Flush mount fog pod and method of attachment

A flush mount fog pod is front-mounted through a hole in a vehicle or bumper frame. A bracket is inserted through the hole and turned 90 degrees for mounting to a bezel, which is attached to the front of the hole with bolts and nuts. A light pod is then snapped into the bracket. An adjustor bolt adjustably attaches to the back of the light pod through an access hole in the bezel and controls the tilt of the light pod by screwing and unscrewing the head of the adjustor bolt from the front of the light. A protective cover rotates over the head of the adjustor bolt when not in use to protect it from dirt and debris.

This invention was not federally sponsored.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the general field of automobile lights, and more specifically to a flush mounted light that can be installed without the need to work behind the frame of a car, and which can be adjusted from the front of the light.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a fog light that can be mounted to the frame of a vehicle without the need to access the mounting hole from the rear. The device is front-mounted through a hole in a frame, utilizing a bracket that has been inserted through the hole and turned 90 degrees for mounting to a bezel, which is attached to the front of the hole with bolts. Once the bezel has been attached to the bracket, a hole remains in the middle of the bezel, that is custom designed for a light pod. The light pod is then snapped into the front of the bezel, all without requiring any access to the area behind the frame. The light is “front adjustable” in that it has an adjustor bolt that goes through an access hole in the bezel and threads into a threaded section of the bracket. This allows a user to control the tilt of the light pod by screwing and unscrewing the head of the adjustor bolt from the front of the light. A protective cover rotates over the head of the adjustor bolt when not in use to protect it from dirt and debris.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRODUCT

Fog lights are used for dearer visibility in low-light and other challenging conditions such as fog, smog, rain and snow. They are usually located below the vehicle s head lights and are mounted on bumpers. This gives the driver a better view of the road, and are commonly made in white, yellow, and blue. The global market for fog lights is nearly 4 billion dollars and growing at approximately 7% per year. Thus, an easily installed and adjusted fog light is a highly desirable product.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Fog lights are mounted to a (mostly) flat surface by bolting the light bezel through four holes cut into the surface. The bolts use nuts on the back side, so rear access is required for installation. The light then points perpendicular to the surface—wherever that is (the sky, oncoming driver's eyes). An angled spacer is the only available aiming mechanism, but these only come in macro (15+ degree) increments, and customers must know up front what angle they need. Most OEM fog lights can be adjusted in the vertical plane. While the adjustment angle is not large, it is enough to account for the manufacturing tolerances of the vehicle. The problem is that they are always on the back side of the light where access is more limited. This adjustment style is not typically considered for a flush mount light where rear access is even more limited and space constraints are even tighter. Thus, there exists a need for an easily mountable fog light that can be attached and adjusted from the front.

The current invention provides just such a solution by having a flush-mounted fog pod that is mounted from the front, through a hole in a bumper or other part of a vehicle. A bracket is inserted through the hole and turned 90 degrees for mounting to a bezel, which is attached to the front of the hole with bolts. A light pod is then snapped into the bracket. An adjustor bolt adjustably attaches to the back of the light pod through an access hole in the bezel and controls the tilt of the light pod by screwing and unscrewing the head of the adjustor bolt from the front of the light into and out of a threaded section of the bracket. A protective cover rotates over the head of the adjustor bolt when not in use to protect it from dirt and debris.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter, and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed herein, and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG.1is a front view of a light pod7, inserted into a bezel5. The light pod7is attached to the bezel5through, in this case, four bolts6. The assembly also has an adjustor bolt8with threads that mate with a threaded socket in the bracket (not shown in this figure but illustrated inFIG.3). This allows the angle of the light pod to be adjusted from the front of the vehicle frame, rather than forcing someone to access the back of the frame to change the angle. The screwing and unscrewing the bolt, a user can easily change the angle of the light pod—this is a significant improvement over the prior art which requires adjustments to be made from the back of the light pod, on the back side of the bumper. A protective cover9, rotates over the adjustor bolt8after the desired angle of the light pod has been achieved. This not only protects the adjustor bolt from unintentional rotation, but also prevents dirt and other debris from entering the device and perhaps jamming the adjustment mechanism.

FIG.2is a back, perspective view of a light pod7. The light pod in this illustration has already been inserted into, and attached to the bezel, which has been inserted into the bracket4. The adjustor bolt8has been inserted into the threaded receptacle in the bracket4. Bolts6have been inserted through the bezel from the front, and thread into nuts11to secure the bezel to the bracket. This figure illustrates how a user can rotate the adjustor bolt from the front of the light pod and adjust its angle as the threaded section of the adjustor bolt rotates in or out of the bracket.

FIG.3is a back view of a bracket4. In this figure, the bracket has been inserted into the light hole2and rotated such that bolts can secure it to the bezel (not shown in this figure). The attach the bracket, an installer need only insert the bracket and rotate it until the bolts6line up with threaded portions of the nuts11. The bezel (not shown from this perspective) is attached on the front of the frame, with bolts6that secure the bezel to the bracket with nuts11.

FIG.4is a perspective view of a bezel5ready to be attached to a bracket4. The bracket has already been inserted into the light hole2in the frame1, and rotated such that the bolts6can enter through holes in the bezel and engage with threaded sections of the nuts, thereby securing the bezel to the bracket. On the bracket4, the threaded bracket section12awaits the insert of the adjustor bolt (8in other figures). The protective cover9is in a closed position in this figure.

FIG.5is a perspective view a light pod unit ready to be attached to a bezel5. The bezel5has already been with the bracket4. Bolts6are ready to be inserted through aligned holes in both the bezel5and bracket4, and will be secured with nuts. The light pod7will now be snapped into the bezel. The protective cover9in the bezel is about to be rotated, to allow the adjustor bolt8of the light pod to engage the threaded section in the bracket (12in other figures).

FIG.6is a perspective view of bezel/light pod assembly. The light pod7has been inserted into the bezel5, that rests on the outer surface of the frame1.

FIG.7is a perspective view of a bezel/light pod assembly. In this embodiment, the protective cover has been removed for purposes of illustration. The adjustor bolt8has been inserted through the light pod and the bezel, where it has engaged with threaded section of the bracket (12in other figures). This figure shows how easy it will be for a user to adjust the angle of the light pod from the front of the frame1.

As can be seen from the previous figure descriptions, the key to this invention is that a light pod can be mounted to a frame without the need for the installer to access the mounting hole from the back of the frame. This not only saves time, but also minimizes the danger to the installer of having to position himself/herself under and behind the frame. As its basic design, a flush mount fog pod7is front-mounted through a hole2in a frame1. The frame can be a vehicle bumper, the frame of a vehicle, or another sheet of material that can hold a light. A bracket4is inserted through the hole2and turned 90 degrees for mounting to a bezel5that is attached to the front of the hole with bolts6and nuts11. A light pod7is then snapped into the bracket4. An adjustor bolt9adjustably attaches to the back of the light pod through an access hole in the bezel and controls the tilt of the light pod7by screwing and unscrewing the head of the adjustor bolt8from the front of the light into a threaded section12of the bracket. A protective cover9rotates over the head of the adjustor bolt when not in use to protect it from dirt and debris.

Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with references made to the drawings above. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.