Vehicle safety system

• US 20040206292A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seong Woong Kim
• Original Assignee: Seong Woong Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Seong Woong
• Granted Patent: US 7,145,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 116/39
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/36 using movable members, e.g. arms with built-in flashing lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/441 Electric switches operable by the driver's pedals
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices

Abstract

A turn indication system for a vehicle includes an indicating member movable between a first position and a second position in response to the actuation of a turn signal switch. A door-ajar indication system for a vehicle includes an indicating member movable between a first position and a second position in response to the actuation of a switch so as to indicate an ajar condition of a door of the vehicle. A traffic observation system for a vehicle includes a wave receiving member for mounting to the vehicle such that the wave receiving member is oriented along a line of sight from an object approaching the vehicle from a lateral direction generally perpendicular to a path of motion of the vehicle, permitting a driver of the vehicle to perceive the object via a wave received by the wave receiving member from the object along the line of sight.

Claims

1. A turn indication system for a vehicle, comprising an indicating member moveable between a first position and a second position, which is different from said first position, said indicating member being moveable from said first position toward said second position in response to the actuation of a turn signal switch so as to indicate a change to a direction of movement of a vehicle.

2. The turn indication system of claim 1, wherein said indicating member includes an indicator light, and further comprising means for moving said indicating member in conjunction with said indicator light being illuminated such that said indicator light moves from said first position to said second position.

3. The turn indication system of claim 2, further comprising an externally-mountable housing for a mirror for providing a rear view to a driver of the vehicle, and wherein said indicating member is movably mounted to said housing such that said first position is within an outline of said housing and said second position is without said outline of said housing.

4. The turn indication system of claim 3, wherein said indicating member is movably mounted within said housing such that said indicator light moves along a substantially linear path between said first and second positions.

5. The turn indication system of claim 3, wherein said second position and said first position are vertically different, and said indicating member is movably mounted within said housing such that said indicator light moves along an at least partially arcuate path between said first and second positions.

6. The turn indication system of claim 5, wherein the at least partially arcuate path along which said indicator light moves defines a substantially vertically-oriented plane.

7. The turn indication system of claim 4, including pneumatic actuation means for moving said indicating member, including a pressure cylinder within said housing, a source of pressurized air, a conduit for delivering pressurized air from said source to said pressure cylinder, and a solenoid valve disposed between said source and said pressure cylinder for selectively opening said conduit.

8. The turn indication system of claim 7, including a biasing element within said housing for urging said indicating member such that, in the absence of an urging from said pneumatic actuation means, said indicator light will tend to move from said second position to said first position.

9. The turn indication system of claim 7, wherein said solenoid valve is biased closed so as to isolate said pressure cylinder from said source, and said turn indication system further comprises means for bleeding pressurized air from said pressure cylinder while said solenoid valve isolates said pressure cylinder from said source.

10. The turn indication system of claim 7, wherein said conduit includes a first conduit portion pneumatically disposed between said solenoid valve and said pressure cylinder, and a pressure relief line disposed between said first conduit portion and said solenoid valve for bleeding pressurized air from said first conduit portion to atmosphere through said solenoid valve.

11. The turn indication system of claim 10, further comprising a power switch, said power switch being configured so as to be selectively thrown by the individual driving the vehicle so as to activate said solenoid valve.

12. The turn indication system of claim 11, further comprising a relay for deactivating said solenoid valve in response to a completion of a turn of the vehicle.

13. A door-ajar indication system for a vehicle, comprising an indicating member moveable between a first position and a second position, which is different from said first position, said indicating member being movable from said first position to said second position in response to the actuation of a switch so as to indicate an ajar condition of a vehicle door.

14. The door-ajar indication system of claim 13, wherein said indicating member includes an indicator light, and further comprising means for moving said indicating member in conjunction with said indicator light being illuminated such that said indicator light moves from said first position to said second position.

15. The door-ajar indication system of claim 14, wherein said indicating member is sized and shaped for mounting to the vehicle door such that when said indicator light is in said first position said indicator light is not visible through a window opening of the vehicle door, and when said indicator light is in said second position said indicator light is visible through the window opening of the vehicle door.

16. The door-ajar indication system of claim 13, including pneumatic actuation means for moving said indicating member between said first position and said second position, including a pressure cylinder, a source of pressurized air, a conduit for delivering pressurized air from said source to said pressure cylinder, and a solenoid valve disposed between said source and said pressure cylinder for selectively opening said conduit.

17. A traffic observation system for a vehicle, comprising a wave receiving member sized and shaped so as to be mounted to a vehicle such that said wave receiving member is oriented along a line of sight from an object approaching the vehicle from a lateral direction generally perpendicular to a path of motion of the vehicle, whereby a driver of the vehicle is permitted to perceive the object via a wave received by said wave receiving member from the object along the line of sight.

18. The traffic observation system of claim 17, wherein said wave receiving member includes a reflective element for receiving and reflecting light waves, and said wave receiving member is moveable from a first position to a second position different from said first position so as to permit said reflective element to reflect light waves received from the object along the line of sight and toward the driver, thereby permitting the driver to view a reflected image of the object.

19. The traffic observation system of claim 18, wherein said reflective element is a mirror for reflecting visible light waves, said first position is a first elevation, and said second position is a second elevation different from said first elevation.

20. The traffic observation system of claim 19, further comprising pneumatic actuator means sized and shaped for mounting proximate a front end of the vehicle so as to elevate the wave receiving member to said second elevation such that the driver is permitted to observe vehicular traffic approaching the path of motion of the vehicle from in front of the front end of the vehicle, and from a direction generally perpendicular to the path of motion of the vehicle.