GB2415043A

GB2415043A - Improvements in vehicle progress indication

Info

Publication number: GB2415043A
Application number: GB0412558A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Seamus Waite
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-06-04
Filing date: 2004-06-04
Publication date: 2005-12-14
Also published as: GB0412558D0

Abstract

A vehicle is provided with a conventional brake pedal 1, by means of which a brake pedal switch 2 causes a brake light 5 to be illuminated. A vehicle speed sensor 3 provides a signal that is used by a speed comparator 10 to determine whether the vehicle is travelling at less than a predetermined speed; if so, either a brake light control 4 is actuated to cause the brake light to illuminate irrespective of the application of the brake pedal, or a relay 11 causes an independent warning light 12 to illuminate. Thus positive indication is visibly given that a vehicle is stopped or moving very slowly.

Description

24 1 5043

IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE PROGRESS INDICATION

The present invention relates to providing indication of the state of progress of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to controlling illumination of one or more brake lights or warning lights on the rear of a vehicle. Most particularly, the present invention relates to improvement in provision of indication for a stopped or substantially stopped vehicle.

In normal operation, brake lights on a vehicle are switched on when a brake pedal is pressed. The act of pressing the brake pedal causes a switch to make contact and complete an electric circuit which causes the brake lights to be illuminated. Illuminated brake lights provide a warning for drivers behind that the vehicle in front is slowing down. The present invention seeks to provide improvement in the provision of indication to following drivers.

When a vehicle is stationary, or moving very slowly, the brake pedal may be released, which causes the brake lights to switch off. A stationary, or very slow moving vehicle with no visible warning to vehicles behind creates a potential hazard. An example of when a vehicle is at risk is when it is stationary at the rear of a queue on a motorway, or when a vehicle hesitates when pulling out onto a roundabout. The present invention seeks to provide a solution to the hazard posed by such stationary or slow moving vehicles.

According to a first aspect, the present invention consists in an apparatus for use in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: a speed sensor, operative to sense the speed of the vehicle and operative to provide output indicative thereof; a speed comparator, coupled to compare the output of the speed sensor with a predetermined value indicative of a predetermined vehicle speed and operative to provide output indicative thereof; and a speed indicator, responsive to output from said speed comparator to provide visible indication when the vehicle is progressing at less than a predetermined speed.

According to a second aspect, the present invention consists in a method for use in a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: employing a speed sensor to sense the speed of the vehicle and to provide an output indicative thereof; employing a speed comparator to compare the output of the speed sensor with a predetermined value indicative of the vehicle progressing at a predetermined speed; and employing a speed indicator to respond to the output of the speed comparator to provide visible indication when the vehicle is progressing at less than the predetermined speed.

The invention further provides a brake, applicable to slow progress of the vehicle; a brake indicator, operative to provide visible indication when the brake is applied.

The invention further provides that the speed indicator and the brake indicator can be separate from each other, or can be combined in a single indicator. The invention further provides that the single indicator can be one or more brake lights on a vehicle.

The invention further provides that the speed sensor can comprise a speedometer for monitoring the speed of the vehicle.

The invention equally provides that the speed sensor can also comprise any speed sensing means, such as, but not limited to, a radar device, a magnetic device, an optical device or a sonic device, and can employ any kind of measurement technique, such as, but not limited to, detecting the rotation rate of a portion of the vehicle such as a wheel or part of the drive chain, detecting the rate of passage of detectable items or indicia fixed beside, above, or painted upon or in the roadway, or by Doppler shift of a reflected projected beam.

The invention further provides that the method or apparatus can be for use on any kind of vehicle, including, but not limited to, cars, buses, truck, lorries, vans, man-powered bicycles, man-powered tricycles, quad bikes, motorcycles, and motor tricycles.

The invention further provides that the speed comparator can comprise a mechanical, electrical or electronic device. For preference, the speed comparator comprises an electrical contact which is completed when a speedometer indicates less than the predetermined speed.

An object of this invention is to reduce the risk of vehicle accidents by providing additional warning that a vehicle is stopped or moving very slowly preferably by automatically illuminating the brake indicator lights or activating a warning light or other device at the rear of the vehicle.

The present invention preferably works by switching on the brake lights or a warning light at the rear of a vehicle when it is stopped or moving very slowly.

One implementation of the invention will switch on the brake lights as a warning that the vehicle has stopped or is moving very slowly.

