Vehicular safety device

• US 4,102,426 A
• Filed: 06/04/1976
• Issued: 07/25/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Walden
• Original Assignee: Michael Dennis Walden
• Inventors: Walden, Michael Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schrecengost, R.
• Application Number:
  US05/692,724
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 180/98, 180/103 R, 340/237 R, 340/1 R, 340/52 R, 340/53, 340/31, 340/32 R, 340/22, 340/235, 343/5 W
• US Class Current: 180/169
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/02 including electrically actuated servomechanism including an electric control system or a servomechanism in which the vehicle velocity affecting element is actuated electrically
• 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 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0237 circuits concerning the atmospheric environment meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure pertains to a vehicular safety device utilizing a fog sensing apparatus for detecting the presence of fog immediately preceding the foremost portions of the vehicle. When fog is detected, the braking system of the vehicle is gradually but forceably brought into play reducing the speed of the vehicle to a preset maximum determined by a governor operated by the engine. A control unit is concurrently activated which causes the rearmost lamps of the vehicle to intermittently energize and automatically altering the mode of operation of the headlamps of the vehicle for a time period equal to the continual sensing of fog.

Claims

1. A vehicular safety device comprising fog detecting means for the detection of fog in the pathway of a vehicle, said fog detecting means carried by a frontmost portion of said vehicle, said fog detecting means utilizing rays emanating outwardly and forwardly from said vehicle directed over a roadway carrying said vehicle, said fog detecting means including means to detect said rays reflected from said fog when said fog is located in front of said vehicle and above said roadway, said fog detecting means for controlling apparatus means of said vehicle in a fog detected mode and a lack of fog detected mode, said fog detecting means being disposed in said fog detected mode when said rays are reflected from said fog towards said frontmost portion of said vehicle, said apparatus means including automatic braking means and automatic speed control means and visual signalling means and frontmost lamp control means, said automatic braking means utilized for the application of braking forces to said vehicle when said fog detecting means is in said fog detected mode, said applied braking forces being removed when said detecting means is in said non fog detected mode, said automatic braking means including means for automatically adjusting the amplitude of said braking forces in proportion to the speed of travel of said vehicle, said automatic speed control means limiting the speed of the motor of said vehicle when said fog detecting means is in said fog detected mode, said automatic speed control means being inoperable when said fog detecting means is in said non fog detected mode, said visual signalling means visibly signalling trailing vehicles located behind said vehicle by intermittently operating at least one lamp secured to a rear surface of said vehicle when said fog detecting means is in said fog detected mode, said visual signalling means becoming inoperable when said fog detecting means is in said non fog detected mode, said frontmost lamp controlling means for altering the lighting mode emanating forward of said vehicle from a lamp located on a front surface said vehicle into a fog lighting mode when said fog detecting means is in said fog detected mode, said frontmost lamp control means for altering said lighting mode to a non fog lighting mode when said fog detecting means is in said non fog detected mode.