GB2411458A

GB2411458A - A light board for a towed vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2411458A
Application number: GB0403985A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wayne Joseph Cooper
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-24
Filing date: 2004-02-24
Publication date: 2005-08-31
Also published as: GB0403985D0

Abstract

A light board system 1 for a towed vehicle comprises an elongate base 2, a plurality of lamps 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 for indicating the position of the towed vehicle, and securing means 12 for securing the light board system 1 to the towed vehicle. In this embodiment, the light board system 1 is remotely operated and powered by a rechargeable battery 8. A remote controlled receiver circuit 9 contained within the light board system 1 operates the lamps 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The remote controlled receiver circuit 9 is used to receive signal sent out from a remote wireless controller 20 positioned away from the towed vehicle.

Description

241 1458 Title: Lighting Board The present invention relates to lighting

boards for vehicles.

Road vehicles can break down. In such a situation it is often desirable to have a torch if the breakdown occurs at night. Also it may be desirable to have a red and/or amber flashing light at the front and/or rear of the vehicle to warn other road users of a breakdown. Also often a vehicle needs towing away for repair by a towing vehicle. When towing, the towed vehicle needs to put on flashing warning lights which prevents the car indicators being used to inform other road users if the towed vehicle is about to turn or overtake. Also a towing vehicle can secure a lighting board to the rear of a vehicle being towed to provide indicators and break lights, but these normally need wiring to the towing vehicle which can be cumbersome.

The invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a lighting board for a vehicle comprising: a) an elongate board base, b) a white light, amber light, and first red light, c) a power supply to illuminate the lights, d) switches to control the lights so that they turn on and/or flash, and e) securement means to secure the board to the rear of a vehicle.

Preferably a pair of lighting boards is provided. Preferably the pair include left and right boards.

Preferably the lighting board further comprises a second red light. The board may further comprise a fog light.

Preferably lights on the board base are provided in an elongate sequence.

Preferably the lighting board further comprises a remote controller operating through a wireless link. Preferably the wireless controller is adapted to connect to the lighting board socket of a vehicle whereby a pair of lighting boards of the invention mounted on the rear of a towed vehicle serve as a towing lighting board providing red break lights, amber indicator or hazard warning lights, red stop lights, red side lights and optional red fog lights and white reversing lights.

Preferably the securement means includes a magnet and/or ties connected to a bar. The ties may be an extendible length of cord or wire which recoil on a spring loaded drum. The bar may include hooks which engage into recesses on a vehicle.

An embodiment ofthe invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I showing a perspective view of a lighting board and remote controller, and Figure 2 shows a view of a pair of lighting boards and remote controller on a towed and towing vehicle respectively.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a lighting board 1 for a vehicle. Board I has an elongate board base 2.

Mounted on base 2 in an elongate sequence is an amber light 3 with a switch 3A to turn it on and off and flash, a tail light 4 with a switch 4A to turn it on and off and flash, a stop light 5 with a switch 5A to turn it on or off, a fog light 6 with a switch 6A to turn it on or off, and a white torch or reverse light 6 with a switch 6A to turn it on or off. The lights may be include conventional bulbs or LED's.

A power supply in the form of an optionally rechargeable battery 8 is provided to illuminate the lights. A remote control receiver circuit 9 is provided to receive through aerial 10 wireless signals from a remote controller. Circuit 9 can operate lights 3 to 7 overriding their respective switches 3A to 7A.

Securement means are provided to secure the board to the rear of a vehicle. The securement means are either in the form of magnetic strips 1 1 A, I 1 B to be attracted to a metal surface of a vehicle. Alternatively the securement means may be in the form of a bar 12 connected to base 2 by four extendible wire or cord (e.g. nylon) ties 13A,13B,13C,13D which recoil on spring loaded drums 14A,14B,14C,14D. Bar 12 includes two swivel hooks 15A,15B which can engage into a recess on a vehicle.

A remote wireless controller 20 (using known technology) is provided to receive power and lighting instructions through its female socket 21 from the lighting board socket of a towing vehicle. Controller 20 has a circuit 22 and an aerial 23 to control a pair of lighting boards 1. The wireless controller 20 is adapted to connect to the lighting board socket of a towing vehicle whereby a pair of lighting boards of the invention mounted on the rear of a towed vehicle serve as a towing lighting board providing red break lights, amber indicator or hazard warning lights, red stop lights, red side lights and optional red fog lights and white reversing lights. A schematic diagram of this use is shown in Figure 2. The wireless controller 20 may also have a switch on it to switch on the amber light to flashing or tail lights to on This has the benefit of avoiding the use of the hazard warning lights or side lights of a towed vehicle which has broken down so draining the towed vehicle battery.

In use, board 1 has several functions without being attached to a vehicle.

1. It may be used as a torch by using switch 7A to turn the white light 7 on.

2. It may be used as a warning light to warn other road users of a breakdown, e.g. by turning amber light 3 or tail light 4 into a flashing mode and locating the board several meters from a vehicle which has broken down. This has the benefit of avoiding the use of the hazard warning lights of a vehicle which has broken down so preventing draining of the vehicle battery.

In use the board has several functions when attached to a vehicle.

3. It may be used as a warning light to warn other road users of a breakdown, e.g. by turning amber light 3 or tail light 4 into a flashing mode and locating the board on the rear of a vehicle. This has the benefit of avoiding the use of the hazard warning lights of a vehicle which has broken down so preventing draining the vehicle battery.

4. It may be used as a conventional trailer board.

5. The switch provided on the remote controller to turn the amber lights into a flashing mode or the tail light on. This enables a car being towed to use its own indicators.

A vehicle registration board may be provided (not shown) to link two lighting boards together and on which the registration number of a towing vehicle can be written.

The invention may be used on motorised vehicles such as cars or on nonmotorised vehicles such as trailers or caravans.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lighting board for a vehicle comprising: b) an elongate board base, b) a white light, amber light, and first red light, f) a power supply to illuminate the lights, g) switches to control the lights so that they turn on and/or flash, and h) securement means to secure the board to the rear of a vehicle.

2. A lighting board according to claim 1, wherein lights on the board base are provided in an elongate sequence.

3. A lighting board according to claim I or 2, wherein the lighting board further comprises a remote controller operating through a wireless link.

4. A lighting board according to claim 3, wherein the wireless controller is adapted to connect to the lighting board socket of a vehicle whereby a pair of lighting boards of the invention mounted on the rear of a towed vehicle serve as a towing lighting board providing red break lights, amber indicator or hazard warning lights, red stop lights, red side lights and optional red fog lights and white reversing lights.

5. A lighting board according to any preceding claim, wherein the lighting board further comprises a second red light.

6. A lighting board according to any preceding claim, wherein the lighting board further comprises a fog light.

7. A lighting board according to any preceding claim, wherein the securement means includes a magnet and/or ties connected to a bar.

8. A lighting board according to claim 7, wherein the ties are an extendible length of cord or wire which each recoil on a spring loaded drum.

9. A lighting board according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the bar may include hooks which engage into recesses on a vehicle.

10. A pair of lighting boards as claimed in any preceding claim.

I 1. A pair of lighting boards according to claim 10 when in the form of left and right boards.

12. A lighting board or pair of lighting boards substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.