Time delay and daylight inhibiting means for controlling automotive lighting systems

• US 3,274,434 A
• Filed: 10/07/1963
• Issued: 09/20/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1963
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Miller, Charles W.
• Original Assignee: Miller, Charles W.
• Inventors: Miller, Charles W.
• Application Number:
  US04/314,164
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/052 Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle

Claims

1. IN A CONTROL SYSTEM, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER, A LOAD CIRCUIT, A MAIN RELAY SWITCHING MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND THE LOAD TO CONTROL ENERGIZED PERIODS THEREOF, A CONTROL CIRCUIT CONNECTED TO THE MAIN RELAY SWITCHING MEANS TO CONTROL THE SAME INCLUDING LIGHT SENSITIVE MEANS, A CONTROL RELAY CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN RELAY SWITCHING MEANS TO CONTROL THE SAME, A TRANSISTOR HAVING A BASE, EMITTER AND COLLECTOR ELECTRODES, BIASING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BASE AND EMITTER ELECTRODES AND TO THE SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO PROVIDE PROPER OPERATING VOLTAGES THEREFOR, SAID LIGHT SENSITIVE MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO THE BASE ELECTRODE BIASING MEANS TO VARY THE BIAS THEREON WITH AMBIENT LIGHT CHANGES, SAID COLLECTOR ELECTRODE BEING CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL RELAY MEANS SO THAT CONDUCTION OF THE TRANSISTOR CONTROLS THE ENERGIZATION OF THE CONTROL RELAY AND IN TURN THE MAIN RELAY SWITCHING MEANS TO ENERGIZE AND DE-ENERGIZE THE LOAD CIRCUIT DEPENDENT UPON CHANGES IN AMBIENT LIGHT ON THE LIGHT SENSITIVE MEANS, A SECOND TRANSISTOR HAVING AN INPUT AND AN OUTPUT CIRCUIT, SAID OUTPUT CIRCUIT BEING CONNECTED TO THE SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND TO THE BASE BIASING MEANS FOR THE FIRST TRANSISTOR, TIME DELAY MEANS CONNECTED TO THE INPUT CIRCUIT FOR THE SECOND TRANSISTOR AND TO THE SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO CHANGE THE BIAS ON THE INPUT CIRCUIT WHEN VOLTAGE IS REMOVED FROM THE INPUT CONNECTION TO CAUSE THE SECOND TRANSISTOR TO BECOME CONDUCTIVE AFTER A PREDETERMINED TIME AND ALTER THE BASE BIAS ON THE FIRST TRANSISTOR TO REDUCE CONDUCTION THERETHROUGH AND DE-ENERGIZE THE CONTROL RELAY.