Photoluminescent engine compartment lighting

• US 9,393,903 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Gardner, Cornel Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jason Moon
• Application Number:
  US14/322,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 362/487, 362/496, 362/502, 362509-510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light

Abstract

An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises a photoluminescent portion disposed on an internal surface of a closure of a vehicle compartment. The illumination apparatus further includes a light source located proximate the closure. The light source is configured to emit light at a first wavelength directed toward the photoluminescent portion. The photoluminescent portion is configured to convert the first wavelength to at least a second wavelength, longer than the first wavelength, to illuminate the compartment.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a photoluminescent portion disposed on an internal surface of a closure of an engine vehicle compartment; and

a light source located proximate the closure, the light source configured to emit light at a first wavelength directed toward the photoluminescent portion, wherein the photoluminescent portion is configured to convert the first wavelength to at least a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength to illuminate the compartment, wherein the light source is further configured to emit the light at the first wavelength in the compartment to illuminate a second photoluminescent portion separately disposed in the compartment by converting the first wavelength to a third wavelength.

2. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent portion is located proximate the light source and is configured to emit the second wavelength downward toward the compartment.

3. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent portion comprises a coating disposed on a portion of a hood of the vehicle.

4. The illumination apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the light source is located on the closure proximate a fore portion of the hood to limit heat exposure of the light source from an engine.

5. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first wavelength is in a blue color range approximately less than 500 nm.

6. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second wavelength emitted from the photoluminescent portion comprises a plurality of wavelengths configured to generate a substantially white light.

7. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical closure comprises one of a hood.

8. An illumination system for a vehicle engine compartment comprising:

a first photoluminescent portion disposed on an internal surface of a hood;

at least a second photoluminescent portion located in an engine compartment separated from the first photoluminescent portion; and

a light source located proximate the hood configured to emit light at a first wavelength, wherein the photoluminescent portions are configured to convert the first wavelength to at least a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength to illuminate the engine compartment.

9. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first photoluminescent portion comprises a coating sprayed on a portion of a hood insulator.

10. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the second photoluminescent portion comprises a feature disposed proximate the engine compartment.

11. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first photoluminescent portion is configured to emit the light at the second wavelength and the second photoluminescent portion is configured to emit light at a third wavelength.

12. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first photoluminescent portion is configured to emit the light at a plurality of wavelengths to generate a substantially white light.

13. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the second luminescent portion comprises a plurality of photoluminescent portions proximate the engine compartment including the second luminescent portion disposed on a first feature and a third luminescent portion disposed on a second feature.

14. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first luminescent portion, the second luminescent portion, and the third luminescent portion are configured to emit the light at different wavelengths corresponding to different colors.

15. A lighting system for an engine compartment comprising:

a light source configured to emit light at a first wavelength directed toward an engine compartment; and

a plurality of photoluminescent portions corresponding to a plurality of separated features proximate the engine compartment, wherein the photoluminescent portions are configured to convert the first wavelength to at least a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength to illuminate the plurality of features.

16. The light system according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent portions comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion configured to convert the first wavelength of the light to the second wavelength, and the second portion configured to convert the first wavelength to a third wavelength.

17. The light system according to claim 16, wherein the first portion corresponds to a first feature disposed proximate the engine compartment and the second portion corresponds to a second feature disposed proximate the engine compartment.

18. The light system according to claim 16, wherein the second wavelength and the third wavelength comprise different colors.

19. The light system according to claim 17, wherein the second portion comprises at least one of a lettering and an emblem located on at least one of a plurality of engine components.