Photoluminescent engine compartment lighting

• US 9,393,904 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• 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., Chea, Vichit
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US14/547,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 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 at least one photoluminescent portion disposed on at least one feature of an engine compartment. A lighting controller is in communication with a vehicle controller and a lighting device located proximate a hood of the vehicle. The light source is configured to emit a first emission to excite the at least one photoluminescent portion to illuminate a region of interest corresponding to the at least one feature.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

at least one photoluminescent portion disposed on at least one feature of an engine compartment; and

a lighting controller configured to control a light source of a lighting device located proximate a hood of the vehicle, the light source configured to emit a first emission to excite the at least one photoluminescent portion to illuminate a region of interest corresponding to at least one feature, wherein the lighting controller is in communication with a vehicle controller and the region of interest corresponds to an engine compartment component communicated from the vehicle controller.

2. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent portion comprises a coating disposed on a portion of the at least one engine compartment component.

3. The illumination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one photoluminescent portion corresponds to a plurality of photoluminescent portions disposed on a plurality of engine compartment components.

4. The illumination apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lighting device comprises a plurality of light sources.

5. The illumination apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of light sources is configured to excite a specific photoluminescent portion of the plurality of photoluminescent portions.

6. The illumination apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lighting controller is configured to selectively illuminate a first light source of the plurality of light sources to illuminate a selected engine compartment component of the plurality of engine compartment components.

7. The illumination apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each light source comprises a directional optic configured to direct the first emission from the first light source to illuminate a selected engine compartment component.

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; and

at least one light source located proximate the hood configured to emit a first excitation emission and a second excitation emission and operable to selectively illuminate the first photoluminescent portion and the second photoluminescent portion substantially independently by a lighting controller.

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

10. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the second photoluminescent portion is disposed on an engine compartment component.

11. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first photoluminescent portion is configured to emit a first output emission of light and the second photoluminescent portion is configured to emit a second output emission.

12. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first photoluminescent portion is excited in response to a first excitation emission and the second photoluminescent portion is excited in response to a second excitation emission.

13. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first excitation emission is emitted from a first light source of the at least one light source and the second excitation emission is emitted from a second light source of the at least one light source.

14. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the first excitation emission corresponds to a shorter wavelength than the second excitation emission.

15. The illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the second light source comprises a plurality of emitters configured to selectively illuminate a plurality of engine compartment components.

16. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of photoluminescent portions disposed on a plurality of engine compartment components; and

a lighting controller in communication with a vehicle controller and a plurality of light sources located proximate a hood, each of the light sources configured to emit a first emission to excite at least one of the photoluminescent portions to illuminate a region of interest in the engine compartment, wherein the lighting controller is configured to selectively illuminate each of the light sources to excite a selected photoluminescent portion to illuminate the region of interest.

17. The illumination apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the photoluminescent portions comprise a coating disposed on a portion of each of the engine compartment components.

18. The illumination apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of engine compartment components corresponds to at least one of an oil fill, a washer fluid reservoir, a fuse panel, a brake fluid reservoir, and a coolant reservoir.