Lighting systems for vehicles

• US 4,045,769 A
• Filed: 03/30/1976
• Issued: 08/30/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Faller Ohg
• Original Assignee: Faller Ohg
• Inventors: Faller, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US05/671,934
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 340/74, 315/82, 315/83, 315/159, 307/10 LS
• US Class Current: 340/469
• 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 1/2603 Attenuation of the light according to ambient luminiosity, e.g. for braking or direction indicating lamps
• 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 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/337 Tunnels or bridges

Abstract

The present specification describes and claims a light dependent device for use in motor vhicles, for monitoring the environmental light and providing warning when regulation lights on the vehicle should be switched on or off. The device comprises a light sensor connected to a switching element which is adapted both to be connected to the light circuit of a vehicle and to, in use, switch when the intensity of the light falling on the light sensor passes a level at which regulation lights on the vehicle should be switched on, and a warning device. The warning device is arranged to be activated by the switching of the switching element when the light intensity falls below said level and to be deactivated by the switching element both when the light intensity exceeds said level and, when in use and connected in the lighting circuit of a vehicle, when the regulation lights are switched on.

Claims

1. A light dependent device for use in a motor vehicle having regulation lights, a lighting circuit and an ignition switch, said device being operative to monitor the environmental light and the condition of the ignition switch and provide warning when the regulation lights on the vehicle should be switched on or off, said device comprising a light sensor and a switching element including a warning device, the light sensor being connected to the switching element which is adapted to be connected to the lighting circuit and ignition switch of the vehicle and, in use, to switch when the intensity of the light falling on the light sensor passes a level at which the regulation lights on the vehicle should be switched on, the warning device being arranged to be activated by the switching element (1) when the light intensity falls below said level with the ignition switch on and the regulation lights off, and (2) when the ignition switch is turned off with the regulation lights on;

and to be deactivated by the switching element (1) when the light intensity exceeds said level with the ignition switch on and regulation lights off, (2) when the regulation lights are switched on with the ignition switch on and light intensity below said level, and (3) when the regulation lights are switched off with the ignition switch off.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein a flashing light constitutes the warning device, the flashing light being disposed in optical feedback with the light sensor, a switching time delay device being provided to produce the flashing.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the warning device can be switched on directly by the switching element, an electronic component forming said switching element.

4. A device according to claim 2 wherein the warning device can be switched on directly by the switching element, an electronic component forming said switching element.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein one terminal of the device is connected to a dip switch of the lighting circuit of the vehicle in such a manner that, when the headlights are switched on, the polarity of this terminal changes compared with the state when these lights are switched off.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein another terminal of the device is connected to the ignition switch of the vehicle in such a way that when the ignition is switched on it is connected to voltage.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the terminals have the same polarity when the headlights and ignition are switched on.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein daily consumers of the vehicle are connected to the ignition switch in such a way that when the ignition is switched on they are connected to voltage, and when the ignition is switched off, they provide an electrical path to ground, and wherein said switching element further includes a diode for passing current from said one terminal through said warning device and said daily consumers when the ignition switch is off.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein a light forms the warning device and is arranged to light up without flashing when the ignition is switched off and the headlights are on.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein daily consumers of the vehicle are connected to the ignition switch in such a way that when the ignition is switched on they are connected to voltage, and when the ignition is switched off, they provide an electrical path to ground and wherein said switching element further includes a diode for passing current from said one terminal through said warning device and said daily consumer when the ignition switch is off.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle further includes windscreen wipers and a windscreen wiper circuit, and wherein said switching element further includes switching value displacement means, connected to said windscreen wiper circuit, for raising said light intensity level when said windscreen wipers are switched on.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said switching element includes a threshold switch responsive to said light sensor and having a threshold range defined by first and second switching states at lower and higher light intensity values, respectively, said warning device being activated at said lower intensity value and deactivated at said higher intensity value;

and wherein said switching value displacement device displaces said threshold range towards a greater light intensity when the windscreen wipers of the vehicle are switched on.

13. A device according to claim 11, wherein said device has only two terminals connected to the lighting circuit and ignition switch on the vehicle and one terminal connected to the windscreen wiper circuit.

14. A device according to claim 1 when mounted in a vehicle, wherein the light sensor is disposed in the region of the pedal area in the front part of the motor vehicle interior.

15. A device according to claim 1, wherein the light sensor is adjustable by altering a light-inlet aperture leading to it, and the light-inlet aperture is adjustable by means of a shutter which forms the movable part of a switch for at least partial disconnection of the device.

16. A device according to claim 1, when mounted in a vehicle and connected in the lighting circuit of the vehicle, wherein the warning device is also arranged to be activated by the switching element when the regulation lights are switched on with the light intensity above said level.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the warning device is ready to be activated by the switching element to indicate when the regulation lights are on with the light intensity above said level even if the warning device is switched off with respect to indicating when the light intensity falls below said level with the ignition switch on and the regulation lights off.

18. A device according to claim 16, wherein the warning device produces a warning signal to indicate when the regulation lights are on with the light intensity above said level which is different from the warning signal to indicate when the regulation lights are off with the light intensity below said level and the ignition switch on.

19. A device according to claim 16, further comprising a second light sensor, connected to the switching element, for sensing when the regulation lights are on in daylight.

20. A device according to claim 1, wherein said warning device produces a warning signal having different intensities, and wherein the intensity of the warning signal is increased with decreasing environmental light intensity.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein said warning signal is a light which is capable of flashing, and the different intensities are different flashing periods.