Abstract: A package storage assembly including a loft panel for carrying objects over the seating area of a mass transit vehicle passenger compartment is installed by forming the loft panel as a single homogeneous unitary piece, then connecting an elongated base member to an inner edge of the loft panel and connecting lower ends of a plurality of spaced-apart generally vertical stanchions to the base member. An elongated wall bracket having an elongated recess is mounting in a horizontal orientation on along an interior side wall of a vehicle. The loft panel is then supported in a generally horizontal attitude by supporting its outer edge in the elongated recess of the wall bracket and connecting upper ends of the stanchions to the ceiling of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle interior lighting assembly that includes a cold cathode discharge tube carried by a lamp housing having a lens. The tube emits light through the lens when energized by electrical current. Current paths extend from respective electrodes of the cold cathode discharge tube and are connectable to an external power source 19 to deliver electrical current from the source 19 to the tube sufficient to illuminate the tube. Supported in the passenger compartment of a vehicle that flexes, the lamp housing supports and protects the tube from breakage when forces that the flexing vehicle transmits to the lamp housing cause the lamp housing to flex.

Abstract: A lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area of a mass-transit vehicle includes a light fixture with a lamp housing longitudinally disposed above the seating area An electrically energized light source is mounted at least one end of the light fixture. At least one solid-core semi-rigid light pipe extends from and is optically coupled to the light source. The light pipe receives light from the light source, transmits the light along its length, and emits the light laterally into the passenger compartment. The light pipe runs parallel to and is suspended from the lamp housing between the lamp housing and the seating area so that the lamp housing can direct laterally emitted light from the pipe into the seating area.

Abstract: A lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area of a mass-transit vehicle includes a light fixture with a lamp housing longitudinally disposed above the seating area. An electrically energized light source is mounted at least one end of the light fixture. At least one solid-core semi-rigid light pipe extends from and is optically coupled to the light source. The light pipe receives light from the light source, transmits the light along its length, and emits the light laterally into the passenger compartment. The light pipe runs parallel to and is suspended from the lamp housing between the lamp housing and the seating area so that the lamp housing can direct laterally emitted light from the pipe into the seating area.

Abstract: A light pipe support assembly for mounting a light pipe in a light fixture includes a support structure having at least one pair of opposed inwardly-extending protrusions and a light pipe having an elongated light-transmissive mono-filament core supported on the support structure. The light pipe has a generally constant cross-sectional size and shape along its length. The light pipe includes an elongated upper lobe integrally extending from an elongated lower lobe. The lower lobe has an arcuate lateral profile. The light pipe includes an elongated laterally pinched region between the upper lobe and the lower lobe. The pinched region has a width less than the width of the upper lobe and less than the width of the lower lobe. The width of the pinched region is also slightly less that the width of a gap between the inwardly-extending protrusions of the support structure.

Abstract: A windshield glare-reducing assembly includes a tubular sleeve configured to receive an elongated light source such as a fluorescent lamp. Louvers are supported along the sleeve so as to fit closely around such a lamp without touching or being mounted directly on the lamp. The louvers are shaped, spaced and positioned to reduce the amount of light emitted from the lamp towards a vehicle windshield and then reflecting from the windshield into the driver's eyes. The sleeve is shaped to allow the sleeve and louvers to be easily installed on and removed from a lamp and to ease replacement of burned-out and damaged lamps.

Abstract: A lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area of a mass-transit vehicle includes a light fixture with a lamp housing longitudinally disposed above the seating area. An electrically energized light source is mounted at at least one end of the light fixture. At least one solid-core semi-rigid light pipe extends from and is optically coupled to the light source. The light pipe receives light from the light source, transmits the light along its length, and emits the light laterally into the passenger compartment. The light pipe runs parallel to and is suspended from the lamp housing between the lamp housing and the seating area so that the lamp housing can direct laterally emitted light from the pipe into the seating area.

Abstract: A lighting system using piped light is provided for a compartment such as the cargo space of a truck. An electrically energized light source is mounted adjacent the compartment. A side-fire light pipe is optically coupled to the light source. An elongated light pipe enclosure is disposed around and supports the light pipe. The enclosure comprises an elongated mounting flange adapted to fasten the enclosure to a compartment inner surface, an elongated face panel that extends integrally from along the length of the mounting flange, and a longitudinal elongated channel that is recessed into the face panel. The channel includes parallel opposing channel edges that define a longitudinal gap in the face panel. The channel is configured to receive the light pipe in frictional engagement through the gap. The light pipe can be inserted into the channel after the enclosure has been installed and protects the light pipe from damage during such operations as cargo loading into and cargo unloading from the compartment.