Alternatively, the invention will switch on an additional warning light at the rear of the vehicle as a warning that the vehicle has stopped or is moving very slowly.

The invention is further explained, by way of an example, by the following description, to be read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a functional block diagram of one preferred embodiment of the invention where the brake lights of a vehicle are employed as the warning mechanism for following vehicles.

FIGURE 2 shows a functional block diagram of an alternative embodiment of the present invention where an additional light or lights are provided at the rear of a vehicle and are illuminated when the vehicle has stopped or is moving very slowly.

FIGURE 3 shows a detailed implementation of the first embodiment of invention.

Attention is first drawn to Figure 1, showing a functional block diagram of one preferred embodiment of the invention where the brake lights of a vehicle are employed as the warning mechanism for following vehicles.

When a brake pedal 1 in the vehicle 2 is pressed, a brake is applied to slow the progress of the vehicle in the normal way. The act of pressing the brake pedal 1, as is well known, causes operation of a brake pedal switch 2 which completes an electrical circuit which causes a brake light 5 to become illuminated for the purpose of warning following vehicles that this vehicle is braking.

In addition to the brake pedal 1, the brake pedal switch 2 and the brake light 5, the first embodiment of the invention also comprises a vehicle speed sensor 3, providing vehicle speed indicating output which is coupled as input to a brake light controller 4. The brake light controller 4 senses whether the output of the vehicle speed sensor is indicative of the vehicle progressing at less than a predetermined speed, and if the vehicle is progressing at less than a predetermined speed, the brake light controller 4 operates a relay or solid state switch to complete a further electrical circuit which also causes the brake light 5 to be lit. The brake light 5 is thus lit when the vehicle is braking, and, in addition, when the vehicle is moving slowly or is stopped. The predetermined speed can be fixed at a few kilometres per hour for normal use of the vehicle, or can have two or more selectable values, or can be made continuously variable such that, when the vehicle is on a motorway, where traffic speeds are elevated, doing a speed of less than many tens of kilometres per hour can cause the brake light 5 to be illuminated.

It must be noted that this circuit works in addition to the normal brake light circuitry. The brake pedal l and brake pedal switch 2 will illuminate the brake lights in the normal way when the vehicle is in motion. It is only when the vehicle is stationary or moving slowly that the brake light controller 4 ensures that the brake lights are switched on.

Attention is next drawn to Figure 2, showing a functional block diagram of an alternative embodiment of the present invention where an additional light or lights are provided at the rear of a vehicle and is or are illuminated when the vehicle has stopped or is moving very slowly. The second embodiment of the invention has a vehicle speed sensor 6 (similar to the vehicle speed sensor 3 of Figure 1) lo again providing output indicative of the rate of progress of the vehicle. The output from the vehicle speed sensor 6 is coupled as input to a warning light controller 7 (similar in function to the function of the brake light control 4 of Figure 1). The warning light controller 7 senses whether the output of the vehicle speed sensor 6 is indicative of vehicle progressing at less than a predetermined speed. If the warning light controller 7 senses that the vehicle is moving at less than the predetermined speed, the warning light controller 7 operates switching means such as a relay or a solid state switch to complete an electrical circuit to cause a warning light or lights 8 to become illuminated. Thus, when the vehicle is stationary or moving very slowly, the warning light controller 7 will illuminate the warning light or lights 8. The warning light 8 is provided in addition to any brake light 5. The warning light 8 only ceases to be illuminated when the vehicle once again exceeds the predetermined speed.

The vehicle does not require to have a conventional brake or a brake light 5. The apparatus of Figure 2 can be applied to bicycles and tricycles, or to trailers, towed objects, and any of a host of items which do not necessarily have a conventional brake and brake light Attention is finally drawn to Figure 3, showing a detailed implementation of the first embodiment of invention, otherwise shown in Figure 1.

A speedometer 9 is coupled to measure the speed of the vehicle and to provide an output 9A indicative of the rate of progress of the vehicle. The output 9A of the speedometer 9 is provided as input to a speed comparator 10 which compares the value of the output 9A of the speedometer 9 with a predetermined value lOA indicative of the vehicle progressing at a predetermined speed. If the speed comparator 10 detects that the output 9A of the speedometer 9 is indicative of the vehicle progressing at less than a speed consistent with the predetermined value lOA, the speed comparator 10 lo activates an output lOB which causes a relay 11 to operate and complete an electrical circuit, so causing a warning light 12 to be illuminated. Thus, when the speed comparator 10 decides that the vehicle is stationary, or moving very slowly, it engages the relay (11) to switch on the warning light 12 at the rear of the vehicle.

