The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 09, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2000
Glenn W Abbott, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle puddle light assembly is provided in an opening formed in a body panel of a vehicle. A socket including a housing and at least one contact coupled to the housing is disposed within the opening and coupled to the body panel adjacent the opening. A lamp is coupled to the contact within the housing. A lens is coupled to the socket outboard of the lamp. The lens has an opaque upper portion and a transmissive lower portion having a plurality of facets formed therein for projecting light from the assembly and a predominantly downward and outboard direction. The housing includes a reflective upper portion for directing radiation from the lamp toward the transmissive portion of the lens and a reflective lower portion for directing radiation from the lamp toward a reflective surface of the lens formed inboard of the opaque upper portion. The radiation is then redirected toward the reflective upper portion of the housing and then toward the transmissive portion of the lens. The lamp is illuminated upon the detection of one of a door unlock signal from a remote key fob or a door opening event. The lamp is extinguished upon the detection of a door closing event after the illuminating step.