Door illumination and warning system

• US 9,573,517 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• 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, Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): May, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/603,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/217 Doors, e.g. door sills; Steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/53 Modular mounting systems, e.g. using tracks, rails or multiple plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4664 Adding a circuit layer by thick film methods, e.g. printing techniques or by other techniques for making conductive patterns by using pastes, inks or powders H05K3/4647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a closure frame configured to engage an opening formed by a body of the vehicle. A light source is disposed proximate an edge of the closure frame such that an emission of light from the light source is projected through a gap between the closure frame and the body. The emission is projected through the gap in response to the closure frame being arranged in an ajar position.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a closure frame configured to engage an opening formed by a body of the vehicle;

a light source disposed proximate an edge of the closure frame outside a closure seal such that an emission of light from the light source is projected through a gap between the closure frame and the body in response to the closure frame being arranged in a partially closed arrangement forming the gap, wherein the partially closed arrangement corresponds to the closure frame at least partially engaging the body of the vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the light source. where the controller is configured to adjust at least one of an intensity and a frequency of the light emitted from the light source in response to a distance of a key fob exceeding a threshold.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the light source, wherein the controller selectively activates the light source to illuminate the gap in response to a door ajar condition.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to adjust an intensity of the emission in response to a key fob of the vehicle exceeding a distance threshold during the door ajar condition.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further operable to activate the light source in response to at least one of a user input, a turn indication signal, and a hazard light activation signal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the closure frame corresponds to at least one of a passenger door, an engine compartment hood, a hatch, and a decklid of the vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gap formed between the closure frame and body corresponds to a door jamb.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the light source is disposed on the closure frame outside the closure seal disposed on an interior surface of the closure frame.

8. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a door configured to engage an opening formed by a body of the vehicle;

a light source disposed proximate an edge of the door such that an emission of light from the light source is projected through a gap between the door and at least one panel of the vehicle; and

a controller configured to;

activate the light source in response to the door being arranged in an ajar position; and

adjust at least one of an intensity and a frequency of a light emitted from the light source in response to a distance of a key fob exceeding at least one threshold.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a controller configured to control the light source, wherein the controller selectively activates the light source to illuminate the gap in response to a door ajar condition.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to increase the intensity of the light in response to a distance of the key fob exceeding a first threshold.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to adjust an intermittent frequency of the light emitted from the light source in response to a distance of the key fob exceeding a second threshold.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the ajar position corresponds to the door being arranged such that a narrow gap is formed between the door and the at least one panel of the vehicle.

13. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a door configured to engage an opening formed by a body of the vehicle;

a light source disposed proximate a jamb of the door outside a door seal such that an emission of light from the light source is projected through a gap between the door and at least one panel of the vehicle in response to the door being arranged in a partially closed arrangement forming the gap; and

a controller in communication with the light source, where the controller is configured to adjust at least one of an intensity and a frequency of a light emitted from the light source in response to a distance of a key fob exceeding a threshold.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a controller configured to activate the light source in response to the door being arranged in an ajar position.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the light source is disposed on an interior surface of the door outside the door seal disposed on the interior surface of the door frame.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the light source corresponds to a substantially flat LED assembly disposed on the interior surface of the door frame.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the light source comprises a photoluminescent layer configured to convert a first emission from at least one emitter of the light source to a second emission.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the first emission corresponds to first color and the second emission corresponds to a second color different than the first color.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the photoluminescent layer comprises an organic photoluminescent dye.