Abstract:
A center high mounted stop light assembly for use in a vehicle includes a stop light housing movable in a passage located center high on a rear end of the vehicle between a first closed position and a second extended position in which utility lights coupled to the stop light housing are deployable and operable to illuminate an area near the rear end of the vehicle. A position sensor detects and signals the position of the stop light housing within the passage. The stop light housing may be manually operated between the open and closed position or may use an automated device for push button operation including of the utility lights.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure generally relates to vehicles and, more particularly, relates to a multi-functional brake light located at the center high mounted position and meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standard 108 and for use in providing lighting outside of the vehicle. 
     The lighting system of a vehicle generally consists of the lighting and signaling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle. The purposes of these devices are to provide illumination for the driver to operate the vehicle, to increase the visibility of the vehicle, and to provide indicator information about the vehicle&#39;s presence, position, size, direction of travel, and/or the driver&#39;s intentions regarding direction and speed of travel. As part of the vehicle&#39;s lighting and signalizing devices, it is generally known for a vehicle to include a center high mounted stop light (CHMSL) as it has been required as original equipment on passenger vehicles by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 since about 1986 and on all new light trucks since about 1994. The purpose of CHMSL is to better safeguard a car or light truck from being struck in the rear from another vehicle. When the brakes on a vehicle are applied, the CHMSL warns drivers of following the vehicle they should slow down. While the CHMSL has long been known, it remains relatively unchanged from its original design as implemented in the 1980s. There long remains a significant need to improve the lighting around a vehicle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, graphic view of a rear end of a sport utility vehicle including a deployable, multi-functional, rear center high-mounted stop light (CHMSL) in a vehicle operating position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, graphic view of the rear end of the sport utility vehicle including the deployable, multi-functional, rear center high-mounted stop light (CHMSL) in a vehicle non-operating position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  a partial, perspective, graphic view of the deployable, multi-functional, rear center high-mounted stop light (CHMSL) of  FIG. 2  wherein the vehicle exterior lighting is deployed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  a partial, perspective, graphic view of the device of  FIG. 3  wherein the vehicle exterior lighting is deployed in an alternate position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the vehicle using a CHMSL. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring in general to all of the Figures and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 4  there is disclosed an exemplary embodiment of a center high mounted stop light (CHMSL)  20  for use on a vehicle  1 , including, in particular, on a sport utility or cross-over type vehicle  1  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The vehicle  1  may include a rear end  2  having a liftgate  3 . The liftgate  3  may include a window  7  hingedly connected to the liftgate  3 . The vehicle one may further include a passage or recess  30  located center high on the liftgate  3  as best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The vehicle includes other stop lights  8 . 
     In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the center high mounted stop light  20  may include a stop light housing  22  received in the passage  30  and movable between a first or closed position, as best shown in  FIG. 1 , and a second or extended position as best shown in  FIG. 2 . The center high mounted stop light  20  may further include an outer lens cover  21 . The center high mounted stop light  20  may further include a plurality of stop lights  24  located within the stop light housing  22  and behind the outer lens cover  21 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the center high mount stop light  20  may include a latch for selectively coupling the stop light housing  22  in the passage  30  of the vehicle  1 . The latch may be selectively operated for latching and unlatching the stop light housing  22  in the first closed position and/or the second extended position. It is contemplated that when the latch is actuated, the stop light housing  22  may move between the first closed position and the second extended position. The center high mount stop light  20  may further include an actuator  28  that may be linked or coupled to the latch. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the actuator  28  may be located on the outer lens cover  21  of the center high mount stop light  20  as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . It is contemplated that the actuator may be mechanically or electrically linked to the latch for selectively operating the latch based upon a user&#39;s input to the actuator  28 . In an alternate exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a second actuator  28  may be located within the vehicle  1  for use by an occupant therein. In a further alternate exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the second actuator  28  may be located near the operator of the vehicle  1 . It is contemplated that the second actuator  28  located within the cab  5  of the vehicle  1  would be electrically coupled to the center high mount stop light  20 . 
