SELF-ILLUMINATION VEHICLE CANOPY
A canopy for a vehicle, wherein the canopy comprises a body that is structured and operable to protect passengers of the vehicle from rain, water and sunlight, wherein the body comprises a photoluminescent material that is structured and operable to illuminate in the absence of light such that the body is structured and operable to self-illuminate without a connection to an electrical power source.
1 . A canopy for a vehicle, said canopy comprising:
a body wherein the body is structured and operable to cover a portion of the vehicle and provide protection from rain, water or sunlight, the body comprising a photoluminescent material that is structured and operable to self-illuminate without a connection to an electrical power source.
2 . The canopy of claim 1 wherein the photoluminescent material is integrally formed with the body.
3 . The canopy of claim 1 wherein the photoluminescent material is a coating disposed over a substrate of the body.
4 . The canopy of claim 1 wherein the photoluminescent material comprises strontium aluminate
5 . The canopy of claim 1 wherein the photoluminescent material comprises copper-activated zinc sulfide.
6 . The canopy of claim 1 wherein, when fully charged, the photoluminescent material is capable of self-illuminating for a period of 2 to 10 hours.
7 . The canopy of claim 1 wherein the photoluminescent material is capable of self-illuminating with a light intensity of at least 300 lumens.
8 . A canopy system for a vehicle, said canopy system comprising
at least one front strut;
at least one rear strut; and
a canopy that is mountable to the at least one front strut and the at least one rear strut, wherein the canopy comprises:
a body wherein the body is structured and operable to cover a portion of the vehicle and provide protection from rain, water or sunlight, the body comprising a photoluminescent material that is structured and operable to self-illuminate without a connection to an electrical power source.
9 . The canopy system of claim 8 wherein the photoluminescent material is integrally formed with the body.
10 . The canopy system of claim 8 wherein the photoluminescent material is a coating disposed over a substrate of the body.
11 . The canopy system of claim 8 wherein the photoluminescent material comprises strontium aluminate
12 . The canopy system of claim 8 wherein the photoluminescent material comprises copper-activated zinc sulfide.
13 . The canopy system of claim 8 wherein, when fully charged, the photoluminescent material is capable of self-illuminating for a period of 2 to 10 hours.
14 . The canopy system of claim 8 wherein the photoluminescent material is capable of self-illuminating with a light intensity of at least 300 lumens.
15 . A vehicle, said vehicle comprising;
a chassis;
a plurality of wheels operatively connected to the chassis;
a passenger compartment supported by the chassis; and
a canopy system structured and operable to protect passengers of the vehicle from rain, water and sunlight, said canopy system comprising:
at least one front strut;
at least one rear strut; and
a canopy that is mountable to the at least one front strut and the at least one rear strut, wherein the canopy comprises:
a body wherein the body is structured and operable to cover a portion of the vehicle and provide protection from rain, water or sunlight, the body comprising a photoluminescent material that is structured and operable to self-illuminate without a connection to an electrical power source.
16 . The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the photoluminescent material is integrally formed with the body.
17 . The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the photoluminescent material is a coating disposed over a substrate of the body.
18 . The vehicle system of claim 15 wherein the photoluminescent material comprises one of strontium aluminate and copper-activated zinc sulfide.
19 . The vehicle of claim 15 wherein, when fully charged, the photoluminescent material is capable of self-illuminating for a period of 2 to 10 hours.
20 . The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the photoluminescent material is capable of self-illuminating with a light intensity of at least 300 lumens.