Patent Publication Number: US-2018037161-A1

Title: Truck bed rail light assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to lighting systems for vehicles. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a truck bed rail light assembly. 
     Discussion of Related Art 
     One common truck accessory is a so-called “bed rail,” an accessory that is often formed of tubular enclosure, or the like, that is bolted to an upper surface of the side walls of the truck bed (also referred to as side rails). Once in place, truck bed rails help shield the pickup&#39;s side rails from falling/tipping freight and create extra tie-down points. 
     Truck beds may be accessorized with bed rails to improve the look and function of a pickup truck. For example, truck bed rails may have a mirror-polished finish. Truck bed rails may enable persons to pull themselves inside the truck bed, e.g., to access a tool box, or to tie down loads for secure transportation. 
     Two main styles of truck bed rails are drill style truck bed rails and stake pocket mount bed rails, though there are other types on the market. Drill style truck bed rails are the sportier style, with additional areas for tie down attachment or handgrips for riders in the back of the truck. Another aspect is that drill style truck bed rails do not extend the entire length of the bed. Instead, the end of the rail typically falls just shy of the last stake pocket. Normally, some drilling for the mounting holes is required on the bed to accommodate mounting. 
     Stake pocket mount bed rails extend the entire length of the truck bed and mount in the last stake pocket. Stake pocket mount bed rails are popular primarily because drill holes are not required for mounting. Stake pocket mount bed rails are generally easy to install and do not require a drill as the rails are designed to bolt right into the bed pockets. 
     Typically, a truck bed for sports trucks, utility trucks, and the like includes a floor or bottom wall, a front wall located to the rear of the cab, side walls, and a tailgate moveable from a closed to a down position. Often there is a need to illuminate the cargo box of pick-up trucks and other utility-type vehicles. A cargo box light for trucks may be particularly useful under reduced light conditions, such as after daylight hours, allowing safe access to the truck cargo box and the loading/unloading of objects therefrom. Light-emitting diodes (LED) cargo box lights for pickups are known and include LED truck bed light kits, LED light strips and tailgate running lights. 
     A need exists for improved lighting systems for trucks, trailers, and other vehicles with open cargo enclosures. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a truck bed rail light assembly includes a first end, a second end, and a body extending between the first end and the second end. One or more light modules are coupled to the body. Each light module includes a light element. One or more switch modules are coupled to the body. Each switch module includes a switch for selective activation of the light element. The truck bed rail light assembly also includes a battery module. The battery module includes a battery. The switch is electrically connected between the battery and the light element. The battery is at least partially contained within the body. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a truck bed rail light assembly includes: a first end; a second end; a body extending between the first end and the second end; a first light module; a first switch module; a second light module; a second switch module; and a battery module including a battery. The first light module includes a first light housing element coupled to the body and a first light element coupled to the first light housing element. The first switch module is coupled to the body. The first switch module includes a first switch for selective activation of the first light element. The second light module includes a second light housing element coupled to the body and a second light element coupled to the second light housing element. The second switch module is coupled to the body. The second switch module includes a second switch for selective activation of the second light element. The battery is at least partially contained within the body. The first switch is electrically connected between the battery and the first light element. The second switch is electrically connected between the battery and the second light element. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the various truck bed rail light assembly embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like reference numerals may refer to similar or identical elements throughout the description of the figures, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating twin, truck bed rail light assemblies installed to the side rails of a truck bed in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a truck bed rail light assembly of  FIG. 1 , with parts separated, in accordance with an embodiment the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the truck bed rail light assembly of  FIG. 2  in an assembled configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 4  is circuit diagram of a lighting system for use with a truck bed rail light assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of a truck bed rail light assembly are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     This description may use the phrases “in an embodiment,” “in embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” or “in other embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure. 
     It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. As it is used in this description, “cargo area” may include the open cargo area of a truck, trailer, and the like. As used herein, the term “truck” generally refers to land-based motor vehicles with an open rear cargo box often referred to as a “pickup truck,” “pickup” or “pick-up”. The open rear cargo box is often referred to as the “bed” of the truck. 
     As it is used in this description, “light source” generally refers to all illumination sources, such as for example, photo-luminescent sources, fluorescent sources, phosphorescence sources, lasers, electro-luminescent sources, such as electro-luminescent lamps, and light-emitting diodes. As it is used in this description, “light-emitting diode” generally refers to any system that is capable of receiving an electrical signal and producing a color of light in response to the signal. Thus, “light-emitting diode,” as used herein, includes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of all types, including white LEDs, infrared LEDs, ultraviolet LEDs, visible color LEDs, light-emitting polymers, semiconductor dies that produce light in response to current, organic LEDs, electro-luminescent strips, silicon based structures that emit light, and other such systems. 
