The present invention generally relates to illuminated panel portions for vehicles and vehicular accessories. More specifically, the present invention relates to an illuminated panel portion including a generally translucent panel with an outer surface that is substantially flush with the outer surface of the adjacent panel of vehicles and vehicular accessories for illuminating a selected design defined by the translucent panel.
Illuminated devices for vehicles and vehicular accessories have been traditionally used to enhance the visibility of the vehicle or passenger. Also, illuminated devices have served to illuminate selected designs such as indicia, emblems, pictures, outlines, or other such artistic and other designs.
A number of illuminated devices have been designed to be mounted on various vehicle or vehicular accessory surfaces. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,026 describes an illuminated automotive emblem for a motor vehicle having a translucent display template that is illuminated from behind by a light source. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,615,940 and 5,479,324 describes an illumination device mounted on a gas tank or shell.
These and other prior illumination devices are typically mounted onto or protrude from the surfaces of the vehicle or vehicular accessory. Such a mounting arrangement can actually increase the possibility of damage to the underlying machinery or circuitry protected by the support surface. For example, water may seep and pool between the mounting surface of the illumination device and the surface of the vehicle or vehicle accessory. If the illumination device covers an aperture in the vehicle or vehicle accessory surface, water can sometimes seep under the mounting surface of the illumination device and damage underlying machinery or circuitry.
Illumination devices are also typically mounted or protrude above the surface of the vehicle or vehicular accessory. This mounting arrangement alters the preexisting contour of the surface. By altering the contour of the vehicle or vehicle accessory surface, the aerodynamics, appearance or aesthetics, and performance of the vehicle and/or accessory may also be compromised. These potential drawbacks may be a disincentive for consumers to mount or install such illumination devices on their vehicles and/or vehicular accessories.
In a variation of the above mounting techniques U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,589 shows a mounting arrangement in which the desired design of the indicia is cut from the surface of the vehicle or vehicular accessory. This arrangement causes the edges of the cut-out portion to be raised above the outer surface of the illumination device. Moreover, because the indicia is cut out, the complexity of the indicia design is necessarily limited in order to maintain the structural integrity of the support surface of the vehicle or the vehicular accessory.
Therefore, it is an aspect and object of this invention to provide an illuminated panel portion including a generally translucent panel with an outer surface which avoids one or more of the drawbacks of prior illumination devices.