Vehicle illumination assembly

• US 10,399,483 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Johnson, Aaron Bradley, Salter, Stuart C., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Helwig, Stephen Kenneth, Surman, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): May, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Leah Simone
• Application Number:
  US15/453,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20180257546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• 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 1/48 for parking purposes
• 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 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/10 characterised by the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/16 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/255 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/17 for regions other than high beam or low beam
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/40 the light being emitted to facilitate access to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/60 Projection of signs from lighting devices, e.g. symbols or information being projected onto the road

Abstract

An illumination assembly is provided herein. The illumination assembly includes a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern. A second light source is configured to generate an image within the illumination pattern. A lens is optically coupled with the first and second light sources. A controller is configured to control the activation state of the first and second light sources.

Claims

1. An illumination assembly, comprising:

a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern;

a second light source positioned relative to the first light source to generate an illuminated image, wherein the illuminated image is disposed within the illumination pattern generated by the first light source;

a lens optically coupled with the first and second light sources; and

a controller configured to control an activation state of the first and second light sources.

2. The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are disposed proximately to a corner of a vehicle.

3. The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein the illuminated image is configured as a line that is substantially parallel to a frame of a vehicle.

4. The illumination assembly of claim 3, wherein the illumination pattern illuminates a ground surface proximate a front portion of the vehicle and the line extends forwardly of the vehicle.

5. The illumination assembly of claim 3, wherein the illumination pattern illuminates a ground surface proximate a rear portion of the vehicle and the line extends rearwardly of the vehicle.

6. The illumination assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an object proximate a vehicle, wherein one of the first light source, the second light source and both the first and second light sources of the illumination assembly illuminate when the object is detected.

7. The illumination assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a luminescent structure operably coupled with the first and second light sources and configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light from the first or second light source.

8. The illumination assembly of claim 7, wherein the luminescent structure includes at least one luminescent material configured to convert an excitation light into a visible light.

9. The illumination assembly of claim 1, wherein the second light source includes a laser diode.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

a first illumination assembly configured to illuminate an area proximate a first lateral side of said vehicle;

a second illumination assembly configured to illuminate an area proximate a second lateral side of said vehicle, wherein the second lateral side of said vehicle is an opposed side of said vehicle relative to the first side, and further wherein the first and second illumination assemblies each include a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern and a second light source configured to generate an illuminated image disposed within the illumination pattern of the first light source; and

a sensor configured to detect objects proximate the vehicle, wherein the first or second illumination assembly illuminates a lateral side of the vehicle corresponding to a detected object.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising:

a lens optically coupled with the first and second light sources.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising:

a luminescent structure operably coupled with the first and second light sources and configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light from the first or second light source.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the first light source emits a first wavelength of light and the second light source emits a second wavelength of light.

14. An illumination assembly, comprising:

a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern;

a second light source spaced-apart from the first light source, wherein the second light source is operably coupled with an image filter to generate an image, and further wherein the image is positioned within the illumination pattern generated by the first light source; and

a controller configured to control an activation state of the first and second light sources.

15. The illumination assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect objects proximate the vehicle, wherein the first and second light sources illuminate a ground surface on a lateral side of the vehicle corresponding to the detected object.

16. The illumination assembly of claim 14, wherein the image extends forwardly of a front portion of the vehicle.

17. The illumination assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a luminescent structure operably coupled with the first and second light sources and configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light from the first or second light source.