Vehicle lamp assembly

• US 10,436,436 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ebner, Kyle, Anderson, Aaron, Marin, Lizardo Amador
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanley, Britt D
• Application Number:
  US15/651,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20190017693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0441 the housing being fastened onto the vehicle body using means other than screws
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/045 with provision for adjusting the alignment of the headlamp housing with respect to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0483 mounted on a bracket, e.g. details concerning the mouting of the lamps on the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0683 Adjustable by rotation of a screw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/00 Fastening of light sources or lamp holders fastening electric light source solely by the coupling device H01R33/00 ; special means for attaching candle to candle holder F21V35/003
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/00 Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting fixtures combined with outlets for air-treatment systems F24F13/078
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A vehicle lamp assembly is provided herein. The lamp assembly includes a housing including one or more light sources therein. The housing is configured to couple with a backing plate. A first electrical connector is disposed on the housing. A second electrical connector is attached to the backing plate and is coupled with a vehicle power source. The first electrical connector is coupled with the second electrical connector as the housing is inserted into the backing plate.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp assembly comprising:

a housing including one or more light sources therein, the housing configured to couple with a backing plate;

a first electrical connector disposed on the housing; and

a second electrical connector attached to the backing plate and coupled with a vehicle power source, wherein the first electrical connector is coupled with the second electrical connector as the housing is inserted into the backing plate.

2. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector is coupled with a wiring harness, the wiring harness providing electrical power to the one or more light sources within the housing.

3. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a retainer configured to latch and unlatch the housing to the backing plate.

4. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 3, wherein the retainer includes a shaft disposed through the backing plate and within a channel defined by the housing.

5. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 4, wherein the shaft includes a flange thereon, the flange rotatable between a first position and a second position.

6. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 5, wherein the flange interacts with a void defined by the housing in the first position to latch the housing to the backing plate and the flange is free of the void in the second position to define an unlatched position of the housing.

7. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 3, wherein the retainer includes one or more tabs on the backing plate that interact with an attachment region of the housing to releasably couple the housing to the backing plate.

8. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 3, wherein the retainer is accessible from a location within an engine compartment.

9. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

alignment rails on the backing plate; and

alignment grooves on the housing to guide insertion of the housing into the backing plate.

10. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 3, wherein the retainer includes a track assembly on the backing plate and an attachment assembly on the housing that is releasably disposed within the track assembly.

11. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 5, wherein a portion of the shaft includes a threaded region and the threaded region interacts with the backing plate.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the inserting the housing into the backing plate through a retainer causing the first and second electrical connectors to electrically couple step further comprises:

inserting an attachment assembly on the housing into a track assembly on the backing plate.

12. A method of attaching a vehicle lamp assembly to a vehicle, the method comprising:

attaching a first electrical connector to a housing, the housing including one or more light sources;

coupling a second electrical connector to a backing plate;

fixedly coupling the backing plate to said vehicle; and

inserting the housing into the backing plate through a retainer causing the first and second electrical connectors to electrically couple.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

rotating a shaft within the backing plate to place flanges on the shaft within engagement voids defined by the housing.

15. A vehicle lamp assembly comprising:

a housing including a light source therein, the housing configured to couple to a backing plate;

a first electrical connector affixed to the housing;

a second electrical connector disposed within the backing plate, the second electrical connector configured to couple with the first electrical connector; and

a retainer configured to latch and unlatch the housing to the backing plate.

16. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 15, wherein the housing is removed in a vehicle forward direction when the retainer is disposed in an unlatched position.

17. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 15, wherein the retainer includes a pair of vertically extending shafts within the backing plate.

18. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 15, wherein the retainer includes a track assembly coupled to the backing plate and an attachment assembly disposed on the housing.

19. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 15, wherein the retainer is accessible when a vehicle hood is disposed in an open position.

20. The vehicle lamp assembly of claim 15, further comprising:

alignment rails on the backing plate; and

alignment grooves on the housing to guide insertion of the housing into the backing plate.