Bright light indicator

• US 4,989,121 A
• Filed: 10/13/1989
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hall E L Bo
• Original Assignee: Hall E L Bo
• Inventors: Hall, E. L. Bo
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/421,339
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/80, 362/80.1, 362/277, 362/281, 362/282, 362/283, 362/284, 362/346, 350/97, 350/99, 350/102, 350/107, 340/470, 340/468, 340/471, 340/472, 340/463
• US Class Current: 362/540
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking

Abstract

A bright light indicator adapted for use with a first vehicle for providing a high beam indication when a second vehicle having headlights emitting light and traveling generally behind the first vehicle has the headlights in the high beam condition. The indicator includes reflective means which are mountable on the first vehicle and positioned for receiving light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and for reflecting the received light generally toward the second vehicle in an on position of the reflective means, the reflected light providing the high beam indication.

Claims

1. An indicator adapted for use with a first vehicle having an operator for providing a high beam indication when a second vehicle having headlights emitting light and traveling generally behind the first vehicle has the headlights in a high beam condition comprising:

reflective means mountable on the first vehicle and positionable for receiving light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and for reflecting the received light in a direction generally toward the second vehicle in an on condition of the reflective means, the light reflected from the reflective means providing the high beam indication; and

means for conditioning the reflective means in the on condition and for conditioning the reflective means in an off position, the reflective means not reflecting light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle in the off condition of the reflective means, said means having a portion positionable near the operator whereby said means is controllable by said operator for conditioning the reflective means in the ON or the OFF condition.

2. The indicator of claim 1 wherein the reflective means provides a pulsating high beam indication.

3. The indicator of claim 1 wherein the reflective means comprises:

a reflector support; and

a reflector having a reflective surface connected to the reflector support adapted to received light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and adapted to reflect the received light to provide the high beam indication when the reflector is aligned with the light emitted from the lights of the second vehicle.

4. The indicator of claim 3 wherein the reflective means further comprises:

means for alternately placing the reflector in general alignment with the light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and for placing the reflector in a non-aligned position with respect to the light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle.

5. The indicator of claim 1 wherein the reflective means comprises:

a reflector support;

means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support;

motor means connected to the means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support for rotating the reflector support in an on condition of the motor means;

a reflector connected to the reflector support having a reflective surface connected to the reflector support and adapted to receive light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and adapted to reflect the received light to provide the high beam indication;

a non-reflector which will substantially not reflect light, the non-reflector being connected to the reflector support;

a housing having a component space and a window formed through a portion of the housing, the reflector support, the means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support and the motor means each being disposed generally within the component space of the housing and positioned therein so that the nonreflector is generally aligned with the housing opening in the off condition of the motor means, the motor means rotatingly driving the reflector support in the on condition of the motor means to sequentially bring the reflector into alignment with the window and the non-reflector into alignment with the window, the reflector reflecting the light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and reflecting the received light to provide the high beam indication when the reflector is in alignment with the window in the housing.

6. The indicator of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is defined further as having a power supply and wherein the means for conditioning the reflective means in the ON condition and for conditioning the reflective means in the OFF position further comprises:

a cable connected to the motor means and to the power supply for providing operating power to the motor means when electrical continuity is established in the cable between the power supply and the motor means; and

a switch interposed in the cable having one position establishing electrical continuity between the power supply and the motor means and one other position interrupting electrical continuity between the power supply and the motor means, the switch being mountable generally near the operator of the first vehicle.

7. An indicator adapted for use with a first vehicle having an operator for providing a high beam indication when a second vehicle having headlights emitting light and traveling generally behind the first vehicle has the headlights in a high beam condition comprising:

reflective means mountable on the first vehicle and positionable for receiving light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and for reflecting the received light in a direction generally toward the second vehicle in an on condition of the reflective means, the light reflected from the reflective means providing the high beam indication; and

a reflector support;

means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support;

motor means connected to the means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support for rotating the reflector support in an on condition of the motor means;

a reflector connected to the reflector support having a reflective surface connected to the reflector support and adapted to receive light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and adapted to reflect the received light to provide the high beam indication;

a non-reflector which will substantially not reflect light, the non-reflector being connected to the reflector support; and

a housing having a component space and a window formed through a portion of the housing, the reflector support, the means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support and the motor means each being disposed generally within the component space of the housing and positioned therein so that the non-reflector is generally aligned with the housing opening in the off condition of the motor means, the motor means rotatingly driving the reflector support in the on condition of the motor means to sequentially bring the reflector into alignment with the window, the reflector reflecting the light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and reflecting the received light to provide the high beam indication when the reflector is in alignment with the window in the housing.

8. The indicator of claim 7 wherein the reflector is defined further as having a generally convex reflective surface.

9. The indicator of claim 7 wherein the reflector is defined further as having a generally concave reflective surface.

10. The indicator of claim 7 wherein the vehicle is defined further as having a power supply and wherein the indicator further comprises:

a cable connected to the motor means and to the power supply for providing operating power to the motor means when electrical continuity is established in the cable between the power supply and the motor means; and

a switch interposed in the cable having one position establishing electrical continuity between the power supply and the motor means and one other position interrupting electrical continuity between the power supply and the motor means, the switch being mountable generally near the operator of the first vehicle.

11. An indicator adapted for use with a first vehicle having an operator for providing a high beam indication when a second vehicle having headlights emitting light and traveling generally behind the first vehicle has the headlights in a high beam condition comprising:

reflective means mountable on the first vehicle and positionable for receiving light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and for reflecting the received light in a direction generally toward the second vehicle in an on condition of the reflective means, the light reflected from the reflective means providing the high beam indication;

comprising;

at least two reflectors, each reflector having a reflective surface support;

means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support;

motor means connected to the means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support for rotating the reflector support in an on condition of the motor means;

at least two reflectors, each reflector having a reflective surface connected to the reflector support and adapted to receive light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and adapted to reflect the received light to provide the high beam indication;

a non-reflector which will substantially not reflect light, the non-reflector being connected to the reflector support; and

a housing having a component space and a window formed through a portion of the housing, the reflector support, the means for rotatingly supporting the reflector support and the motor means each being disposed generally within the component space of the housing and positioned therein so that the non-reflector is generally aligned with the housing opening in the off condition of the motor means, the motor means rotatingly driving the reflector support in the on condition of the motor means to sequentially bring the reflectors into alignment with the window and the non-reflector into alignment with the window, the reflectors reflecting the light emitted from the headlights of the second vehicle and reflecting the received light to provide the high beam indication when the reflectors are in alignment with the window in the housing.

12. The indicator of claim 11 wherein the reflective surface of each reflector is defined further as being generally concave.

13. The indicator of claim 11 wherein the reflective surface of each reflector is defined further as being generally convex.

14. The indicator of claim 11 wherein the vehicle is defined further as having a power supply and wherein the indicator further comprises:

a cable connected to the motor means and to the power supply for providing operating power to the motor means when electrical continuity is established in the cable between the power supply and the motor means; and

a switch interposed in the cable having one position establishing electrical continuity between the power supply and the motor means and one other position interrupting electrical continuity between the power supply and the motor means, the switch being mountable generally near the operator of the first vehicle.