DE19842841C2 - Automatic electric lighting device for two-wheelers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an automatic lighting device for a two-wheeler.

The standard lighting device used in commercial two-wheelers can in terms of reliability, robustness and ease of use, some wishes are open. Blown light bulbs, defective cables and poor ground connections often lead to Failure of the two-wheel lighting and increase the risk of accidents in the dark and at bad weather conditions. This applies in particular to children's two-wheelers, whereby often the Operation of the lighting device (switching on the dynamo) the children problems prepares.

DE 93 16 150 U1 is an automatic lighting device for a two-wheeler known, with a front lighting device and a rear Lighting device. Control electronics that contain a twilight sensor activates the lighting system in unfavorable lighting conditions. As an energy supply serves a rechargeable battery.

It is an object of the invention to improve the known lighting device. This is achieved with a lighting device with the features of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

Using an exemplary embodiment of a lighting device, further advantageous properties are shown in addition to the features according to the invention:

• - Great luminosity of the light sources with low power consumption (typically less than a tenth of the electricity required for conventional lighting),
• - very long life of the light sources,
• - At dusk / darkness, the light sources are automatically switched on when the Driving operation,
• - In the case of rain or heavy fog, the light sources are switched on automatically when the picture is taken driving,
• - parking light at intermediate stop,
• - automatic switching off of the light sources after the end of the journey,
• - Operation with rechargeable small accumulators,
• - Automatic recharging of the batteries when the sun is shining or when the charge is maintained by daylight,
• - signaling of sufficient battery voltage during driving,
• - hours of operation of the light source without dynamo function,
• - If necessary, recharge the batteries by dynamo operation,
• - If necessary, steady light even when the two-wheeler is stationary,
• - practically no power consumption when the two-wheeler is not in use (exception: permanent light),
• - Simple, robust, repair-friendly construction of the circuit components.

The automatic electric lighting device for two-wheelers (AEB) consists of two parts, a lighting device emitting light in the direction of travel (hereinafter abbreviated VBE or front light) and a light against the direction of travel emitting lighting device (hereinafter referred to as HBE or taillight). Before the- and taillight work independently.

VBE consists of the following components (see Fig. 1):

• - A housing G with an internal commercial light reflector Refl and commercially available diffusing screen St. A holder H, which carries a small solar panel S, is weatherproof and waterproof connected to G,
• - In H, a signal light-emitting diode LED is integrated so that its light from the two-wheeler is good can be observed. The housing G is attached by means of a mounting bracket BB screwed and adjusted a standard lamp holder (not shown),
• - Compared to the light exit, G has a hole in which a photo resistor FW and a moisture sensor FS are arranged. FW measures the ambient brightness and FS measures the humidity outside the housing G,
• - A circuit board Pla with the electronic circuit, the small accumulator and the suitable for reflector Refl aligned light source SLED. A cable runs from Pla. through a hole in G to LED and another cable through a hole in G to S,
• - A commercially available cast reed contact RK for attachment to the Front fork including connecting cable VK1 between RK and Pla,
• - A commercially available permanent magnet M for attachment to a wheel spoke (Spoke magnet),
• - A fully configured two-wire connection cable VK2 for dynamo connection. The second wire is connected to the ground connection of the dynamo, so that a defined one Current return is guaranteed.

The electronic circuitry of the VBE (see Fig. 2) is built on a printed circuit board and consists of commercially available components. The power supply of the VBE is ensured by a small accumulator A (e.g. NiCd 3.6 V 280 mAh) for solder mounting. Charging can take place both through the small solar panel S integrated in the housing G (e.g. Panasonic BP-378234) with reverse current diode D1 (Universal Schottky) or via conventional dynamo operation with one-way rectification by diode D2 (Universal Schottky) . D1 is used to avoid battery discharge in the dark via the solar panel. Resistor R1 (33 ohms) limits the charging current. The Zener diode Z (4.7 V) protects the accumulator against overcharging during dynamo charging operation by limiting the maximum accumulator voltage to the Zener voltage. The consequence of this is that the charging current into the accumulator is reduced to an uncritical value when a voltage of approximately 4.7 V is reached.

The reed contact RK is attached to the front fork so that the spoke magnet M has it closes briefly once per wheel revolution. On the one hand, the capacitor C (e.g. 100 uF) charged, on the other hand a current flow through the resistor R2 (47 K) and the base of transistor T1 (e.g. BC 549B) triggered if the photo resistor FW (Universal) is high impedance. The latter is the case in the dark. T1 switches through and enables the Current flow through the super bright LED SLED (glowing white, e.g. 400mCd @ 20mA). The resistor R3 (10 Ohm) has a current limiting effect and ensures that current-controlled voltage feedback of the base-emitter path a reduction in Base current drift and an increase in transistor input resistance.

In the darkness and movement of the two-wheeler, SLED lights up even when the reed contact has opened again because the charge stored in C the transistor continues to switch through. The next time you turn the wheel, the same steps are repeated Operations; SLED lights up permanently while driving in the dark.

During a stopover in the dark, SLED continues to shine with great luminosity before it due to dwindling capacitor charge after approx. 2 minutes (time specification applies to C = 1000 µF) gradually disappears. This behavior also arises after the end of the trip, provided that Reed contact is open when the wheel stops. This condition occurs with great Probability one. On the other hand, by intentionally turning the front wheel Spoke magnet M must be positioned over the reed contact so that the VBE is permanent is switched on. This property can e.g. B. to secure the bike in the event of a breakdown during darkness.

