IP Library Granted Patent US 9,221,331
Granted Patent B2
US 9,221,331 · App. 14/267,055 · Granted Dec 29, 2015

Headlamp and air-induction system

Inventors: Nicholas Vardis (Sylvan Lake, MI); Marc V Musial (Leonard, MI); Mark C. Trostle (Rochester, MI); James M Wilder (Farmington Hills, MI); Jeffrey C Gale (Rochester, MI); Andrew M Reeve (Rochester Hills, MI); Joseph S Dehner (Bloomfield Hills, MI)
Assignee: FCA US LLC
B60K13/02B60Q1/0017
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,221,331
App. No.
14/267,055
Granted
Dec 29, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle may include an engine, a housing, a lighting assembly and a conduit. The engine propels the vehicle. The housing is mounted to a body of the vehicle and includes an airflow passageway extending through the housing. The lighting assembly is mounted to the housing, defines an air inlet of the airflow passageway and is configured to emit a light pattern in response to receipt of electrical current. The conduit may be connected to the airflow passageway for fluid communication therebetween. The conduit may receive air from the air inlet and may provide the air to the engine for combustion within the engine.

Claims (33)

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine for propelling the vehicle;

a housing mounted to a body of the vehicle and including an airflow passageway extending through the housing;

a lighting assembly mounted to the housing and defining an air inlet of the airflow passageway and configured to emit a light pattern in response to receipt of electrical current, the lighting assembly including a first light-generating unit that at least partially surrounds the air inlet such that the light pattern at least partially surrounds the air inlet; and

a conduit connected to the airflow passageway for fluid communication therebetween, the conduit receiving air from the air inlet and providing the air to the engine for combustion within the engine.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly at least partially surrounds the airflow passageway.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the air inlet includes a bell shape.

4. A vehicle comprising:

an engine for propelling the vehicle;

a housing mounted to a body of the vehicle and including an airflow passageway extending through the housing;

a lighting assembly mounted to the housing and defining an air inlet of the airflow passageway and configured to emit a light pattern in response to receipt of electrical current; and

a conduit connected to the airflow passageway for fluid communication therebetween, the conduit receiving air from the air inlet and providing the air to the engine for combustion within the engine,

wherein the lighting assembly at least partially surrounds the airflow passageway,

wherein the air inlet includes a bell shape, and

wherein the airflow passageway includes a funnel shape that increases in diameter as the airflow passageway extends from the air inlet to the conduit.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a cap at least partially forming the air inlet and the first light-generating unit is configured to emit light through the cap.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a second light-generating unit that at least partially surrounds the air inlet.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a third light-generating unit spaced apart from the air inlet and configured to emit another light pattern in response to receipt of electrical current, the third light-generating unit including an axis that is spaced apart from a rotational axis of the first and second light-generating units.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first light-generating unit includes a daytime running light emitting a first color of light and the second light-generating unit includes a turn indicator emitting a second color of light.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a reflector at least partially surrounding the air inlet.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the first and second light-generating units include at least partially circular shapes.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an air cleaner disposed between the engine and the airflow passageway.

12. An air-induction system for an internal combustion engine, the air-induction system comprising:

a lamp assembly including a housing and a lighting assembly, the housing defining an aperture extending therethrough and having an inlet, the lighting assembly mounted to the housing and defining the inlet and configured to emit a light pattern in response to receipt of electrical current, the lighting assembly including a first light-generating unit that at least partially surrounds the inlet such that the light pattern at least partially surrounds the inlet; and

a conduit connected to the aperture for fluid communication therebetween and providing air received through the inlet to an air cleaner.

13. The air-induction system of claim 12 , wherein the inlet includes a bell shape.

14. The air-induction system of claim 12 , wherein the aperture includes a funnel shape.

15. The air-induction system of claim 14 , wherein a diameter of the aperture increases as the aperture extends from the inlet to the conduit.

16. The air-induction system of claim 15 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a cap at least partially forming the inlet and the first light-generating unit is configured to emit light through the cap.

17. The air-induction system of claim 16 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a second light-generating unit that partially surrounds the inlet.

18. The air-induction system of claim 17 , wherein the first light-generating unit includes a daytime running light and the second light-generating unit includes a turn indicator.

19. The air-induction system of claim 12 , wherein the housing is configured to be mounted to a front end of a vehicle or to a rear end of a vehicle.

20. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the lighting assembly includes a light-generating unit that at least partially surrounds the air inlet such that the light pattern at least partially surrounds the air inlet.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 19, 2015
From: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
To: FCA US LLC
Reel/Frame 035225/0202 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2014
From: VARDIS, NICHOLAS; MUSIAL, MARC V; TROSTLE, MARK C; WILDER, JAMES M; GALE, JEFFREY C; REEVE, ANDREW M; DEHNER, JOSEPH S
To: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 032881/0223 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150314675A1 · Nov 5, 2015