Mazda Motor Corporation

Yasuaki Okazaki

Masaya Hiramatsu

Hitoshi Ochimizu

Disclosed is a vehicle interior illumination structure comprising, in combination, an instrument panelinstalled in a front interior area of a vehicle, and a light-guiding illumination memberdisposed in the instrument panel. The instrument panelis formed with a step portion S laterally extending at a height approximately equal to or above that of a mounting portion of a shaft of a steering wheelto the instrument panel. The step portion S is defined in such a manner that a step upper surfacelocated on the upper side of the step portion and a step lower surfacelocated on the lower side of the step portion are formed in the instrument panel, and the step upper surfacehas a rear edgeprotruding in the rearward direction of the vehicle relative to a front edgeof the step lower surface. The illumination memberis arranged to extend laterally at a position which is adjacent to the front edgeof the step lower surfaceand capable of preventing illumination light of the illumination memberfrom directly coming within the field of view of a driver sitting in a front seat in the vehicle interior. The vehicle interior illumination structure of the present invention can prevent illumination light of the illumination member from obstructing the driver's view.

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Fuchu-cho, Japan

Yasuaki Okazaki