Patents Assigned to Valeo North America, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11601578
    Abstract: An IR illuminator for providing infrared light for a digital camera having a camera lens with a camera field of view, including at least two mounting substrates arranged adjacent to the digital camera, at least one LED mounted to each of the mounting substrates for radiating the infrared light, and a free form cover lens positioned to cover the at least one LED. The shape of the free form cover lens is such that an emission pattern of light radiation is emitted without entering into the camera lens. Two IR illuminators adjacent to the camera are tilted at an angle from the camera optical direction. The shape of the free form cover lens may be elliptical or toric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant Potter, John Orisich, Fred Roth, Kostadin Beev
  • Patent number: 11597384
    Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for performing a braking operation of a vehicle when an object is detected in front of the vehicle. The method includes acquiring at least one image of an external environment of the vehicle, determining a road condition of a road of the external environment of the vehicle based on the acquired at least one image, obtaining, based on the determined road condition and from memory, a braking table of one or more braking tables including distances and corresponding vehicle speeds at which the braking operation is performed, acquiring a speed of the vehicle and a distance between a preceding object and the vehicle, comparing the acquired speed of the vehicle and the acquired distance between the preceding object and the vehicle to the braking table, and sending, based on the comparison, an instruction to perform the braking operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: VALEO NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Mirian Rodriguez Romero, Ovidiu Buzdugan-Romcea
  • Patent number: 11584291
    Abstract: A method comprising: (a) heating a light module of a vehicle with a heater; (b) monitoring a temperature of the light module; (c) activating a communication sequence; and (d) performing the communication sequence so that a message is conveyed between a controller of the light module and a controller of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford Federle, Monji Moumen
  • Patent number: 11585510
    Abstract: A light system of a vehicle comprising: (a) a connector housing; (b) a reflector housing connected to the connector housing and being movable relative to the connector housing; (c) one or more adjustment assemblies comprising: (i) a socket in the connector housing; and (ii) a rod in the reflector housing that extends into the socket and is rotatable relative to the socket so that the reflector housing is adjustable relative to the connector housing; and wherein the rod has a length and a width with the length being greater than the width and the rod being rotatable around an axis of the length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Kearns, Mark Singleton, Gaurav Bhutani
  • Patent number: 11572994
    Abstract: The subject inventive arrangement produces a light guide that may be of any curved shape that produces and obtains a lighting appearance of a uniform or homogenous lit appearance at the light exit face by using a single light source and a single light-reflective coupler. The present invention is premised on a light guide system that includes a light guide; a light source; and a coupler positioned at the light source that is configured to receive generated light. The coupler is adapted to produce a collimated light beam from the light source. A stepped reflective surface is formed along a light reflecting face of the light guide by a plurality of light reflective facets and a plurality of lateral surfaces, which are configured to receive and direct collimated light towards a light-emitting exit face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Lionel Floc'h, Michael Kratoska, Ignacio Everardo Orozco, Brant Potter
  • Patent number: 11555925
    Abstract: To determine spatial orientation of a vehicle, a set of illuminators is mechanically coupled to the vehicle so as to emit light toward a roadway. A set of sensors is mechanically coupled to the vehicle to receive the emitted light as reflected from the roadway. A timer determines times of flight between emission of the light by the set of illuminators and reception of the reflected light by the set of sensors. A processor determines the spatial orientation of the vehicle from a difference in the times of flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Valere Calais, John Orisich, Brant Potter
  • Patent number: 11555954
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting device including a light source configured to emit diverging light a fiber bundle including a plurality of optical fibers bundled into a cross sectional shape configured to be optically coupled to the light source; and a coupling device configured to optically couple the light source to the fiber bundle, the coupling device including a reflecting portion configured to reflect the diverging light toward the optical fiber bundle and a blocking portion configured to block light from bleeding from the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry Grammer
  • Publication number: 20220379685
