Lighting device for grab handle in vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11014496-B2
Application number	US-201916249198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2019
Priority date	Jan 18, 2018
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A lighting device for a grab handle in a vehicle includes the grab handle disposed in a passenger compartment, a lamp embedded in the grab handle, a key sensor capable of detecting an approach of a user having a key into a given range around the vehicle, and a lighting controller configured to control lighting mode of the lamp. The lighting controller controls the lamp [1] to light the lamp in a first lighting mode when user's approach information is input to the lighting controller, [2] to light the lamp in a second lighting mode when lock/unlock information of a door is input to the lighting controller, or [3] to light the lamp in a third lighting mode when open/close information of the door is input to the lighting controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device for a vehicle, the lighting device comprising:
a grab handle disposed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
a lamp embedded in the grab handle and capable of being lighted in a plurality of lighting modes;
a key sensor capable of outputting user's approach information when detecting that a user having a key of the vehicle approaches into a given range around the vehicle; and
a lighting controller configured to control the lighting mode of the lamp based on the user's approach information input from the key sensor, lock/unlock information of a door of the vehicle, and open/close information of the door, wherein
the lighting controller controls the lamp to light the lamp in a first lighting mode based on the user's approach information being input to the lighting controller,
the lighting controller controls the lamp to light the lamp in a second lighting mode based on the lock/unlock information being input to the lighting controller,
the lighting controller controls the lamp to light the lamp in a third lighting mode based on the open/close information being input to the lighting controller,
the lamp embedded in the grab handle includes at least one first light source and a second light source, and
the at least one first light source is configured to emit light towards a roof of the vehicle without emitting light towards a floor of the vehicle, and the second light source is configured to emit light towards the floor of the vehicle without emitting light towards the roof of the vehicle.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lighting controller controls the lamp to light the lamp in a fourth lighting mode based on manual drive information being input to the lighting controller, the manual drive information indicating that a drive mode of the vehicle is a manual drive mode,
the lighting controller controls the lamp to light the lamp in a fifth lighting mode based on automated drive information being input to the lighting controller, the automated drive information indicating that the drive mode of the vehicle is an automated drive mode.

3. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the fourth lighting mode includes the at least one first light source emitting light towards the roof, and
the fifth lighting mode includes the at least one first light source emitting light, differently from the fourth lighting mode.

4. The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein
the grab handle is disposed inside the vehicle, on the roof of the vehicle.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a side/rear sensor capable of detecting a positioning of a second vehicle on a lateral side or a rear side of the vehicle and outputting object information to the lighting controller when detecting the second vehicle on the lateral side or the rear side of the vehicle, wherein
the lighting controller controls the lamp to light the lamp in a sixth lighting mode based on the detection information being input to the lighting controller.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first lighting mode, the second lighting mode, and the third lighting mode are different from each other in lighting colors and/or lighting pattern.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first lighting mode includes the at least one first light source emitting light towards the roof,
the second lighting mode includes the at least one first light source emitting light, differently from the first lighting mode, and
the third lighting mode includes the second light source emitting light towards the floor of the vehicle.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7 , wherein
the grab handle is disposed inside the vehicle, on the roof of the vehicle.

9. The lighting device according to claim 5 , wherein
the sixth lighting mode includes the at least one first light source emitting light towards the roof such that the lamp indicates that the second vehicle is on a same side of the vehicle as the lamp.

10. The lighting device according to claim 9 , wherein
the grab handle is disposed inside the vehicle, on the roof of the vehicle.

11. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the grab handle is disposed inside the vehicle, on a roof of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Yazaki Corp

Inventors

• Sato Kazuya

Classifications

• H05B47/10

  Controlling the light source · CPC title

• B60Q3/731

  for autonomous vehicle travel · CPC title

• E05B85/12

  Inner door handles · CPC title

• H05B45/00

  Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title