Puddle light with status display

• US 9,178,371 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Koelsch, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US14/147,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/2669 on door or boot handles lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267
• 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: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

A puddle light for a motor vehicle, in particular for a battery-operated motor vehicle, wherein the puddle light projects the status of charge of a drive battery of the vehicle onto a surface; and a method for projecting the status image.

Claims

1. A puddle light for a motor vehicle comprising:

a projection lens, the projection lens configured to project a status image onto a surface that is not integral with the puddle light, the status image comprising currently updated status information associated with a battery of the vehicle, the status image configured to be projected to be visible external to the vehicle without operating the vehicle.

2. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein said motor vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle or an electric vehicle.

3. The puddle light of claim 2, wherein said status image is a status of charge (SOC) of a drive battery for said motor vehicle.

4. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the surface is the ground surrounding the vehicle or a surface of the vehicle body panel.

5. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the surface is a ceiling or wall of a building surrounding the vehicle.

6. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the projection lens is integrated into a side mirror or a door handle of the motor vehicle.

7. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the puddle light is further configured to be switched between a pure lighting mode and a status image mode.

8. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the puddle light is further configured to display the status image in color or in flashing lights.

9. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the status image comprises a state of charge of a drive battery shown in percentages.

10. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein an LED light source is configured to form the status image.

11. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the puddle light comprises a lighting arrangement in which an LED is configured to light a transparent display or a camera closure such that said LED projects the status image.

12. The puddle light of claim 1, wherein the puddle light further comprises a controller, the controller configured to output the status image.

13. The puddle light of claim 3 further comprising a battery charging and control circuit in electrical communication with said puddle light and said drive battery, the battery charging and control circuit configured to output the status of charge.

14. A method for projecting a status image of a motor vehicle into a surface comprising:

mounting a status image forming device into a component of the vehicle, and

projecting said status image onto a surface juxtaposed to said vehicle or a surface of said vehicle, the status image comprising currently updated status information associated with a battery of the vehicle, the status image configured to be projected to be visible external to the vehicle without operating the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising mounting a projection lens and a light source into said component of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting said component of the vehicle from the group consisting of a side mirror and a door handle.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising mounting a projection lens and a LED light source into said component of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising projecting said status image onto a ground surface, said ground surface comprising the surface juxtaposed to said vehicle.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising projecting said status image onto a body panel of said vehicle.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising projecting a status of charge of a drive battery of said motor vehicle, the status of charge comprising the status image.