Automatic headlight switch

• US 4,301,390 A
• Filed: 10/05/1978
• Issued: 11/17/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John L. Earle
• Original Assignee: John L. Earle
• Inventors: Earle, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chatmon, Jr., Saxfield
• Application Number:
  US05/948,820
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82, 315/83, 307/10 LS
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/001 Alarm devices when the motor is stopped and the lights are on

Abstract

An automatic headlight switch for automatically turning off headlights of a vehicle a predetermined period after the ignition switch is turned off consisting of a timer coupled to the ignition switch which is started by a transient pulse from the ignition switch being turned off which after the predetermined period is coupled to a relay solenoid for deactuation thereof opening relay contacts in series between the battery and the headlight switch. Upon turning on the headlight switch, a pulse generator coupled thereto which is triggered via a transient from the headlight switch actuates the relay solenoid and thereby applies power to the headlights through the relay contacts and the headlight switch.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having lights therein powered by a battery through a normal light switch and an ignition switch connecting the battery to a vehicle ignition system, an automatic headlight switch system comprising:

a relay having a solenoid and first and second contacts thereof, said relay operative for shorting together said first and second contacts upon the energization of said solenoid, said first and second contacts being connected to in serial relationship with said normal light switch and said battery;

energizing circuit means coupled between said normal light switch and said relay solenoid, said energizing circuit means operable for energizing said solenoid upon receiving a transient pulse produced when the normal light switch is turned from an on-off position to an on position; and

de-energizing circuit means coupled between said ignition switch and said relay solenoid, said de-energizing circuit means being operable for de-energizing said relay solenoid upon the changing of said ignition switch from an "on" state to an "off" state.

2. The automatic headlight switch of claim 1 wherein:

said de-energizing circuit means comprises a timer means operable for delaying the de-energization of the relay solenoid a predetermined period of time after the ignition switch is changed from an "on" state to an "off" state.

3. The automatic headlight switch of claim 2 and further including:

blocking means coupled between said relay solenoid and said energizing circuit means, said blocking means operable for blocking said energizing circuit means during any period of decreasing current in said relay solenoid, said solenoid being energized only when said normal light switch is in an on position.

4. The automatic headlight switch of claim 2 wherein:

said de-energizing circuit means includes an enable gate having an enable input and a signal input, said enable input being coupled to said ignition switch, said enable gate having an output coupled to an input of said timer means.

5. The automatic headlight switch of claim 3 wherein:

said energizing circuit means includes an enable gate having an enable input and a signal input, said enable input being coupled to said normal light switch and said signal input being coupled to said blocking circuit means, said enable gate having an output coupled to one input of a flip-flop circuit means, said flip-flop circuit means having a set and a re-set state, the output of said set state being coupled to said relay solenoid for energization thereof and the output of said re-set state being coupled to said timer means for controlling its output.

6. In a vehicle having lights therein powered by a battery through a normal light switch and an ignition switch connecting the battery to a vehicle ignition system, an automatic headlight switch system comprising:

a relay having a solenoid and first and second contacts thereof, said relay operative for shorting said first and second contacts upon energization of said solenoid, said first and second contacts being connected in serial relationship with said normal light switch and said vehicle battery;

energizing means coupled between said normal light switch and said relay solenoid, said energizing means operable for energizing said solenoid upon receiving a transient pulse produced by changing said normal light switch from an off position to an on position;

blocking means coupled between said relay solenoid and said energizing means, said blocking means operable for blocking said energizing means during any period of decreasing current in said relay solenoid; and

de-energizing means coupled between said ignition switch and said relay solenoid, said de-energizing means being operable for de-energizing said relay solenoid after said ignition switch is switched to an off position, said de-energizing means including a timer operable for delaying the de-energizing of the relay solenoid a predetermined period after the ignition switch is turned off.

7. The automatic headlight switch system of claim 6 wherein:

said energizing means includes an enable gate having an enable input and a signal input, said signal input being coupled to said relay solenoid and said enable input being coupled to said normal light switch, said enable gate having an output coupled to said energizing means for energizing the solenoid.

8. The automatic headlight switch system of claim 6 wherein:

said de-energizing means includes an enable gate having an enable input and a signal input, said enable input being coupled to said light switch and said signal input being connected to said ignition switch, said enable gate having an output coupled to an input of said timer.

9. In a vehicle having lights therein powered by a battery through a normal light switch and an ignition switch connecting the battery to the vehicle ignition system, an automatic headlight switch system comprising:

a relay having a solenoid and first and second contacts, said first and second contacts being connected in serial relationship with said light switch and said vehicle battery, whereby upon energization of said solenoid the firstand second contacts are connected;

energizing means coupled between said light switch and said solenoid, said energizing means operable for energizing said solenoid upon changing said light switch from an off position to an on position, said energizing means comprising a relay amplifier connected to said solenoid and a flip-flop connected to said amplifier and to said light switch;

and

de-energizing means coupled between said ignition switch and said solenoid, said de-energizing means being operable for de-energizing said solenoid after said ignition switch is switched from an on position to an off position;

said de-energizing means including a timer connected to said light switch and to said ignition switch and reset means connected to the timer and to the flip-flop operable for delaying resetting of the flip-flop and de-energization of the amplifier and the solenoid a predetermined period after the ignition switch is turned from an on position to an off position.

10. The automatic headlight switch system of claim 9 and further including:

blocking means coupled between said solenoid and said energizing means, said blocking means operable for blocking said energizing means during any period of decreasing current in said relay solenoid.

11. The automatic headlight switch of claim 10 wherein:

said energizing means includes an enable gate having an enable input and a signal input, said enable input being coupled to said solenoid and said signal input being coupled to said light switch, said enable gate having an output coupled to said energizing means for blocking said energizing means during decreasing current in said solenoid.

13. Automatic headlight control apparatus having lights, a light switch, an ignition switch, and a power source and conductor between the power source and the lights and interrupter means having first and second conditions respectively for selectively completing and interrupting the conductor,

the improvement comprising first activating means connected to the power source and the interrupter means for actuating the interrupter means, the activating means including flip-flop means connected to the interrupter means and sensing means connected to the flip-flop means and to the light switch for changing the flip-flop means and changing the interrupter means from the second condition to the first condition, when the light switch is turned from an off position to an on position,

second activating means connected to the light switch and to the ignition switch and including a timer means on a reset means connected to the flip-flop means for starting the timer means upon turning the ignition switch from an on position to an off position when the light switch is in an on position or upon turning the light switch from an off position to an on position when the ignition switch is in the off position and for resetting the flip-flop means when the timer means has timed a predetermined period and thereupon changing state of the flip-flop means and changing the interrupter means to the second condition for turning the lights off after the predetermined period.

12. The automatic headlight switch of claim 13 wherein:

said de-energizing means includes a timer enable gate having inputs respectively connected to the light switch and the ignition switch, said enable gate having an output coupled to an input of said timer.

14. The automatic headlight control apparatus of claim 13 and further including:

blocking means coupled between said interrupter means and said first activating means, said blocking means operable for blocking said first activating means during any period of change in said interrupter means.

15. The automatic headlight control apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

said first activating means includes an enable gate having an enable input and a signal input, said enable input being coupled to said interrupter means and said signal input being coupled to said light switch, said enable gate having an output coupled to said flip-flop means for preventing change thereof upon operation of the interrupter means.

16. The automatic headlight control apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

said second actuating means includes an enable gate having first and second inputs, said first input being coupled to said light switch and said second input being connected to said ignition switch, said enable gate having an output coupled to said timer means.

17. The automatic headlight control apparatus of claim 13 wherein the sensing means includes pulsing means.