     As it is used in this description, “transmission line” generally refers to any transmission medium that can be used for the propagation of signals from one point to another. A transmission line may be, for example, a wire, two or more conductors separated by an insulating medium, a fiber optic line and/or fiber optic bundles. 
     As used herein, the term “battery” generally refers to any electrical storage device, e.g., disposable battery, rechargeable battery, battery pack, etc. As it is used in this description, “switch” or “switches” generally refers to any electrical actuators, mechanical actuators, electro-mechanical actuators (rotatable actuators, pivotable actuators, toggle-like actuators, buttons, etc.), optical actuators, or any suitable device that generally fulfills the purpose of connecting and disconnecting electronic devices, or component thereof, transmission line or connections. 
     Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a truck bed rail light assembly for selectively illuminating a truck bed. Embodiments of the presently-disclosed truck bed rail light assembly may be affixed to a truck bed rail. Elements of the presently-disclosed truck bed rail light assembly may be powered by a disposable or rechargeable battery, housed within an elongate body of the truck bed rail light assembly. 
     The presently-disclosed truck bed rail light assembly is referred to generally in  FIGS. 1-3  by the reference numeral  10  and is intended to provide a combined truck bed rail and battery-powered lighting system. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the truck bed rail light assembly  10  includes a first light module  20 , a first switch module  16 , a second light module  18 , a second switch module  14 , and a battery module  82 . It is to be understood that the truck bed rail light assembly  10  may be installed and used on various types of vehicles and should not be construed to be limited to only pickup trucks. 
     The truck bed rail light assembly  10  includes a first end  61 , a second end  62 , and a body  60  extending therebetween. The truck bed rail light assembly  10  is designed to be mountable on the side rails of a truck bed, in a first orientation or a second orientation (as described below), with the first light module  20  and the second light module  18  facing toward the interior of the truck bed for illumination thereof. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the size and shape of the truck bed rail light assembly  10  may vary according to truck model, truck manufacturer, style of truck, etc. In some embodiments, the body  60  has a generally tubular shape, and may have a variety of finishes, e.g., chrome, stainless, or power-coated black. 
     In  FIG. 1 , two truck bed rail light assemblies  10  are shown installed on a truck T. One truck bed rail light assembly  10  is mounted on the upper surface  73  of the left-hand (i.e., driver side) side rail  74  (also referred to herein as the first side rail  74 ) and one truck bed rail light assembly  10  is mounted on the upper surface  75  of the right-hand side rail  76  (also referred to herein as the second side rail  76 ) for selectively illuminating the bed interior portion  50  of the truck bed  12 . In more detail, the truck bed rail light assembly  10  shown in  FIG. 1  mounted on the first side rail  74  is arranged in a first orientation, wherein the first end  61  of the body  60  is proximate the forward-end of a truck bed (i.e., cab-end  78 ) and the second end  62  of the body  60  is proximate the rear-end of the truck bed  12 , such that, in the first orientation, a first light element  126  of the first light module  20  and a second light element  116  of the second light module  18  face toward the bed interior portion  50  of the truck bed  12 . The truck bed rail light assembly  10  shown in  FIG. 1  mounted on the second side rail  76  is arranged in a second orientation, wherein the first end  61  of the body  60  is proximate the rear-end of the truck bed and the second end  62  is proximate the forward-end of the truck bed, such that, in the second orientation, the first light element  126  of the first light module  20  and the second light element  116  of the second light module  18  face toward the bed interior portion  50  of the truck bed  12 . 
     The installation and use of two truck bed rail light assemblies  10 , as illustratively depicted in  FIG. 1 , allows a truck bed  12  to be viewable in reduced light conditions by using the first light module  20  and/or the second light module  18  to illuminate the bed interior portion  50  of the truck bed  12 , e.g., to facilitate the inspection of cargo, loading, unloading, etc. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the first light element  126  and the second light element  116  are positioned approximately 45 degrees to a horizontal plane (e.g., a horizontal plane parallel to a plane defined by an upper surface  73  of a side rail) so as to enable the illumination of the bed interior portion  50  of the truck bed  12 . 
     In some embodiments, as shown for example in  FIG. 1 , the second switch module  14  and the first switch module  16  are disposed on a lower portion of the body  60  near the first end  61  and the second end  62 , respectively, at locations that are easily accessible from the exterior of the truck bed  12 . A battery cover  32  is removably attached to the body  60 , allowing for the installation, removal and/or replacement of a battery  42  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
     In  FIG. 2 , the parts of the first light module  20 , the first switch module  16 , the second light module  18 , the second switch module  14 , and the battery module  82  are shown for installation with the body  60 . 
     In some embodiments, as shown for example in  FIG. 2 , the first light module  20  includes a light housing element  122  configured to house the first light element  126  and having two apertures defined therethough for receiving a pair of fasteners  120  used to attach the light housing element  122  to the body  60 . In an embodiment, the body  60  includes two apertures  124  for receiving the fasteners  120 , and includes an aperture  40  for receiving a portion of the light housing element  122  (and/or a portion of the first light element  126 ) therein and/or to enable electrical connections to the first light element  126 . 