     The center high mount stop light  20  may further include utility lights  40  located on a lower surface of the stop light housing  22  for illuminating an area A located near or proximal the vehicle one, as best shown in  FIG. 5 . The utility lights  40  may be coupled to the stop light housing  22  such that the utility lights  40  may be recessed within the stop light housing  22  when in a first position such that the stop light housing  22  may be located in the first closed position within the passage  30 . Once the stop light housing  22  is moved to the second extended position, the utility lights  40  may extend from the lower surface of the stop light housing  22  as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Each utility light  40  may preferably include a LED spotlight  41  coupled to an adjustment mechanism  42  coupled to the stop light housing  22 . It is further contemplated that the adjustment mechanism  42  may include any known or appropriate devices or mechanisms for selectively adjusting the direction in which the LED spotlight  41  is directed to allow a user of the utility lights  40  of the center high mount stop light  20  to customize the area A of the rear end  2  of the vehicle  1  to be illuminated. 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the center high mount stop light  20  may further include a sensor  50  located proximal the stop light housing  22  and passage  30  for determining the position of the stop light housing  22  within the passage  30 . Preferably, the sensor  50  provides an indicator signal distinguishing when the center high mount stop light is in the first closed position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the second extended position as shown in  FIG. 2 . In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the utility lights  40  may preferably be rendered non-operational (i.e., non-illuminating) when the stop light housing  22  is in the first closed position. Preferably, the utility lights are automatically rendered non-operational using the position sensor  50  or any other type of mechanism for selectively coupling the power source to the utility lights  40 . Similarly, the utility lights  40 , in one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, may preferably be rendered operational (i.e. illuminating) when the stop light housing is in the second extended position. Further, it is contemplated that the utility lights  40  may be automatically deployed or extended from the stop light housing  22  when the stop light housing  22  is moved to the second extended position. It is also contemplated that the utility lights  40  may be automatically retracted into the stop light housing  22  when the stop light housing  22  is moved to the first closed position. In each of these contemplated alternate exemplary embodiments, it is believed that a biasing mechanism may be used to accomplish the automatic deployment of the utility lights  40 . It is also contemplated that other mechanisms and linkages may also be used for automatically deploying and retracting the utility lights  40  in response to and/or independent of the movement of the stop light housing  22 . 
     In a further alternate exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the center high mount stop light  20  may further include an automated mechanism for moving the stop light housing  22  within the passage  30  in the vehicle  1  between the first closed position and the second extended position. It is further contemplated in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure that the automated mechanism for moving the stop light housing  22  may further include a plurality of motors, gears, linkages, electronics, power supply and any other appropriate devices and mechanisms for operating the center high mount stop light  20  according to the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     In yet a further alternate exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the center high mount stop light  20  may be operated by a user pushing the actuator  28  to activate the automated motor assembly to move the stop light housing  22  toward the second extended position. Optionally, the motor assembly may pivot at least a portion of the stop light housing  22  in a direction away from the liftgate  3 . In another embodiment, when a user operates the actuator  28  the latch is released and the stop light housing  22  automatically moves or presents itself to the user who may then manually move the stop light housing  22  to the second extended position. 
     In a further alternate exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor  50  may preferably be coupled and in communication with the electronics of the vehicle  1 . In particular, it is contemplated that the sensor  50  providing the signal indicative of the position of the stop light housing  22  may be communicated to the engine management system or other vehicle operation control for disabling normal operation of the vehicle  1  when the stop light housing  22  is in the second or extended position. 
     While the utility lights  40  are shown packaged at the corners of the center high mounted stop light  20 , the utility lights  40  may be packaged anywhere along the outer surface of the center high mount stop light  20 . It is contemplated that the utility lights  40  may be located anywhere along the outer surface of the stop light housing  22  as well as removably attachable thereto. 
     The center high mount stop light  20  of the present disclosure has particular utility in a meeting with hitching a trailer to the vehicle  1 , particularly at night, as well as helping to light worksites, campsites and other areas A. The center high mount stop light  20  of the present disclosure maintains its compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 while also providing an integrated and highly flexible utility lighting proximal the rear end  2  of the vehicle  1 . Numerous other advantages and benefits become available once the vehicle one includes a center mount stop light  20  according to the present disclosure. 
     The present description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments as well as many applications besides the exemplary embodiments provided will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art upon understanding the present disclosure. The scope of the claimed invention should not be determined with limiting reference to the description but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Any disclosure of an article or reference, including patent applications and publications, is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. Any omission in the claims of any aspect of subject matter disclosed herein is not a disclaimer of such subject matter. 
     Any numerical values recited herein or in the figures are intended to include all values from the lower value to the upper value in increments of one unit provided that there is a separation of at least 2 units between any lower value and any higher value. As an example, if it is stated that the amount of a component or a value of a process variable such as, for example, temperature, pressure, time and the like is, for example, from 1 to 90, preferably from 20 to 80, more preferably from 30 to 70, it is intended that values such as 15 to 85, 22 to 68, 43 to 51, 30 to 32 etc. are expressly enumerated in this specification. For values which are less than one, one unit is considered to be 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01 or 0.1 as appropriate. These are only examples of what is specifically intended and all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowest value and the highest value enumerated are to be considered to be expressly stated in this application in a similar manner. Unless expressly stated, all ranges are intended to include both endpoints and all numbers between the endpoints. The use of “generally, “about” or “approximately”, or similar words, in connection with a range applies to both ends of the range. Thus, “about 20 to 30” is intended to cover “about 20 to about 30”, inclusive of at least the specified endpoints. 
     The disclosure of “a” or “one” to describe an element, ingredient, component or step is not intended to foreclose additional elements, ingredients, components or steps. Plural elements, ingredients, components or steps may be provided by a single integrated element, ingredient, component or step. Alternatively, a single integrated element, ingredient, component or step may include separate plural elements, ingredients, components or steps.