Granted Patent B1

US 12,427,855 · App. 18/609,580 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Inventors: Stuart C. Salter (White Lake, MI); David Pericak (Clinton Township, MI); Jeffrey Robert Seaman (Petersburg, MI); Samir Datta (Rochester Hills, MI); Brendan Diamond (Naples, FL); Ryan O'Gorman (Beverly Hills, MI); Jenna Rogers (Canton, MI)

Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

B60K11/085F21S41/141F21S41/37F21S41/39F21S41/675F21S41/125F21S41/18F21S41/36

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A vehicle flow control system, comprising:

an active grille shutter assembly of a vehicle, the active grille shutter assembly having a plurality of shutters; and

a lighting assembly configured to emit light that passes between the plurality of shutters, wherein the lighting assembly is disposed horizontally between the plurality of shutters and a component of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly is disposed aft of the active grille shutter assembly.

3. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the component is a radiator of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly is disposed vertically above the plurality of shutters.

5. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shutters are configured to pivot about respective vertically extending axes.

6. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the active grille shutter assembly is a first active grill shutter assembly on a passenger side of a frunk, and further comprising a second active grille shutter assembly on a driver side of the frunk.

7. A vehicle flow control system, comprising:

an active grille shutter assembly of a vehicle, the active grille shutter assembly having a plurality of shutters; and

a lighting assembly configured to emit light that passes between the plurality of shutters, wherein the plurality of shutters each comprise a reflective optics region that reflects light.

8. The vehicle flow control system of claim 7 , wherein the optics are molded.

9. The vehicle flow control system of claim 7 , wherein the optics are on a backside of the plurality of shutters.

10. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shutters comprises a rylene dye.

11. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly is a light bar.

12. The vehicle flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

13. A vehicle lighting method, comprising:

emitting light from a lighting assembly through a plurality of shutters of an active grille shutter assembly; and

rotating the plurality of shutters to change an amount of light passing through the plurality of shutters.

14. The vehicle lighting method of claim 13 , further comprising changing a color of light emitted through the plurality of shutters based on a charging status of a vehicle.

15. The vehicle lighting method of claim 13 , further comprising reflecting at least some of the light off of optics of the plurality of shutters.

16. The vehicle lighting method of claim 13 , further comprising changing an intensity of the light to change an amount of light passing through the plurality of shutters.

17. The vehicle lighting method of claim 13 , wherein the lighting assembly is aft of the active grille shutter assembly.

18. The vehicle lighting method of claim 13 , wherein the active grille shutter assembly is a first active grille shutter assembly on a passenger side of a frunk, and further comprising a second active grille shutter assembly on a driver side of the frunk.

Assignments (1)

References Cited (16)