Vehicle liftgate with component module applique

• US 6,834,906 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: U-Shin France SAS (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Electrical Systems Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: McClure, William Ethan A., Vaitus, Leonida S., Gougeon, Philippe, Romesburg, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US10/331,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20040124659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 296/96-5-, 296/146.1, 296/146.2, 296/146.8, 296/106, 296/50, 296/51, 296/56, 495/02, 180/169
• US Class Current: 296/106
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/101 for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/107 constructional details, e.g. about door frame, panels, materials used, reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2615 mounted on the vehicle body, e.g. with magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/56 for illuminating registrations or the like , e.g. for licence plates
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/04 External Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices thereon fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12

Abstract

A module in the form of an applique is mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate and provides a mounting platform for a plurality of components mountable on the liftgate in a single assembly operation. The components include at least two of light sources in the form of LEDs or incandescent bulbs, an actuatable switch, a camera and a wash fluid dispensing nozzle. The components are mounted on a substrate in the form of a printed circuit board or a lead frame attached to a substrate for mounting in a carrier. The carrier is affixed to the module and is alignable with apertures in the applique for transmission of light from the light sources exteriorly of the applique as well as to enable the camera to view a field of view through the lens. The electric switch is actuatable by a resilient membrane mounted on the carrier and actuatable exteriorly of the applique.

Claims

1. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate;

a printed circuit board carrying conductive traces;

a carrier receiving the printed circuit board, with at least two of the components mounted on the printed circuit board; and

means for fixedly mounting the carrier to the body.

2. The module of claim 1 further comprising:

the components including at least two of light sources, a camera with a lens, and at least one switch.

3. The module of claim 2 further comprising:

a camera lens exposable through the body of the module.

4. The module of claim 3 further comprising:

means for modifying adhesion between the lens and foreign matter.

5. The module of claim 1 further comprising:

the carrier formed of at least a transparent portion for transmitting light from light sources mounted on the printed circuit board interiorly of the carrier through the carrier.

6. The module of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises:

apertures formed in the body alignable with a light source mounted in the carrier.

7. The module of claim 6 wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

8. The module of claim 1 wherein a light source comprises:

a light emitting diode.

12. The module of claim 1 further comprising:

an electrical harness extending from the printed circuit board adapted for connection to external circuits.

9. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate;

a substrate;

a lead frame with a plurality of conductive leads fixedly mounted on the a substrate;

the components electrically connected to the leads;

a carrier receiving the lead frame and the components on the lead frame; and

at least one of components being a light source, the light source including an incandescent bulb.

10. The module of claim 9 further comprising:

the carrier formed of at least a transparent portion for transmitting light from light sources mounted on the lead frame interiorly of the carrier through the carrier.

11. The module of claim 9 wherein the body further comprises:

apertures formed in the body alignable with a light source mounted in the carrier.

13. The module of claim 9 further comprising:

an electrical harness extending from the lead frame adapted for connection to external circuits.

14. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate, wherein the components include at least two of light sources, at least one switch, a camera with a lens exposable through the body of the module; and

means for modifying adhesion between the lens and foreign matter, the adhesion modifying means including a transparent cover mounted in the body over the lens.

15. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate, wherein the components include at least two of light sources, at least one switch, a camera with a lens exposable through the body of the module; and

means for modifying adhesion between the lens and foreign matter, the adhesion modifying means including a hydrophobic film disposed over the camera lens.

16. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate, wherein the components include at least two of light sources, at least one switch, a camera with a lens exposable through the body of the module; and

means for modifying adhesion between the lens and foreign matter, the adhesion modifying means including a fluid dispensing nozzle mounted on the body for dispensing cleaning fluid over the lens, the nozzle connected by a fluid conduit to a fluid source.

17. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate, wherein the components include at least two of light sources, a camera with a lens, and a switch, the switch including a resilient membrane carried on the body and movable from an exterior of the body, movement of the membrane actuating the switch.

18. The module of claim 17 further comprising:

a return biasing element acting on the membrane.

19. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate;

a printed circuit board carrying conductive traces;

a carrier receiving the printed circuit board, with at least two of the components mounted on the printed circuit board; and

sealing material sealing the printed circuit board in the carrier.

20. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate;

a printed circuit board carrying conductive traces;

a carrier receiving the printed circuit board, at least two of the components mounted in the carrier; and

apertures formed in the body alignable with a light source mounted in the carrier the light source including one of a light emitting diode and an incandescent bulb.

21. The module of claim 20 further comprising:

at least one lens cover mounted on the carrier, the at least one lens cover is accessible exteriorly of the body.

22. The module of claim 21 wherein:

the at least one lens cover is removably mounted on the carrier.

23. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate;

a substrate;

a lead frame with a plurality of conductive leads fixedly mounted on the substrate;

the components electrically connected to the leads;

a carrier receiving the lead frame and the components on the lead frame; and

a light source with lens covers removably mounted to the carrier, the lens covers being accessible exteriorly of the body.

24. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body;

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate;

a substrate;

a lead frame with a plurality of conductive leads fixedly mounted on the substrate;

the components electrically connected to the leads;

a carrier receiving the lead frame and the components on the lead frame; and

sealing material sealing the lead frame in the carrier.

25. A component module mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle liftgate, the module comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of individual components mountable on the body prior to mounting of the module on the exterior surface of the vehicle liftgate;

a substrate;

a lead frame with a plurality of conductive leads fixedly mounted on the substrate;

the components electrically connected to the leads;

a carrier receiving the lead frame and the components on the lead frame; and

means for fixedly mounting the carrier to the body.