Abstract: A light engine including a lamp casing having a tubular light pipe receptacle. A large core optic light pipe extends from outside the light engine into the tubular receptacle. The light pipe has an inner end supported in the tubular receptacle. Two half-ellipsoidal reflector dishes are joined to form a single ellipsoidal reflector within the casing. A lamp is supported within the casing adjacent a first focal point of the ellipsoidal reflector. The reflector is positioned to focus light energy from the lamp onto a second focal point of the ellipsoidal reflector. A quartz thermal barrier is disposed in the tubular receptacle between the lamp and the light pipe inner end. The thermal barrier has an outer end surface optically coupled to the light pipe and an inner end surface disposed adjacent the second focal point of the reflector to receive convergent light emitted from the lamp and reflected from the reflector.

Abstract: A lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area of a mass-transit vehicle includes a light fixture with a lamp housing longitudinally disposed above the seating area. An electrically-energized light source is mounted at at least one end of the light fixture. At least one solid-core semi-rigid light pipe extends from and is optically coupled to the light source. The light pipe receives light from the light source, transmits the light along its length, and emits the light laterally into the passenger compartment. The light pipe runs parallel to and is suspended from the lamp housing between the lamp housing and the seating area so that the lamp housing can direct laterally emitted light from the pipe into the seating area.

Abstract: A lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area of a mass-transit vehicle passenger compartment while minimizing the illumination of an aisle and of side windows of the vehicle. A lighting fixture is mounted in a cornice area of the vehicle above the seating area. The fixture includes an air duct extension panel having an outer edge that connects to a sidewall of the vehicle and extends horizontally inward over the seating area. An elongated lamp housing is integrally formed as a unitary piece with the air duct extension panel and is disposed along an inner edge of the extension panel opposite the outer edge. A face panel connects between a ceiling of the vehicle and the extension panel inner edge. The face panel spaces the lamp housing downward from the vehicle ceiling toward the seating area to maximize seating area illumination. The air duct extension panel spaces the lamp housing inwardly away from the sidewall and side windows to minimize side window illumination.

Abstract: A lighting system using piped light is provided for the cargo space of a truck. A light source mounted on the truck body is energized by the truck electrical system through a switch in the cab. Plural lighting fixtures are mounted to the roof of the truck body for illuminating the cargo space. Each lighting fixture receives light which is piped through a separate light pipe from the source to the fixture. There are two sets of lighting fixtures each of which is disposed in a linear array extending along a line from the front to the rear of the truck body. The light pipes for one set of lighting fixtures are all disposed in a first enclosure and the light pipes for the other set of lighting fixtures are all disposed within a second enclosure. Certain sections of the enclosures are provided with a transparent lens and certain light pipes within the enclosures emit side light through the lens.

Abstract: A tailgate for a pickup truck includes three elongate, rectangular panels or louvers having an airfoil-shaped cross section pivotally mounted in a U-shaped tailgate frame conformed to be mounted on a pickup truck in place of the conventional tailgate. The louvers are linked to each other for coordinated pivotal movement about respective horizontal axes extending along the leading edge of the airfoil section between a closed position and an open position wherein the louvers project rearwardly from the frame to accommodate a substantially unrestricted flow of air through the tailgate. A reversible electric motor controlled from the cab drives the louvers in pivotal movement through a worm gear drive which will hold the louvers at any selected position. An airfoil section wing is mounted at the rearward end of the truck cab in spaced relationship to the cab roof and sidewalls to reduce turbulence in air flowing toward the tailgate.

Abstract: A cornice lighting fixture (10) disclosed is designed for use on public transit vehicles (12) and includes a unitary member (20) defining a light housing (22) and a trim panel (24) that extends horizontally and vertically from the light housing. A light cover (28) encloses a fluorescent tube (26) mounted within the housing by an electrical connector support (84). The unitary member defining the housing and trim panel is preferably made as a pultrusion from resin and glass fibers so as to have an elongated shape of a uniform cross-section with the light housing defining an upper and inward longitudinal margin of the fixture and with an outer mounting flange (70) of the trim panel defining a lower and outward longitudinal margin of the fixture. Upon mounting of the fixture, the housing and the trim panel cooperate to partially define an air duct (30) for carrying heated or cooled air.