Warning light

• US 5,193,895 A
• Filed: 01/17/1991
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakano, Mitsuhiko, Naruke, Naoki, Matsukawa, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US07/642,738
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 362/80, 362/83.3, 362/249, 362/252, 362/800, 362/103, 362/205, 362/184, 362/61, 362/80.1, 362/223
• US Class Current: 362/542
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/304 Adaptations of signalling devices having a part on the vehicle body and another on the boot door
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A plurality of chip-type light-emitting elements are mounted on a flexible printed circuit board, and a resin lens is provided in front of the light-emitting elements. A warning light further has, on the back side, a fixing member such as a double-sided adhesive tape and flexible magnetic sheet. The warning light having such a structure is typically installed on a side face, such as a fitting face, of a vehicle'"'"'s door, and is turned on/off by a switch which is made on/off in link motion with opening/closing of the door.

Claims

1. A warning light comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board;

a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged and mounted on the flexible printed circuit board;

a light-transmissive member provided at least in front of the light-emitting elements, said light-transmissive member being made of resin;

a body member for fixing said flexible printed circuit board within said body member and housing said light-transmissive member, said body member extending along the length of and retaining within a notch-like opening therein said flexible printed circuit board and said light transmissive member;

a fixing member provided on a back surface of said body member for fixing the warning light to a mounting surface with said warning light conforming to said mounting surface, said light-transmissive member having edge portions extending no further than corresponding outermost edge portions of said body member; and

a switch for turning on/off the light-emitting elements.

2. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmissive member is formed into a convex lens.

3. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein a back surface of the flexible printed circuit board is partially in contact with a bottom surface of said body member to form a space therebetween.

4. The warning light according to claim 1, further comprising a metal plate provided between the flexible printed circuit board and the fixing member.

5. The warning light according to claim 4, wherein a back surface of the metal plate is partially in contact with a bottom surface of said body member to form a space therebetween.

6. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmissive member has a sheet-like form, and is in close contact with the flexible printed circuit board and the light-emitting elements.

7. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting elements are of chip-type.

8. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a line.

9. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged at a constant interval.

10. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member comprises a double-sided adhesive tape.

11. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member comprises a magnetic sheet.

12. The warning light according to claim 1, further comprising a flashing circuit connected to the flexible printed circuit board, for flashing the light-emitting elements while the switch is made on.

13. The warning light according to claim 1, further comprising a battery connected to the flexible printed circuit board and the switch, and provided separately from a vehicle battery.

14. The warning light according to claim 15, wherein the switch turns on/off the light-emitting elements in link motion with opening/closing of a door of a vehicle.

15. The warning light according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member fixes the warning light to a side face of a door of a vehicle.

16. A warning light comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board;

a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged and mounted on the flexible printed circuit board;

a light-transmissive member provided at least in front of the light-emitting elements;

a bendable metal plate having a shape-holding function;

a fixing member provided on a back surface of the warning light, with said bendable metal plate disposed between said fixing member and said flexible printed circuit board, for fixing the warning light to a mounting surface with said warning light being bent to conform to said mounting surface; and

a switch for turning on/off the light-emitting elements.

17. The warning light according to claim 16, wherein the light-transmissive member is made of resin.

18. The warning light according to claim 17, wherein the light transmissive member is formed into a convex lens.

19. The warning light according to claim 16, further comprising a body member for fixing the flexible printed circuit board within the body member, and for housing the light-transmissive member.

20. The warning light according to claim 19, wherein the light-transmissive member is made of resin.

21. The warning light according to claim 20, wherein the light-transmissive member is formed into a convex lens.

22. The warning light according to claim 16, wherein the light-emitting elements are of a chip type.

23. The warning light according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a line.

24. The warning light according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged at a constant interval.

25. The warning light according to claim 16, wherein the fixing member comprises a double-sided adhesive tape.

26. The warning light according to claim 16, wherein the fixing member comprises a magnetic sheet.

27. The warning light according to claim 16, further comprising a flashing circuit connected to said circuit board flexible printed for flashing the light-emitting elements while the switch is turned on.

28. The warning light according to claim 16, further comprising a battery connected to the flexible printed circuit board and the switch, and provided separately from a vehicle battery.