    Abstract: A HVAC system (100) includes a housing (10) with at least one first inlet (20) and at least one second inlet (30) formed thereon, at least one first door (20a), at least one second door (30a) and an intermediate door (40). The first inlet (20) and the second inlet (30) is for ingress of a first fluid stream and a second fluid stream inside the housing (10). The first door (20a) and the second door (30a) moves with respect to the first inlet (20) and the second inlet (30) respectively to define an open configuration, a closed configuration and a partially open configuration thereof. The intermediate door (40) is disposed between the first inlet (20) and the second inlet (30) and moves between a deployed and an un-deployed configuration to respectively disrupt and allow fluid flow there across. The intermediate door (40) is a sliding door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Buckman, Darshan Parikh, Sally Dagher, Steven Marshall, Richard Sikorski
  • Publication number: 20220365175
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes an upper housing. The sensor assembly includes a monolithic lower housing fixed to the upper housing and defining a chamber therebetween. The monolithic lower housing defines a drain channel that slopes downward and outward in the chamber. The sensor assembly may be mounted to a roof of a vehicle. Specifically, the monolithic lower housing may be fixed to the roof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Rashaun Phinisee, Venkatesh Krishnan, Sunil Reddy Patil, Joseph Wlodyka, Ravi Surampudi, Timothy Wiesner, Yifu Xiao, Luis Angel Gonzalez, Paul True
  • Patent number: 11503705
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light source support of an automotive vehicle. The light source support comprises: a first non-flexible part adapted to be mounted with a plurality of first electronic components; and a second non-flexible part adapted to be mounted with a plurality of second electronic components. The light source support further comprises a flexible arm adapted to join the first non-flexible part and the second non-flexible part to form the light source support, which is twistable and rotatable. The first non-flexible part and the second non-flexible part are joined in a non-axial manner by the flexible arm such that a longitudinal axis of the first non-flexible part is not parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second non-flexible part when the first non-flexible part is joined with the second non-flexible part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mauricio Velazquez Sanchez, Julien Hemon
  • Patent number: 11499689
    Abstract: A light system comprising: (a) a plurality of printed circuit boards; (b) a plurality of sets of light sources on each of the plurality of printed circuit boards that are configured to provide a different lighting function, wherein each of the plurality of sets of light sources include one or more light source that generates light; (c) a plurality of light bars that distribute the light from each of the plurality of sets of light sources; and (d) one or more light guides on each of the plurality of light bars, wherein each of the one or more light guides is aligned with one or more of the one or more light sources so that the light passes from the one or more light sources into one of the one or more light guides and into one of the plurality of light bars to provide one of the different lighting functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Guilebaldo Munoz Ledo Espinosa, Sergio Aguirre Contreras, Diana Cuellar Alcala, Mark Singleton, Damien Cabanne
  • Publication number: 20220355730
    Abstract: A vehicle light module, a headlight assembly, and a method for communicating information at a panel having transparent and opaque states; a projector device projects visual representations toward the panel where visual representations are displayed on the panel when in an opaque state and through the panel when in a transparent state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Shivi SINGH, John ORISICH
  • Publication number: 20220341556
    Abstract: A thin aspect lighting system and method are shown. The system and method include at least one module having a reflector that is generally elliptical in one cross-section and generally parabolic in another cross-section. Each module is adapted to generate at least one of a flat beam pattern, a high beam pattern or a low beam pattern, such as a low beam pattern with a kink or elbow. Also shown is a headlamp assembly having a plurality of modules that generate the same or a different light beam pattern. Manipulation and variation of facets or positions of various components, such as at least one light source provides improved characteristics in one or more of the light beam patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant POTTER, John ORISICH, Matthew BERRY
  • Patent number: 11480311
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a plurality of fiber optic panels coupled to respective light sources. The fiber optic panels include a set of optical fibers configured to emit light transversely to the optical axis thereof to form respective illumination regions in the fiber optic panels. A housing is included in the lighting apparatus to have an internal chamber and at least one window formed therein by which the internal chamber is in optical communication with the exterior of the housing. Additionally, an optical system such as a reflector or lens can subtend the light from the distal ends of the fibers within the chamber. Fiber optic panels are optically coupled to the housing assembly to convey light into the internal chamber while the illumination regions extend from the housing to perform a lighting function of an automotive vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Beauchamp, John Orisich
