AU683292B2 - Rotary rear reflector for cycles - Google Patents

Description

"REAR ROTARY REFLECTOR FOR CYCLES" The invention concerns a signalling device for cycles, and more particularly a mobile device equipped with reflectors.

For the purposes of this invention, a cycle means a light vehicle with one, two, three or four wheels, such as bicycles, tricycles or quadricycles ("cuisse-tax") driven by muscle power or/and by a light auxiliary motor.

Numerous light devices have already been offered to ensure optimal safety at night or in the dark for cycle users. Some are equipped with lamps fed by a dynamo or batteries, others include (at times in addition) reflective devices such as reflectors. Some are mobile to enhance their visibility.

It has in particular been proposed to equip cycles and similar vehicles with reflecting devices having a mobile reflecting surface in relation to the frame of the cycle. Some of these devices are driven from the wheels of thb, cycles.

US Patent 4,047,800 therefore'describes the use of a reflecting disc fitted a..e on the rear axle of the cycle in such a way that the disc is vertical and perpendicular to the plan of the wheel and is driven by a rotary motion by the .I wheel. The surface of the rotary disk is preferably divided into reflecting sectors of alternating colours.

The utility model DE-U-9003610 describes a signalling device for bicycles 20 comprising a reflector driven by a rotary motion by a transmission shaft from the hub of the bicycle wheel in order to accentuate the sparkling of the reflector, All the known devices, however, have particular drawbacks. Either 'their construction is too elaborate, and therefore too expensive, or because of their complexity or any other reason, their efficacy or reliability is very uncertain.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a signalling device which is both simple to construct, inexpensive, efficacious, permanent, non-polluting, non-tiring and very reliable, even under intense or extreme conditions of use.

The aim of the invention is to provide a signalling device for cycles including a reflecting surface meant to be arranged, in a rotary manner, perpendicular to the moving direction of a cycle and to be driven by the movement of the cycle itself.

EP C CINWORD ENSPECIRLh7487-O44 DOC c The invention accordingly provides a signalling device including a surface capable of carrying out rotary movement in a plane perpendicular to an axis, said axis being parallel to the direction of movement of a cycle, and driven by the motion of the cycle itself, wherein said surface is equipped with at least one reflecting area placed eccentrically in relation to said axis, and at least one nonreflecting area, whereby when said surface is rotating, the or each reflecting area crosses into a space which was previously occupied by at least a part of the or a respective non-reflecting area.

The invention also provides a rear light device for cycles including a light and a surface, characterised in that said surface: is capable of carrying out rotary movement in a plane perpendicular to an axis, said axis being parallel to the direction of movement of a cycle, and ~driven by the motion of the cycle itself; is equipped with at least one reflecting area placed eccentrically in relation 15 to said axis; and is placed above the light, being integrated in a case, such that a part of the beam of the light is directed towards the surface.

The surface may itself be equipped with at least one reflecting area eccentric to the rotation axis of said surface. In other words, the centre of the reflector is preferably situated outside the rotation axis of the rotating surface.

The reflecting area consists by preference of a reflector. For the purposes go• of this invention, a reflector means a device that reflects incident light rays in a specific direction, for example in the direction of incident light.

According to a particular preferred version of the invention, the rotary surface of the signalling device consists of a disc with at least one reflector on it, In a preferred version of the invention, the rotary surface is equipped with at least two reflectors.

For its part, the movement of the rotary surface of the invention is induced to great advantage by the movement of the wheels of the cycle, in particular the rear wheel. To this end, the rotary surface is connected to the wheel by means of transmission of movement that are known as such. In a preferred version, these I' RA(/ known means consist of a transmission cable such as those used by odometers EP C:\WINWORDLLENSPECIRLT-74870-94,DOC I -Pand speedometers.

The device of the invention can be installed in any place of the cycle, provided that it is visible essentially from the rear of the cycle. The signalling device can thus, for example, be placed on the frame of the cycle on the hub of the rear wheel, on the rear fork along the wheel; or it can be placed on the rear mudguard, on the rear luggage rack, or under the rear luggage rack or on the saddle.

A device on the saddle, under the saddle or on the mudguard is particularly interesting, because it is not very cumbersome, well protected and clearly visible.