The warning light 12 only ceases to be illuminated when the vehicle once again exceeds the predetermined speed.

The warning light 8, 12 or the brake light 5 can be replaced by many alternatives. A speed indicator can be provided in the form of incandescent light bulbs, as are normally used, or can be replaced by fluorescent tubes, gas discharge tubes, LED's and lasers. The speed indicator can also be provided in the form of a mechanical flag which is moved from one position to another, or of an optical reflector or light which is uncovered.

The speed sensor has been shown in Figure 3 and a speedometer 9, preferably providing an electrical output 9A, which is provided as input to an electronic or electrical speed comparator 10. Within the scope of the invention, the speed sensor need not be a speedometer 9, but can also be any speed sensing means. The speed sensor can be a radar device, as an example, measuring the Doppler shift experienced by waveforms sent ahead of the vehicle and reflected back from the environment. The speed sensor can be an ultrasonic or sonic device, operating on a similar principle to the radar speed sensor. The speed sensor can be a magnetic device, sensing the passage of iron or magnets to determine the rate of rotation of a vehicle wheel of gear, or other rotary part of the vehicle. The speed sensor can also be an optical device, sensing reflection or through-passage of light to determine the rate of rotation of a vehicle wheel of gear, or other rotary part of the vehicle. The speed sensor has been shown, for preference, as a standard speedometer. It is to be realised that the speed sensor can employ any kind of measurement technique, such as, but not limited to, detecting the rotation rate of a portion of the vehicle such as a wheel or part of the drive gear chain by optical, mechanical or magnetic means, detecting the rate of passage of detectable items or indicia fixed beside, above, or painted upon or in the roadway by optical, infra red, radio frequency, ultrasonic or sonic means; or by measuring Doppler shift of a reflected projected beam of sound, ultra-sound or radio frequency energy.

In its simplest form, the invention encompasses the speed sensor being a simple deflection speedometer with a vane (effectively the speed comparator) which operates as one contact of a switch when the vehicle moves at less that the predetermined speed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising a speed sensor, operative to sense the speed of the vehicle and operative to provide output indicative thereof; a speed comparator, coupled to compare the output of the speed sensor with a predetermined value indicative of a predetermined vehicle speed and operative to provide output indicative of the speed of the vehicle being less than the predetermined vehicle speed; and a slow speed indicator, responsive to output from said speed comparator to provide visible indication when the vehicle is progressing at less than the predetermined speed.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a road vehicle.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vehicle is a wheeled vehicle.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the speed sensor is responsive to the rotation of a vehicle wheel or part of a drive to a vehicle wheel.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the speed sensor is a speedometer.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the speed comparator comprises an electrical contact in a switch that conducts when the sensed speed is less than the predetermined speed.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the contact comprises a vane of a deflection speedometer.

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8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined speed is fixed, or has two or more selectable values, or is continuously variable.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the speed comparator is operative to actuate a relay or switch to cause the speed indicator to provide the said visible indication.

lo

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle is provided with a brake indicator light, which provides the said visible indication of slow speed when lit.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the slow speed indicator is other than a brake indicator light.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slow speed indicator is at the rear of the vehicle.

13. A method for use in a vehicle of indicating slow vehicle speed, said method comprising the steps of employing a speed sensor to sense the speed of the vehicle and to provide an output indicative thereof; employing a speed comparator to compare the output of the speed sensor with a predetermined value indicative of the vehicle progressing at a predetermined speed; and employing a slow speed indicator to respond to the output of the speed comparator to provide visible indication when the vehicle is progressing at less than the predetermined speed.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 for use in a vehicle provided with a brake and a brake indicator operative to provide visible indication when the brake is applied, comprising visibly indicating when the vehicle is progressing at less than the predetermined speed by means of the brake indicator.

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15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the slow speed is indicated by automatically illuminating a vehicle brake light, irrespective of the application of the vehicle brake.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the slow speed is indicated by automatically illuminating a warning light other than a brake light.

17. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the predetermined speed is fixed, or has two or more selectable values, or is continuously variable.

18. An apparatus for providing a visible indication of a vehicle speed less than a predetermined speed, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of indicating a vehicle speed less than a predetermined speed, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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