Mounting foot for light bar

• US 20040227370A1
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Original Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Inventors: Czajkowski, Robert A., Meyer, Charles P., Bader, Joseph F., Urbanski, Sigmund S., Mol, Jan C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,244,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/37.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle

Abstract

A signaling system for mounting to an exterior surface of an emergency vehicle is provided. The signaling system includes a light bar and a pair of mounting feet. The light bar can include a plurality of signaling devices supported on and distributed along a base member and enclosed by a cover. The light bar can be secured to the mounting feet via a plurality of fasteners. The mounting feet can be connected to the emergency vehicle via roof straps. Each mounting foot can include a base, which can have a support portion, a contoured portion, and a pair of compartments; a pair of seals associated with each compartment; a pair of covers, which can be translucent, removably mounted to the base to enclose the compartments; and a roof strap secured to the base. Each compartment can house a signaling device, such as a lamp assembly.

Claims

1. A mounting foot for mounting a light bar to an exterior surface of an emergency vehicle, the mounting foot comprising:

a base, the base having a first end and a second end, the base having a support portion, an intermediate portion, and a compartment, the support portion disposed adjacent the first end of the base, the support portion having a mounting surface for supporting the light bar, the intermediate portion disposed between the support portion and the compartment, the compartment disposed adjacent the second end of the base.

2. The mounting foot according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cover associated with the compartment, the cover removably mounted to the base to enclose the compartment and to cooperate with the compartment to define an interior.

3. The mounting foot according to claim 1, further comprising:

a seal associated with the compartment, the seal cooperating with the cover to substantially seal the interior.

4. The mounting foot according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle connector secured to the base for connecting the mounting foot to the vehicle.

5. The mounting foot according to claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary signaling device mounted to the base and disposed within the compartment.

6. The mounting foot according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate portion has a contoured profile, the contoured profile configured to substantially conform to a mounting surface of the emergency vehicle.

7. The mounting foot according to claim 2 wherein the cover comprises a transparent material.

8. The mounting foot according to claim 7 wherein the cover comprises a colored material.

9. The mounting foot according to claim 3 wherein the base has a mounting portion, the mounting surface being engageable with the emergency vehicle when the mounting foot is mounted to the vehicle, the seal comprises a first seal member and a second seal member, the first seal member being disposed with the interior defined by the cover and the compartment, the second seal member being disposed in contacting relationship with the mounting portion of the base and in substantial alignment with the compartment.

10. The mounting foot according to claim 1 wherein the base includes a mounting hole, the vehicle connector includes a strap and a bolt, the strap being substantially rigid and having a flange with an opening therethrough, the bolt extending through the opening of the strap and into the mounting hole to secure the strap to the base.

11. The mounting foot according to claim 5 wherein the auxiliary signaling device comprises a lamp assembly.

12. The mounting foot according to claim 11 wherein the lamp assembly is pivotally mounted to the base.

13. A signaling system for mounting to an exterior surface of an emergency vehicle, the signaling system comprising:

a light bar comprising a plurality of signaling devices supported on and distributed along a base member; and

a pair of mounting feet, the mounting feet secured to the light bar, the mounting feet secured to the vehicle, each mounting foot including an outer end, the outer ends of the mounting feet facing away from each other, each mounting foot including a base, the base having a support portion, an intermediate portion, and a compartment, the support portions of the mounting feet supporting the base member of the light bar, the intermediate portion disposed between the support portion and the compartment, the compartment disposed adjacent the outer end of the mounting foot.

14. The signaling system according to claim 13, further comprising:

for each mounting foot, a cover and a pair of seals associated with the compartment, the cover removably mounted to the base to enclose the compartment and to cooperate with the compartment to define an interior, the seals cooperating with the cover to substantially seal the interior, each mounting foot including a vehicle connector secured to the base for connecting the mounting foot to the vehicle.

15. The signaling system according to claim 13, further comprising:

an auxiliary signaling device mounted to one of the mounting feet, the auxiliary signaling device mounted in one of the compartments.

