GB2493559A

GB2493559A - Cyclist indicator gloves

Info

Publication number: GB2493559A
Application number: GB1113896.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Will Mark Wood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-08-11
Filing date: 2011-08-11
Publication date: 2013-02-13
Also published as: GB201113896D0

Abstract

A cyclist indicator glove 10 is provided with direction indicating means comprising electrically operable lighting means 12, a holder 13 for holding a source of electrical power, electrical connecting means 15 for electrically connecting the lighting means with an electrical power source held by the holder and for supplying operating power from the source to operate the lighting means, and switching means 11, 14 for controlling the supply of operating power to the lighting means by the electrical connecting means. The switching means may comprise a manually operable switch for opening and closing a circuit comprising the lighting means, the connecting means and a power source. The manually operable switch preferably comprises two mechanically and electrically interconnectible contact elements that are more preferably male 11a and female 11b parts of a fastener for fastening the glove to a hand of a user. The switching means may comprise a movement sensitive switch 14, preferably comprising an electrically conductive body moveable into and out of contact with electrical contacts in the circuit in response to change in the influence of gravitational force on the body.

Description

I

CYCLIST INDICATOR GLOVE

The present invention relates to a cyclist indicator glove.

Bicycles, as opposed to matorised road vehicles with on-board power sources, are not usually equipped with any form of indicating system to indicate an intended change of direction and cyclists therefore normally resort to hand signals. Hand signals are not always easy to perceive, particularly in dark conditions, and were long ago abandoned for motorised vehicles in favour of indicating lights, conventionally flashing lights, positioned on bath sides of the vehicle and selectively activated according to the direction change intended. There is no corresponding facility provided on bicycles and indeed the small width and frequent lack of an on-board power source tend to mitigate against equipping bicycles with direction indicators.

It is therefore the abject of the present invention to provide a direction change indicating system usable in conjunction with a bicycle, but associated with the rider rather than the bicycle itself. Lying behind this object is the motivation towards generally enhanced road safety by rendering direction change by cyclists more readily apparent.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptian.

According to the present invention there is provided a cyclist indicator glove provided with direction indicating means comprising electrically operable lighting means, a holder for holding a source of electrical power, electrical connecting means far electrically connecting the lighting means with an electrical power source held by the holder and for supplying operating power from the source to operate the lighting means, and switching means for controlling the supply of operating power to the lighting means by the electrical connecting means.

Such a glove, which in the normal course would be one of a pair of gloves for both hands of a cyclist, allows a cyclist to manually indicate an intended direction change in the usual manner, but with significantly enhanced visibility with respect to other road users. The lighting means can be powered by, for example, a small coin-type battery which is accommodated in the holder and which is of such a size as to contribute minimum additional weight to the glove, which itself can be of lightweight construction or of heavier insulating and/or waterproof construction depending on requirements.

The switching means preferably comprises a manuafly operable switch for opening and closing a circuit comprising the lighting means, the connecting means and a power source when held by the holder. The user of the glove is thus provided with a means of easily and simply activating the lighting means. The manually operable switch can be, for example, two mechanically and electrically interconnectible contact elements, in which case it can be advantageous if the contact elements comprise female and male pads of a fastener for fastening the glove to a hand of a user. The manually operable switch thus embodies a dual function and the circuit incorporating the lighting means can be closed by the action of attaching the glove to the hand of a user. In these circumstances, if the lighting means is not to remain in constant operation provision can be made for selectable operation of the lighting means even with the circuit closed.

In the last-mentioned respect it is particularly advantageous if the switching means comprises a movement-sensitive switch for opening and closing a circuit comprising the lighting means, the connecting means and a power source when held by the holder. Such a movement-sensitive switch, for example a tilt switch, can then serve to enable or to interrupt the activation of the lighting means in response to, especially, the positioning of the glove or, in use, the positioning of a users hand wearing the glove. In that case, the movement-sensitive switch is preferably so arranged on the glove that when the glove is in a first predetermined configuration and orientation substantially corresponding with those adopted when being worn on a hand curled to grip a handlebars grip of a bicycle the circuit is opened by the movement-sensitive switch and when the glove is in a second predetermined configuration and orientation corresponding with those adopted when being worn on an extended hand with thumb uppermost the circuit is closed by the movement-sensitive switch. These orientations of the glove accordingly respectively correspond with a user's hand on a handlebars grip of a bicycle and a user's hand extended to indicate turning. The indication provided by the lighting means is thus automatically brought into effect by the simple action of indicating a turn and automatically cancelled by return of the hand concerned to guiding the bicycle. There is then no requirement for the user to perform any additional action, such as operating a switch at specific times, in order to activate the lighting means.

For preference, the movement-sensitive switch is positioned on a thumb section of the glove. Alternatively, this switch can be positioned on a back-of-hand section of the glove.

