Rotatable warning light assembly

• US 5,160,874 A
• Filed: 01/28/1991
• Issued: 11/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Whelen Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Stopa, James L., Lyons, Harold W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US07/647,581
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 318/467, 318/468, 318/64, 318/599, 318/254, 318/268, 318/439, 318/138, 318/778, 318/779, 318/780, 318/798-812, 362/74, 362/240, 362/249, 362/219, 340/468, 340/471, 340/472, 340/474, 340/478, 388/811, 388/814, 388/819
• US Class Current: 318/268
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle

Abstract

A modular-type lightbar assembly has an elongated base having a bottom panel and a pair of oblique integrally extending front and rear sides. Lens elements are mounted to the base and a cover by lock and groove-type connections. Warning beacon units are mounted to platforms supported on base. The beacon units rotate for sequentially directing light through the front and rear lens elements. The beacon units have an efficient integral base which mounts the rotating beacon and a brush assembly for the motor. An electronic controller is employed to apply a pulse width modulated current to the beacon motor so that a fast and slow motor speed may be selected.

Claims

1. A rotatable warning light assembly comprising:

light generator means, said light generator means including a rotatable reflector and a light source, said light source being supported from said reflector for rotation therewith;

coupling means for delivering electrical and mechanical energy to said light generator means, said coupling means including a drive gear and a pair of electrically conductive slip rings, said coupling means being mechanically connected to said reflector whereby the application of a rotational force to said coupling means will cause rotation of said reflector and light source, said drive gear and slip rings being mounted coaxially and said slip rings being electrically isolated from one another, said coupling means further comprising means electrically connecting said slip rings to said light source;

unitary base means for supporting said light generator means, said base means including spindle means for defining an axis of rotation of said reflector and coupling means, said coupling means being rotatably engaged by said spindle means and being coaxial therewith, said base means also including a pair of spacially displaced brush holders, said brush holders being respectively juxtapositioned to a said slip ring of said coupling means, said base means further including means for supporting a motor;

motor means, said motor means comprising an electrical drive motor mounted on said motor supporting means, said motor having a rotatable output shaft;

means for converting rotation of said motor output shaft to rotation of said coupling means drive gear about the axis of said spindle means, said translating means including a worm gear driven by said motor output shaft, said worm gear engaging said coupling means drive gear; and

brush means disposed in each of said base means brush holders, said brush means being resiliently biased against respective of said slip rings whereby electrical current may be supplied to said light source via said brush means and slip rings.

2. The warning light assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

controller means for said motor and said light source, said controller means including;

first circuit means connectable to a source of electrical power to supplying a substantially constant voltage to said lamp;

selector means for providing command signals commensurate with a fast or slow speed of said motor;

modulator means responsive to command signals provided by said selector means for generating a series of pulses when the slow speed is selected; and

second circuit means connectable to the source of electrical power and to said motor and responsive to said modulator means generated pulses for applying a substantially constant voltage to said motor when the fast speed is selected and for applying a pulse width modulated voltage having a maximum amplitude substantially equal to said constant voltage when the slow speed is selected.

3. The beacon assembly of claim 2 wherein said modulator means comprises a timer, said timer generating pulses, and wherein said second circuit means comprises a first solid state switch for modulating the current delivered to said motor means.

4. The beam assembly of claim 3 wherein said modulator means further comprises a second solid state switch responsive to the pulses provided by said timer, said second switch being connected to said first switch means to cause the periodic closing of said first switch means.

5. The beacon assembly of claim 4 further comprising adjustment means for implementing a pre-established pulse width for the pulses generated by said modulator means.

6. The beacon assembly of claim 5 wherein said disabling means comprises an opto-coupler including a photo-emitter and a phototransistor.

7. The warning light of claim 1 wherein said coupling means drive gear and slip rings are located in longitudinally displaced planes which are transverse to said spindle means axis and wherein the height of said brush holders is commensurate with the longitudinal location of the associated slip ring.

8. The warning light of claim 1 wherein said motor output shaft is oriented generally transversely with respect to the axis of said spindle means.

9. The warning light of claim 7 wherein said motor output shaft is oriented generally transversely with respect to the axis of said spindle means.

10. The warning light of claim 9 further comprising:

means electrically connecting said motor means and said brush means to a source of electrical power.

11. The warning light of claim 10 wherein said means for electrically connecting said motor and brushes to a source of electrical power comprises:

controller means, said controller means including;

first circuit means for respectively connecting said brush means to opposite polarity terminals of a direct current source;

selector means for providing command signals commensurate with a fast or slow speed of said motor;

modulator means responsive to command signals provided by said selector means for generating a series of pulses when the slow speed is selected; and

switch means connected between said motor and a first polarity terminal of the direct current source, said switch means being responsive to the pulses generated by said modulator means for supplying a first voltage from the direct current source to said motor means when the fast speed is selected and for applying a pulse width modulated voltage having a maximum amplitude substantially equal to said first voltage to said motor when the slow speed is selected.