# US 9,434,304 B2 · Illuminated vehicle compartment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,304 B2 - Document ID: US9434304B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/718,867 - Filed: 2015-05-21 - Published: 2015-09-10 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-21 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Stuart C. Salter; Cornel Lewis Gardner; James J. Surman; Paul Kenneth Dellock - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434304B2 ## CPC - B60Q 3/68: using ultraviolet light - B60Q 3/30: for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments - F21K 9/64: using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer - H05B 47/105: in response to determined parameters - H05B 47/11: by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - F21K: NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract An illuminated engine compartment disposed within a vehicle is provided herein. The illuminated engine compartment includes a light-producing assembly. A first luminescent portion is disposed on the light-producing assembly and is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light-producing assembly. A second luminescent portion is disposed on a feature within the vehicle engine compartment and is configured to luminesce in response to light emitted from the light-producing assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illuminated compartment for a vehicle, comprising: a light-producing assembly; a first luminescent portion disposed on the light-producing assembly configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light-producing assembly; a second luminescent portion disposed on a feature within a vehicle engine compartment configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light-producing; and a controller for controlling an activation state of the light-producing assembly in response to at least one vehicle related condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The illuminated compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the light-producing assembly comprises a printed LED. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The illuminated compartment for a vehicle of claim 2, wherein the light-producing assembly comprises a plurality of LED sources and the first and second luminescent portions comprise at least one photoluminescent material, wherein each photoluminescent material is configured to down convert an inputted light received from at least a portion of the plurality of LED sources into a visible light. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The illuminated compartment for a vehicle of claim 3, wherein the inputted light comprises one of a blue light, violet light, and a UV light. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The illuminated compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first luminescent portion partially covers a top surface of the light-producing assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The illuminated compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller determines at least one of a light emission intensity and a light emission duration of the light-producing assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The illuminated compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the light emitted from the light-producing assembly comprises one of a blue light, violet light, and a UV light. ### Claim 8 A lighting system for a vehicle, comprising: a printed LED capable of being coupled to a vehicle surface; a first photoluminescent structure partially covering the printed LED and configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the printed LED; a light transmissive portion disposed adjacently to the first photoluminescent structure; and a second photoluminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to light emitted from the printed LED, wherein the second photoluminescent structure is disposed on a feature within an engine compartment to receive light from the printed LED via the light transmissive portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the first photoluminescent structure illuminates in a first color and the second photoluminescent structure illuminates in a second color. ### Claim 10 An illuminated engine compartment, comprising: a light-producing assembly emitting light at a first wavelength; a first photoluminescent portion arranged over the light-producing assembly configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light-producing assembly, wherein a fraction of the light passes through the first photoluminescent portion at the first wavelength for use as a utility light; and a second photoluminescent portion disposed within the compartment that luminesces in response to the light at the first wavelength for illuminating at least one feature of the engine compartment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The illuminated compartment of claim 10, wherein the light-producing assembly comprises a printed LED. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The illuminated compartment of claim 10, wherein the light-producing assembly is coupled to a hood. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The illuminated compartment of claim 10, wherein the light-producing assembly is connected to an interior vertical wall surrounding the engine compartment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The illuminated compartment of claim 10, wherein the light-producing assembly is disposed proximate a forward portion of an engine compartment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The illuminated compartment of claim 10, further comprising a controller configured to selectively illuminate the light-producing assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The illuminated compartment of claim 10, wherein the light-producing assembly comprises a plurality of LED sources and the first photoluminescent portion comprises at least one photoluminescent material, wherein the at least one photoluminescent material is configured to down convert an inputted light received from at least a portion of the plurality of LED sources into a visible light.