e.g., substrate26) (block48). The substrate provides structural support to the support and may be used for mounting a light source. For example, in certain embodiments a printed circuit board (e.g., PCB36) is coupled to the substrate (block50). The PCB includes the light source (e.g., light source38), which is configured to direct light toward the elastomeric material. A light guide (e.g., light guide34) may be disposed between the light source and the elastomeric material to direct light from the light source toward the elastomeric material (block52).

Using the techniques described herein, the illuminated vehicle interior component16may be manufactured such that the elastomeric material24appears to be opaque when not illuminated. Furthermore, the elastomeric material24may be illuminated to provide an ambient glow and add decorative effect to the illuminated vehicle interior component16. Moreover, in certain embodiments, the elastomeric material24may also be used to increase the friction of the illuminated vehicle interior component16. Thus, the elastomeric material24of the illuminated vehicle interior component16may provide a dual functionality of a friction inducing surface and a source of illumination. As such, the aesthetic appeal of the illuminated vehicle interior component16may be enhanced without significantly increasing manufacturing cost.