Automobile electrical system

• US 3,903,429 A
• Filed: 11/28/1973
• Issued: 09/02/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold W. Heffel
• Original Assignee: Harold W. Heffel
• Inventors: Heffel, Harold W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman J.
• Application Number:
  US05/419,697
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 307/1BP,1LS 315/77,83,82,81,84 320/40
• US Class Current: 307/10.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/001 Alarm devices when the motor is stopped and the lights are on
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J

Abstract

A motor vehicle electrical system including electrically energizable lamps, an ignition system, a battery, an ignition switch for selectively coupling the battery to the ignition system, a lamp switch connected in series with the ignition switch and the lamps for selectively connecting the lamps to the battery when the ignition switch is closed, and at least one timer operated switch connected in parallel with the ignition switch for connecting the battery to the lamp switch and the lamps to energize the lamps for a predetermined time via a circuit path independent of the ignition switch.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle electrical system including:

a source of electrical power;

electrically energizable lamp means;

an ignition system for igniting fuel;

ignition switch means, connected in circuit with said source and said lamp means and operable in current conducting and nonconducting positions, for respectively connecting said source to and disconnecting said source from said ignition system and said lamp means; and

means connected in parallel circuit with said ignition switch means for selectively connecting said source to said lamp means to energize said lamp means via an electrical path independent of said ignition switch means at a predetermined time after said ignition switch means is in said non-conducting position, for a selected period, and then disconnecting said source and said lamp means.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 including means for selectively connecting said source to said lamp means via an electrical path independent of said ignition switch means for a predetermined lesser time and then disconnecting said lamp means and said ignition switch.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 including means for adjusting the length of said period.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said ignition switch means is rotatable about an axis in succession between an off position, an accessory position, an operating position, and a start position;

means for connecting said ignition switch means to said ignition system in either of said accessory or operating positions; and

means mounting said ignition switch means for movement in an axial path so that said switch means must be moved in a compound path of travel when moving from said accessory position to said off position.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means connected in parallel circuit includes timer means for connecting said source to said lamp means for selected intervals at selected times.

6. A motor vehicle electrical system including:

a source of electrical power;

electrically energizable lamp means;

an ignition system for igniting fuel;

ignition switch means movable in succession between an off position, an accessory position, an operating position and a start position;

means for connecting said switch means to said ignition system in either of said start and operating positions;

means for completing an electrical circuit from said switch means to said lamp means in either of said accessory or operating positions and for interrupting said circuit in said off position;

means for selectively connecting said source to said lamp means via an electrical path independent of said ignition switch means; and

means mounting said switch means for movement in a compound path of travel from said accessory position to said off position, to inhibit inadvertent movement of said switch means from said accessory position to said off position.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said ignition switch means is rotatable about an axis;

and further including means biasing said ignition switch means in one axial direction but being movable in an axially opposite direction when it is moving from said accessory position to said off position.

8. The motor vehicle electrical system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said lamp means comprises a plurality of lamps;

and further including lamp switch means, connected to said ignition switch means and said lamps, operable in a plurality of different positions for serially connecting and disconnecting any selected one of said lamps to said source via an electrical path including at least a portion of said ignition switch means when said ignition switch means is in said current conducting position;

said means for connecting said source to said lamp means via an independent path including timer means having timer switch means connected in parallel with said ignition switch means and movable to and from an operative position for selectively coupling said source to said lamp means via an electrical path not including said ignition switch means, and manually settable, spring operated motor means for controlling the length of time said timer switch means is in said operative position.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8 further including indicator lamp means, adapted to be mounted on an automobile dashboard, connected in circuit with said lamp means for indicaTing when said selected one of said lamps is energized.

10. The motor vehicle electrical system as set forth in claim 9 including a plurality of diodes connected between said plurality of lamps and said indicator lamp means.

11. A lamp control circuit for a motor vehicle electrical system including a source of electrical power;

electrically energizable lamp means;

an ignition system for igniting fuel;

ignition switch means, operable in current conducting and nonconducting positions for selectively connecting said source to and disconnecting said source from said ignition system and said lamp means, said lamp control circuit comprising;

means for connecting said lamp means, said ignition switch means, and said source in series circuit; and

bypass circuit means for connecting said source and said lamp means via electrical path means independent of said ignition switch means including timer means for interrupting said independent electrical path means a predetermined time after said ignition switch means is in said non-conducting position and for completing said electrical path means a predetermined time thereafter for any selected one of a plurality of different time intervals.

12. The circuit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said electrical path means includes first and second electrical paths connected in parallel with said ignition switch means, said timer means including first timer mechanism for interrupting said first path a predetermined time after said ignition switch means is in said non-conducting position and second timer mechanism for interrupting said second electrical path for a predetermined longer time and then completing said second path for a predetermined interval and then interrupting said second path.

13. A lamp control circuit for a motor vehicle electrical system including a source of electrical power;

electrically energizable lamp means and an ignition system for igniting fuel;

comprising;

ignition switch means, operable in current conducting and non-conducting positions for selectively connecting said source to and disconnecting said source from said ignition system and said lamp means;

circuit means for connecting said lamp means, said ignition switch means and said source in series circuit relation so that said lamp means is deenergized from said source when said ignition switch is in said non-conducting position; and

means connected in parallel circuit with said ignition switch means for selectively connecting said source to said lamp means via an electrical path independent of said ignition switch means at a predetermined time after said ignition switch means is in said non-conducting position, for a selected period, and then disconnecting said source and said lamp means.