Illuminated trim fitting

Abstract

An illuminated trim fitting for a motor vehicle, in particular a trim fitting as a cover fitting of a sealing strip for the window channel of a vehicle door, is intended to provide a high-quality illuminating effect accompanied at the same time by a simple structural design, low manufacturing costs and space-saving attachment. In addition, the trim fitting is to differ as little as possible externally from non-illuminated trim fittings. For this purpose there is provision that a light gap is formed between a profiled strip of the trim fitting and the adjacent vehicle outer skin, through which light gap the light emitted by a lighting structure provided on the rear of the trim fitting can exit to the outside.

Claims

1. An illuminated trim fitting for a vehicle, the illuminated trim fitting comprising: a profiled strip mounted on the vehicle and defining a front side which is facing away from the vehicle and a rear side which is facing towards the vehicle, the profiled strip having a main limb, the main limb having an outwardly pointing decorative surface with an edge that partially defines a gap, wherein the edge is defined as a lower end of the outwardly pointing decorative surface of the main limb; and a lighting structure disposed on the rear side and backlighting at least part of the profiled strip, wherein light emitted by the lighting structure passes through the gap to an outside of the illuminated trim fitting in a visible fashion.

2. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 1 wherein the lighting structure is attached to the main limb.

3. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 1 wherein the main limb includes a lower limb.

4. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lower limb engages a sealing strip.

5. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lower limb is spaced apart from the lighting structure.

6. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lower limb is spaced above the lighting structure.

7. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lighting structure is connected to the lower limb.

8. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lighting structure is in contact with the lower limb.

9. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lower limb is a carrier for the lighting structure.

10. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lower limb is positioned at a defined distance from a vehicle outer surface by a sealing strip limb.

11. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 3 wherein the lighting structure is positioned at a defined distance from a vehicle outer surface by a sealing strip limb.

12. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 1 further comprising a spacer element configured to ensure that the main limb is uniformly spaced apart from a vehicle outer surface.

13. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 12 wherein the lighting structure is positioned between the spacer element and the profiled strip.

14. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 12 wherein the main limb includes a lower limb that engages a sealing strip, and the spacer element is separate from the sealing strip.

15. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 12 wherein the main limb includes a lower limb that engages a sealing strip, and the spacer element is not formed by the material of the sealing strip.

16. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 12 wherein the spacer element is attached to the lighting structure.

17. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 12 wherein the spacer element prevents ingress of dirt and moisture into a space located on the functional side of the profiled strip.

18. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 1 wherein the gap is in the range between 1 mm and 4 mm.

19. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 1 wherein the edge is straight.

20. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 1 wherein the gap is partially defined by the edge and partially defined by the vehicle.

21. An illuminated trim fitting for a vehicle, the trim fitting comprising: a profiled strip mounted on the vehicle and defining a decorative side which is facing away from the vehicle and a functional side which is facing towards the vehicle, the profiled strip having a main limb having an outwardly pointing decorative surface with a lower visible edge that partially defines a gap, wherein the lower visible edge is defined as a lower end of the outwardly pointing decorative surface of the main limb, the lower visible edge extended along a portion of a length of the profiled strip, the main limb having a lower limb; and a lighting structure contacting the lower limb and backlighting at least part of the profiled strip, and wherein light emitted by the lighting structure passes through the gap to an outside of the illuminated trim fitting in a visible fashion.

22. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 21 wherein the lower limb extends from the functional side of the main limb.

23. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 21 wherein the lower limb is formed as an integral part of the main limb.

24. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 21 wherein the main limb includes an upper limb separate and spaced apart from the lower limb.

25. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 21 wherein the lower limb engages a sealing strip.

26. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 21 wherein the lower limb is a carrier for the lighting structure.

27. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 21 further comprising a spacer element configured to ensure that the main limb is uniformly spaced apart from an outer surface of the vehicle.

28. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 27 wherein the lighting structure is positioned between the spacer element and the profiled strip.

29. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 27 wherein the lower limb engages a sealing strip, and the spacer element is separate from the sealing strip.

30. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 29 wherein the spacer element is not formed by the material of the sealing strip.

31. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 27 wherein the spacer element is attached to the lighting structure.

