Transfer Dump Truck Safety Light

• US 20160129742A1
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Eric Dale Erickson
• Original Assignee: Eric Dale Erickson
• Inventors: Erickson, Eric Dale
• Granted Patent: US 10,279,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/145 consisting of an elongated single bar or tube
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/58 Auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2657 mounted on a shaft, e.g. telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2692 retractable lights retractable headlights B60Q1/05
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles

Abstract

A dump truck safety light device for a transfer dump truck system. The dump truck safety light device is coupled to a trailer reach or tongue. The dump truck safety light device is configured to be in a raised configuration or in a lowered configuration. The dump truck safety light device announces the presence of a trailer reach to another vehicle that is following slightly behind a dump truck in the next lane to the left. Without the dump truck safety light device, the trailer reach would be hidden to the driver of the other vehicle in a blind spot created by the passenger door of the other vehicle.

Claims

1. A transfer dump truck system comprising:

a dump truck;

a trailer detachably coupled to the dump truck with a trailer reach; and

a dump truck safety light device coupled to the trailer reach, the dump truck safety light device configured to be in a raised configuration or in a lowered configuration.

2. The transfer dump truck system of claim 1,

wherein the dump truck safety light device has an actuator;

wherein the dump truck safety light device is configured to be in the raised configuration whenever a power source for the actuator is energized; and

wherein the dump truck safety light device is configured to be in the lowered configuration whenever the power source for the actuator is de-energized.

3. The transfer dump truck system of claim 2,

wherein the power source for the actuator is pneumatic.

4. The transfer dump truck system of claim 2,

wherein the power source for the actuator is hydraulic.

5. The transfer dump truck system of claim 2,

wherein the power source for the actuator is electrical.

6. The transfer dump truck system of claim 1,

wherein the dump truck safety light device has an arm;

wherein the dump truck safety light device has a light coupled to one end of the arm;

wherein the dump truck safety light device has a pivoting attachment point coupled to an other end of the arm; and

wherein the pivoting attachment point is coupled to the trailer reach.

7. The transfer dump truck system of claim 6,

wherein the arm has a length such that so that when the dump truck safety light device is in the raised configuration, the safety light is at about eye level for a typical driver in a typical passenger car.

8. The transfer dump truck system of claim 6,

wherein the arm is 3 feet in length.

9. The transfer dump truck system of claim 6,

wherein the light is configured for illumination whenever the trailer running lights are illuminated.

10. The transfer dump truck system of claim 6,

wherein the light is configured for illumination based on a position of a control switch.

11. A dump truck safety light device comprising:

an arm;

a light coupled to one end of the arm;

a pivoting attachment point coupled to an other end of the arm and configured to be coupled to a trailer reach of a trailer; and

an actuator coupled to the arm and configured to be coupled to the trailer reach, wherein the actuator is configured to move the arm to a raised configuration or to a lowered configuration.

12. The dump truck safety light device of claim 11,

wherein the actuator is configured to move the arm to the raised configuration whenever a power source for the actuator is energized;

and

wherein the actuator is configured to move the arm to the lowered configuration whenever the power source for the actuator is de-energized.

13. The dump truck safety light device of claim 12,

wherein the power source for the actuator is pneumatic.

14. The dump truck safety light device of claim 12,

wherein the power source for the actuator is hydraulic.

15. The dump truck safety light device of claim 12,

wherein the power source for the actuator is electrical.

16. The dump truck safety light device of claim 11,

wherein the arm has a length such that so that when the arm is in the raised configuration, the light is at about eye level for a typical driver in a typical passenger car.

17. The dump truck safety light device of claim 11,

wherein the arm is 3 feet in length.

18. The dump truck safety light device of claim 11,

wherein the light is configured for illumination whenever running lights of the trailer are illuminated.

19. The dump truck safety light device of claim 11,

wherein the light is configured for illumination based on a position of a control switch.