     The first switch module  16  includes a first switch  104 . A switch housing element  100  is operably associated with the first switch  104  and has two apertures defined therethough for receiving a pair of fasteners  108  used to attach the switch housing element  100  to the body  60 . In an embodiment, the body  60  includes two apertures for receiving the fasteners  108 , and includes an aperture for receiving a portion of the switch housing element  100  (and/or a portion of the first switch  104 ) therein and/or to enable electrical connections to the first switch  104 . 
     The second light module  18  includes a second light element  116 . In some embodiments, as shown for example in  FIG. 2 , the second light module  18  includes a light housing element  112  configured to house the second light element  116  and having two apertures defined therethough for receiving a pair of fasteners  110  used to attach the second light module  18  to the body  60 . In an embodiment, the body  60  includes two apertures  118  for receiving the fasteners  110 , and includes an aperture  38  for receiving a portion of the light housing element  112  (and/or a portion of the second light element  116 ) therein and/or to enable electrical connections to the second light element  116 . 
     The second switch module  14  includes a second switch  86 . A switch housing element  70  is operably associated with the second switch  86  and has two apertures defined therethough for receiving a pair of fasteners  68  used to attach the switch housing element  70  to the body  60 . In an embodiment, the body  60  includes two apertures  88  for receiving the fasteners  68 , and includes an aperture  34  for receiving a portion of the switch housing element  70  (and/or a portion of the second switch  86 ) therein and/or to enable electrical connections to the second switch  86 . 
     The battery module  82  includes a battery  42 , a battery housing element  90 , and a battery cover  32 . The battery housing element  90  includes a recess configured to contain the battery  42 , or portion thereof, and has two apertures defined therethough for receiving a pair of fasteners  84  used to attached the battery housing element  90  to the body  60 . In an embodiment, the body  60  includes two apertures  94  for receiving the fasteners  84 , and includes an aperture  46  for receiving a portion of the battery housing element  90  (and at least a portion of the battery  42 ) therein and/or to enable electrical connections to the battery  42 . 
     In some embodiments, the first switch module  16  of the truck bed rail light assembly  10  is configured for use to turn on and off the first light module  20 , and the second switch module  14  is configured for use to turn on and off the second light module  18 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the first switch module  16  may be configured to turn on and off the first light module  20  and the second light module  18  in unison, and/or the second switch module  14  may be configured to turn on and off the first light module  20  and the second light module  18  in unison. 
     In an embodiment, as shown for example in  FIG. 3 , the second switch module  14  is electrically coupled to the battery module  82  with a transmission line  5  and electrically coupled to the second light module  18  with a transmission line  4 , and the first switch module  16  is electrically coupled to the battery module  82  with a transmission line  7  and electrically coupled to the first light module  20  with a transmission line  6 . In some embodiments, the truck bed rail light assembly  10  may include an audio transducer (not shown) that accepts sound input in the form of voice commands, the processing of which may be performed by with a programmable integrated circuit device such as a microcontroller or control processor (not shown). 
     It is to be understood that the dashed lines indicative of electrical connections (e.g., electrical conductors) between various components of the truck bed rail light assembly  10  are merely illustrative and non-limiting examples of electrical connections, and that truck bed rail light assembly embodiments of the present disclosure may utilize many different configurations of electrical connections, some with additional, fewer, or different electrical connections than depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
     The body  60  may be formed from a single piece of tubular metal. In an embodiment, the body  60  is tubular stainless steel. The body  60  may include a plurality of sections. In an embodiment, as shown for example in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the body  60  includes two end portions  68 , two curved portions  66  which are connected to the end portions  68 , and a center portion  65  extending between the curved portions  66 . In embodiments, the center portion  65  and the curved portions  66  are an integrally-formed single piece. Affixed to each end portion  68  is a base member  63  used to fasten the truck bed rail light assembly  10  to the first side rail  74  or the second side rail  76 . It is to be understood that the size and shape of the center portion  65 , the curved portions  66 , the end portions  68 , and the base members  63  may be varied from the configuration shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the body  60  may be formed of various materials, e.g., metals, plastics, composites, and other materials with suitable material characteristics. It is also to be understood that the elongate body of the truck bed rail light assembly  10  should not be construed to be limited to only a tubular body. 
     In  FIG. 4 , a circuit diagram is shown depicting an embodiment of a lighting system for use with the body  60 . A first switch  104  is electrically connected between a battery  42  and a first light-emitting diode (LED)  126 . A second switch  86  is electrically connected between the battery  42  and a second LED  116 . 
     Although embodiments have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings for the purpose of illustration and description, it is to be understood that the disclosed processes and systems are not to be construed as limited thereby. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to the foregoing embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.