Vehicle illumination assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018257546-A1
Application number	US-201715453090-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 8, 2017
Priority date	Mar 8, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An illumination assembly is provided herein. The illumination assembly includes a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern. A second light source is configured to generate an image within the illumination pattern. A lens is optically coupled with the first and second light sources. A controller is configured to control the activation state of the first and second light sources.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An illumination assembly, comprising:
a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern; a second light source configured to generate an image within the illumination pattern; a lens optically coupled with the first and second light sources; and a controller configured to control an activation state of the first and second light sources.

2 . The illumination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second light sources are disposed proximately to a corner of a vehicle.

3 . The illumination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the image is configured as a line that is substantially parallel to a frame of a vehicle.

4 . The illumination assembly of claim 3 , wherein the illumination pattern illuminates a ground surface proximate a front portion of the vehicle and the line extends forwardly of the vehicle.

5 . The illumination assembly of claim 3 , wherein the illumination pattern illuminates a ground surface proximate a rear portion of the vehicle and the line extends rearwardly of the vehicle.

6 . The illumination assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect an object proximate a vehicle, wherein the illumination assembly illuminates when the object is detected.

7 . The illumination assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a luminescent structure operably coupled with the first and second light sources and configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light from the first or second light source.

8 . The illumination assembly of claim 7 , wherein the luminescent structure includes at least one luminescent material configured to convert an excitation light into a visible light.

9 . The illumination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second light sources are illuminated in conjunction with an activation of a park assist system.

10 . The illumination assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an imaging sensor having a predefined field of view, wherein a portion of the image is disposed within the field of view.

11 . The illumination assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second light source generates the image with a laser diode.

12 . A vehicle, comprising:
a first illumination assembly configured to illuminate an area proximate a first lateral side of said vehicle; a second illumination assembly configured to illuminate an area proximate a second lateral side of said vehicle; and a sensor configured to detect objects proximate the vehicle, wherein the first or second illumination assembly illuminates a lateral side of the vehicle corresponding to a detected object.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first and second illumination assemblies each include a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern and a second light source configured to generate an image within the illumination pattern.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising:
a lens optically coupled with the first and second light sources.

15 . The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising:
a luminescent structure operably coupled with the first and second light sources and configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light from the first or second light source.

16 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first light source emits a first wavelength of light and the second light source emits a second wavelength of light.

17 . An illumination assembly, comprising:
a first light source configured to generate an illumination pattern; a second light source operably coupled with an image filter to generate an image within the illumination pattern; and a controller configured to control an activation state of the first and second light sources.

18 . The illumination assembly of claim 17 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect objects proximate the vehicle, wherein the first and second light sources illuminate a ground surface on a lateral side of the vehicle corresponding to the detected object.

19 . The illumination assembly of claim 17 , wherein the image extends forwardly of a front portion of the vehicle.

20 . The illumination assembly of claim 17 , further comprising:
a luminescent structure operably coupled with the first and second light sources and configured to luminesce in response to receiving excitation light from the first or second light source.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Johnson Aaron Bradley
• Salter Stuart C
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Helwig Stephen Kenneth
• Surman James J

Classifications

• F21W2102/40

  the light being emitted to facilitate access to the vehicle · CPC title

• F21S43/16

  Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element · CPC title

• F21S43/14

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21W2103/60

  Projection of signs from lighting devices, e.g. symbols or information being projected onto the road · CPC title

• F21W2102/17

  for regions other than high beam or low beam · CPC title