  • Patent number: 11473747
    Abstract: A light system including: (a) a first light region configured to provide a first light function; (b) a second light region configured to provide a second light function that is different from the first light function; (c) a blocker located between the first light region and the second light region so that when the first light function is activated, light from the first light region is prevented from passing to the second light region by the blocker and when the second light function is activated, light from the second light region is prevented from passing to the first light region by the blocker; (d) a textured surface in the first light region, the second light region, or both; and (e) a texture shutoff located between the textured surface in the first light region, the second light region, or both and located between the textured surface and the blocker so that the texture surface prevents material of the first light region, the second light region, the blocker, or a combination thereof from forming flash
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Haywood, Colby Darlage, Guilebaldo Munoz Ledo Espinosa
  • Publication number: 20220316673
    Abstract: A light masking system for a vehicle includes: a printed circuit board (PCB); at least one infrared (IR) light source disposed on a first surface of the PCB and configured to emit a first predetermined wavelength range of light; at least one masking light source disposed on the first surface of the PCB proximal to the IR light source and configured to emit a second predetermined wavelength range of light, wherein a portion of the emitted first predetermined wavelength range of light of the IR light source includes visible light; and the emitted second predetermined wavelength range of light of the at least one masking light source masks the emitted visible light from the first predetermined wavelength range of the at least one IR light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: VALEO NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory STEIN, Jonathan BEAUCHAMP, Brant POTTER, Nathan MONTGOMERY, John ORISICH
  • Patent number: 11460166
    Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a heat sink including a pad surface, and an LED mounted on the pad surface. An optical device is optically coupled to the LED, and a support structure is provided for connecting the optical device to the heat sink. The support structure includes fixation spacers to connect the supporting structure to the heat sink, and both the LED and the fixation spacers contact the pad surface on a common plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Julien Hemon, Fred Roth
  • Patent number: 11458813
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) assembly for managing air mixing door kinematics of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The assembly includes a first door configured for allowing passage of a first air flow, a second door configured for allowing passage of a second air flow, obtaining means configured to obtain a temperature command indicating a target temperature for a passenger cabin, identifying means configured to identify a pattern of non-linear door kinematics for mixing the first air flow and the second air flow based on the temperature command, coordinating means configured to coordinate the non-linear door kinematics between the first door and the second door, and mixing means configured to mix the first air flow and the second air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Sikorski, Darshan Parikh, Sally Dagher, Steven Marshall
  • Publication number: 20220306047
    Abstract: An assembly includes an inlet tube and an outlet tube. The assembly includes a solenoid assembly having a plunger movable between an open position in which fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet tube to the outlet tube and a closed position in which fluid is inhibited from flowing from the inlet tube to the outlet tube. The solenoid assembly has a spring urging the plunger to the closed position. The assembly includes a first pressure sensor positioned to be compressed when the plunger is moved toward the open position. Pressure detected by the first pressure sensor indicates whether the plunger is at the open position. The assembly includes a second pressure sensor positioned to be compressed when the plunger is moved toward the closed position. Pressure detected by the second pressure sensor indicates whether the plunger is at the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkatesh Krishnan, Segundo Baldovino, Ashwin Arunmozhi, Charles Prain, Michael Whitney, William S. Smith, Theophile Jullien, Denis Thebault, Jean Baptiste Lahilaire
  • Publication number: 20220306048
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a sensor including a sensor lens, a casing mounted to the sensor, and a fluid nozzle mounted to the casing. The casing at least partially defines a duct positioned to outlet airflow across the sensor lens, and the duct defines a direction of airflow. The fluid nozzle is aimed through the duct in the direction of airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Michael Regalbuto, Raghuraman Surineedi, Kunal Singh, Venkatesh Krishnan, Rashaun Phinisee, Michael Whitney, Jose Alberto Gomez Ramirez, Benjamin Graham, Yifu Xiao