GB2365515A - An auxiliary lighting system for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

An auxiliary vehicle lighting system that increases the overall level of safety illumination while doing so in an energy efficient manner consists of the placement of four lamps or modules strategically positioned to serve as additional sidelights, two white facing forward of the vehicle, two reds facing to the rear. Each lamp containing ultra bright light emitting diodes having three different operational modes, automatically operated by normal driver functions in daylight driving, night driving and lastly parking, the latter having a separate rechargeable power supply from the vehicles main electrical system enabling it to remain illuminated twenty four hours a day and at least seven days from the last charging.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> VEHICLE SAFETY LAMP SYSTEM The invention relates to the field of motor vehicle lighting, the concept entails a lighting system that increases the overall level of road safety illumination in an energy saving manner.

Present parking light systems only illuminate one side of the vehicle dependant on the position the directional indicator switch is left. Additionally using ordinary incandescent bulbs uses too much current from the vehicle's battery, often leaving it discharged unable to start the engine when left on for long periods of time. Equally, present driving lamp system employing high wattage incandescent bulbs use valuable engine Brake Horsepower, using more fuel, creating more pollution.

The object of this invention is to provide twenty four-hour low energy, bright illumination, regardless of whether the vehicle is moving or parked and left unattended, The concept of the invention entails the placement of ultra bright, light emitting diodes (or LED's), mounted equidistant apart on circuit boards arid sealed in plastic lamps placed at strategic locations along the front and rear of the vehicle. The basic design, positioned, as additional sidelights are white LED's at the front, red LED's at the rear, optionally orange LED's can be added on the sides for private cars and additionally to commercial vehicles. Alternatively the circuit boards can be fitted inside the existing headlamps and tail lamps giving even better weather proofing and light transmission which remains unaffected whether the lenses are diffused or not.

Each circuit board comprises of at least seven light emitting diodes, one single LED on each of the circuit boards would remain illuminated at all times deriving its power from a small rechargeable lead acid battery, this would be the parking light system.

This small battery connected to the main battery in electrical parallel via a four pin relay activated by the vehicles ignition system, thus ensuring charging of the small battery while the engine is running, but no discharging of the main battery when the engine has been turned off The remainders of the LED's draw their power from the normal ignition therefore being illuminated only when the engine is running and the vehicle being driven, acting as cruising lights.

To ensure that the rear lamps do not shine too brightly at night and thus interfere with the standard brake lights, a dimmer will be employed to dampen the illumination of these lamps when the vehicle's conventional lights are switched on.

A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION WELL NOW BE DESCRIBED BY WAY OF EXAMPLE WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS IN WHICH: - Figure 1 is a schematic electrical drawing of the system; Figure 2 shows a sectional plan view of a possible example of a sealed lamp for the said invention; Figure 3 is a front elevation view of Figure 2,- Figure 4 shows a sectional end elevation of Figure 2-1 Figure 5 shows a sectional plan view of diode mounting circuit board and holder, lower section as example for alternative fitting to the inside of a vehicles existing lamps; Figure 6 shows a front view of the circuit board mounting;

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Figure 7 is a sectional end elevation of Figs 5 and 6 showing bottom mounting and top shield; Figures 8 and 9 is a pictorial example of the systems diode circuit board and holder fitted to a vehicles existing lamps; Figure 10 and I I is a pictorial example of Figs 2,3, and 4 fitted to an external mounting of a vehicle; Figure 12 shows a pictorial example of an alternative version of the systems diode board fitted to a vehicle headlarrip in a different configuration. Reference will first be made to Fig.1 where the whole system containing two circuits is laid out in a circuit drawing, in the present example, showing the four main modules 1 at the front and rear of the vehicle which would act as additional side lights.

Each module comprising of two separate circuits on the circuit board, illustrated and separated by broken line 3, one for parking, being a single LED 2 wired in electrical parallel with the identical LED in each other module the other main part of the board comprising of at least six LED's 1, each group of three, wired in electrical series, is for when the engine is running or the vehicle is being driven.