32. The illuminated trim fitting of claim 27 wherein the spacer element prevents ingress of dirt and moisture into a space located on the functional side of the profiled strip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further features and advantages of the invention can be found in the claims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view which shows a trim fitting attached to a sealing strip including a spacer element,

(3) FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view which shows a trim fitting attached to a sealing strip, including a lighting structure attached to a main limb and a reflective surface on the sealing strip,

(4) FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view which shows a trim fitting attached to a sealing strip, including a separate spacer element, and

(5) FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view which shows a trim fitting, attached to a sealing strip, including a lighting structure in contact with an outer surface of a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates a profiled strip 2, in the form of a window channel covering fitting, which is attached to a sealing strip 1. A further use would be, for example, a shoulder line trip strip or a cover strip for covering, for example, the A strip, B strip or C strip. The sealing strip 1 is fitted with its U-shaped section, reinforced by an inserted metal bar, onto a vehicle bodywork part of a motor vehicle and seals off the door well from the window pane 11. The profiled strip 2 is configured to cover this sealing strip 1 and to conceal it as a decorative part in a way which gives the most high-quality visual impression possible. For this purpose, the profiled strip 2 or the profiled strip cross section formed by the material of the profiled strip 2 has an arcuate main limb 5, the outwardly pointing surface of which forms the decorative surface 13 of the profiled strip 2 which is externally visible given correct mounting. The decorative surface 13 is bounded by an upper visible edge 3 and a lower visible edge 4. In the region of these visible edges 3, 4, the main limb 5 bends inward and forms an upper functional limb 6 and a lower functional limb 7. The functional limbs 6, 7 provide engagement of the profiled strip 2 in the sealing strip 1 in order to be held thereon. The dot-dashed line running along the main limb 5 in the figures is intended to illustrate the boundary between the decorative side Z and the functional side F.

(7) The trim fitting has a lighting structure 8 in addition to the preferably materially homogenous profiled strip 2. The lighting structure 8 is formed by an OLED film which is printed directly onto the surface of the lower functional limb 7 facing the vehicle outer surface 12, or is connected to said surface of the lower functional limb 7 in some other way, for example by bonding. The lower functional limb 7 therefore serves as a carrier for the lighting structure 8.

(8) The profiled strip 2 is preferably manufactured from a non-translucent material, with the result that assembly components lying on the functional side F (in the figures those which are essentially to the right of the main limb 5), that is to say in particular the sealing strip 1 and the lighting structure 8, cannot be seen from the outside through the profiled strip or are effectively covered by the profiled strip 2.

(9) It is apparent that a gap with a gap width S, which can be perceived as a shadow gap when the lighting structure 8 is not active or is switched on, remains between the surface of the lower functional limb 7 which is directed towards the vehicle outer surface 13, and the vehicle outer surface, or between the lower visible edge 4 and the vehicle outer surface 13. However, after the lighting structure 8 has been activated or switched on it directly illuminates the vehicle outer surface and a large part of the emitted light passes through the gap, acting now as a light gap 10, towards the outside. As a result, indirect illumination is produced which has a high-quality appearance and is emitted mainly downwards, effectively preventing persons from being dazzled when they get in or out of the vehicle.

(10) In FIG. 1 it is also apparent that the lower functional limb 7 of the profiled strip 2 and therefore also the lighting structure 8 which is arranged thereon are held at a defined distance from the vehicle outer surface by means of a sealing strip limb 9 which bears directly on the vehicle outer surface. Said sealing strip limb 9 therefore forms a spacer element 14 which ensures that the functional limb which bears the lighting structure 8 is uniformly spaced apart from the vehicle outer surface, thereby ensuring a constant light gap width over the length of the profiled strip. The light gap width S is preferably in the range between 1 mm and 4 mm, particularly preferably between 2 mm and 3 mm. Depending on the light yield of the respectively used structure and according to the luminosity of the lighting structure 8, light gap widths S below 1 mm are also possible.

(11) The profiled strip 2 shown in FIG. 2 differs from the profiled strip shown in FIG. 1 essentially in the different shape of the profiled strip cross section and the arrangement of the lighting structure 8. The lighting structure 8 is attached directly to the rear of the main limb 5 that is to say on the rear surface of the main limb 5, facing towards the vehicle. The lower functional limb 7 which interacts with the sealing strip 1 sits above the lighting structure 8 on the rear of the main limb 5.

(12) In the embodiment of the profiled strip 2 which is shown in FIG. 2, there is no spacer element 14, which would prevent the distance of the lighting structure 8 from the directly adjoining component, here the sealing strip 1, from being kept constant. Instead, the distance of the lighting structure 8 from the sealing strip 1 would vary here when the profile of the two components is not parallel, which can result in different intensities of the illumination of the light gap 10, in particular if the lighting structure 8 enters into contact with the adjacent sealing strip 1 and as a result a large part of the emitted light does not reach the light gap 10. However, as a result of the steep, predominantly vertical orientation of the lighting structure 8, a relatively small amount of inward pivoting of the main limb 5 towards the sealing strip 1 is not as significant for the light gap width S as would be the case with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in which the lighting structure 8 is more horizontally oriented.

