Patent ID: 8408766

Claim:
A system for illuminating an area in a vehicle, comprising: a source of ultraviolet light wherein said source of ultraviolet light illuminates at wavelengths of 4 nm to 400 nm and has a wattage of 1.5 to 30 watts; and a surfacing material which has been treated with at least one of an optical brightener and a whitening agent that emits radiation when exposed to said ultraviolet light source directed at said surfacing material, wherein said surfacing material is placed 10-60 inches from said ultraviolet light source; and wherein said surfacing material comprises a section having a plurality of fibers which have been treated with at least one of the optical brightener and the whitening agent, and a plurality of fibers which have not been treated with at least one of the optical brightener and whitening agent which are adjacent to said section having the plurality of fibers which have been treated with at least one of the optical brightener and the whitening agent; and wherein the section of surfacing material having the plurality of fibers which have been treated with at least one of the optical brightener and the whitening agent is located in an area of the vehicle which does not receive direct light from a vehicle light source of the vehicle other than from the ultraviolet light source; and wherein the ultraviolet light source and the surfacing material having the sections which have been treated and not been treated with at least one of the optical brightener and the whitening agent are positioned in a vehicle trunk; and wherein the treated section of surfacing material is arranged with the ultraviolet light source on one or more side panels in the vehicle trunk such that, when ultraviolet light is directed at the treated section, a visible contrasting appearance is provided between the treated section and an object in the trunk placed on or adjacent to the treated section of surfacing material.