As explained in page I of this description here the main battery 5 and smaller auxiliary battery 6 joined by a standard four terminal automotive relay 7 energised by the ignition switch 8 allows charging of the auxiliary battery 6 while the engine is running but no discharging of the main battery 7 when the engine is switched off It can also be seen that the main or driving side lof the modules derive their power from ignition switch 8 and the second circuit for parking derive their power from the auxiliary battery 6 which remains in circuit constantly twenty four hours a day.

It should also be noted that the double pole double throw relay 9 was added for the rear modules so as to dim them in both circuits 1,2 when the conventional light switch 26 is activated, by diverting the power through additional resistors 10, this ensures they do not shine too brightly at night and are confused with standard brake lights, All other module LED's remain at their calculated resistance.

Additionally and optionally a single orange LED module(s) 11 can been added to both sides of the vehicle wired in electrical parallel with the parking LED's 2 so as to remain on at all times. Both circuits have warning LED's 12 to show which circuits are active and obviously would be dashboard mounted. All circuits are fused accordingly F.

In one embodiment, Fig 3,4 and 5 illustrate a front and rear module design encapsulated in a plastic or resin housing for retro fitting by screwing or riveting to an external part of the vehicle, like a bumper 20. The circuit board 13 is mounted to the base 14, by two integral bosses or pedastools15 moulded to the base14, spigots through the circuit board and sonic welded or heat staked at the surface. The outer lens 16 is made of clear or suitably coloured transparent plastic sonic welded or heat staked to the base 14, the shape of the lens is convex to amplify the light, slight diffusion of the lens can be used. Each LED is orientated so that its conical output beam of 60 degrees 17 is centred on an axis 18 that is parallel to the plane of the lens front.

Figs 5,6and 7 show a preferred embodiment designed to fit inside existing vehicle lamps if they can be dismantled, using the same circuit board 13, but held in a two piece mounting by a milled slot 21. The lower part of the mounting 19 made of a suitable plastic material has a flat base 90 degrees to the milled slot 21 allowing it to be mounted inside an existing lamp, either by screwing or gluing. The top part has a built in shield 22 again at 90 degrees to the milled slot 21. Fig 6 shows the hollow centre of the mount 23, the join 24 can be sonic welded, heat staked or glued after the circuit board 13 is inserted.

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Fig 8 and 9 show a pictorial view of fitting the modules inside an existing head lamp 29 and tail light 25 assembly, the rear module can also be fitted inside the reverse lights if two are fitted as the module has a built in shield 22.

Fig 10 and 11 show pictorially the first embodiment retro- fitted to each bumper 20.

Fig 12 shows pictorially on a vehicle an alternative adaptation configuration 27 of the circuit board differing from the rectangular circuit board 13. In a preferred practice of the invention, the light emitting diode current is limited by one or more resistors R, 10 soldered to the circuit boards, as are all diodes and wiring, all connectors (not shown), and glands or grommets 28 to each module are assumed standard weather proof automotive types. Relay 9 is mounted on a circuit board fitted inside a weatherproof housing connected to the circuit with the preferred connectors.

The present invention is of course in no way limited to the various embodiments thereof, which are described above and shown in drawings. A person skilled in this technical field will be able to apply to these embodiments any variation or modification within the scope of the invention, in which is the system.

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Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. A vehicle safety lighting system that increases a vehicles visibility, illuminated at all times regardless whether the vehicle is being driven or parked and left unattended
2. 2. A vehicle safety lighting system as claimed in Claim I that does so in an energy efficient manner increasing fuel economy, therefore creating less pollution.
3. 3. A vehicle safety lighting system as claimed in Claim I or 2 that leaves the vehicles main battery with a full charge for engine starting.
4. 4. A vehicle safety lighting system as claimed in any preceding claim that operates automatically with normal driver fiinctions.
5. 5. A vehicle safety lighting system substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-12.