Engine compartment lighting to moving parts

• US 9,573,519 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2016
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• 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, Surman, James J., Yilma, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jason Moon
• Application Number:
  US15/231,092
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• Field of Search: 362487-488, 362/496, 362509-510, 362/540
• 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: F04D 27/001 Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring

Abstract

An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises a light source disposed proximate an engine compartment configured output an emission to illuminate a component moving at a cyclic rate. The apparatus further comprises a controller configured to selectively illuminate the light source at a lighting frequency. The lighting frequency is configured to generate a strobe effect configured to create a sampled illumination of the component.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a photoluminescent portion disposed on a component configured to move during operation; and

a light source located in a vehicle engine compartment, the light source configured to emit an excitation emission configured to illuminate the photoluminescent portion at a frequency corresponding to the motion of the component, wherein the frequency is configured to emphasize the motion of the component.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the component is disposed in the vehicle compartment.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion of the component defines a component period.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the component period defines a rate of a cyclic motion of the component.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frequency is timed to illuminate the component asynchronous to the component period.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the component corresponds to at least one of a fan, a belt, a pulley, and a fastener.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the component timing corresponds to a vibration detected by a knock sensor of the engine.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the moving component corresponds to a faulty component causing the vibration.

7. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a light source disposed in an engine compartment;

a controller in communication with an engine control module configured to identify a component timing detected in the engine; and

a moving component controlled by the engine, wherein the controller activates the light source at the component timing in a diagnostic mode.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to create a stroboscopic effect illuminating the moving component at the component timing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the stroboscopic effect causes the moving component to appear as though it is stationary.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a photoluminescent portion disposed on the moving component.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the photoluminescent portion is configured to illuminate in response to receiving light from the light source.

14. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a light source disposed proximate an engine compartment configured to output an emission to illuminate a component moving at a cyclic rate within the engine compartment; and

a controller configured to selectively illuminate the light source at a lighting frequency, wherein the lighting frequency is configured to generate a strobe effect configured to create a sampled illumination of the component.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the light frequency is timed at a rate different from the cyclic rate.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the strobe effect illuminates a portion of the moving component at various stages along a repeated path.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a photoluminescent portion disposed on the moving component.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the light source is located proximate a cooling fan of the vehicle.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the component corresponds to at least one of a cooling fan, a belt, a pulley, and a fastener.