Lane changer apparatus

• US 5,739,491 A
• Filed: 03/25/1996
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oliver J. Crosson Jr
• Original Assignee: Oliver J. Crosson Jr
• Inventors: Crosson, Oliver J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Rajnikant B.
• Application Number:
  US08/622,577
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 200/6 R, 200/61.27, 200/61.34, 200/61.39, 200/61.54, 200/61.35
• US Class Current: 200/61.54
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1461 Multifunction switches for dimming headlights and controlling additional devices, e.g. for controlling direction indicating lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1484 mounted on the steering wheel

Abstract

A lane changer apparatus (10) in a motor vehicle (12) comprising a structure (14) built into a steering wheel (16) on a steering column (18) in the motor vehicle (12), for activating left turn signal lights on the motor vehicle (12). The left turn activating structure (14) is accessible to a left thumb on a left hand of a driver of the motor vehicle (12). Another structure (20) is also built into the steering wheel (16) on the steering column (18) in the motor vehicle (12), for activating right turn signal lights on the motor vehicle (12). The right turn activating structure (20) is accessible to a right thumb on a right hand of the driver of the motor vehicle (12), so as to enable the eyes of the driver to be free to look quickly into all mirrors (22) in the motor vehicle (12) and see if any other motor vehicles are nearby when changing lanes.

Claims

1. A lane changer apparatus in a motor vehicle comprising:

a) means built into and rotatable with a steering wheel on a steering column in the motor vehicle, for activating left turn signal lights on the motor vehicle accessible to a left thumb on a left hand of a driver of the motor vehicle as said steering wheel is being turned, said left turn activating means comprising a left turn switch assembly which includes a left flange member extending from a left side of a hub pad on the steering wheel, a left stationary contact plate mounted within said left flange member electrically connected to a left turn wire within the steering column, a left movable contact pin unit positioned over said left stationary contact plate, and a left button positioned over said left movable contact pin unit so that when said left button is depressed by the left thumb of the driver the left movable contact pin unit will engage with said left stationary contact plate to close a left turn electrical circuit to cause the left turn signal lights to flash; and

b) means built into and rotatable with the steering wheel on the steering column in the motor vehicle, for activating right turn signal lights on the motor vehicle accessible to a right thumb on a right hand of the driver of the motor vehicle as said steering wheel is being turned, said right turn activating means comprising a right lane change signal button switch assembly which includes a right flange member extending from a right side of the hub pad on the steering wheel, a right stationary contact plate mounted within said right flange member electrically connected to a right turn wire within the steering column, a right movable contact pin unit positioned over said right stationary contact plate, and a right button positioned over said right movable contact pin unit so that when said right button is depressed by the right thumb of the driver said right movable contact pin unit will engage with said right stationary contact plate to close a right turn electrical circuit to cause the right turn signal lights to flash.

2. A lane change apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said left movable contact pin unit includes a left belleville spring located against a bottom surface of said left button, so that when said left button is released by the left thumb of the driver, said left belleville spring will cause said left button to return to its original position in said left flange member, to allow said left movable contact pin unit to disengage away from said left stationary contact plate to open the left turn electrical circuit.

3. A lane changer apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said left button includes indicia thereon to indicate to the driver that said left button is for a left turn signal.

4. A lane changer apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said right movable contact pin unit includes a right belleville spring located against a bottom surface of said right button, so that when said right button is released by the right thumb of the driver, said right belleville spring will cause said right button to return to its original position in said right flange member, to allow said right movable contact pin unit to disengage away from said right stationary contact plate to open the right turn electrical circuit.

5. A lane change apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said right button includes indicia thereon to indicate to the driver that said right button is for a right turn signal.