Auxiliary lighting roof rack

The present invention generally relates to roof rack assemblies, and more particularly, to roof rack assemblies that are capable of producing illumination.

Roof rack assemblies have long been used to secure objects to a vehicle. By virtue of their location on the vehicle, there is an opportunity to expand their utility by incorporating lighting features that are both functional and stylistic.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a roof rack assembly is provided. A pair of support racks are provided on a roof structure of a vehicle. A first light source is coupled to each of the support racks and is disposed to downwardly project a light beam across a hood of the vehicle. A second light source is coupled to each of the support racks and is disposed to downwardly project a light beam to illuminate a corresponding ground area proximate a corner of the vehicle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a roof rack assembly is provided. A pair of support racks are provided on a roof structure of a vehicle. A first light source is coupled to each of the support racks and is disposed to downwardly project a light beam across a hood of the vehicle. A second light source is coupled to each of the support racks and is disposed to downwardly project a light beam to illuminate a corresponding ground area proximate a door of the vehicle.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a roof rack assembly is provided. A pair of support racks are provided on a roof structure of a vehicle. A first light source is coupled to each of the support racks and is disposed to downwardly project a light beam across a hood of the vehicle. A second light source is coupled to each of the support racks and is disposed to downwardly project a light beam to illuminate a corresponding ground area proximate a corner of the vehicle. A third light source is coupled to each of the support racks and is disposed to downwardly project a light beam to illuminate a corresponding ground area proximate a door of the vehicle.

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:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a vehicle equipped with a roof rack assembly having a variety lighting features;

FIG. 2 is a front side perspective view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 .

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to a detailed design and some schematics may be exaggerated or minimized to show function overview. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

As used herein, the term “and/or,” when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself, or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and/or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 , a roof rack assembly 10 of a vehicle 12 is shown according to one embodiment. For purposes of illustration the vehicle 12 is exemplarily shown as a sports utility vehicle (SUV) but may include other vehicular types commonly equipped with roof racks such as, but not limited to, sedans, coupes, pickup trucks, station wagons, vans, and the like. As shown, the roof rack assembly 10 includes a pair of arched support racks 14 A, 14 B that are similar in construction and extend longitudinally across a roof structure 16 of the vehicle 12 . The support racks 14 A, 14 B are each conventionally mounted to an outer edge portion of the roof structure 16 at a corresponding front end 18 A, 18 B and a corresponding rear end 20 A, 20 B. A number of crossbars 22 that are similar in construction extend laterally across the roof structure 16 and are coupled to each of the support racks 14 A, 14 B. The crossbars 22 may be arched or substantially straight in construction and mounted to the support racks 14 A, 14 B at an elevated position relative to the roof structure 16 . While two crossbars 22 have been exemplarily illustrated, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the roof rack assembly 10 described herein may include more or less crossbars 22 if desired.

In the depicted embodiment, each of the support racks 14 A, 14 B include a corresponding light source 24 A, 24 B provided at their front end 18 A, 18 B and disposed to downwardly project a light beam 26 A, 26 B across a hood 28 of the vehicle 12 . Light beams 26 A and 26 B may be collimated or spread-out to flood a substantial portion of the hood 28 and may be expressed in a variety of visible light colors. According to one embodiment, the light beams 26 A and 26 B are overlapping and may cooperate to project an icon or image (e.g., LOGO) across the hood 28 . In one specific example, light sources 24 A and 24 B are concurrently activated during a vehicle welcoming event that may be initiated when a vehicle occupant (e.g., a driver) approaching the vehicle 12 remotely unlocks doors 30 A- 30 D of the vehicle 12 using an electronic portable device such as a key FOB, a smartphone, and the like, as known in the art. In response, light sources 24 A and 24 B are activated to illuminate the hood 28 with the LOGO as a welcoming effect. In some embodiments, the LOGO may be associated with a branding of the vehicle 12 . Light sources 24 A and 24 B may remain activated for a predetermined period of time or be subsequently deactivated when the driver enters the vehicle 12 , starts the engine, etc. It is contemplated that light sources 24 A and 24 B may be similarly operated during a vehicle departure event and are activated to illuminate the hood 28 with the LOGO when the vehicle occupant turns off the engine, exits the vehicle 12 , locks the doors 30 A- 30 D, etc. Light sources 24 A and 24 B may remain activated for a predetermined period of time or be deactivated following a user-initiated action such as locking the doors 30 A- 30 D, for example.

