Stop lamp and cargo lamp assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10118546-B2
Application number	US-201715480816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2017
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A stop lamp and cargo lamp system comprises a circuit board; a stop lamp mounted on the circuit board; a first cargo lamp assembly including a first cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a first directional tube coupled to the first cargo lamp and formed a first downward angle with a surface of the circuit board; and a second cargo lamp assembly including a second cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a second directional tube coupled to the second cargo lamp and form a second downward angle with the surface of the circuit board, wherein the second downward angle is different from the first downward angle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stop lamp and cargo lamp system, comprising:
a circuit board;
a stop lamp mounted on the circuit board;
a first cargo lamp assembly including a first cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a first directional tube coupled to the first cargo lamp, wherein the first directional tube forms a first downward angle with a surface of the circuit board; and
a second cargo lamp assembly including a second cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a second directional tube coupled to the second cargo lamp, wherein the second directional tube forms a second downward angle with the surface of the circuit board, wherein the second downward angle is different from the first downward angle.

2. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the first cargo lamp assembly further includes a first lens disposed on the first directional tube, and the second cargo lamp assembly further includes a second lens disposed on the second directional tube.

3. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the stop lamp is mounted on the surface of the circuit board or the stop lamp is mounted on a surface opposite to the surface the first cargo lamp and the second cargo lamp is mounted.

4. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 3 , wherein the first directional tube is configured to direct light from the first cargo lamp downward to form a first light path, and the second directional tube is configured to direct light downward to form a second light path different from the first light path; and wherein light from the stop lamp forms a third light path different from the first light path and the second light path.

5. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 3 , further comprising a housing enclosing the circuit board, the stop lamp, the first and second cargo lamp assemblies, wherein the surface of the circuit board faces rearward and is substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the housing.

6. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 3 , further comprising a housing enclosing the circuit board, the stop lamp, the first and second cargo lamp assemblies, wherein the surface of the circuit board faces downward and is substantially parallel to a top surface of the housing.

7. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the first cargo lamp, the second cargo lamp and the stop lamp are LEDs.

8. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the light from the first cargo lamp assembly and the second cargo lamp assembly are projected more downward than light from the stop lamp such that the lights from the first and second cargo lamps do not interfere with line of sight of approaching vehicle from rear.

9. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the first directional tube and second direction tube are formed from a tube having the same diameter or formed from a tube having varied diameters.

10. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the first directional tube and the second directional tube are made from material that is opaque to light and the first directional tube is coupled to the first cargo lamp by attaching a base end of the first directional tube to the circuit board and the second directional tube is coupled to the second cargo lamp by attaching a base end of the second directional tube to the circuit board.

11. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the first cargo lamp and the second cargo lamp are turned on or off by a user via a switch or the first cargo lamp and the second cargo lamp are connected to an interior light system, and the first cargo lamp and the second cargo lamp is turned on when an interior light is on.

12. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , wherein the first directional tube and the second direction tube are snapped to the first cargo lamp and the second cargo lamp, respectively.

13. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , further comprising a housing and a third cargo lamp assembly, wherein the first, second and third cargo lamp assemblies are disposed along a length of the housing sequentially, wherein the third cargo lamp assembly includes a third cargo lamp mounted on the surface of the circuit board and a third directional tube coupled to the third cargo lamp and formed a third downward angle that is substantially the same as the first downward angle.

14. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 1 , further comprising a housing, a third cargo lamp assembly, a fourth cargo lamp assembly, a fifth cargo lamp assembly, and a sixth cargo lamp assembly, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cargo lamp assemblies are disposed along a length of the housing sequentially, wherein the third cargo lamp assembly includes a third cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a third directional tube coupled to the third cargo lamp to form to a third downward angle that is different from the first downward angle and the second downward angle; wherein the fourth cargo lamp assembly includes a fourth cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a fourth directional tube coupled to the fourth cargo lamp to form a fourth downward angle that is substantially the same as the third downward angle, wherein the fifth cargo lamp assembly includes a fifth cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a fifth directional tube coupled to the fifth cargo lamp to a fifth downward angle that is substantially the same as the second downward angle, wherein the sixth cargo lamp assembly includes a sixth cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a sixth directional tube coupled to the sixth cargo lamp to form a sixth downward angle that is substantially the same as the first downward angle.

15. A stop lamp and cargo lamp system in a vehicle, comprising:
a circuit board;
a plurality of stop lamps on the circuit board;
a first cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a first directional tube coupled to the first cargo lamp and configured to direct light from the first cargo lamp downward and rearward to a first cargo area of the vehicle;
a second cargo lamp mounted on the circuit board and a second directional tube coupled to the second cargo lamp and is configured to direct light from the second cargo lamp downward and rearward to a second cargo area of the vehicle,
wherein the first cargo area is different from the second cargo area.

16. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 15 , further comprising a first lens disposed in the first directional tube and a second lens disposed in the second directional tube, wherein the first lens is disposed to be spaced away from the first cargo lamp and mounted on a recess at a distal end of the first directional tube, and wherein the second lens is disposed to be spaced away from the second cargo lamp and mounted on a recess at a distal end of the second directional tube.

17. The stop lamp and cargo lamp system of claim 15 , wherein the lights from the first cargo lamp and the second cargo lamp are directed downward so as not to interfere with line of sight of approaching vehicle from rear.

18. A truck, comprising:
a cab;
a cargo bed; and
a stop lamp and cargo lamp system including:
a housing mounted on an exterior top area of the cab,
a circuit board disposed in the housing,
a stop lamp mounted on the circuit board, and
a plurality of cargo lamp assemblies, wherein each of the cargo lamp assemblies is configured to direct a light to a predetermined cargo area in the cargo bed,
wherein light beams from the plurality of cargo lamp assembly collecti

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Luciew Simon

Classifications

• B60Q1/44

  for indicating braking action {or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal} · CPC title

• B60Q3/62 Primary

  using light guides · CPC title

• B60Q3/82

  Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens · CPC title

• B60Q1/2696 Primary

  Mounting of devices using LEDs · CPC title

• B60Q3/30

  for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments · CPC title