VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHTING

• US 20140266667A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rebo Lighting & Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kowalchik, Stephen, Meyer-Wendt, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/441 Electric switches operable by the driver's pedals
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/445 controlled by inertial devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/447 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing the shape or intensity of the indication

Abstract

A brake lamp module for a vehicle, wherein the module includes a housing, lamp device, sensor, and electronic control unit (ECU). The lamp device, sensor and ECU are carried by the housing. The ECU is configured based at least in part on data received from the sensor to provide a power signal that causes illumination of the lamp device. In at least some embodiments, this arrangement permits actuation of the brake lamp or other lamp device in response to detection of a hazard event, such as rapid deceleration of the vehicle. And, in at least some embodiments, this may be done independently of actuation of the brake pedal by the driver.

Claims

1. A brake lamp module for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a lamp device carried by the housing and having a lamp input for receiving operating power to illuminate the lamp device;

a sensor carried by the housing and having a sensor output; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) having at least a sensor input and power output, the sensor input being coupled to the sensor output, and the power output being coupled to the lamp input;

wherein the ECU is configured based at least in part on data received via the sensor input to provide a power signal on the power output to thereby cause illumination of the lamp device via the lamp input.

2. The brake lamp module of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional sensor carried by the housing, wherein each additional sensor has a sensor output coupled to the ECU, wherein the power signal is provided to the lamp device based upon communications from all the sensor outputs.

3. The brake lamp module of claim 1 wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

4. The brake lamp module of claim 1 wherein the ECU is configured to provide the power signal to the lamp input independently of brake pedal actuation by a driver of the vehicle.

5. The brake lamp module of claim 1 wherein the ECU is configured to detect a hazard event based at least in part on the data received via the sensor input and to provide the power signal in response to the detection of the hazard event.

6. The brake lamp module of claim 1 wherein the ECU is connected to the lamp device such that the lamp device may be operated in response to either the power signal from the ECU or a separate brake pedal actuation signal inputted into the brake lamp module.

7. A method of illuminating a lamp device in a brake lamp module, comprising the steps of:

determining a hazard event at a vehicle in the absence of a brake pedal actuation alert from a brake pedal assembly, wherein the determination is based at least in part on an output of a sensor in the brake lamp module; and

illuminating the lamp device in response to the determination.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the illuminating step is carried out using vehicle power coupled to the brake pedal assembly.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the illuminating step includes varying the brightness of the lamp device in a repeatable pattern.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of receiving the brake pedal actuation alert and operating the lamp device in response to the received brake pedal actuation alert independently of any determination of the hazard event.