In daylight, the then low-resistance photo resistor FW ensures that the basic Emitter path is effectively bridged by T1 and thereby blocks T1; SLED remains dark. This applies regardless of the position of the reed contact (open / closed). FW is spatially installed in such a way that it is not affected by stray light in the dark (e.g. car headlights) can be influenced.

The functions described apply in the event that transistor T2 (e.g. BC 549B) blocks, d. H. the FS (Universal) humidity sensor is very high-resistance. In the rain or heavy Fog becomes FS conductive and T2 switches on SLED. This happens regardless of Switching status of T1 whenever there is driving operation. R4 (10 KOhm) serves as a base Protective resistor. In the event of an intermediate stop or end of the trip, SLED will go out after approx. 2 minutes (Time specification applies to C = 1000 uF).  

A sufficient battery voltage is generated by the LED (e.g. green, universal) is displayed. If the LED is bright, then it is Battery voltage normal. If the LED lights up very weakly or not at all, it is Voltage too low and the dynamo can be switched on to recharge the battery become. If the latter has occurred, the LED will shine brighter when the vehicle is in operation, since the Dynamo charges the accumulator. Charging should last for some time and can if the LED is continuously on while the dynamo is switched off while driving brightly lit.

Transistor T3 (e.g. BC 549B) conducts when the battery voltage is greater than or equal to that Sum of the voltages across the LED, the diode D3 (silicon universal) and the base Emitter voltage of T3 is (the voltage drop across R3 is neglected). Sinks If the battery voltage drops below this value, the LED goes out. R5 (100 ohms) serves as a base Protection resistor for T3.  

The second part of the AEB, the rear light, is illustrated in Fig. 3. The housing G is attached to a spar Ra of the rear wheel fork with the aid of a suitable, adjustable holder H (shown here in the unmounted state). This is done by means of two pipe clamps RS, which clasp the mock Ra when assembled. RS are attached to H with threaded screws and nuts (not shown here) by passing the screws through the holes in RS and through the corresponding elongated holes LL. The elongated holes allow a lateral adjustment of G directed towards the wheel spokes Sp (see arrow "Housing adjustment" in Fig. 3). G is attached to the top of H by four threaded screws (not shown here). G is made of resistant material (e.g. impact-resistant plastic). A small solar panel S is applied weatherproof on the top of G. In the housing part located opposite to the direction of travel, there is a hole through which a super bright, red light-emitting diode SLED protrudes outwards. SLED is waterproof sealed against G. A signal LED is located in a hole in the side of G. A robust, two-core connection cable VK connects HBE with the dynamo terminal and the dynamo return line.

Fig. 4 shows the components arranged inside G. These consist of

• - A circuit board Pla with the electronic circuit, the small accumulator A and super bright LED, SLED (glowing red, e.g. 3000mCd @ 20 mA). The solar panel S is connected to a cable through a housing bore (not shown here) with pla connected,
• - A Reed contact RK soldered directly behind the spoke-side housing wall on Pla to register the wheel rotation,
• - A photo resistor FW soldered onto the plate, which is screwed through a housing hole in Direction of travel determines the ambient brightness,
• - a FS soldered solder to Pla, which through a housing bore in Direction of travel detected fog or rain,
• - A signal light-emitting diode (LED) soldered onto Pla, through a housing bore protrudes outside.

Outside of G, a permanent magnet Ma is attached to a wheel spoke Sp so that Ma at Wheel rotation can close the reed contact RK as it passes.

The properties and operating principle of the HBE correspond completely to those of the described front light. The electronic circuit (see Fig. 5) differs from that of the VBE only in the dimensions of R1 (47 ohms), A (e.g. 2.4 V, 180 mAh), Z (3.1 V), SLED (glowing red ) and the discontinuation of D3. The signal LED also lights up red.

An advantage with regard to operational safety is that for the electrical connection RK does not require a cable feed.

Claims (5)

1. Automatic lighting device for a two-wheeler, with a front lighting device (VBE) and an independent rear lighting device (HBE), each having the following features:

• control electronics which have a photo resistor (FW) for switching on the lighting in the dark and a moisture sensor (FS) for switching on the lighting at a predetermined atmospheric humidity,
• - a reed contact (RK) attached to the front or rear fork,
• - a permanent magnet (M) attached to the wheel spoke,
• - A charging capacitor (C) which can be charged via an integrated rechargeable battery (A) when the reed contact (RK) is closed and which supplies the control electronics with current, wherein
• - the lighting is switched on by the control electronics when the charging capacitor (C) is sufficiently charged and in the dark or rain or fog, and
• - When the wheel is at a standstill and the reed contact (RK) is open, the lighting is automatically switched off by the discharge of the charging capacitor (C).

2. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source is a super bright LED. 3. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that a sufficient battery voltage by a green LED is displayable. 4. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the accumulator (A) via a solar panel (S) integrated in the housing or can be charged via a dynamo. 5. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that when the two-wheeler is at a standstill function by permanent Closure of the reed contact (RK) can be achieved by turning the wheel accordingly.