GB2159647A

GB2159647A - Direction indicating means

Info

Publication number: GB2159647A
Application number: GB08413832A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Keith Hunter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-05-31
Filing date: 1984-05-31
Publication date: 1985-12-04
Also published as: GB8413832D0

Abstract

An arm band for a cyclist has a succession of light emitting diodes, a source of power and a gravity operated switch such that when the wearer's arm is raised horizontally, a normally open switch closes and the diodes flash automatically until the arm is subsequently lowered and the switch opens again. A master on/off switch is incorporated into a press stud fastening; and the two halves of the press stud make the necessary electrical contact closing the master switch when they come together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Direction indicating means The invention relates to a means of indicating an intention to change direction on the part of a cyclist when travelling at night.

Cyclists present many problems to other and faster road users, not the least of which is their tendency suddenly to change direction without warning of that intended change. To some extent this is understandable, because virtually all cyclists have no means of indicating an intention to change direction other than by giving hand signals; and as soon as a cyclist removes one hand from his handlebars then his balance becomes less stable.

Car-style flashing indicators have been proposed for bicycles, and attempts have been made to fit them. They have usually been heavy, expensive, and short-lived in the market. In any case they need operating by a switch. This loses valuable time, because cyclists although slower in a straight line than the majority of road users tend to want to change direction fairly quickly.

Traditional hand signals therefore have remained the cyclist's only direction-indicating means. Even these however are not seen at night unless the cyclist is wearing light-reflecting gloves or light-reflecting arm coverings.

Very few cyclists do.

Children particularly are notorious for cycling with inadequate front and rear lights at night, and equally notoriously will not wear any kind of safety clothing unless it is in the height of fashion (it inevitably is not); and they are not of an age where they are inclined to think of operating a switch-driven indicator even if such an indicator were to be fitted to their machines.

In country districts the numbers of cyclists who are killed and injured at night on unlit roads is well known.

Even during the daytime, motor car manufacturers in Sweden have long fitted slidelights which are permanently on whenever the vehicle engine is running. Traffic lights, police and ambulance lights, and motor car direction indicator lights have all become progressively brighter in recent years. Many motor cyclists now travel with their headlight full on during the day as well as at night. All this is a pointer towards the positive need to attract forceful attention to oneself if one is to compete with other road users and hope to survive.

The problem then for cyclists is that they need a means of indicatin a change of direction which will not delay the giving of the actual hand signal; which a child can operate; which will only illuminate when the signal is actually desired and is made; and which all points logically to some form of hand-operated switched system as long used in motor cars, with the power source traditionally carried on the vehicle.

By contrast, the invention proposes a band, intended to be worn on the forearm or wrist or hand of a cyclist, and having a succession of light emitting diodes on its outward facing surface; a source of power for the diodes being attached to or incorporated into the band itself; and a gravity operated switch also attached to or incorporated into the band, in circuit between the power source and the diodes; these integers being positioned such that when the band is worn correctly, and the wearer's arm is raised horizontally, the normally open switch closes and the diodes flash automatically until the arm is subsequently lowered and the switch opens again.

Preferably a master on/off switch is incorporated into the band, and when that master switch is open then the gravity operated switch has no effect. The master switch would be opened and left open when the band was stored an not in use. If the master switch were not present, the band would always have to be stored in the right attitude to prevent the gravity operated switch from closing. This is clearly impractical if the band is to be worn by a cyclist who, as well as riding, is to spend a proportion of his journey walking or shopping or doing other things during which he does not want to have to remember in what position his arms are held at any given time.

Such a master switch could be incorporated into a press stud fastening the initially-open length of band material into a closed band for use. The two halves of the press stud coming together could make the necessary electrical contact closing the master switch. When separated, the contact would be broken.

Preferably the gravity operated switch is a mercury switch because of the liquid nature of mercury which will flow around the switch contacts to bridge the electrical gap between them. Mercury switches are also well known technology and can be made exceptionally compact and weight very little.

Advantageously the band could be stitched into the back of a glove or a mitten, and in another aspect of the invention there is provided a pair of gloves or mittens with each individual glove or mitten having a band, incorporating the invention, stitched or otherwise secured to its back.

