Adjustable Towing Hitch Light Source for Vehicle Rear Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Attaching towable items to a vehicle's towing hitch is often challenging due to poor lighting, requiring a two-person job, especially at unfavorable times of day.
Innovation Solution
A system with a processor, user input device, and adjustable light source with an actuator, allowing for remote control of lighting at the towing hitch region to improve visibility, including integration with a rear view camera for single-person operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If lighting is not adjusted for towing hitch region, then vehicle structure remains simple, but visibility of towing hitch region is poor making attachment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system employs an adjustable light source mounted on the vehicle rear that can be dynamically repositioned to illuminate the towing hitch region. The light source is connected to an actuator that receives signals from a processor to adjust its position, providing dynamic lighting control rather than fixed illumination. This resolves the contradiction by adding adjustability without requiring a completely complex lighting system.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable light source serves multiple functions: it can be positioned to illuminate the towing hitch region for attachment operations, and when not needed for towing, it can be repositioned to serve as a rear vehicle light. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated lighting systems, addressing the device complexity concern while improving visibility when needed.
2Illumination intensity
If lighting is manually adjusted, then visibility is improved, but ease of operation decreases requiring additional manual steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects when the vehicle is in reverse gear through the processor receiving signals from the vehicle's transmission control, and autonomously activates and positions the light source to illuminate the towing hitch region. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual operation, resolving the contradiction by making the system automatically adjust lighting based on driving conditions without requiring additional user steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor receives feedback signals from the vehicle's transmission control about gear selection, and based on this feedback, automatically controls the actuator to position the light source appropriately. This feedback mechanism enables automatic lighting adjustment based on vehicle operation state, improving ease of operation while maintaining visibility enhancement.
3Illumination intensity
If light source is always positioned for towing, then visibility is improved, but adaptability for driving modes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is mounted on an adjustable mechanism that can dynamically change its position between different configurations: one optimized for illuminating the towing hitch region and another for serving as a rear vehicle light during normal driving. The actuator enables smooth transitions between these positions based on vehicle operation mode, resolving the contradiction by making the lighting system adaptable rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The same light source is designed to perform multiple roles: it functions as a dedicated towing hitch illumination source when needed, and serves as a general rear vehicle light during normal driving conditions. This universal design eliminates the need for separate lighting systems for different modes, maintaining adaptability while providing enhanced visibility when towing operations are required.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for adjusting lighting of a towing hitch region of a vehicle includes processor, user input device communicatively coupled to the processor, and light source comprising actuator communicatively coupled to the processor. The light source are configured to selectively illuminate the towing hitch region of the vehicle. The system further includes memory module communicatively coupled to the processor that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to receive user instructions from the user input device; and adjust an angle of illumination of the light source with the actuator to illuminate the towing hitch region based on the user instructions.