Nissan Motor has been granted a patent for a vehicle interior lighting assembly. The assembly includes a roof structure, a headliner, and a light source. The headliner has a central opening that exposes a portion of the roof structure, and a gap is defined between the roof structure and the headliner. When the light source is illuminated, light is emitted through the gap, providing upwardly extending light towards the lower surface portion of the roof structure. GlobalData’s report on Nissan Motor gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Nissan Motor, hydrogen fuel cells was a key innovation area identified from patents. Nissan Motor's grant share as of September 2023 was 32%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Patent granted for a vehicle interior lighting assembly
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11772552B2) describes a vehicle interior lighting assembly that aims to provide improved illumination within the vehicle. The assembly includes a vehicle body structure with pillar structures and a roof structure attached to the upper ends of the pillars. The roof structure features a rail member with a lower surface portion located inboard of the outer periphery. A headliner is supported to the outer periphery of the roof structure and has a central opening that exposes a portion of the roof structure. The headliner's inner edge is spaced apart from the lower surface portion of the rail member, creating a main gap.
The assembly also includes a carrier attached to the rail member outboard of the lower surface portion. The carrier defines a carrier gap between its inboard ends, and a light source is installed within the carrier. A diffuser/filter is installed in the carrier gap to diffuse and filter the light passing through. Importantly, the carrier gap is vertically lower than the main gap, allowing the light emitted through the carrier gap and diffuser/filter to shine upwardly through the main gap towards the lower surface portion of the rail member.
Additional features of the assembly include the carrier partially defining a light source receiving structure that is directly installed to the lower surface portion of the rail member. The carrier is made of an opaque material to prevent light from passing through it. The carrier is also shaped and dimensioned to direct the light from the light source to shine through the carrier gap and the main gap.
In another embodiment, the assembly is designed for vehicles with a sunroof structure. The sunroof structure is fixedly attached to the vehicle roof structure and has a rail member with a lower surface portion. The headliner's central opening exposes the transparent area of the sunroof structure, and the inner edge of the headliner is spaced apart from the lower surface portion of the rail member, creating a main gap. The carrier is attached to the rail member outboard of the lower surface portion and functions similarly to the previous embodiment.
Overall, this patented vehicle interior lighting assembly offers an innovative solution for enhancing interior illumination in vehicles. By strategically positioning the carrier and utilizing diffuser/filter technology, the assembly ensures that light is effectively directed and shines upwardly towards the lower surface portion of the rail member, providing improved lighting within the vehicle.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