Either location is suitable from the aspect of visibility to other road users, but the thumb section has an advantage with regard to greater change in position between the stated first and second configurations and orientations of the glove so as to provide a greater level of certainty of response of the movement-sensitive switch.

The movement-sensitive switch preferably comprises an electrically conductive body movable into and out of contact with electrical contacts in the circuit in response to change in the influence of gravitational force on the body. Switches of this kind are commercially available and generally inexpensive, simple in construction and reliable in operation.

The circuit construction can be significantly simplified if the connecting means comprises a flexible wire of metallic material incorporated in the material of the glove, especially if the wire is sewn into the material of the glove. The electrical conductor is thus light and unobtrusive and can be insulated by the non-conductive constituent material of the glove.

The glove preferably also includes cyclic interruption means to cyclically interrupt the supply of operating power to the lighting means thereby to cause the lighting means to flash. Flashing lights are generally associated with direction indication and thus the intention to change direction is indicated not only by the enhanced visibility -as provided by the light output of the lighting means -of the user's hand signal, but also by flashing of that output.

The lighting means can be provided in diverse forms, but enhanced visibility may be provided if the lighting means comprises a plurality of individual lights, especially if those lights are arranged in a row so as to provide a line of light composed of individual points.

The points of light are preferably provided by individual lights in the form of light-emitting diodes, such diodes being small in size and light and thus particularly suitable for an application in which weight and space considerations have to be addressed.

The light emitted by the lighting means can be of any colour, but amber is preferred in view of the association with direction indicating in motor vehicles.

With respect to location, the lighting means is preferably arranged on one of a plurality of discrete finger sections of the glove, in which case the finger section concerned is preferably an index finger section. A direction indication can then be signalled by pointing the index finger for additional emphasis.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic perspective view of a cyclist indicator glove embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown a cyclist indicator glove 10 which in this instance is the left glove of a pair of gloves. The glove is of conventional form with a separate thumb section and separate finger sections. However, the glove could equally well be of mitt-type construction with a thumb section and a single section for reception of all fingers. The glove is preferably made of natural or synthetic fabric material, but could be of leather or artificial leather, and can be waterproof and/or lined for thermal insulation, as desired. The invention is not limited to any particular form of glove construction.

The glove includes a slit wristband section which can be closed by a snap fastener 11 composed of a male press stud ha and female socket lib detentable with the stud. The stud and socket are made of metal, for example brass, or other rigid material which also has the property of being electrically conductive, for the purpose mentioned further below.

The glove 10 is provided with direction indicating means designed to be effective, thus activated and visible, when a wearer of the glove, i.e. the rider of a bicycle, gives a hand signal to indicate a change of direction, necessarily a turn to the left in the case of a left glove. The direction indicating means comprises a plurality of components integrated in an electrical circuit, a first one of the components comprising electrically operable lighting means 12. The lighting means can be constructed in various ways and in the illustrated embodiment comprises a row of discrete direct-voltage light-emitting diodes 12a. The diodes are incorporated in a flexible material strip attached to the top of and extending along the index finger section of the glove and are operable to emit, for preference, amber light. One or more further such strips can be attached to one or more further finger sections of the glove.

A second one of the components of the indicating means comprises a holder 13 for a coin-type battery (not shown), the holder preferably being located on a back-of-hand section of the glove so that it is readily accessible for fitting and removal of the battery and does not interfere with use of the glove1 particu!ar!y for gripping a bicycle handlebars Qi1. The battery holder can be, for example, a small and lightweight plastics or fabric receptacle of electrically insulating material and can be lurnished with contacts automatically contacting terminals of the battery when inserted. The holder is closable, for example by a hook-and-burr fastener, a snap fastener or similar, for secure retention of a held battery.

A third component of the indicating means is represented by the snap fastener 11, the electrically conductive male and female elements ha, lib of which additionally function as a manually operable switch, thus a switch operated by the manual actions of detenting and separating the stud 11 a and socket 11 b. The stud and socket are therefore engageable with and disengageable from one another for the mechanical and electrical functions of fastening the glove and closing the circuit and keeping the circuit in a closed state.

Finally, a fourth component of the indicating means consists of a movement-sensitive switch in the form of a tilt switch 14, which preferably consists of a metal ball or other element of electrically conductive material movable under gravitational force into and out of electrical contact with switch contacts thereby to respectively open and close the circuit in response to movement of the glove. The position of the ball or other element is dependent on the instantaneous orientation of the tilt switch 14 and thus the orientation and/or configuration of the glove. In the illustrated embodiment, the tilt switch 14 is attached to the thumb section of the glove.

The four above-mentioned circuit components are electrically interconnected in series by an electrical conductor in the form of, for preference, a flexible silver wire or, rather, lengths of such wire sewn or otherwise incorporated in the material of the glove. The flexible wire does not impose any constraint on the usual flexibility of the glove as a whole.

