Vehicle turn signal

• US 5,438,314 A
• Filed: 03/31/1993
• Issued: 08/01/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Partners In Innovation, LLC
• Original Assignee: Harold A. Evans
• Inventors: Evans, Harold A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US08/040,413
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425, 340/426, 340/477, 340/478, 340/468, 340/309.15, 200/61.27, 200/61.32
• US Class Current: 340/477
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/343 Manually actuated switching arrangements therefor hand actuated multifunction switches B60Q1/1461; B60Q1/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/382 Electronic temporisation with semiconductor amplification
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights

Abstract

A directional indicator system for vehicles such as automobiles comprises a flasher unit and left hand and right hand marker lamps positioned on the vehicle. The flasher unit causes current to pulse through the marker lamps so that the marker lamps flash. Transmission of current to the marker lamps from the flasher unit is controlled by a timer circuit. The timer circuit includes switches that enables selection of one of the left hand and right hand marker lamps and then provide current to the selected left hand or right hand marker lamps for a predetermined duration. A plurality of timers can be provided and a plurality of time durations can be selected. The system can further comprise a complete turn shut-off switch that prematurely ends the operating duration of the timer circuit when a turn of sufficient radius is completed.

Claims

1. A directional indicator system for vehicles comprising:

a flasher unit;

left hand marker lamps;

right hand marker lamps;

a first timer interconnected between the left hand marker lamps and the flasher unit and a second timer interconnected between the right hand marker lamps and the flasher unit, each of the first timer and the second timer being individually operated by a switch and the first timer and second timer each operating for a first predetermined time when operated by the switch, the flasher unit causing one of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps to flash when one of the first timer and the second timer, respectively, is operated; and

a third timer and a fourth timer interconnected with each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps, respectively, the third timer and the fourth timer operating for a second predetermined time that is longer than the first predetermined time.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising switches for operating the third timer and fourth timer.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of the switches for operating the first timer, second timer, third timer and fourth timer are located on a vehicle steering wheel hub proximate a gripping area of the steering wheel.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the switches for operating the first timer and second timer are located on a vehicle steering wheel hub proximate a gripping area of the steering wheel.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a cutoff switch that deactivates each of the first timer and second timer in response to a movement of a vehicle steering wheel from a turning position to a neutral position.

6. A directional indicator system for vehicles comprising:

a flasher unit;

left hand marker lamps;

right hand marker lamps; and

a timer circuit and a control switch circuit interconnected with each of the flasher unit, the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps, the control switch circuit and the timer circuit having a first discrete setting that enables operation of the timer circuit for a first predetermined time and a second discrete setting that enables operation of the timer circuit for a second predetermined time constructed and arranged so that selective operation of the control switch circuit causes the timer circuit to selectively operate one of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps to flash in response to the flasher unit for one of the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time that is longer than the first predetermined time, respectively.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the timer circuit comprises a first pair of timers each interconnected with each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps, respectively, and the switch circuit comprises a first pair of switches interconnected with each of the first pair of timers, respectively, each of the first pair of switches operating a respective of the first pair of timers.

8. The system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a steering wheel hub and the control switch circuit comprising a pair of switches, each of the switches being located on each of opposing sides of the steering wheel hub.

9. The system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a steering column and a turn signal control stalk pivotally mounted to the steering column, the switch circuit being located adjacent the control stalk so that pivotal movement of the control stalk selectively operates each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps.

10. The system as set forth in claim 8 wherein the control switch circuit comprises a pair of switches and wherein the timer circuit comprises a pair of respective timers that each operate in response to operation of each of the respective switches and further comprising a completed turn cutoff switch that deactivates each of the pair of timers so that each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps cease flashing in response to movement of a vehicle steering wheel from a turning position to a neutral, straight steering position.

11. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the control switch circuit comprises a pair of switches and wherein the timer circuit comprises a pair of respective timers that each operate in response to operation of each of the respective switches and further comprising a timer reset circuit constructed and arranged so that operating one of the pair of switches to operate a respective timer prematurely deactivates another of the pair of timers when the other of the pair of timers is operating.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of the pair of timers comprises a semiconductor circuit timer and wherein each of the pair of switches is interconnected between ground and a trigger on each of the timers, the trigger on each of the pair of timers being interconnected with a reset on the other of the pair of timers so that operation of a switch of a respective timer resets the other timer.

13. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the system is mounted in an automobile having at least four wheels and wherein the left hand marker lamps comprise front and rear left hand turn signal lamps and wherein the right hand marker lamps comprise front and rear right hand turn signal lamps.

14. The system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a steering wheel hub and wherein the control switch circuit comprises a pair of switches, the pair of switches being located on each of the opposing sides of the steering wheel hub, each of the switches further including illumination, the illumination being constructed and arranged to illuminate the switch for the predetermined time when the switch is operated.

15. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the control switch circuit includes at least two discrete contact points that are separably operable to operate the timer circuit to cause each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps to flash in response to the flasher unit, respectively, and further comprising a timer reset circuit constructed and arranged so that operating one of the contact points activates a flashing operation of one of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps and substantially deactivates a flashing operation of the other of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein the control switch circuit comprises a control stalk movable in each of a plurality of directions to selectively operate each of the contact points.

17. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein the control switch circuit comprises a pair of discrete switches each having one of the contact points therein.

18. A directional indicator system for vehicles comprising:

a flasher unit;

left hand marker lamps;

right hand marker lamps; and

a timer circuit and a control switch circuit interconnected with each of the flasher unit, the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps, the control switch circuit and the timer circuit being constructed and arranged so that operation of the control switch circuit causes the timer circuit to selectively operate one of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps to flash in response to the flasher unit for a first predetermined time, wherein the timer circuit comprises a first pair of timers each interconnected with each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps, respectively, and the switch circuit comprises a first pair of switches interconnected with each of the first pair of timers, respectively, each of the first pair of switches operating a respective of the first pair of timers and

a second pair of timers and a respective second pair of switches each interconnected with each of the second pair of timers, the second pair of timers each operating each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps respectively, to flash for a second predetermined time, the second pair of switches operating the second pair of timers.

19. A directional indicator system for vehicles comprising:

a flasher unit;

left hand marker lamps;

right hand marker lamps;

a timer circuit and a control switch circuit interconnected with each of the flasher unit, the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps, the control switch circuit and the timer circuit being constructed and arranged so that operation of the control switch circuit causes the timer circuit to selectively operate one of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps to flash in response to the flash unit for a first predetermined time, wherein the switch circuit comprises a first pair of switches interconnected with the timer circuit, each of the first pair of switches operating a respective of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps to flash in response to the flasher unit; and

a timer reset circuit constructed and arranged so that the timer circuit is deactivated by operating each of the pair of switches substantially simultaneously.

20. The system as set forth in claim 19 further comprising a completed turn cutoff switch that deactivates the timer circuit so that each of the left hand marker lamps and the right hand marker lamps cease flashing in response to movement of a vehicle steering wheel from a turning position to a neutral, straight steering, position.