(13) In addition, in FIG. 2 a reflective coating is provided on the surface region of the sealing strip 1 facing the lighting structure 8. This reflective coating can be formed by an applied reflective film or a coating which is vapour-coated or sputtered on, for example. The reflective surface 15 which is produced as a result increases the light yield in that the light emitted by the lighting structure 8, which is predominantly incident on this reflective surface, is more effectively diverted towards the light gap 10, and the light yield, that is to say the proportion of the total light output which actually exits the light gap 10, is increased overall. The reflective surface 15 can be oriented towards the lighting structure 8 in such a way that it forms a deflection surface with which the light beams are deflected in the direction of the light gap 10 in a targeted fashion as by a mirror.

(14) Although the reflective coating is shown explicitly only in FIG. 2, the use in other embodiments is also conceivable in so far as they have a surface, in particular on the sealing strip 1 or on the vehicle outer surface 12, which can serve as a reflective surface in the fashion described above.

(15) Finally, FIG. 3 shows again an embodiment which is approximated to FIG. 1 and in which, however, the spacer element 14 is not formed by the material of the sealing strip 1 but rather by a component which is separate from the sealing strip 1 and is attached in FIG. 3, for example, to the vehicle outer surface 12. However, as an alternative to this, it can also be provided that the spacer element 14 is attached to the sealing strip 1 or the lighting structure 8.

(16) In order to ensure sufficient illumination of the light gap 10, the spacer element 14 is formed by a translucent spacer strip, in particular made of a translucent plastic, which can pass on the emitted light in the direction of the light gap. Surface regions of the spacer element 14 can be provided with a reflective coating. This relates, of course, in particular to those surface regions which face away from the light gap 10. As a result it is possible to prevent light from exiting the spacer element 14 at a surface facing away from the light gap 10 and being lost in terms of illuminating the light gap 10, or at least to reduce this. Overall, the light yield (the proportion of the light emitting by the lighting structure 8 which actually exits the light gap 10) can be improved or a lighting means with a relatively low power can be used with a comparable light yield.

(17) The spacer element 14 which is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 also has the function of preventing the ingress of dirt and moisture into the space located on the functional side F of the profiled strip 2.

(18) Finally, FIG. 4 shows an embodiment which is based on FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 and in which the lighting structure 8 is in direct contact with the vehicle outer surface 12, and the light emitted by the lighting structure 8, for illuminating the light gap 10, exits the narrow side of the lighting structure 8 facing the light gap 10.

(19) Optionally, a translucent closure strip 16 is provided on the lower visible edge of the profiled strip 2 as an optional additional feature which can also be used for other embodiments such as the embodiments shown in the preceding figures. Said closure strip 16 is located between the profiled strip 2 and the vehicle outer surface 12 and closes off the light gap 10 against the ingress of dirt and moisture. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the outwardly directed surface of the closure strip 16 advantageously terminates flush with the external surface of the profiled strip 2. In one particular embodiment, the translucent closure strip 16 can also be embodied as part of the profiled strip 2 or injection-moulded thereon or connected to the profiled strip 2 in some other way.

(20) The lighting structure 8 does not necessarily have to be a film strip which extends over the entire trim fitting. Depending on the application, the lighting structure 8 can also extend over just part of the length of the trim fitting or it is possible to provide a plurality of lighting structures 8, preferably a plurality of lighting structures 8 which directly adjoin one another and which form regions which can be actuated selectively, for example in order to present only certain selected information or in order to illuminate regions which can be delimited selectively from one another separately.

(21) A further advantage of the described invention in general and of the embodiments shown in the figures is that the backlit trim fittings, as well as compatible, non-backlit trim fittings, can optionally be fitted onto the same carrier profile or sealing strip 1. The sealing function and optics or lighting function of the assembly are completely separate from one another, with the result that only the trim fitting assumes the optical function. The sealing strip 1 does not have to be specifically prepared for the use of a backlit trim fitting or specially selected for this purpose.

(22) For the vehicle manufacturer there is the possibility of giving the vehicle a significantly more high-quality appearance solely through the selection of the trim fitting which is to be fitted onto the same sealing strip 1 for all the vehicle equipment level configurations, for example within the scope of a light assembly which is offered as a special accessory. In this way it is also possible for vehicles which originally have a non-backlit trim fitting to be easily retrofitted in a way which is particularly simple in terms of manual labour, without the need to replace the sealing strip 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(23) 1 Sealing strip 2 Profiled strip 3 Upper visible edge 4 Lower visible edge 5 Main limb 6 Upper functional limb 7 Lower functional limb 8 Lighting structure 9 Sealing strip limb 10 Light gap 11 Window pane 12 Vehicle outer surface 13 Decorative surface 14 Spacer element 15 Reflective surface 16 Closure strip S Light gap width Z Decorative side F Functional side