Vehicle lighting system having a spotlight

• US 10,086,751 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Johnson, Aaron Bradley, Surman, James J., Buttolo, Pietro, Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Garlen, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US15/192,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20170368983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0076 Switches therefor B60Q1/1446, B60Q1/343, B60Q1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/245 Searchlights, e.g. adjustable from within the vehicle adjustable headlights B60Q1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/10 for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lighting system of a vehicle is provided herein. The lighting system includes a structure of the vehicle and a spotlight having a body coupled to the structure. A light assembly is disposed inside the body and is configured to project a light beam outwardly from the body. The operation of the light assembly and the directionality of the light beam is based on input from a remote device.

Claims

1. A lighting system of a vehicle, comprising:

a roof structure;

a spotlight comprising;

a base fixedly coupled to the roof structure;

a body pivotally coupled to the base; and

a light assembly pivotally disposed inside the body and configured to project a light beam outwardly from the body, the light assembly comprising a substrate, a printed circuit board disposed on the substrate and having an LED cluster thereon, and a lens supported by one or more arms connected to the substrate;

and a controller for controlling the operation of the light assembly and the directionality of the light beam based on communication with both recognized and unrecognized remote devices, wherein the light assembly illuminates in a first manner for a recognized remote device and a second manner for an unrecognized remote device.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the spotlight is configured as a roof marker light.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the body is pivotable about a vertical axis and the light assembly is pivotable about a horizontal axis.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the remote device is one of a portable electronic device and a vehicle equipment.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the one or more arms comprise a pair of arms and the lens is positioned between the LED cluster and a peripheral wall of the body and is configured to focus, collimate, or spread light emitted by the LED cluster.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising a sensing system in communication with the controller and configured to detect the location of the remote device, wherein the controller operates the spotlight to project the light beam in a general direction toward the remote device.

7. A spotlight for a vehicle, comprising:

a body coupled to a structure of the vehicle; and

a light assembly disposed inside the body and configured to project a light beam outwardly from the body, the light assembly comprising a substrate, a printed circuit board disposed on the substrate and having an LED cluster thereon, and a lens supported by a pair of arms connected to the substrate, wherein the operation of the light assembly and the directionality of the light beam is based on input from both recognized and unrecognized remote devices, wherein the light assembly illuminates in a first manner for a recognized remote device and a second manner for an unrecognized remote device.

8. The spotlight of claim 7, wherein the structure is a roof structure of the vehicle.

9. The spotlight of claim 7, wherein the directionality of the light beam is adjustable in two dimensions.

10. The spotlight of claim 7, wherein the body is pivotable in a rightward or leftward direction.

11. The spotlight of claim 10, wherein the light assembly is pivotable in an upward or downward direction.

12. A lighting system of a vehicle, comprising:

a roof structure;

a spotlight comprising;

a body coupled to the roof structure;

a light assembly disposed inside the body and having a multi-directional light array configured to project a light beam outwardly from the body, the multi-directional array defined by a cylindrical PCB circumferentially and fixedly disposed around a vertical substrate and a plurality of LEDs disposed on the cylindrical PCB; and

a controller for controlling the operation of the light assembly and the directionality of the light beam based on input from both recognized and unrecognized remote devices, wherein the light assembly illuminates in a first manner for a recognized remote device and a second manner for an unrecognized remote device.

13. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the spotlight is configured as a roof marker light.

14. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the body is fixedly coupled to the roof structure.

15. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the remote device is one of a portable electronic device and a vehicle equipment.

16. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the light assembly further comprises a lens assembly having a cylindrical lens supported by one or more arms connected to the vertical substrate and configured to focus, collimate, or spread light emitted from one or more LED clusters.

17. The lighting system of claim 12, further comprising:

a sensing system in communication with the controller and configured to detect the location of the remote device, wherein the controller operates the spotlight to project the light beam in a general direction toward the remote device.