Variable color warning light

• US 5,260,686 A
• Filed: 08/11/1992
• Issued: 11/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yu-Chi Kuo
• Original Assignee: Yu-Chi Kuo
• Inventors: Kuo, Yu-Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oda, Christine K.
• Application Number:
  US07/928,942
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 340/479, 340/464, 340/467, 340/438, 307/10.8, 116/35 R, 116/202, 40/581, 40/591, 40/547, 362/32
• US Class Current: 340/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298

Abstract

A casing includes a display side which is provided with a plurality of through holes that form a predetermined pattern. A light generating unit is disposed in the casing, and a light receiving unit is spaced from the light generating unit. The light receiving unit includes a mounting plate, a plurality of optical fiber bundles and a motor. Each of the optical fiber bundles has a first end fixed onto the mounting plate and a second end fixed in a respective one of the through holes in the display side. The motor rotatably carries a transparent circular disc and is mounted to the mounting plate. The transparent circular disc has different colored regions.

Claims

1. A warning light operated by a brake pedal, comprising:

an opaque casing having a display side formed with a plurality of through holes arranged in a predetermined pattern of a plurality of spaced parallel rows;

a light generating unit mounted in said casing emitting light rays when the brake pedal is operated; and

a light receiving unit spaced from said light generating unit, said light receiving unit including a mounting plate having a radial sector shaped opening formed therein to receive said light rays from said light generating unit, said sector shaped opening formed by spaced upper and lower lines which subtend the same angle relative to a point on said mounting plate and straight lines joining the ends of said upper and lower lines;

a plurality of optical fiber bundles, each of said bundles having a first end fixed in said sector shaped opening and a second end fixed in one of said through holes of said casing, said first end of each of said bundles in said sector shaped opening arranged in a plurality of radial rows relative to said mounting plate point, the second end of each of said bundles arranged in a corresponding one of said plurality of spaced parallel rows of the through holes with the disposition of the radial rows of said first end of each of said bundles corresponding to one of a left to right, top to bottom, bottom to top and end to middle sequences of the plurality of spaced parallel rows of said through holes;

a rotating drive unit mounted on said mounting plate; and

a transparent circular plate having radial sectors of different colors rotatably driven by said rotating drive unit mounted between said light generating unit and said first end of each of said plurality of bundles in said sector shaped opening such that said light rays from said light generating unit pass through said rotatably driven circular plate before being received by said first end of each of said plurality of optical fiber bundles.