VARIABLE INTENSITY VEHICLE-SIGNALING SYSTEM

• US 3,603,840 A
• Filed: 10/28/1968
• Issued: 09/07/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Automotive, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gideon A. Durocher
• Inventors: DuRocher, Gideon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lake, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): LaRoche, E. R.
• Application Number:
  US04/771,233
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82,83,77 307/9,10 340/74,76
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1415 Dimming circuits

Abstract

Variable intensity signaling apparatus for a vehicle having operating lamps operable in response to opening and closing of an operating lamp switch and also having stop signal lamps, turn signal lamps and hazard signal lamps operable independently of the operating lamp switch, the signaling lamp circuits including dimming resistances operable in response to operation of the operating lamp switch to vary the brilliance of the signal lamps. The material from which the resistances are formed is temperature sensitive, the resistance varying directly with the temperature.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having a source of electrical energy, a first signal lamp circuit, a second signal lamp circuit, an operating lamp circuit, first signaling switch means movable between positions in which said first signal lamp circuit is connected to and disconnected from said source, second signaling switch means movable between positions in which said second signaling lamp circuit is connected to and disconnected from said source, and operating means movable between operative and inoperative positions in which said operating lamp circuit respectively is connected to and disconnected from said source:

first and second resistances; and

switching means responsive to movement of said operating means to said operative position to insert one of said resistances in said first signal lamp circuit and both of said resistances in said second signal lamp circuit, said switching means being responsive to movement of said operating switch means to said inoperative position to shunt both of said resistances.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said switching means comprises a relay.

3. The construction set forth in claim 1 including third resistance means;

and second switching means responsive to movement of said operating means to said operative position to insert said third resistance means in said first signaling circuit and responsive to movement of said operating means to said inoperative position to disconnect said third resistance from said first signaling circuit.

4. The construction set forth in claim 3 wherein said second switching means comprises a relay.

5. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein the resistance of said first and second resistances varies directly according to the temperature thereof.

6. Variable intensity signaling apparatus for a vehicle having a source of electrical energy, said apparatus comprising a direction signal circuit having left-hand and right-hand signaling lamps;

direction signal switch means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said left-hand and said right-hand signaling lamps to and from said source;

a hazard signal circuit;

hazard signal switch means for connecting said left-hand and said right-hand signaling lamps simultaneously to said source;

an operating lamp circuit;

operating switch means movable between inoperative and operative positions in which said operating lamp circuit respectively is disconnected from and connected to said source;

first resistance means;

second resistance means;

switching means responsive to movement of said operating switch means from its inoperative position to its operative position to insert only said first resistance means in said hazard signal circuit and to insert both said first and second resistance means in said direction signal circuit, said switching means being operable to shunt both said first and said second resistance means in response to movement of said operating switch means from said operative position to said inoperative position.