Abstract:
A unitary multiple light assembly for motor vehicle trailers uses different arrays of LEDs to illuminate a side marker light, a rear tail or brake light, and a license plate light. A license plate attaching bracket holds the license plate in a location in which individual LEDs in a light fixture can shine directly on predetermined locations on the license plate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to rear lights for motor vehicles, and more particularly to lights for boat trailers that will be submerged in water. Although marine trailer lights may be waterproof when they are manufactured, during use of the trailers road hazards and wear may break the seal and permit entry of moisture. Also, when a light has been heated up by exposure to the sun while the trailer is parked, sudden immersion of the trailer into cold lake or river water may cause moisture to condense inside of the trailer lights. 
     OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved lights for vehicle trailers. 
     Another object is to provide a vehicle light assembly that includes a rear tail light, a side marker light and a license plate light in a single fixture. 
     A further object is to provide a combined vehicle light fixture and license plate holder. 
     Another object is to enable multiple lighting units that have different functions to be attached to a vehicle at the same time. 
     An additional object is to provide vehicle light fixtures with sealed arrays of LED&#39;s and circuit boards that continue to illuminate when moisture leaks into or condenses in the fixtures. 
     Another object is to prevent LED&#39;s that illuminate license plates from shining through other lenses used to illuminate other functions. 
     A further object is to seal multiple arrays of LED&#39;s and their multiple printed circuit control boards into a single module. 
     Another object is to provide vehicles with a light fixture that has LEDs that shine on specific locations on license plates attached to the vehicles. 
     Another object is to provide vehicle light fixtures with LEDs and circuit boards that are insulated so as to enable them to continue to function when the seal on a fixture is broken permitting moisture to enter. 
     Another object is to employ an insulating sealant to bond together the circuit components of a vehicle light fixture. 
     Another object is to provide a license plate support bracket that connects a license plate to a light fixture in a way that enables LEDs in the light fixture to shine their light beams directly on locations on the license plate that ensures illumination of all license figures imprinted on the plate. 
     A further object is to provide multi-function trailer light fixtures that are rugged, economical, highly attractive, easy to use and maintain, and which do not possess defects found in similar prior art vehicle lights. 
     Other objects and advantages of the motor vehicle lights incorporating this invention will be found in the specification and claims and the scope of the invention will be set forth in the claims. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic exploded perspective views of an embodiment of a light in accord with this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially broken away front view of the light shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a partially broken away rear view of the light shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a partially broken away top view of the light shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a partially broken away bottom view of the light shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a partially broken away side view of the light shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is a partially broken away view of the opposite side of the light shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged, cross sectional partial view taken generally along the line  8 — 8  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged, cross sectional partial view taken generally along the line  9 — 9  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective, partially broken away, schematic representation of the light in FIGS. 1-9 in combination with a license plate holder in accord with this invention. 
     FIG. 11 is a rear view of the combination shown in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12, is a side view of the combination shown in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of a license plate targeted by lights aimed in accord with this invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The drawing shows a sealed, waterproof multiple light assembly or fixture  1  for motor vehicle trailers in accord with this invention. A first opaque plastic shell  2  has threaded bolts  3 , or other fasteners, extending perpendicularly therefrom for attaching the light to a vehicle. Shell  2  has a central depression  5 . The heads  6  of the bolts are sealed and bonded to the shell  2  by plastic cast over them so as to form reinforcing and sealing caps  7  in the depression  5 . A plurality of integral outwardly projecting supports or posts  8  are uniformly spaced around the depression  5 . A transparent, colored, curved side marker lens  9  is sealed against one side  10  of the shell  2 . A plurality of optic shapes  11 , which may be circular, are aligned on the lens  9 . A curved, transparent clear license plate lens  12  is sealed against another side  14  of shell  2  that is generally perpendicular to the side  10 . 
     A colored, transparent second plastic shell  15  has a protruding, curved, circular, central bulge  16  that defines a tail light lens  17 . The lens  17  is generally perpendicular to both the lens  9  and the lens  12 . A plurality of circular optic shapes  19  may be arranged symmetrically on the lens  17 . The peripheral edge  20  of the shell  15  is sealed against the edges of the shell  2 , and the edges of the lenses  9  and  12 . The shells  2  and  15  and the lenses  9  and  12  may be made from a durable, water resistant plastic, such as ABS, acrylic or polycarbonate, and these parts may be sealed against each other in a waterproof manner by solvent or electronic welding. 
     An integral light and circuit module  21  is suspended within the shells  2  and  15 . Module  21  has a first array  22  of LEDs (light emitting diodes)  24  that are aimed at the tail light lens  17 . Each LED  24  in the array  22  is aimed so that it shines through one of the optic shapes  19 . The LEDs in array  22  are electrically connected in conventional manner to a first printed circuit board  25 . Array  22  and circuit board  25  are held in a dish  26  that has an essentially flat bottom  27  and an outwardly projecting peripheral rim  28  that completely surrounds its bottom. Integral tabs  29  that align with post  8  project away from rim  28 . A thread fastener such as a screw  23  may pass through each tab  29  into a post  8  so that the bottom  27  of dish  26  is securely held above the shell  2 . 
