Vehicle light assembly sensing moisture with light reflection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10429025-B2
Application number	US-201715586667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2017
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle light assembly including a housing, a light source, a lens disposed in front of the light source, a light sensor disposed in the housing outside of light output from the light source directed at the lens for sensing light reflected off the lens caused by moisture, and a heater disposed on the lens for reducing the moisture when moisture is sensed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle light assembly comprising:
a housing;
a light source disposed in the housing;
a lens disposed in front of the light source;
a sensor disposed in the housing for sensing light emitted by the light source and reflected from moisture on the lens;
a heater disposed on the lens and activated based on the sensed light for reducing the moisture;
a light shield located between the light source and the sensor to block light emitted directly from the light source;
a rain sensor detecting outside moisture; and
a controller controlling the heater and communicating with the rain sensor, the light sensor and the heater, wherein the controlling activates the heater based on the sensed reflected light and outputs a notice to service the light assembly when the rain sensor detects no outside moisture for a predetermined time while the sensed reflected light indicates moisture inside the lens.

2. The vehicle light assembly of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling the heater to heat the lens when moisture is detected with the sensor.

3. The vehicle light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises an electric heater having a conductive circuit formed on the lens.

4. The vehicle light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conductive circuit comprises a visually transparent conductive material.

5. The vehicle light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a light sensor.

6. The vehicle light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light source directs light output within a beam towards the lens and the sensor is disposed within the housing outside of the beam.

7. The vehicle light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light assembly comprises a vehicle headlight on the front of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light assembly comprises a vehicle taillight on the rear of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle light assembly comprising:
a housing;
a light source disposed in the housing;
a lens disposed in front of the light source;
a light sensor disposed in the housing outside of a beam of light output directed from the light source towards the lens for sensing light from the light output reflected from moisture on the lens;
a heater disposed on the lens for reducing the moisture; and
a light shield located between the light source and the sensor to block light emitted directly from the light source;
a rain sensor detecting outside moisture; and
a controller controlling the heater and communicating with the rain sensor, the light sensor and the heater, wherein the controlling activates the heater based on the sensed reflected light and outputs a notice to service the light assembly when the rain sensor detects no outside moisture for a predetermined time while the sensed reflected light indicates moisture inside the lens.

10. The vehicle light assembly of claim 9 further comprising a controller for controlling the heater to heat the lens when moisture is detected with the sensor.

11. The vehicle light assembly of claim 9 , wherein the heater comprises an electric heater having a conductive circuit formed on the lens.

12. The vehicle light assembly of claim 11 , wherein the conductive circuit comprises a visually transparent conductive material.

13. The vehicle light assembly of claim 9 , wherein the light assembly comprises a vehicle headlight on the front of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle light assembly of claim 9 , wherein the light assembly comprises a vehicle taillight on the rear of the vehicle.

15. A vehicle headlight assembly comprising:
a housing;
a light source disposed in the housing;
a lens disposed in front of the light source, wherein the light source directs light output in a beam towards the lens;
a light sensor disposed in the housing outside of the beam of light output from the light source directed at the lens for sensing light from the light output reflected from moisture on the lens;
a heater disposed on the lens for reducing the moisture;
a light shield located between the light source and the sensor to block light emitted directly from the light source;
a rain sensor detecting outside moisture; and
a controller controlling the heater and communicating with the rain sensor, the light sensor and the heater, wherein the controlling activates the heater based on the sensed reflected light and outputs a notice to service the light assembly when the rain sensor detects no outside moisture for a predetermined time while the sensed reflected light indicates moisture inside the lens.

16. The vehicle light assembly of claim 15 further comprising a controller for controlling the heater to heat the lens when moisture is detected with the sensor.

17. The vehicle light assembly of claim 15 , wherein the heater comprises an electric heater having a conductive circuit formed on the lens.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Johnson Aaron Bradley
• Helwig Stephen Kenneth
• Buttolo Pietro

Classifications

• F21S41/28

  Cover glass · CPC title

• F21S45/60

  Heating of lighting devices, e.g. for demisting · CPC title

• B60Q1/0023 Primary

  the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera · CPC title

• F21S45/33 Primary

  specially adapted for headlamps · CPC title

• F21V29/90

  Heating arrangements · CPC title