Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Albert S Ekladyous

Arun Kumar

Kelley Maria Adams-Campos

Mahendra Somasara Dassanayake

Bruce P Williams

Sleiman N Abdelnour

Diane Marie LaHaie

Lisa Hohmann

Hardyal Singh

John Wesley Wilds

Ghassan E Mady

Ehab N Kaoud

Simon Howard Curwood

Candace Carolyn Glasgow

Jeffrey Paul Spencer

Eric Stoddard

Junmo Park

Lon A Zaback

David Griffiths

Udayakumar Ramasami

Sarbjit Singh

Masoud Hashemi

Stephanie Askew

Michael Wegrzyn

Venkatesan Balaraman

Gary Edward Henige

John Matthew Teodecki

Matt W Roosen

John Urban Kowalczyk

Tom William Partch

Jim Smithbauer

Kevin William Kiedaisch

Joshua Magill

Thomas William Partch

Joseph V Dichtel

Matthew W Roosen

James F Healy

Alex Jacobson

Kevin Woycik

Diane Marie Lahaie

Todd Schwanger

A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to make a first determination to provide light to operate a vehicle and, based on the first determination, actuate a first set of lights. The memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to make a second determination to provide a communication, and, based on the second determination, actuate a second set of lights to provide the communication.

Multipurpose vehicle lighting

A system for aiming a headlamp of a vehicle includes a displaceable aiming surface and an imaging system. The imaging system includes a translatable aim box carrying at least one headlamp imager oriented to capture images of a single headlamp and/or one or more vehicle features adjacent to the single headlamp. At least one fixed imager is oriented to capture one or more images of the displaceable aiming surface. The translatable aim box may be configured to translate between the single headlamp and another headlamp. One or more computing devices are configured to perform methods for headlamp aim correction using the described system. Methods for headlamp aim correction are described.

High-volume, long-range headlamp aiming

A method and apparatus provide a light module that includes a plurality of optical functions supported by a single housing. The method and apparatus further adjusts aiming of all optical functions of the light module in multiple directions when needed.

Micro front lighting system for vehicle

A vehicle assembly includes a lamp, a moveable panel configured such that the lamp is operably mountable to the moveable panel under a first operating condition, and a fixed panel configured such that the lamp is operably mountable to the fixed panel under a different, second operating condition. The lamp is configured to be powered through the moveable panel when operably mounted to the moveable panel. The lamp is configured to be powered through the fixed panel when operably mounted to the fixed panel.

Lamp selectively connectable to moveable or fixed vehicle panel and lamp placement method

An example vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a lamp, a moveable panel, and a fixed panel. The moveable panel is configured such that the lamp is operably mountable to the moveable panel under a first operating condition. The fixed panel configured such that the lamp is operably mountable to the fixed panel under a different, second operating condition. An example lamp placement method includes, among other things, under a first operating condition, operably mounting a lamp to a moveable panel of a vehicle. Under a different, second operating condition, the method includes operably mounting the lamp to a fixed panel of the vehicle.

An apparatus, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a lamp housing that houses a headlamp adjuster assembly moveable between an adjustment position and an inaccessible stowed position within the lamp housing, and a holder to hold the headlamp adjuster assembly in the adjustment position. The holder is selectively removable such that the headlamp adjuster assembly retracts to the inaccessible stowed position. A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, biasing a headlamp adjuster toward the inaccessible stowed position, installing the holder to hold the headlamp adjuster external to the lamp housing against the biasing force, adjusting a position of a headlamp with the headlamp adjuster, and removing the holder such that the headlamp adjuster retracts to the inaccessible stowed position.

Indiscernible headlamp adjuster mechanism

A headlamp aiming method for a vehicle includes measuring, by a height measurement instrument, at least two reference heights of at least two reference areas along a body of the vehicle. The height measurement instrument is positioned external of the vehicle, and one of the at least two reference heights is indicative of a height of a headlamp of the vehicle. The method further includes determining a vehicle pitch and a headlamp height variation of the vehicle based on the measured reference heights, calculating a modified headlamp position based on the vehicle pitch, the headlamp height variation, and a standard headlamp position, and aiming a headlamp of the vehicle based on the modified headlamp position.

