Automotive exterior lamp assembly with charge port

Abstract

A vehicle includes a battery charger and an exterior lamp assembly. The assembly includes a housing defining a cavity, and an electrical port including at least one electrical terminal disposed within the cavity, electrically connected with the battery charger, and configured to be electrically connected with an electrical power grid remote from the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a battery charger; and   an exterior lamp assembly including an electrical port electrically connected with the battery charger and configured to be electrically connected with an electrical power grid remote from the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly further includes an illumination source, further comprising at least one controller configured to, in response to the battery charger being operational, activate the illumination source. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly further includes an interface configured to display information related to the battery charger or vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical port includes at least one electrical terminal oriented in a generally downward direction. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly further includes a housing defining a cavity and wherein the at least one electrical terminal is disposed within the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly further includes a panel to conceal the cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the panel is a door. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly is a tail lamp assembly, a head lamp assembly, a turn signal lamp assembly, a side marker lamp assembly, or a center high mount stop lamp assembly. 
     
     
         9 . A vehicle subsystem comprising:
 an exterior lamp assembly including an illumination source and an electrical port configured to be electrically connected with a power source remote from the vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The subsystem of  claim 9 , wherein the electrical port includes at least one electrical terminal. 
     
     
         11 . The subsystem of  claim 10 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly further includes a housing defining a cavity and wherein the at least one electrical terminal is disposed within the cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The subsystem of  claim 11 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly further includes a panel to conceal the cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The subsystem of  claim 12 , wherein the panel is a door. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly is a tail lamp assembly, a head lamp assembly, a turn signal lamp assembly, a side marker lamp assembly, or a center high mount stop lamp assembly. 
     
     
         15 . A vehicle comprising:
 a battery charger; and   an exterior lamp assembly including a housing defining a cavity and an electrical port including at least one electrical terminal disposed within the cavity, electrically connected with the battery charger, and configured to be electrically connected with an electrical power grid remote from the vehicle.   
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one electrical terminal is oriented in a generally downward direction. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the exterior lamp assembly further includes a panel to conceal the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the panel is a door.