With continued reference to FIGS. 1-5 , each of the support racks 14 A, 14 B may additionally or alternatively include a number of light sources, exemplarily shown as light sources 32 A- 32 D provided at corresponding intermediate portions 34 A- 34 D of their respective support racks 14 A, 14 B. Light sources 32 A- 32 D are each disposed to downwardly project a light beam 36 A- 36 D to illuminate a corresponding ground area 38 A- 38 D proximate doors 30 A- 30 D thereby functioning as puddle lamps or supplemental puddle lamps if the vehicle 12 is already equipped with the same. It is contemplated that the light beams 36 A and 36 B may be collimated or spread-out and may be expressed in a variety of visible colors and may be overlapping or non-overlapping if desired. The same is true with respect to light beams 36 C and 36 D. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that light beams 36 A- 36 D may be expressed in the same color or different colors in any combination. In one specific example, light sources 32 A- 32 D are concurrently activated during a vehicle welcoming event that may be initiated when a vehicle occupant approaching the vehicle 12 remotely unlocks doors 30 A- 30 D of the vehicle 12 using an electronic portable device such as a key FOB, a smartphone, and the like, as known in the art. In response, light sources 32 A- 32 D are activated to illuminate ground areas 38 A- 38 D for a predetermined period of time or are subsequently deactivated when the driver enters the vehicle 12 , starts the engine, etc. It is contemplated that light sources 32 A- 32 D may be similarly operated during a vehicle departure event and are activated to illuminate the ground areas 38 A- 38 D when the vehicle occupant turns off the engine, exits the vehicle 12 , locks the doors 30 A- 30 D, etc. Light sources 32 A- 32 D may remain activated for a predetermined period of time or be deactivated following a user-initiated action such as locking the doors 30 A- 30 D, for example.

In the depicted embodiment, each of the support racks 14 A, 14 B may additionally or alternatively include a corresponding light source 40 A, 40 B provided at their front end 18 A, 18 B and disposed to downwardly project a light beam 42 A, 42 B that may be collimated or spread-out to illuminate a corresponding ground area 44 A, 44 B proximate a front left and front right corner of the vehicle 12 thereby functioning as cornering lamps that assist a driver of the vehicle 12 in navigating a forward left turn or a forward right turn, respectively. Light beams 42 A and 42 B may be expressed in a variety of visible colors and light source 40 A may be activated when a driver of the vehicle 12 initiates a forward left turn whereas light source 40 B may be activated when the driver initiates a forward right turn. Alternatively, light sources 40 A and 40 B may be concurrently activated whenever a forward right or forward left turn is initiated by the drive of the vehicle 12 . It is contemplated that the activation of light sources 40 A and 40 B may be conditioned on a travelling speed of the vehicle 12 . For example, the light sources 40 A, 40 B may be activated singly, or in combination, if the travelling speed of the vehicle 12 is relatively low (e.g., less than 10 miles per hour) to assist a driver of the vehicle 12 in making forward cornering maneuvers in low speed environments such as a parking lot or residential road. Due to the inherent risk of potentially blinding other drivers, light sources 40 A and 40 B may be operably coupled to a front-vehicle camera 46 exemplarily provided at a rearview mirror assembly 48 and/or a rear-vehicle camera 50 mounted to rear body structure 52 of the vehicle 12 . Activation of light sources 40 A and 40 B may be conditioned upon the cameras 46 , 50 , singly or in combination, detecting the presence, or lack thereof, of other vehicles in the operating environment of the vehicle 12 thereby enhancing the effective use of light sources 40 A and 40 B in both low speed and high speed operating environments.

