Sequential and coordinated flashing of electronic roadside flares with active energy conservation

• US 10,443,828 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Joseph Selevan, James R. Selevan
• Original Assignee: Daniel Joseph Selevan, James R. Selevan
• Inventors: Selevan, James R., Selevan, Daniel Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Laura K
• Application Number:
  US15/831,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 362486, 362398, 36224902, 3621531
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 2/00 Systems of electric lighting devices systems employing both electric and non-electric light sources or exchangeable light sources F21L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0407 for flashing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0076 Safety or security signalisation, e.g. smoke or burglar alarms, earthquake detectors; Self-defence devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/006 Portable traffic signalling devices G08B5/004 takes precedence; emergency signalling devices to be placed on roads or vehicles B60Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

Electronic light emitting flares and related methods. Flares of the present invention include various features such as self-synchronization, remote control, motion-actuated or percussion-actuated features, dynamic shifting between side-emitting and top-emitting light emitters in response to changes in positional orientation (e.g., vertical vs. horizontal) of the flare; overrides to cause continued emission from side-emitting or top-emitting light emitters irrespective of changes in the flare'"'"'s positional orientation; use of the flare(s) for illumination of traffic cones and other hazard marking or traffic safety objects or devices, group on/off features, frequency specificity to facilitate use of separate groups of flares in proximity to one another, selection and changing of flashing patterns and others.

Claims

1. An electronic light emitting flare comprising:

a housing having a top, a bottom and a plurality of sides;

a plurality of light emitters positioned within the housing;

a power source;

electronic circuitry connected to the power source and light emitters to drive at least some of the light emitters to emit flashes of light; and

a switch for switching the flare back and forth between a top-emitting mode wherein the light emitters emit light from the top of the housing and a side-emitting mode wherein the light emitters emit light from sides of the housing.

2. A flare according to claim 1 further comprising a magnet useable for holding the flare in place on a vertical ferromagnetic surface.

3. A flare according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of sides define a rectangular configuration with rounded corners.

4. A flare according to claim 1 wherein the bottom comprises a rectangular base.

5. A flare according to claim 1 wherein automatically switches between top-emitting mode and side-emitting mode in response to positional orientation of the flare.

6. A flare according to claim 1 wherein the switch automatically switches to top-emitting mode when the flare is in a vertical orientation.

7. A flare according to claim 1 wherein the switch automatically switches to side-emitting mode when the flare is in a horizontal orientation.

8. A flare according to claim 6 further comprising a manual override which causes the flare to operate in top-emitting mode while sitting on a horizontal surface.

9. A system comprising a flare according to claim 7 in combination with a hazard marking or traffic safety object or device configured so as to be positionable over the flare such that light emitted from the top of the flare will be cast into the hazard marking or traffic safety object or device.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein the hazard marking or traffic safety object or device is at least partially translucent.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the hazard marking or traffic safety object or device comprises a cone.

12. A flare according to claim 1 wherein the electronic circuitry is adapted to cause the flare to self-synchronize the timing of light emission from its light emitters with that of a plurality of other flares.

13. A system comprising a plurality of flares according to claim 1.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the electronic circuitry of the flares causes the flares to self-synchronize so as to emit flashes of light in a desired order or pattern.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the flares will again self-synchronize if a flare is removed or ceases to function.

16. A system according to claim 14 wherein the flares will again self-synchronize if the positional ordering of the flares is changed.

17. A system according to claim 13 wherein when one of the flares is turned on all of the other flares automatically turn on.

18. A system according to claim 13 wherein when one of the flares is turned off all of the other flares automatically turn off.

19. A system according to claim 13 wherein the light emitters flash according to a default or user-selected flashing pattern.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein a user may select at least one flashing pattern from the group of:

flashing individually from first to last in sequence;

flashing individually from last to first in sequence;

flashing two-flares at a time in sequence;

a plurality of flares flashing in sequence followed by a non-flashing flare followed by another plurality of flare flashing in sequence;

simultaneous flashing of all flares;

flashing in sequence with tail on;

flashing in sequence with tail off;

flashing in sequence with alternating top emitting followed by side emitting, followed by top emitting.

21. A system according to claim 19 wherein the flares initially emit flashes of light according to a default flashing pattern and if one of the flares is changed to a user-selected flashing pattern, the remaining flares will self-synchronize to the user-selected flashing pattern.