Patent Application
20180320884
The present invention generally relates to vehicle lighting, and more particularly relates to vehicle lighting assemblies that sense and reduce moisture.
Automotive vehicles are commonly equipped with various exterior lighting assemblies including vehicle headlights at the front of the vehicle and taillights at the rear of the vehicle. Vehicle exterior lighting assemblies typically include a light source disposed within a housing having an outer lens. Some assemblies experience moisture buildup on the inside of the lens. In addition, moisture in the form of snow and ice may accumulate on the outside of the lens in cold weather conditions. It is generally known to provide defogger elements on the lens to evaporate the moisture that may be present on the lens. It may be desirable to provide for an enhanced lighting assembly that senses moisture and reduces the moistures buildup on the lens.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle light assembly is provided. The vehicle light assembly includes a housing, a light source, and a lens disposed in front of the light source. The vehicle light assembly also includes a sensor disposed in the housing for sensing light reflected from moisture on the lens, and a heater disposed on the lens and activated based on the sensed light for reducing the moisture.
Embodiments of the first aspect of the invention can include any one or a combination of the following features:
the light assembly includes a controller for controlling the heater to heat the lens when moisture is detected with the sensor;
the heater comprises an electric heater having a conductive circuit formed on the lens;
the conductive circuit comprises a visually transparent conductive material;
the sensor comprises a light sensor;
the light source directs light output within a beam towards the lens and the sensor is disposed within the housing outside of the beam;
the light assembly includes a light shield located between the light source and the sensor;
the light assembly comprises a vehicle headlight on the front of the vehicle; and
the light assembly comprises a vehicle taillight on the rear of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle light assembly is provided. The vehicle light assembly includes a housing, a light source, and a lens disposed in front of the light source. The vehicle light assembly also includes 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 reflected from moisture on the lens, and a heater disposed on the lens for reducing the moisture.
Embodiments of the second aspect of the invention can include any one or a combination of the following features:
the light assembly includes a controller for controlling the heater to heat the lens when moisture is detected with the sensor;
the heater comprises an electric heater having a conductive circuit formed on the lens;
the conductive circuit comprises a visually transparent conductive material;
the light assembly includes a light shield located between the light source and the sensor;
the light assembly comprises a vehicle headlight on the front of the vehicle; and
the light assembly comprises a vehicle taillight on the rear of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle headlight assembly is provided. The vehicle headlight assembly includes a housing, a light source, and a lens disposed in front of the light source, wherein the light source directs light output in a beam towards the lens. The vehicle headlight assembly also includes 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 reflected from moisture on the lens, and a heater disposed on the lens for reducing the moisture.
Embodiments of the third aspect of the invention can include any one or a combination of the following features:
the light assembly includes a controller for controlling the heater to heat the lens when moisture is detected with the sensor;
the heater comprises an electric heater having a conductive circuit formed on the lens; and
the light assembly includes a light shield located between the light source and the sensor.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Referring to
Referring to
The vehicle light assembly 20 includes a sensor, in the form of a light sensor 40 disposed in the housing 22 for sensing light reflected rearward from the outer lens 24 caused by moisture on the outer lens 24. The light sensor 40 may be a light-dependent resistor (LDR) or other photo sensor. The light sensor 40 is located in a region 44 of the housing 22 outside of the light beam 32 output from the light source 26 and inner lens 32 and directed at the outer lens 24. As such, light generated by the light source 26 passes through the inner lens 30 and within beam 32 to the outer lens 24 where it is transmitted therethrough and exterior to the vehicle 10. In order to help ensure that light generated by the light source 26 is not directly to the light sensor 40, the light sensor 40 is located in region 44 with a shield 34 disposed between both the light source 26 and the inner lens 30 and the light sensor 40.
