DE20108567U1 - Automatic hazard warning lights for bicycles - Google Patents

Description

Disclosure document for obtaining utility model protection at

German Patent Office about a

Automatic hazard warning light for bicycles

registered on

17 May 2001

from

Dipl. Ing. Bernhard Geilich

Marienstrasse D-41462Neuss

Dipl. day Bernhard G^üicb;, A^F ,J\kz·: ········ ♦? *·· ·· ···

Description

The object of the invention is to increase the passive road safety of cyclists in the dark or in poor lighting conditions by warning other road users by means of regularly recurring flashes of light emitted by the bicycle.

This is achieved with a warning light with the features of claim 1. A long-known physical effect is effectively exploited by using electronic components that are now available. In an improvement over commercially available flashing lights for this purpose, the invention requires neither a dynamo nor batteries nor other energy storage devices for operation.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

Using an exemplary embodiment of a hazard warning light, further advantageous properties are demonstrated in addition to the features according to the invention:

• good luminosity of the light sources operated according to the invention with low power requirements of only a few milliwatts

• no mechanical wear of the components

• very long service life of all components

• permanent operation of the light sources during driving

• Operation takes place without bicycle dynamo, accumulators, batteries or other energy storage devices

• no noticeable additional effort when pedaling

• unrestricted functionality in all weather conditions

• also works when pushing the bike at walking speed

• Extremely simple, robust, cost-effective construction of the components

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Dipl.Jng. Bernltaijl GJilich· A^F ,

The automatic hazard warning light for bicycles (ABF) consists of the following components:

• a super bright LED SLEDl

• a super bright LED SLED2

• an induction coil L with an iron core, which is attached to the rear fork or front fork of the Falir wheel. The iron core is arranged perpendicular to the plane of movement of the wheel spokes

• a strong permanent magnet M, which is attached to a wheel spoke in such a way that when the wheel rotates it is briefly moved past the iron core of L at a short distance

Figure 1 shows the electronic circuit of ABF .

Dipl. Young ^ernharjl Gjilich; ABf, jikz.

If the wheel rotates quickly enough, a bipolar voltage surge is generated in the induction coil L whenever the magnet M is moved a short distance along the iron core of L (voltage induction). As soon as the threshold voltage of the SLED1 or SLED2 connected as a consumer is exceeded, a current begins to flow through SLED1 or SLED2 and a flash of light is emitted, the intensity of which depends on the current strength. The super-bright LEDs provided according to the invention have a light intensity that is clearly perceptible in medium lighting conditions even with a current in the flow direction of approx. 1 mA.

SLEDl and SLED2 are connected in anti-parallel, which offers several advantages:

> positive and negative voltage surges of the induction coil are used to emit light

P One LED limits the blocking voltage of the other LED to the value of the threshold voltage in the forward direction

> If a LED is defective, ABF continues to work as intended, provided that the defective super-bright LED does not act as a short circuit

Example

Several (e.g. three) powerful miniature permanent magnets are embedded next to each other in a commercially available spoke reflector SR (see Fig. 2). SR is clamped between two wheel spokes SP in such a way that when the wheel rotates, all three permanent magnets are moved a short distance past the induction coil L attached to the front or rear wheel fork. SLEDl and SLED2 emit three flashes of light in quick succession, which the observer's eye perceives as one powerful flash of light. The red-lighting SLEDl , like the white-lighting SLED2, is arranged directly next to L in a plastic housing and is electrically connected as shown in Fig. 1. The housing is mounted on the front or rear wheel fork (e.g. using a plastic tie). The plastic bodies of the LEDs protrude precisely through two holes in the housing in such a way that SLEDl can emit light against the direction of travel and SLED2 in the direction of travel. L remains completely in the housing, with the iron core aligned perpendicular to the plane of movement and at a short distance from SR.

The number of wire turns is such that even at low wheel speeds (e.g. when pushing the bicycle) sufficient "flash current" is induced. The winding of a commercially available miniature relay for 24 volt operating voltage is suitable as an induction coil.

If you attach more than three magnets to a spoke reflector, the noticeable flash duration is extended. By installing additional spoke reflectors, the flashing frequency is increased.

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Claims (9)

1. Lighting device "Automatic hazard warning light for bicycles" having the following characteristics: - an induction coil (L) with iron core attached to the front or rear fork, - a permanent magnet (M) attached to the wheel spoke, - a light source (LQ) electrically connected to (L) where - a flash of light of (LQ) is emitted at least once during each full rotation of the wheel, provided that the bicycle is moved at least at walking speed. 2. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source is a super-bright light-emitting diode of any luminous color. 3. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source consists of two anti-parallel connected super-bright light-emitting diodes of any luminous color. 4. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source consists of a super-bright light-emitting diode of any luminous color and a protective diode connected anti-parallel thereto. 5. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that (M) consists of a number of permanent magnets which are arranged in a commercially available spoke reflector. 6. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that (M) consists of a number of permanent magnets, each of which is arranged individually on a wheel spoke. 7. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the induction coil and the light source are arranged spatially close to one another in a housing. 8. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source referred to in claim 3 is aligned such that an emission angle of the generated light flash between 0 degrees (both super-bright light-emitting diodes aligned in parallel) and 180 degrees (both super-bright light-emitting diodes aligned in opposite directions) can be achieved. 9. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source is arranged at spatially separate mounting locations (e.g. above the conventional rear light/front light) and is coupled to the induction coil by electrical connecting cables.