The direction indicating means can also include, as a further component, flashing means for cyclic interruption of the circuit so that the light-emitting diodes flash, for example at a frequency of 2 Hertz. The flashing means can advantageously be integrated in each diode In operation, the process of fitting the glove 10 to the hand of a user and fastening the snap fastener 11 automatically closes the circuit of the indicating means and, if the holder 13 contains a battery and the circuit is not interrupted by the tilt switch 14, the lighting means 12 is activated. The location of the lilt switch 14 on the thumb section of the glove and the orientation of the tilt switch in that section are selected so that when the glove is in a first configuration and orientation corresponding with the hand of the wearer gripping a handlebars grip of a bicycle the circuit of the indicating means is opened by the tilt switch.

In this configuration of the glove the thumb section normally passes under the grip, thus is the lowermost part of the glove apart from tips of the finger sections. The tilt switch 14 is arranged on the thumb section so that with the thumb section in this orientation the movable part of the tilt switch, for example the ball, falls under its own weight away from the switch contacts of the tilt switch. The tilt switch thus opens the circuit and deactivates the lighting means.

When, however, the wearer signals a turn (left turn) the hand is conventionally extended with the thumb and thus thumb section of the glove uppermost. This reversal of the orientation of the thumb section has the consequence that the movable part of the tilt switch drops into a position of contact with the switch contacts and thereby closes the circuit and activates the lighting means. Consequently, activation of the lighting means is produced automatically by shifting the hand with the glove from the handlebars grip to a position or setting for providing a hand signal signifying an intention of the user to turn. No separate action is needed on the part of the cyclist to select a specific operating state of the lighting means and the flashing light output from the activated lighting means provides a ciearly visible indication to other road users of the intention of the cyclist to turn, which has self-evident merits with respect to road safety.

The circuit layout of the indicating means can, of course, be varied within the scope of normal circuit design parameters and include a relay, an electronic switch or similar, depending on considerations of cost, reliability and simplicity. The manually operable switch could also be separate from the glove fastener, for example, a pressure-sensitive switch, touch switch or microswitch. The movement-sensitive switch could be the sole switch in the circuit or can be employed in conjunction with the manually-operable switch or another make-and-break switch. The manually-operable switch could also be the sole switch in the circuit if the penalty of a deliberate action to activate the lighting means on each occasion of signalling is accepted.

Claims

<claim-text>SCLAIMS1. A cyclist indicator glove provided with direction indicating means comprising electrically operable lighting means, a holder for holding a source of electrical power, electrical connecting means for electrically connecting the lighting means with an electrical power source held by the holder and for supplying operating power from the source to operate the lighting means, and switching means for controlling the supply of operating power to the lighting means by the electrical connecting means.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A glove according to claim 2, wherein the switching means comprises a manually operable switch for opening and closing a circuit comprising the lighting means, the connecting means and a power source when held by the holder.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A glove according to claim 2, wherein the manually operable switch comprises two mechanically and electrically interconnectible contact elements.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A glove according to claim 3, wherein the contact element comprises female and male parts of a fastener for fastening the glove to a hand of a user.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A glove according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the switching means comprises a movement-sensitive switch for opening and closing a circuit comprising the lighting means, the connecting means and a power source when held by the holder.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A glove according to claim 5, wherein the movement-sensitive switch is so arranged on the glove that when the glove is in a first predetermined configuration and orientation substantially corresponding with those adopted when being worn on a hand curled to grip a handlebars grip of a bicycle the circuit is opened by the movement-sensitive switch and when the glove is in a second predetermined configuration and orientation corresponding with those adopted when being worn on an extended hand with thumb uppermost the circuit is closed by the movement-sensitive switch.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A glove according to claim 6, wherein the movement-sensitive switch is positioned on a thumb section of the glove.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A glove according to claim 7, wherein the movement-sensitive switch is positioned on a back-of-hand section of the glove.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A gbve according to any ore of claims 6 to 8, wherein the movement-sensitive switch comprises an electrically conductive body movable into and out of contact with electrical contacts in the circuit in response to change in the influence of gravitational force on the body.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A glove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting means comprises a flexible wire of metallic material incorporated in the material of the glove.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A glove as claimed in claim 10, wherein the wire is sewn into the material of the glove.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. A glove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising cyclic interruption means to cyclically interrupt the supply of operating power to the lighting means thereby to cause the lighting means to flash.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. A glove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting means comprises a plurality of individual lights.</claim-text> <claim-text>14. A glove as claimed in claim 13, wherein the lights are arranged in a row.</claim-text> <claim-text>15. A glove as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, wherein each of the lights is a light-emitting diode.</claim-text> <claim-text>16. A glove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting means is operable to emit amber light.</claim-text> <claim-text>17. A glove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting means is arranged on one of a plurality of discrete finger sections of the glove.</claim-text> <claim-text>18. A glove as claimed in claim 17, wherein said one finger section is an index finger section.</claim-text>