Depending on the location of the device on the cycle, the means of transmitting the movement of the wheel on the rotary surface may vary; for example, the use of gears, friction rollers on the tyre etc,, are not excluded because the means of transmission by cable like that used in speedometers has 15 been indicated as preferable. The variants in this area will appear evident to the go* experienced craftsman.

The device of the invention is explained in more detail in the description which follows, by referring to specific methods of producing this device which will reveal additional characteristics of the invention. These examples are given 20 solely by way of illustration.

S• Figure 1 shows a signalling device for cycles according to the invention, designated overall by reference 1, installed on the rear mudguard of a cycle Device 1 is shown in more detail in Figure 2: the device comprises a disc (4) installed on an axle and connected, via a system of chain sprockets and gears to regulate the movement of the disc, to a transmission cable such as used for bicycle "speedometers" which are already known, and driven, in a way known too, by the wheel of the cycle through a lug placed between the spokes of the wheel.

The disc is equipped with at least one reflecting surface for example two reflectors according to the example given in Figure 2, theoretically of any shape, for example oval, as in the example illustrated in EP C.'WU4WORO ELLENSPSCIRLfl4870-94 DOC Figure 2. According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the shape of the reflector may become playful and attractive for children, acquiring the silhouette of comic-strip characters or real or imaginary animals. By placing reflectors of such shapes on the rotary disk, an illusion that the silhouettes are pursuing each other is created when the cycle is moving.

In the illustrated example, the disc is installed in a protective case The main interest of the device according to the invention is that a fixed reflector is seen, but not noticed, whereas a rotary reflector according to the invention catches the eye. The reflector draws a non-continuous light circle in the dark. The cyclist is seen and taken notice of much faster by drivers who catch him in the beam of their headlights.

Furthermore, the movement of the rear wheel provides the energy required to activate the mechanism. The cyclist wastes virtually no energy at all, because the system functions even in "free wheel". Consequently, the device does not tire the cyclist.

According to another example of the invention, illustrated globally in Figures 3 and 4, the reflector is integrated in the bodywork,+efthe light. The tc'p of the light is in colourless transparent plastic, whereas the rest of the light is in coloured transparent plastic. The white light is directed towards the reflector, 20 whose supporting disc rotates above the lamp, slighted recessed from it. The white light is captured alternatively in the reflecting surfaces which pass, creating tu ai thus a "blinking light" effect.

°o° EP C:-WNWORiEUENSPECIRL748?d.QADOC I Y- ~LI-~YaRaeAa

Claims (11)

1. A signalling device including a surface capable of carrying out rotary movement in a plane perpendicular to an axis, said axis being parallel to the direction of movement of a cycle, and driven by the motion of the cycle itself, wherein said surface is equipped with at least one reflecting area placed eccentrically in relation to said axis, and at least one non-reflecting area, whereby when said surface is rotating, the or each reflecting area crosses into a space which was previously occupied by at least a part of the or a respective non- reflecting area.

2. A rear light device for cycles including a light and a surface, characterised in that said surface: o* is capable of carrying out rotary movement in a plane perpendicular to an 15 axis, said axis being parallel to the direction of movement of a cycle, and dri"en by the motion of the cycle itself; is equipped with at least one reflecting area placed eccentrically in relation to said axis; and '0 is placed above the light, being integrated in a case, such that a part of the beam of the light is directed towards the surface.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the surface consists of a disc.

4. A device according to claim 2, characterised in that the surface consists of a disc, which is equipped with said at least one reflecting area and at least one non-reflecting area. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the reflecting area consists of a reflector.

EP C ANWORD\ELENPECRLnh7487094.DOC -s

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the surface is equipped with at least two reflectors.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the movement of the surface is driven by the movement of the rear wheel or wheels of the cycle, and in that the movement of the wheel is transmitted to the surface by means of a transmission cable such as used for cycle "speedometers".

8. A device according to claim 7, characterised in that the transmission cable is linked with the surface via a system of chain sprockets and gears which regulates the movement of the surface.

9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in 15 that the surface is at the level of or under a saddle of the cycle.

A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the surface is installed on the rear mudguard.

11. A signalling device substantially as herein described with reference to either of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. DATED: 6 August 1997 PHILLPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: "SEE ME" SPRL EP C: WNWORDLLEN PECIRLTh7487094,flc I '-aa ~e ap II~ Ir~n