The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 23, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 16, 2012
Chae an, Northville, MI (US);
Jonathan Quijano, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Chae An, Northville, MI (US);
Jonathan Quijano, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Erlanger, KY (US);
Abstract
An illuminating apparatus and method for an interior passenger compartment of a vehicle including, in combination, a panel, a manual operation element mounted to the panel, and a hidden light source mounted behind the panel providing indirect light directed along a path extending downwardly across a visible surface of the panel through an aperture in the panel. A bezel can be associated with the manual operation element. The bezel can define an edge with a reflective surface. The bezel is located on the visible surface of the panel within the path of indirect light. The edge reflects indirect light from the hidden light source to be visible to occupants of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.