GB2347027A

GB2347027A - Vehicle braking warning indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2347027A
Application number: GB9903508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Aitchieson Nor Longmuir
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-17
Filing date: 1999-02-17
Publication date: 2000-08-23
Also published as: GB9903508D0

Abstract

A display 12 on a vehicle is controlled in response to means 2 sensing the intensity of brake application so that the display 12 provides a variable visual representation of the sensed braking intensity. The sensing means 2 may sense the pressure in a brake fluid line 3. The display may have a plurality of illuminable sections 14, 16, 18 which may be of increasing chromatic density, with the lowest at section 14 and the highest at section 18. Different ones of sections 14, 16, 18 may indicate different braking intensities, for example with section 18 alone indicating maximum braking. Alternatively, the number of sections illuminated may increase with increasing braking intensity. A number of lights (22, Fig.2) may be arranged in a strip (2) and controlled so that the strip length illuminated increases with increasing braking intensity.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES This invention concerns improvements in or relating to motor vehicles and in particular has reference to improved safety aspects thereof.

It is well known that many of the accidents occurring on major roads, especially motorways, are caused by shunting due to the practice of tailgating or purely misjudgement of braking distances, ie poor driving practice. The results of multiple crashes are generally devastating and often fatal.

One of the problems facing drivers on motorways is the difficulty of estimating the intensity with which the vehicles ahead are actually braking. In some instances, the application of brakes may be only momentary to secure a slight retardation to adjust spacing, whilst in other cases the application of brakes might be significant, indeed by way of emergency, to prevent impending collision, but the following driver has no immediate way of differentiating between the varying degrees of brake application of the vehicles in front. In either case, the driver reacts to the appearance of the red brake warning light regardless of the actual rate at which the vehicle in front has applied the brakes, and this reaction may be inconsistent with the actuality of conditions prevailing ahead.

Modern automobiles are sometimes provided with an additional stop light indicator usually disposed within the vehicle on or in the vicinity of the rear window or mounted on the boot lid, the indicator being in the form of a band of lights all of which illuminate simultaneously with the illumination of the conventional stop lights on the nearside and offside rear wings of the vehicle. The purpose of the additional stop light indicator is to create a greater visual impact by way of an alert to the following driver that the vehicle in front is braking and that appropriate moderation in speed is required. However, as observed above, the following driver has no idea as to the degree to which the brakes are being applied.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means of indicating to a following driver the intensity with which the brakes of the vehicle in front are being applied.

Accordingly, a brake warning indicator for a vehicle braking system includes sensing means for sensing the intensity of brake application, transmission means for transmitting a signal representative of the sensed intensity, a receiver for receiving the signal, and display means for providing a variable visual representation of the sensed intensity dependent upon the magnitude of the received signal.

The sensing means may be a pressure transducer associated with a brake fluid line for sensing the pressure and translating the sensed pressure into a signal for transmission to a suitable control means incorporating the receiver, the magnitude of the signal being proportional to the sensed pressure. The receiver conveniently translates the signal into a visual representation the magnitude of which depends upon the strength of the signal. In the alternative, the sensing means may be electronic and may be associated with any suitable part of the braking system whereby the braking intensity can be monitored.

The visual representation is shown on the display means which are advantageously illuminable, the degree of illumination being dependent upon the magnitude of the received signal. Illumination may be effected in stepwise fashion; thus, the display means may be divided into sections which are sequentially illuminable as the signal increases. The sections may be chromatically different in ascending density to convey increasing braking intensity thereby to give in practice to the following driver a clear indication as to the prevailing circumstances in which braking has been initiated and sustained.

In the alternative, the display means may be in one section with elements sequentially illuminable to give a display variable in length dependent upon the change in braking intensity.

The brake warning indicator of the present invention may be located within or without the vehicle in a position clearly visible to a following driver.

By way of example only, two embodiments of brake warning indicator according to the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is diagrammatic representation of a first embodiment; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a second embodiment.

Referring first to Figure 1 a first embodiment of brake warning indicator is shown generally at 1 and includes a pressure sensor 2, for example a pressure transducer, in the brake fluid line 3 leading from the master cylinder (not shown) to the slave cylinder (not shown), a transmitter 4 associated with the sensor 2, and a receiver 6 within a control element 8 having a power supply 9. A cable 10 leads from the element 8 to a display means 12 orientated horizontally.

The display means 12 has for example three illuminable sections, 14,16 and 18, the section 14 representing, when illuminated, low or transient braking intensity, the section 16 representing intermediate braking intensity and the final section 18 representing maximum or emergency braking intensity. The sections 14,16 and 18 are provided with transparent coloured lenses which are or may be of increasing chromatic density with the lowest at 14 and the highest at 18.

In use, as the vehicle (not shown) on which the brake warning indicator of Figure 1 is mounted is driven, the intensity of the application of braking power is sensed by the pressure sensor 2 which transmits via the transmitter 4 a signal to receiver 6 in the control element 8.

Dependent upon the strength of the signal thus received, power is then transmitted to the display means 12 and one or more of the sections 14, 16 and 18 is illuminated. For example, if only a low braking intensity is sensed, then only section 14 will light, but if an intermediate braking intensity is detected, sections 14 and 16 will become illuminated.

Finally, if the braking intensity is at its maximum all three sections 14, 16 and 18 will light.

In this way, the following driver is given a clear visual indication as to the retardation rate of the vehicle in front and can control his own vehicle accordingly.

In this embodiment, it is to be understood that if desired only one section may be illuminated to indicate the degree of braking intensity; thus, if maximum braking intensity is detected, only section 18 will light.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a second embodiment which differs from the first embodiment principally in terms of its display means, but it possesses all the same basic and essential features as shown in Figure 1 and accordingly no further reference thereto is given below.

The display means 20 of the second embodiment includes a series of lights 22 in a generally horizontal array.

In use the braking intensity is detected in the same way as in the first embodiment and the series of lights is sequentially illuminated, the number of lights being lit depending upon the braking intensity. Thus the shorter the strip of illuminated lights, the lower the braking intensity and vice versa.

The invention thus provides a ready and visually recognisable illuminated display which conveys in a simple and yet effective manner to the following driver information relating to the braking condition of the leading vehicle.

It is to be understood that whilst the present invention has been described with reference to an illuminable display, other visual representations providing information relating to the braking intensity may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A brake warning indicator for a vehicle braking system including sensing means for sensing the intensity of brake application, transmission means for transmitting a signal representative of the sensed intensity, a receiver for receiving the signal, and display means for providing a variable visual representation of the sensed intensity dependent upon the magnitude of the received signal.
2. An indicator according to Claim 1 in which the sensing means is a pressure transducer associated with a brake fluid line for sensing the pressure therein.
3. An indicator according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the transmitter is associated with the pressure sensor, and a control means is provided and incorporates the receiver.
4. An indicator according to any one of the preceding claims in which the display means includes a number of sections adapted in use to be illuminated sequentially dependent upon the sensed braking intensity.
5. An indicator according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 in which the display means includes a plurality of lights adapted in use to be illuminated sequentially dependent upon the sensed braking intensity.
6. A brake warning indicator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.