     Module  21  includes a second array  31  of LEDs  32  that are aimed at the side marker lens  9 . Each LED in the array  31  is aimed so that it shines through one of the optic shapes  19 . The LEDs in array  31  are electrically connected in conventional manner to a second printed circuit board  34 . Array  31  and circuit board  34  are held in an open-ended rectangular pod  35  that is generally perpendicular to the dish  26 . Pod  35  has outwardly extending sides  36  and a back  37 . The LEDs  32  in array  31  extend through the open end beyond the sides  36 . 
     Module  21  also includes a third array  39  of LEDs  40  that are aimed at the license plate lens  12 . The LEDs in array  39  are electrically connected in conventional manner to a third printed circuit board  41 . Array  39  and circuit board  41  are held in a shroud  42  that is generally perpendicular to the dish  26 . Shroud  42  is made from a rectangular receptacle that has a back  43 , outwardly extending sides  43  and an open end through which the LEDs  40  shine light at lens  12 . A integral three-sided canopy  45  projects past the LEDs  40  so as to shield the lenses  9  and  11  from light shined by these LEDs. 
     A waterproof sealant  30 , such as an epoxy resin, is used to prevent moisture from interfering with the operation of the fixture  1 . The pod  35  may be placed on it back  37  and sealant poured into its open end. The sealant  30  partially fills pod  35  so as to completely cover the circuit board  34  and the lower portion of all of the LEDs in array  31 . The shroud  42  may be placed on it back  43  and sealant poured into its open end. The sealant  30  partially fills shroud  42  so as to completely cover the circuit board  41  and the lower portion of all of the LEDs in array  39 . The sealed pod  35  and shroud  42  may then be placed in the dish  26  with one side  36  of the pod  35  and one side  44  of the shroud on the top of the circuit board  25 . Additional sealant  30  may then be poured into the dish  26  to partially fill the dish and completely cover the circuit board  25  and the lower portion of all of the LEDs in array  22 . The sealant in dish  26  also completely covers the sides of the pod and shroud in contact with board  25  so as to bond the pod and shroud to the dish  26  and board  25 . 
     The circuit boards  25 ,  35  and  41  have conductors  46  printed on either side thereof and may be electrically connected in conventional manner to insulation-coated wire conductors  47  for connecting the light assembly  1  to the electrical system of the vehicle to which the light is attached. The conductors  47  extend from a terminal  48  attached to the outside of the dish bottom  27 . Because of the manner in which the module  21  is suspended on the post  8 , the conductors  47  can pass through the space beneath the dish  26  into a flexible gasket  49  that seals an exit opening  50  in the shell  2 . The gasket  49  also provides a water proof seal around the conductors  47 . The circuitry connecting the above described LEDs and printed circuit boards may contain additional electrical components, such as resisters, capacitors and wires, that have not been illustrated because the use of such components and the circuitry is conventional and is not a part of the invention claimed herein. All components of the circuitry within the fixture  1  are coated with waterproof insulation and/or are covered by the sealant  30 , so that entry of moisture from a leak or from condensation will not affect the operation of the LEDs. 
     Another aspect of this invention is shown in FIGS. 10-13. The light fixture  1  disclosed in FIGS. 1-9 has been combined with a unitary plastic bracket  55  that has an essentially horizontal beam  56  and an integral essentially vertically extending flange  57 . Aligned slots in the beam  56  provide first openings  58  for attaching a license plate  59  to the beam. Bolts  60  and nuts may be used to attach the license plate to the beam. The flange  57  has pairs of aligned holes that provide second openings  61  for connecting the bracket  55  to the fixture  1 . The bolts  3  on the fixture  1  pass through the openings  61  and then through holes in some part of the frame  62  of a vehicle where nuts  63  attach the fixture  1 , bracket  55  and license plate  59  to the vehicle. 
     As shown in FIG. 12, the beam  56  extends at an acute angle  64  to the vertical flange  57 . This causes the bracket  55  to hold the license plate  59  at the same acute angle to the vertical directly below the license plate lens  12 . The third array may comprise eight LEDs  40 , each of which is aimed to shine a beam of light through the lens  12  at a specific predetermined location  64  on the license plate  59 . FIG. 13 gives an example of where the selected locations  64  can be located on a license plate having dimensions of approximately six inches by twelve inches. The numbers in FIG. 13 are in millimeters and the diameter of the circular locations  64  are also in millimeters. The angle  64  is preferably in the range of about five to fifteen degrees, and for example may be about ten degrees as shown in the drawing. This combination enables the LEDs  40  to shine directly on locations on the license plate  59  that will ensure that the numerals and letters imprinted on the license plate will be clearly visible. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is not intended to illustrate or describe all of the equivalent forms or ramifications thereof. Also, the words used are words of description rather than limitation, and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention disclosed herein. The words parallel and perpendicular should be interpreted in their general sense because surfaces of the shell  2  and  25 , the lenses  9  and  12 , and the rim  28  all are curved. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.