Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
  • B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
  • B60Q1/32—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides, e.g. clearance lights

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for making visible the external contour of vehicles of various types, such as motor cars, aircraft, ships or boats.
• the device according to the invention is suitable for installation on heavy road transportation vehicles, such as, for example, lorries, tractors and trailers of lorry-trailer units, articulated lorries and the like.
• a first drawback consists in the need to prepare a complex and costly wiring system which, starting from the battery of the vehicle, must run along the whole of the perimeter in order to reach and power all of the lights.
• This system is particularly complex and costly, in particular when it is fitted to canvas-covered vehicles where the wires for the electrical connections must run along the arched struts which support the canvas.
• Another drawback consists in the fact that the system requires continuous maintenance since the bulbs, being prone to fuse easily, must be regularly replaced.
• the main object of the present invention is that of overcoming the abovementioned drawbacks by providing a device for making visible the contour of vehicles, which has the features of being highly practical, reliable and inexpensive to install and maintain compared to the same devices of the known type.
• a particular object is that of providing a device of the type indicated above which is easier to install than devices of the known type.
• a further object is that the device according ' to the invention should require maintenance which is significantly less than that of the devices of the known type.
• an object is that the device according to the invention should ensure the visibility of the contour of the vehicle to which it is fitted, even in the case of thick fog.
• a device for making visible the contour of vehicles which, in accordance with claim 1 , comprises one or more emitters of one or more light rays fitted over at least part of the surface of the vehicle, characterized in that said one or more light rays emitted by said one or more emitters consist of laser light, a plurality of receiving bodies being also fitted over at least part of the external surfaces of the vehicle in positions substantially facing said one or more emitters, said receiving bodies having diffraction means able to perform the diffraction and the diffusion of the laser lights when they are excite by the rays of laser light emitted by said one or more emitters.
• the diffraction means of each receiving body are made of transparent material so as to allow the laser rays which excite them to pass through them and excite one or more of the following receiving bodies.
• At least one of the receiving bodies comprises reflecting means for modifying the trajectory of the laser rays which excite them and deviating them towards other bodies arranged in other directions.
• the whole of vehicle's contour may be illuminated.
• the device according to the invention is particularly effective in the case of fog since a ray of laser light, unlike the rays of irregular light emitted by lamps of the known type, is visible as a continuous luminous line which defines the entire contour of the vehicle.
• the device according to the invention is less costly than devices of the known type which use conventional bulbs since it is able to save on the high cost of wiring.
• the device according to the invention is also more economical since it is practically maintenance-free, except for the necessary periodic cleaning of the emitters and the receiving bodies.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle on which the device for ensuring visibility according to the invention is fitted;
• FIG. 2 shows a part of the device shown in Fig. 1;
• FIGS. 3 to 5 show different embodiments of details forming part of the device according to the invention.
• FIG. 6 shows a top plan and schematic view of a part of the device according to Fig. 1 during operation.
• a device provided in accordance with the invention may be effectively applied to vehicles of any type, for example aircraft, ships and boats and in particular wheeled vehicles.
• the device 1 comprises a plurality of light-ray emitters, each denoted overall 3 and fitted to the trailer 2 of a lorry-trailer unit in predetermined positions along its external contour, so as to be visible.
• the light rays emitted by the emitters 3 are laser light rays.
• a plurality of receiving bodies, each denoted overall by 4 are fixed onto the external surface of the trailer 2, each being provided with a base 5 for securing to the structure of the vehicle 2 by means of fixing means of the type known per se, in facing positions with respect to at least one of the emitters 3.
• the laser light emitters 3 may be of different types, but in any case of the kind which is commercially available, and are supplied with electric power by the storage battery of the vehicle or, alternatively, by independent electric power supply means.
• the receiving bodies 4 have diffraction means able to be illuminated and to distribute the laser light when they are struck by laser light rays emitted by the emitters.
• the receiving bodies are globular in shape.
• the receiving bodies 4 are made of transparent material so as to allow the light rays to pass through them, after illuminating them and exciting the other receiving bodies placed beneath them.
• the receiving bodies may be made equally well of a mineral substance with a crystalline or non-crystalline structure, such as for example glass, or a plastic material such as, for example, polycarbonate, methacrylate and the like.
• the receiving body 4 has diffraction means formed by a plurality of faceted surfaces 4a oriented in a plurality of different directions.
• the receiving body 4 in addition to having diffraction means formed equally well by microscopic holes 46 or by a plurality of faceted surfaces 4a, also has inside it a reflecting structure consisting of a mirror 7.
• the receiving body 4 has diffraction means formed by a plurality of microscopic holes 4b oriented in a plurality of different directions.
• a plurality of receiving bodies 4 are arranged along the contour of the vehicle 2, spacing them at intervals with laser ray emitters 3, in an arrangement which is visible in Fig. 1.
• a section of the device 1 is shown in schematic form and in plan view in Fig. 6; reference is made thereto in order to illustrate operation of the device.
• the emitter 3 when the emitter 3 is activated, the light ray 6 which is emitted is intercepted by the receiving body 4.
• the diffraction means of the receiving body 4 which are for example of the type with microscopic holes 4b, absorb part of the energy which the light ray 6 possesses and distribute it in the form of light rays 8 in the surrounding environment.
• the remaining energy emerges from the receiving body 4 in the form of a secondary ray 6a which is received by an additional receiving body 4' to which it releases part of the energy which is converted again into light rays 9 which are emitted by the said receiving body 4'.
• the remaining energy is emitted from the receiving body 4 as a tertiary ray 6b and .
• the process continues in a cyclical manner, illuminating all the receiving bodies which are aligned with each other.
• a receiving body 4" having diffraction means provided with a mirror 7 is used.
• part of the energy of the laser beam 6m is absorbed by the receiving body 4" which distributes it in the form of light rays 11 , while the remaining energy emerges from the receiving body 4" as a reflected beam 6n.
• the process is repeated in a cyclical manner without interruptions along the entire path defined by the line which joins together all the receiving bodies fitted to the vehicle 2.
• the number and the arrangement of the emitters 3 to be installed depends on the degree of absorption of the laser beam by the receiving bodies 4, in relation to the diffraction means 4a or 4b of each of them.
• the laser rays will be visible as luminous lines which connect the receiving bodies, resulting in a greater and more detailed visibility of the vehicle contour.
• the receiving bodies 4 are not subject to wear or deterioration and this makes the device according to the invention practically maintenance-free, except for cleaning or replacement of a receiving body 4 - in the event of breakage due to a random external mechanical event - or of an emitter 3.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=29287883

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Citations (4)

• 2002
  • 2002-05-02 IT ITVI20020078 patent/ITVI20020078A1/it unknown
• 2003
  • 2003-04-30 WO PCT/IB2003/001681 patent/WO2003093057A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-04-30 AU AU2003222393A patent/AU2003222393A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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