Signalling means
First Claim
1. A signalling device (1, 11) comprising;
- visible signal means (8;
13,
15) for producing a visible signal; and
at least one chargeable means (7, C3) for charging to a degree determined by the length of time that light from a passing vehicle headlight illuminates said at least one chargeable means, and for activating said visible signal means (8;
13,
15) for a period of time determined by the degree to which said at least one chargeable means has been charged by said headlight illumination, after said headlight has ceased to illuminate said at least one chargeable means (7, C3) and until said at least one chargeable means (7, C3) has discharged.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to signalling, particularly road signalling, means. A considerable variety of illuminated and reflective signalling means are known to give advice to the driver of a particular vehicle and of great value to the driver of a vehicle during the hours of darkness on unlit roads or in inclement weather where mist and fog shroud a road. Such known signalling means cannot satisfy the important need to give advice to a driver of a vehicle of the presence of another vehicle closely ahead, and which is of particular importance in misty or foggy conditions. The primary objective of the invention is to provide a signalling means that can satisfy this requirement, which objective is met by a construction comprising at least one means (7, C3) able to be charged by light from a vehicle headlight, and a visible signal means (8; 13, 15) connected to and activated by said chargeable means (7, C3), and whereby on being charged, said chargeable means (7, C3) activates said signal means (8; 13, 15) for a discrete period of time after said headlight has ceased to illuminate said chargeable means (7, C3) and until said chargeable means (7, C3) has discharged. As a result, a trail of signals is permanently provided behind a lead vehicle to give warning to a vehicle behind of its presence and to a distance that constitutes a safe braking distance.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A signalling device (1, 11) comprising;
- visible signal means (8;
13,
15) for producing a visible signal; and
at least one chargeable means (7, C3) for charging to a degree determined by the length of time that light from a passing vehicle headlight illuminates said at least one chargeable means, and for activating said visible signal means (8;
13,
15) for a period of time determined by the degree to which said at least one chargeable means has been charged by said headlight illumination, after said headlight has ceased to illuminate said at least one chargeable means (7, C3) and until said at least one chargeable means (7, C3) has discharged. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
- visible signal means (8;
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11. A signalling device (1, 11) comprising:
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comprising a first and a second visible signal means, visible signal means (8;
13,
15) for producing a visible signal; and
at least one chargeable means (7, C3) for charging to a degree determined by the length of time that light from a passing vehicle headlight illuminates said at least one chargeable means, and for activating said visible signal means (8;
13,
15) for a period of time determined by the degree to which said at least one chargeable means has been charged by said headlight illumination, after said headlight has ceased to illuminate said at least one chargeable means (7, C3) and until said at least one chargeable means (7, C3) has discharged,a detector means (VR1) for sensing the presence of light from the vehicle headlight being directed at the signalling device, the arrangement being such that when the detector means (VR1) ceases to detect light from the vehicle headlight, energy from the chargeable means (7, C3) is passed to a second chargeable means (C2) from where it is passed to said visible signal means (8;
13,
15), to maintain a signal on the signalling device until said chargeable means (C3) has been discharged,and further chargeable means (C1) is provided for electrical energy from photoresponsive cells (7) being simultaneously directed to said further chargeable means (C1) at a slow rate, additional to energy being passed to said chargeable means (C3) during the period that the detector means (VR1) senses the presence of said vehicle headlight directed at said signalling device, and when the detector means (VR1) ceases to detect light, energy from said chargeable means (C3) is passed to the second chargeable means (C1) from where it is passed to said first visible signal means (8;
13,
15) at one, higher rate, whilst energy from the further chargeable means (C1) is passed to said second visible signal means (8;
13,
15) at a second lower rate, each of said visible signal means and second visible signal means being of a different color to be combined to emit a required output color from the signalling device.
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13. A signalling device comprising:
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visible signal means for producing visible signals; chargeable means for charging to a degree determined by a length of time that a light from a passing vehicle headlight illuminates said chargeable means and for activating said visible signal means for a period of time determined by the degree to which said chargeable means has been charged by said headlight illumination, after said headlight has ceased to illuminate said chargeable means and until said chargeable means has discharged, wherein said visible signal means is provided by a reflective plate (15) overlaid by a liquid crystal blanking plate (13) that is rendered transparent or opaque by the presence or absence of a charge on said chargeable means (7, C3). - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification