IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,967,495
Granted Patent B2
US 7,967,495 · App. 12/003,097 · Granted Jun 28, 2011

Scuff plate

Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,967,495
App. No.
12/003,097
Granted
Jun 28, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Luminous surfaces 25 of a concave-convex shape are formed on a light guide member 2 of a scuff plate, and a screen member 4 made of a non-transparent material is disposed between the light guide member 2 and a wire harness 31 of the scuff plate. The light guide member 2 luminously displays a design in a three-dimensional manner, and also the wire harness 31 will not be visually recognized through the light guide member 2 , and therefore the design is enhanced.

Claims (54)

1. A scuff plate, comprising:

a box-like case;

a light guide member, made of a transparent material, having a luminous surface of a concave-convex shape and housed within said case;

a light source, applying light to a side surface of said light guide member;

a screen member, made of a non-transparent material and disposed between said light guide member and a bottom wall of said case;

a wire harness, electrically connecting said light source to a power source, at least part of said wire harness being disposed between said screen member and said bottom wall of said case; and

a filter made of a colored material which can transmit light emitted from said light source is, wherein

a portion of said filter serving as a light-transmitting portion is disposed between said light source and the side surface of said light guide member, and

another portion of said filter serving as a fixing portion extends in a direction intersecting said light-transmitting portion, and is held between said screen member and the bottom wall of said case.

2. The scuff plate according to claim 1 , wherein said screen member is made of metal.

3. The scuff plate according to claim 2 , wherein:

an inward portion of an obverse surface of said light guide member disposed inwardly of an outer peripheral portion thereof is depressed with respect to said outer peripheral portion such that said obverse surface assumes a picture frame-like shape; and

said protective member is held against said outer peripheral portion of said obverse surface of said light guide member.

4. The scuff plate according to claim 1 , wherein:

said light guide member has a luminous recess of a depression-shape;

at least part of said luminous surface is defined by an inner surface of said luminous recess; and

a plurality of first concave portions of a depression-shape and a plurality of second concave portions of a depression-shape which are smaller in maximum depression height than said first concave portions are formed in a distributed manner on the inner surface of said luminous recess such that said inner surface of said luminous recess has an uneven shape.

5. The scuff plate according to claim 1 , wherein:

said light guide member has a luminous recess of a depression-shape;

at least part of said luminous surface is defined by an inner surface of said luminous recess; and

a plurality of first concave portions of a depression-shape and a plurality of second concave portions of a depression-shape which are smaller in maximum depression height than said first concave portions are formed in a distributed manner on those portions of a side surface of said light guide member other than that portion thereof facing said light source such that said portions of said side surface other than said portion thereof facing said light source has an uneven shape.

6. The scuff plate according to claim 5 , wherein a portion of the inner surface of said luminous recess disposed closer to said light source is inclined at an angle of not smaller than 25° relative to a bottom surface of said light guide member.

7. The scuff plate according to claim 1 , wherein the resin is polycarbonate resin.

8. The scuff plate according to claim 1 , wherein the light source includes an LED.

9. A scuff plate, comprising:

a box-like case having a bottom wall;

a light guide member, wherein

the light guide member is made of a transparent material,

the light guide member is located in the case,

the light guide member has a generally plate-like shape including first and second main surfaces, which are opposite to one another, and edge surfaces, which extend between the first and second main surfaces,

the first main surface faces outward from the case, and the second main surface faces the bottom wall, and

the second main surface includes a luminous surface, and the luminous surface has a concave-convex shape; and

a light source, which is located adjacent to one of the edge surfaces of the light guide member, wherein the light source applies light to the edge surface in a direction that is generally parallel to the first and second main surfaces of the light guide member;

a screen member that is made of a non-transparent material, wherein the screen member is located between the light guide member and the bottom wall;

a wire harness that electrically connects the light source to a power source, wherein the wire harness is located between the screen member and the bottom wall of the case; and

a filter made of a colored material, wherein

the colored material can transmit light emitted from said light source,

a portion of the filter, which serves as a light-transmitting portion, is located between the light source and the edge surface, and

another portion of the filter, which serves as a fixing portion, extends in a direction intersecting the light-transmitting portion and is sandwiched between the screen member and the bottom wall.

10. The scuff plate according to claim 9 , wherein said screen member is made of metal.

11. The scuff plate according to claim 10 , wherein:

an inward portion of the first main surface of said light guide member disposed inwardly of an outer peripheral portion thereof is depressed with respect to said outer peripheral portion such that said first main surface assumes a picture frame-like shape; and

said protective member is held against said outer peripheral portion of said first main surface of said light guide member.

12. The scuff plate according to claim 9 , wherein:

said light guide member has a luminous recess of a depression-shape;

at least part of said luminous surface is defined by an inner surface of said luminous recess; and

a plurality of first concave portions of a depression-shape and a plurality of second concave portions of a depression-shape which are smaller in maximum depression height than said first concave portions are formed in a distributed manner on the inner surface of said luminous recess such that said inner surface of said luminous recess has an uneven shape.

13. The scuff plate according to claim 9 , wherein:

said light guide member has a luminous recess of a depression-shape;

at least part of said luminous surface is defined by an inner surface of said luminous recess; and

a plurality of first concave portions of a depression-shape and a plurality of second concave portions of a depression-shape which are smaller in maximum depression height than said first concave portions are formed in a distributed manner on those portions of a side surface of said light guide member other than that portion thereof facing said light source such that said portions of said side surface other than said portion thereof facing said light source has an uneven shape.

14. The scuff plate according to claim 13 , wherein a portion of the inner surface of said luminous recess disposed closer to said light source is inclined at an angle of not smaller than 25° relative to a bottom surface of said light guide member.

15. The scuff plate according to claim 9 , wherein the resin is polycarbonate resin.

16. The scuff plate according to claim 9 , wherein the light source includes an LED.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2007
From: KAMIYA, TAKAYUKI; HIGUCHI, YASUYUKI; TAKEDA, KAZUO; TOTANI, CHIHARU; OBA, TATSUYA; INUI, SHUJI
To: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020335/0015 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2007-008403 · Jan 17, 2007 · national
JP 2007-210513 · Aug 10, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080170405A1 · Jul 17, 2008