Additionally or alternatively, each of the support racks 14 A, 14 B may include a corresponding light sources 54 A, 54 B provided at their rear end 20 A, 20 B and disposed to downwardly project a light beam 56 A, 56 B that may be collimated or spread-out to illuminate a corresponding ground area 58 A, 58 B proximate a rear left and rear right corner of the vehicle 12 thereby functioning as cornering lamps that assist a driver of the vehicle 12 in navigating a backward left turn or a backward right turn, respectively. In operation, it is contemplated that light sources 54 A and 54 B may behave similarly to light sources 40 A and 40 B and are generally activated during a reversal maneuver of the vehicle 12 in either a left turn or right turn direction and the activation of light sources 40 a and 40 B may be conditioned upon a travelling speed of the vehicle 12 . It is further contemplated that light sources 40 A and 40 B and light sources 54 A and 54 B may be activated concurrently or in any combination pursuant to any of the embodiments described herein.

Additionally or alternatively, each of the support racks 14 A, 14 B may include corresponding light sources 60 A and 60 B provided at their rear end 20 A, 20 B and disposed to downwardly project a light beam 62 A, 62 B that may be collimated or spread-out to illuminate a corresponding ground area 64 A, 64 B behind the rear body structure 52 of the vehicle 12 thereby functioning as a rear-vehicle lamp. Light beams 62 A and 62 B may be expressed in a variety of visible colors and may be overlapping or non-overlapping if desired. In one specific example, light sources 60 A and 60 B may be concurrently activated when a driver of the vehicle 12 initiates a reversing maneuver. It is also contemplated that light sources 60 A and 60 B may be operably coupled to rear-vehicle camera 50 to provide supplemental illumination in dark environments alongside other rear-vehicle lights such as tail lamps, center rear high mount lamps, and the like.

Accordingly, the roof rack assembly 10 may include light sources 40 A, 40 B, 32 A-D, 54 A, 54 B, 60 A, and 60 B, in any combination, all of which are generally disposed to project light downwardly and in a vehicle-outward direction. In some embodiments, each of the support racks 14 A, 14 B may additionally or alternatively include a number light sources 66 that project light downwardly and in a vehicle-inward direction to illuminate a substantial portion or the entirety of the roof structure 16 . The light sources 66 may vary in location and are exemplarily shown spaced longitudinally across their respective support racks 14 A, 14 B and disposed between each of the crossbars 22 . In alternative embodiments, the light sources 66 may be disposed to project light into the crossbars 22 , which may be configured as light guides that produce 360 degree lighting, some of which serving to illuminate the roof structure 16 . Additionally or alternatively, each of the crossbars 22 may include light sources (not shown) disposed therein for illuminating the same. In one specific example, the light sources 66 may be activated in conjunction with vehicle hazard lights, turn lights, and the like to enhance the visibility of the vehicle 12 pursuant to an intended action of the driver.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the light sources described herein may be variously mounted in the support racks 14 A, 14 B and/or crossbars 22 to project light from an internal or external position. In one specific example, each of the light sources may be heat sunk to the support racks 14 A, 14 B and/or crossbars 22 and may include one or more light-emitting diodes to produce the corresponding light beams. Moreover, in instances where the light sources are disposed inside the support racks 14 , 14 B and crossbars 22 , the support racks 14 A, 14 B and/or crossbars may be constructed from light-transmissive materials and may include optical elements for directing light emitted by each of the light sources in the directions described herein. Furthermore, the support racks 14 A, 14 B and/or crossbars 22 may be partial vacuum metalized to impart a metallic appearance thereto. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the support racks 14 A, 14 B and crossbars 22 described herein may take on various shapes and dimensions. However, it is generally desirable for the support racks 14 A, 14 B to have a height relative the roof structure 16 that does not prevent the roof structure 16 from obstructing the light output of the light sources. Similarly, the same considerations should be made regarding the location of the light sources within the support racks 14 A, 14 B and/or the crossbars 22 .

Accordingly, a roof rack assembly 10 of a vehicle 12 has been advantageously described. The roof rack assembly 10 may include a number of light sources to provide a wide variety of directional lighting based on a number of scenarios, some of which have been exemplarily described herein. However, those skilled in the art will undoubtedly recognize other lighting applications that stand to benefit from the use of the roof rack assembly 10 .

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.