The light sensor 40 senses reflected light 42 that is reflected off the outer lens 24 and redirected rearward within the housing 22 due to moisture build up on the outer lens 24. Moisture may be in the form of humidity which is water vapor in the air, or may be in the form of condensation which is water on a surface of the lens 24, such as the inner and/or outer surfaces, which can be in the form of liquid water or frozen water (e.g., ice or frost). The build up of condensation or ice or snow on the inner or outer surfaces of the outer lens 24 blocks light that would otherwise penetrate through the outer lens 24 and causes at least some of the light to be reflected rearward of the outer lens 24 as seen by reflected light 42. The rearward reflected light 42 due to moisture on the outer lens 24 is detected by the light sensor 40 and processed to determine whether a sufficient amount of moisture has built up on the outer lens 24 such that a heating operation may be activated to remove the moisture.
In order to heat the outer lens 24, a heater 50 is shown disposed on the outer lens 24 as seen in
The heater 50 may be printed or otherwise adhered via an adhesive onto the inner surface of the outer lens 24, according to various embodiments. According to other embodiments, the heater 50 may be formed on the outer surface of the lens or an intermediate layer between the inner and outer surfaces of the outer lens 24. The conductive material forming the heater 50 may be formed of an optically or visually transparent conductive material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), according to one embodiment.
The heater 50 may be formed with a film of indium tin oxide (ITO). The ITO forming the heater 50 may be formed as an ink printed onto the interior surface of the outer lens 24, according to one embodiment. The ITO may be deposited as a thin film onto the surface of the outer lens 24 and may have a thickness of about 1,000-3,000 angstroms to form a transparent electrical conductor. The ITO layer forming the heater 50 is a substantially visually transparent medium that can be used to form a heater element and other conductive signal lines for forming the heater 50. As such, the heater 50 will remain substantially invisible to a user looking through the outer lens 24. In other embodiments, other transparent and semi-transparent or visible conductive inks or films may be used to form the heater 50.
The vehicle light assembly 20 advantageously senses moisture build up on the outer lens 24 by sensing the reflection of light from moisture on the outer lens 24 as captured or sensed by the light sensor 40 within housing 22, and controls the heater 50 based on the sensed moisture which is based on the sensed light. Moisture in a liquid form or solid ice form has reflective properties that causes light from beam 32 to be reflected as reflected light 42. The light sensor 40 detects the reflected light 42. When a sufficient amount of moisture is sensed within the light assembly 20, the heater 50 is activated to heat the outer lens 24 to thereby dissipate and remove the moisture. It should be appreciated that the housing 22 or lens 24 may have a moisture outlet, such as a GoreTex® patch to allow heated moisture to exit the interior of the housing 22.
Referring to
Referring to
If the amount of sensed reflected light is equal to or greater than 110% of the factory set value, it is assumed that moisture is sensed on the lens and routine 100 proceeds to step 110 to initiate heating of the outer lens with activation of the heater for a fixed time period, such as two minutes, and increments the heating cycle counter. Next, at decision step 112, routine 100 determines if the heating cycle counter is less than a preset first count value of 6, for example, and, if so, returns to step 106. If the heating cycle counter is at the preset value of 6 or greater, routine 100 proceeds to decision step 114 to determine if the ambient temperature is above 32° F., which is the freezing point of water at one atmospheric pressure. If the temperature is not above the freezing point of 32° F., routine 100 proceeds to decision step 116 to determine if the heating cycle counter is less than a higher second count value of 15, for example, and, if so, returns to step 106. If the temperature is above 32° F. or if the heating cycle counter is not less than a count value of 15, routine 100 proceeds to decision step 118 to determine if the rain sensor senses rain or snow in the last ten minutes and, if so, returns to step 104. If the rain sensor does not sense rain or snow in the last ten minutes, routine 100 proceeds to step 120 to notify the customer on a touchscreen or other human machine interface or output that the headlight may need service, which may be indicative of a scratched lens or other problem that is not necessarily solved by heating the lens 24 with the heater.
Accordingly, the vehicle light assembly 20 advantageously employs a light sensor within the housing of the assembly for sensing light reflected rearward due to moisture on the lens to detect the amount of moisture on the lens and controls a heater for heating the lens to remove the moisture. The vehicle light assembly advantageously maintains a low moisture level and minimizes efforts of a driver to maintain a moisture-free lens.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