System and method for aiming a vehicular headlamp

This disclosure relates to a lighting system for a rear of a motor vehicle and a corresponding method. In particular, an example lighting system includes a first rear combination lamp and a second rear combination lamp, the first and second rear combination lamps each including a first lighting section configured to illuminate a first color and a second lighting section configured to illuminate one of an second color and a third color. The system further includes a controller configured to selectively illuminate each of the first and second lighting sections.

Rear vehicle lighting system and method

A vehicular LED assembly is provided that includes a plurality of vehicular LED modules, each comprising: a lens with a canted input surface and an exit surface; a bezel surrounding the lens; and an LED light source positioned to direct incident light through the input surface. The input surface comprises a plurality of near-field lens elements for shaping the incident light into a collimated light pattern emanating from the exit surface. Further, the plurality of optical elements may be configured in a step-wise pattern defined by a sweep angle.

Low profile, highly efficient vehicular LED modules and assemblies

A vehicle headlamp aiming system includes a displaceable aiming surface and an imaging system. The imaging system includes an indexing aim box having at least one imager oriented to capture images of a headlamp and/or one or more vehicle features adjacent to the headlamp and at least one fixed imager oriented to capture one images of the displaceable aiming surface to determine a headlamp cutoff height. The displaceable aiming surface is configured to selectively displace to allow passage of the vehicle. The indexing aim box is configured to translate between the headlamp and another headlamp. One or more computing devices are configured to perform methods for headlamp aim correction using the described system. The methods include providing image inputs from the imaging system and calculating therefrom an aim correction of the headlamps.

A camouflaged vehicle includes a vehicle having lighting equipment and a plurality of windows, a camouflage positioned over an exterior of the vehicle and allowing visibility through at least a portion of the plurality of windows, and additional lighting equipment supported by said vehicle outside of said camouflage. At least a portion of the lighting equipment may be visible through the camouflage. A control module for controlling the lighting equipment is provided and the additional lighting equipment is controlled by the control module in parallel with the lighting equipment, and sensors, positioned between the control module and the lighting equipment, sense the application of power and generate additional control signals to operate the additional lighting equipment. The additional lighting equipment may include a minimum number of lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment required to satisfy the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108.

Camouflaged vehicle having additional lighting equipment

A lighting module is provided that includes a single-piece lens having an input surface including a plurality of near-field lens elements, and an exit surface, each element having a different focal length. The lighting module also includes light-emitting diode (LED) source positioned to direct incident light through the input surface. Further, the elements are configured to shape the light from the input surface into a collimated light pattern emanating from the exit surface containing at least 60% of the incident light.

Low profile highly efficient LED lighting modules and assemblies

A lamp assembly is provided for installation in an opening of a vehicle body. The lamp assembly includes a lamp container having first and second sides, each of the first and second sides integrally including first and second stops, and at least one clip assembly including a clip, a threaded bolt, and a nut. The clip has a connecting wall with respective first and second side walls extending from the connecting wall, and first and second tabs extending inwardly respectively from the first and second side walls, the threaded bolt being inserted through an opening in the connecting wall of the clip, and the nut being threaded onto the bolt. When the lamp assembly is in a pre-compressed position, the nut is spaced away from the stops, and, when the lamp assembly is in a compressed position, at least one of the nut and the connecting wall contacts the stops.

Drivable compression clip

A vehicle headlamp module is provided that includes a lens having a plurality of near-field lens elements, a canted input surface, an exit surface and a cavity between the surfaces. The headlamp module also includes an LED lighting module that directs incident light through the input and exit surfaces. The lens elements are configured to transmit from the exit surface a collimated light pattern containing at least 60% of the incident light. In some embodiments, the exit surface includes a step-wise pattern of optical elements. In other implementations, a headlamp assembly is provided that includes a plurality of vehicle headlamp modules. Each headlamp module includes: a lens with a canted input surface and an exit surface, a bezel surrounding the lens, and an LED light source that directs incident light through the input surface. The lens of each module includes a plurality of near-field lens elements.

Growing community of inventors

Shelby Township, Macomb County, MI, United States of America

Albert S Ekladyous