The advantages of any direction indicating means embodying the invention are that it is entirely automatic in operation; it attracts positive attention because of the repeated flashing of the diodes rather than simply giving a permanent and unvarying illumination; it does not delay or affect in any way the making of the actual hand signal; and it positively encourages proper hand signals (i.e. with a fully raised arm) because otherwise with a sloppilygiven signal there is always the risk that the gravity switch will not operate: It has to be set to operate with a properly raised arm, because otherwise it could constantly be closing in situations where it was not intended to.

The diodes may be arranged in clusters.

They could be clear or coloured and they could in either case be covered by a lens. The whole band, including diodes, switch or switches, power source, and electrical connections, could be made waterproof so as to usable in all weathers.

The price of light emitting diodes and their power sources and the necessary switch or switches, together with the almost negligible price of suitable material for the band, means that the invention could be embodied in articles which are sufficiently cheap as to be made on a "throw away" basis. In other words it is not necessary even to be able to gain access to the power source, because the power source could be dispensed with the band and be replaced by a new band and power source.

One band embodying the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing by way of example. It will now be described with reference to that drawing.

The band is of an elasticated fabric material which can be selected from numerous suitable alternatives by the skilled reader. It is initially an open elongate length of material but it is fastened, in use, into a closed band by the two halves of a press stud 11 one half mounted at each opposite end of the band.

The outward facing surface of the band mounts a succession of light emitting diodes 1 2. A simple gravity operated mercury switch, not shown in the drawings, is incorporated into the band and is in circuit between the succession of electrically linked diodes and a power source such as a 9 volt direct current power cell, also not shown.

The band comprises two layers of elasticated fabric material stitched one on top of another. The power source and the mercury switch are trapped between these two layers and are inaccessable without opening the stitching. The electrical connections which link the diodes, the switch, and the power source in circuit are also trapped between the two bands of material. Each band is waterproofed and the bands are stitched together with thread which resists perishing when wet.

The electrical connections are so wired into the two halves of the press stud 11 that the press stud constitutes a master on/off switch.

When the two halves of the stud are brought together, the power source and the gravity operated mercury switch are placed in circuit with the diodes 1 2. With the band worn on a cyclist's forearm, and with that arm in a normal handlebar-holding position (i.e. sloping down at about 30 to 60 below the horizontal) the mercury switch remains open and the diodes are inoperative.

If the cyclists raises his arm to the fully horizontal position, in the traditional manner for giving a right hand or left hand turn signal, the mercury switch automatically closes; and all the diodes 12 2 start flashing simultaneously and stay flashing until the cyclist lowers his arm again.

When the cyclist ends his journey, or no longer wishes to wear the arm band (for example if he breaks his journey to go shopping for any length of time) he simply separates the two halves of the press stud to break the electrical connection between the power source and the diodes. He can then store the band in whatever way he wishes in the knowledge that even if the mercury switch closes it will not start the diodes flashing (and hence will not drain the power source) because the master on/off switch is no longer operative.

Claims

1. Direction indicating means, comprising a band, intended to be worn on the forearm or wrist or hand of a cyclist, and having a succession of light emitting diodes on its outward facing surface; a source of power for the diodes being attached to or incorporated into the band itself; and a gravity operated switch also attached to or incorporated into the band, in circuit between the power source and the diodes; these integers being positioned such that when the band is worn correctly, and the wearer's arm is raised hori zontally, the normally open switch closes and the diodes flash automatically until the arm is subsequently lowered and the switch opens again.

2. Direction indicating means in accordance with Claim 1, and in which a master on/off switch is incorporated into the band.

3. Direction indicating means in accordance with Claim 2, and in which the switch is incorporated into a press stud fastening the initially open length of band material into a closed band for use, the arrangement being such that the two halves of the press stud coming together make the necessary electrical contact closing the switch, and brake that contact when they are separated.

4. Direction indicating means comprising a pair of gloves or mittens with each individual glove or mitten having a band, in accordance with any of the preceding Claims, stitched or otherwise secured to the back of the glove or mitten.

5. Direction indicating means in accordance with any of the preceeding Claims and in which the band is of an elasticated fabric material.

6. Direction indicating means substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.