Vehicle Utility Light Assembly Vertical Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle cargo area lighting is inadequately illuminated due to insufficient range and directional limitations of existing exterior lights, which cast shadows and fail to uniformly illuminate the cargo area, necessitating a deployable and positionable light solution for improved illumination.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle utility light assembly with an elongated body portion storable within a vehicle body panel, featuring a light source and power source terminal, which can be vertically released for selective illumination, and controlled via a vehicle control unit to address the lighting needs of the cargo area and surrounding regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If an exterior light is provided proximate a rear window of the cab, then the light source is positioned within the vehicle structure, but the illumination range is limited and shadows are cast over the cargo area
Solution Approach 1:
The light assembly is designed to be movable between a stowed position within the body panel and a deployed position extending outward. The elongated body portion can be vertically released from the first position to a second position, allowing dynamic adjustment of light direction and illumination range to overcome the fixed directional limitations of conventional lights
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical deployment dimension to the light assembly, transitioning from a two-dimensional fixed mounting to a three-dimensional deployable structure. This allows the light to extend outward from the vehicle body panel, providing illumination in previously unreachable areas and eliminating shadow casting problems
2Adaptability or versatility
If a deployable light assembly is implemented, then illumination range and direction are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: an elongated body portion containing the light source, a receiver portion for mounting, and a power source terminal. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall deployment mechanism while maintaining positioning versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The elongated body portion is designed to be stowable within the vehicle body panel when not in use. The light assembly nests within the receiver portion during normal operation, and only deploys when needed, reducing visual clutter and protecting the light source while maintaining easy accessibility when required
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced illumination of the vehicle cargo area and surrounding regions, allowing for improved visibility during repairs and damage assessment, with adjustable light direction and mode, including emergency lighting patterns, thereby overcoming the limitations of existing exterior lights.
Implementation Method 1
a light source proximal the first end portion... operable to selectively illuminate the light source
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle utility light assembly is disclosed in which an elongated body portion functions to be stowable in a first position within a vehicle body panel. The elongated body portion further functions to be vertically-releasable from the first position to a second position, and being operable to selectively illuminate the vehicle body panel from above by a light source of the elongated body portion.