16. The signaling system according to claim 13 wherein the light bar comprises a multi-level light bar.

17. The signaling system according to claim 13 wherein the light bar includes a pair of outer ends, the base member of the light bar extending substantially along an axis defined by the outer ends.

18. The signaling system according to claim 13 wherein the intermediate portion of each mounting foot has a contoured profile, the contoured profile configured to substantially conform to a mounting surface of the emergency vehicle.

19. The signaling system according to claim 14 wherein the cover of at least one of the mounting feet comprises a transparent material.

20. The signaling system according to claim 19 wherein the transparent material comprises a colored material.

21. The signaling system according to claim 14 wherein the base of each mounting foot has a mounting portion, the mounting portion being engageable with the emergency vehicle when the respective mounting foot is mounted to the vehicle, the first seal member being disposed with the interior defined by the cover and the compartment, the second seal member being disposed in contacting relationship with the mounting portion of the base and in substantial alignment with the compartment.

22. The signaling system according to claim 13 wherein the base of each mounting foot includes a mounting hole, the vehicle connector of each mounting foot includes a strap and a bolt, the strap being substantially rigid and having a flange with an opening therethrough, the bolt extending through the opening of the strap and into the mounting hole to secure the strap to the base.

23. The signaling system according to claim 15 wherein the auxiliary signaling device comprises a lamp assembly.

24. The signaling system according to claim 23 wherein the lamp assembly is pivotally mounted to the base.

25. An emergency vehicle comprising:

an exterior surface; and

a signaling system mounted to the exterior surface, the signaling system including;

a light bar comprising a plurality of signaling devices supported on and distributed along a base member and enclosed by a cover;

a pair of mounting feet, the mounting feet secured to the light bar, the mounting feet secured to the vehicle, each mounting foot including an outer end, the outer ends of the mounting feet facing away from each other, each mounting foot including a base, the base having a support portion, an intermediate portion, and a compartment, the support portions of the mounting feet supporting the base member of the light bar, the intermediate portion disposed between the support portion and the compartment, the compartment disposed adjacent the outer end of the mounting foot,

26. The emergency vehicle according to claim 25, further comprising:

for each mounting foot, a cover and a pair of seals associated with the compartment, the cover removably mounted to the base to enclose the compartment and to cooperate with the compartment to define an interior, the seals cooperating with the cover to substantially seal the interior, each mounting foot including a vehicle connector secured to the base for connecting the mounting foot to the vehicle.

27. The emergency vehicle according to claim 25, further comprising:

an auxiliary signaling device mounted to one of the mounting feet, the auxiliary signaling device mounted in one of the compartments.

28. The emergency vehicle according to claim 25 wherein the emergency vehicle is a police car.

29. The emergency vehicle according to claim 25 wherein the light bar comprises a multi-level light bar.

30. The emergency vehicle according to claim 25 wherein the light bar includes a pair of outer ends, the base member of the light bar extending substantially along an axis defined by the outer ends.

31. The emergency vehicle according to claim 25 wherein the intermediate portion of each mounting foot has a contoured profile, the contoured profile configured to substantially conform to a mounting surface of the emergency vehicle.

32. The emergency vehicle according to claim 26 wherein the cover of at least one of the mounting feet comprises a transparent material.

33. The emergency vehicle according to claim 32 wherein the transparent material comprises a colored material.

34. The emergency vehicle according to claim 26 wherein the base of each mounting foot has a mounting portion, the mounting portion being engageable with the emergency vehicle when the respective mounting foot is mounted to the vehicle, the first seal member being disposed with the interior defined by the cover and the compartment, the second seal member being disposed in contacting relationship with the mounting portion of the base and in substantial alignment with the compartment.

35. The emergency vehicle according to claim 25 wherein the base of each mounting foot includes a mounting hole, the vehicle connector of each mounting foot includes a strap and a bolt, the strap being substantially rigid and having a flange with an opening therethrough, the bolt extending through the opening of the strap and into the mounting hole to secure the strap to the base.

36. The emergency vehicle according to claim 27 wherein the auxiliary signaling device comprises a lamp assembly.

37. The emergency vehicle according to claim 36 wherein the lamp assembly is pivotally mounted to the base.