Fog lighting system for a motor vehicle

• US 5,311,411 A
• Filed: 05/11/1993
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gianni Garolfi
• Original Assignee: Gianni Garolfi
• Inventors: Garolfi, Gianni
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US08/059,332
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/80, 362/83.3, 362/234, 362/248, 362/359, 362/65, 362/272
• US Class Current: 362/493
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/05 retractable
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/16 illuminating the way asymmetrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/20 Fog lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle

Abstract

A front section of a motor vehicle includes a fog light system with indirect lighting. The indirect lighting improves an operator'"'"'s vision in fog and is obtained by projecting the beams of light of the front fog lights so that they are oriented in such a way as to leave a zone or corridor not directly lit immediately ahead of the motor vehicle. A projection of light beams solely outwardly or upwardly at an angle of 45, 60 or 90 degrees with respect to an axis extending in the direction of travel and through the projecting fog light is preferred. The fog light can be positioned such that the body or roof portion of a vehicle itself acts to prevent any inwardly directing light. A rectangular shield mounted on the vehicle roof with the lower portion axially extending further than the upper portion can be relied upon to block downwardly directed light. Tubular or rectangular shields positioned on the roof act together with the roof portion forward of the fog light or lights to prevent downwardly directing beams of light while allowing for upwardly projected beams at angles which range up to 45, 60 or 90 degrees. The beam of light originates at an axis which is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and intersects the projecting fog light. The fog light can be mounted on the roof so as to be rotatable from a closed, flush position to a pop up position.

Claims

1. A fog light system for mounting on a roof of a vehicle, comprising:

a first fog light;

mounting means for mounting said first fog light to the roof of the vehicle, and said first fog light being dimensioned and arranged such that, when mounted on the roof of the vehicle, light beams emanating from the first fog light are directed along a horizontal plane extending through the fog light and upwardly off of the horizontal plane for an angle from about 0 to 90 degrees in a manner which avoids directly illuminating a central corridor positioned in front of the vehicle and below said horizontal plane.

2. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first fog light is dimensioned and arranged so that, when mounted on the roof of the vehicle, light beams emanating from the first fog light extend upwardly off from the horizontal plane for a maximum angle of essentially 60 degrees.

3. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first fog light is dimensioned and arranged so that, when mounted on the roof of the vehicle, light beams emanating from the fog light extend upwardly off from the horizontal plane for a maximum angle of essentially 45 degrees.

4. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first fog light, when mounted on the roof of the vehicle, is centrally positioned between two side edges of the roof of the vehicle and represents a sole source of light for the fog light system.

5. A fog light system as recited in claim 4 wherein said first fog light, when mounted on the roof of the vehicle, has a forwardmost edge longitudinally spaced about 10 to 100 cms from a forwardmost edge of the roof of the vehicle.

6. A fog light system as recited in claim 4 wherein said first fog light is rotatable between a first position wherein an upper surface of said first fog light is essentially flush with the roof to a second position wherein the upper surface slopes upwardly away from the roof.

7. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a pivot support about which said fog light is adapted to rotate between a first position wherein an upper surface of the first fog light is essentially flush with a surrounding portion of the roof of the vehicle to a second position wherein said upper surface of said first fog light slopes upwardly with respect to the surrounding portion of the roof of the vehicle.

8. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first fog light includes an upper, opaque surface which slopes upwardly from the roof of the vehicle for an angle which is essentially equal to a maximum angle said light beams extend upwardly off from said horizontal plane.

9. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first fog light includes a back surface, an upper surface and two side surfaces with the upper surface extending longitudinally parallel with the roof surface for a distance less than a lower edge of said side surfaces such that light beams are directed directly forward and upward at an angle extending between said horizontal plane and a line extending from the horizontal plane and lying flush on a forwardmost edge of the upper surface.

10. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first fog light, when mounted on the roof of the vehicle, has a forwardmost edge longitudinally spaced about 10 to 100 cms. from a forwardmost edge of the roof of the vehicle.

11. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a second fog light laterally spaced from said first fog light at a forward portion of the roof of the vehicle and shaped and dimensioned like said first fog light.

12. A fog light assembly as recited in claims 11 wherein said first and second fog lights each laterally disperse light beams forward and outward for an angle falling within the range of 0°

to 180°

.

13. A fog light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said fog light is mounted on the roof centrally of lateral edges of said roof and constitutes a sole fog light in said fog light system, and said sole fog light laterally disperses light beams both forward and outward for an angle falling within a range of 0°

to 90°

to opposite sides of a longitudinal axis extending through the said fog light.

14. A method for enhancing visibility when driving a vehicle in fog, comprising:

directing light beams from a fog light mounted on the roof of the vehicle which extend along a horizontal plane extending through said fog light and upwardly off of the horizontal plane for an angle from 0 to 90 degrees so as to avoid directly lighting a central corridor positioned in front of the vehicle and below said horizontal plane with said fog light while providing indirect illumination of the central corridor through reflection of light impinging upon fog positioned along and above said horizontal plane.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein directing light beams includes directing light beams from a single fog light source positioned essentially equally distanced from opposite side edges of the roof of the vehicle.

16. A front section of a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one fog light, said at least one fog light being positioned on a forward roof portion of the motor vehicle such that beams projected by said fog light forms, on a plane that is orthogonal to a ground surface below the vehicle and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, angles comprised between 0 and 90 degrees which open upward off from the roof portion.

17. A front section as recited in claim 16, wherein said angles are comprised between 0 and 60 degrees.

18. A front section as recited in claim 16, wherein said angles are comprised between 0 and 45 degrees.

19. A front section as recited in claim 16, wherein a single fog light is positioned on said roof essentially equally spaced from side edges of the roof.

20. A front section as recited in claim 16, wherein a pair of fog lights are laterally spaced on the roof and set back from a forwardmost edge the roof for a longitudinal distance of about 10 to 100 cms.

21. A front section of a motor vehicle as recited in claim 19 further comprising pivotable mounting means for mounting said at least one fog light to the roof such that said fog light is positionable between a first position wherein an upper surface of said fog light is essentially flush with a surrounding roof portion to a second position wherein the upper surface slopes upwardly from the roof surface.

22. A front section of a motor vehicle as recited in claim 21 wherein said fog light is dimensioned and arranged so as to disperse light laterally to opposite sides of a central axis of said fog light and flush with the horizontal plane for an angle range of 0°

to 90°

to opposite sides of the central axis of the fog light.

23. A front section of a motor vehicle as recited in claim 16 wherein said fog light includes an upper surface and two side surfaces, and the upper surface extends in a forward to rearward direction parallel to the roof surface and for a distance less than that of lower edges of said side surfaces such that light beams are prevented from dropping below a horizontal plane lying essentially flush with the vehicle roof and allowed to extend upwardly for an angle from 45 to 60 degrees.