IP Library › Granted Patent US 12691819
Granted Patent B2
US 12691819 · App. 19/017,913 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Vehicle interior lighting system including graphically alterable panel

Inventor: Gerald J Keller (Auburn Hills, MI)
Assignee: FCA US LLC
B60Q3/60B60Q3/217B60Q3/70F21V5/04F21V7/0025F21V9/40F21V14/04F21W2106/00F21Y2115/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12691819
App. No.
19/017,913
Filed
Jan 13, 2025
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2875
USPC
362/514
Abstract

A vehicle includes a light source, a trim component having a show surface, a graphically alterable panel including light reflectors that move when an actuating electrical signal is applied to the graphically alterable panel, and a control system. The control system is coupled to the graphically alterable panel and selectively provides an actuating electrical signal to cause movement of at least some of the light reflectors. Light emitted from the light source is reflected off the graphically alterable panel, and movement of the light reflectors changes the reflectivity of the light reflectors such that movement of the light reflectors changes the reflection of light off of the panel and the appearance of the show surface. The graphically alterable panel defines at least part of the show surface or the graphically alterable panel is arranged to reflect light onto the show surface of the interior trim component.

Claims (29)

1 . A vehicle, comprising:

a light source that emits visible light;

a trim component having a show surface arranged to be visible within a passenger compartment of the vehicle wherein the trim component defines at least part of an interior surface of a vehicle door, a vehicle seat, a center console, a headliner, cover received over a vehicle pillar or a dashboard separate from an information display and gauges on the dashboard;

a graphically alterable panel including light reflectors that move when an actuating electrical signal is applied to the graphically alterable panel; and

a control system coupled to the graphically alterable panel, the control system including or controlling a power supply adapted to selectively provide the actuating electrical signal to the graphically alterable panel to cause movement of at least some of the light reflectors, wherein light emitted from the light source is reflected off the graphically alterable panel and wherein movement of the light reflectors changes the reflectivity of the light reflectors such that movement of the light reflectors changes the reflection of light off of the graphically alterable panel and the appearance of the show surface, and the graphically alterable panel is arranged to reflect light onto the show surface of the interior trim component, wherein the light source and the graphically alterable panel are arranged in a space behind the interior trim component, the graphically alterable panel is not directly visible from within the passenger compartment, and light is directed onto the show surface through an opening between the space and the show surface.

2 . The system of claim 1 which also includes a light modifier arranged to control at least part of the light from the light source that is directed onto of from the graphically alterable panel.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the light source emits visible light of more than one color.

4 . The vehicle of claim 3 which also includes a reflector positioned in the path of emitted light from the light source and arranged to reflect light onto the panel.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 which also includes a light modifier arranged to control at least part of the light from the light source that is directed onto the graphically alterable panel, and wherein the light modifier is a lens that is arranged between the light source and the graphically alterable panel, and the light modifier has one or both of different thickness in different portions of the light modifier and different transparency in different portions of the light modifier.

6 . The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the light modifier is arranged between the graphically alterable panel and the show surface.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the graphically alterable panel includes electronic ink in multiple cells, and the actuating electrical signal is provided to at least some of the multiple cells independently of at least some other cells of the multiple cells.

8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the electronic ink includes reflective particles and liquid within the multiple cells, and wherein the reflective particles within one of the multiple cells move when the actuating electrical signal is provided to the cell.

9 . The system of claim 8 wherein movement of the reflective particles includes rotation of the reflective particles so that different portions of the reflective particles are exposed to an outer surface of the graphically alterable panel.

10 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the graphically alterable panel includes electronic ink in multiple cells, and the actuating electrical signal is provided to at least some of the multiple cells independently of at least some other cells of the multiple cells.

11 . The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the electronic ink includes reflective particles and liquid within the multiple cells, and wherein the reflective particles within one of the multiple cells move when the actuating electrical signal is provided to the cell.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 wherein movement of the reflective particles includes rotation of the reflective particles so that different portions of the reflective particles are exposed to an outer surface of the graphically alterable panel.

13 . The vehicle of claim 11 wherein movement of the reflective particles includes movement of the reflective particles either toward or away from an outer surface of the graphically alterable panel.

14 . A vehicle, comprising:

a light source that emits visible light;

a trim component having a show surface arranged to be visible within a passenger compartment of the vehicle wherein the trim component defines at least part of an interior surface of a vehicle door, a vehicle seat, a center console, a headliner, cover received over a vehicle pillar or a dashboard separate from an information display and gauges on the dashboard;

a graphically alterable panel including light reflectors that move when an actuating electrical signal is applied to the graphically alterable panel; and

a control system coupled to the graphically alterable panel, the control system including or controlling a power supply adapted to selectively provide the actuating electrical signal to the graphically alterable panel to cause movement of at least some of the light reflectors, wherein light emitted from the light source is reflected off the graphically alterable panel and wherein movement of the light reflectors changes the reflectivity of the light reflectors such that movement of the light reflectors changes the reflection of light off of the graphically alterable panel and the appearance of the show surface, and wherein the graphically alterable panel defines at least part of the show surface of the interior trim component or the graphically alterable panel is arranged to reflect light onto the show surface of the interior trim component, wherein the interior trim component is a first interior trim component and wherein the vehicle includes a second interior trim component mounted adjacent to the first interior trim component and wherein a continuous pattern is displayed on the first interior trim component and the second interior trim component.

15 . The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the graphically alterable panel is a first graphically alterable panel and defines at least part of the show surface of the first interior trim component, and the vehicle includes a second graphically alterable panel that is separate from the first graphically alterable panel and defines at least part of the show surface of the second interior trim component, and wherein the continuous pattern is provided simultaneously on both the first graphically alterable panel and the second graphically alterable panel.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the first graphically alterable panel is part of the vehicle door and the second graphically alterable panel is part of the dashboard.

17 . A vehicle, comprising:

a light source that emits visible light;

a trim component having a show surface arranged to be visible within a passenger compartment of the vehicle wherein the trim component defines at least part of an interior surface of a vehicle door, a vehicle seat, a center console, a headliner, cover received over a vehicle pillar or a dashboard separate from an information display and gauges on the dashboard;

a graphically alterable panel including light reflectors that move when an actuating electrical signal is applied to the graphically alterable panel; and

a control system coupled to the graphically alterable panel, the control system including or controlling a power supply adapted to selectively provide the actuating electrical signal to the graphically alterable panel to cause movement of at least some of the light reflectors, wherein light emitted from the light source is reflected off the graphically alterable panel and wherein movement of the light reflectors changes the reflectivity of the light reflectors such that movement of the light reflectors changes the reflection of light off of the graphically alterable panel and the appearance of the show surface, and wherein the graphically alterable panel defines at least part of the show surface of the interior trim component and the light source is located behind the interior trim component and projects light through an opening, where the opening is defined between the interior trim component and another component, or the opening is defined in the interior trim component.