LED traffic light and method of manufacture and use thereof

• US 5,898,381 A
• Filed: 06/17/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patent Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Traffic Technology, Inc. (International Aerospace Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gartner, William J., Myers, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/877,526
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/908, 340/925, 340/944, 340/981, 340/982, 340/815.45, 340/815.65, 340/815.69, 362/231 R, 362/234, 362/252
• US Class Current: 340/815.65
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

LED traffic light 30 having a housing 39 that holds at least three different signal lights 32, 34, and 36. The three lights 32, 34, and 36 are each embedded in an opening 50 of housing 39. The LEDs for traffic signal lights 32, 34, and 36 are arranged in symbolic shapes (i.e. universal symbols or words) that further represent one of the traffic signals. Red signal light 32 has red LEDs 31 arranged in an octagon shape (i.e. stop sign shape), and yellow or amber signal light 34 has yellow LEDs 33 arranged in a triangle shape (i.e. caution sign shape). Green signal light 36 has green LEDs 35 arranged in a circular shape. The preferred embodiment is a single lens traffic light 40 having a housing 49 that provides at least three signal lights 42, 44, and 46. The three signal lights 42, 44, and 46 are all embedded in a single opening 50 of housing 49. The LEDs for signal lights 42, 44, and 46 are arranged in a generally common area that allows activation and display of one of the signal lights in a corresponding symbolic shape (i.e. universal symbol or words). Red signal light 42 has red LEDs 41 spread out and arranged in an octagon shape (i.e. stop sign shape). Green signal light 46 has green LEDs 45 spread out and arranged in a circular shape. In the areas which red signal light 42 and green signal light 46 commonly overlap, clusters of two LEDs (i.e. red LEDs 41 and green LEDs 45) exist. Yellow signal light 44 has yellow LEDs 43 spread out and arranged mounted in a triangle shape. In the areas which the three signal lights 42, 44, and 46 commonly overlap, clusters of three LEDs (i.e. red LEDs 41, yellow LEDs 43, and green LEDs 45) exist. Also, the principle of the single lens traffic light is not limited to an LED construction but can also be made from other suitable and appropriate colored lights or light sources.

Claims

1. A traffic light apparatus comprising:

a housing having at least one opening, and

at least three signal lights embedded into the at least one opening of the housing wherein each of the at least three signal lights are light emitting diodes arranged in a symbolic shape that is representative of one of the at least three signal light.

2. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one opening is at least three separate openings and wherein each of the at least three signal lights is correspondingly embedded into one of the at least three separate openings and each of the at least three signal lights comprises light emitting diodes that are arranged in the symbolic shape of a universal symbol.

3. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 2 wherein one of the at least three separate openings holds a red signal light formed by arranging and mounting red light emitting diodes in a universal stop sign shape.

4. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 2 wherein one of the at least three separate openings holds a yellow signal light formed by arranging and mounting yellow light emitting diodes in a universal caution sign shape.

5. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 2 wherein one of the at least three separate openings holds a green signal light formed by arranging and mounting green light emitting diodes in a universal proceed sign shape.

6. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one opening is one single opening and wherein the at least three signal lights are embedded into the one single opening of the housing and the at least three signal lights are formed by arranging the light emitting diodes in a generally common area of a circuit board mounted into the one single opening to allow activation and display of one of the signal lights in a symbolic shape of a universal symbol.

7. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one of the at least three signal lights is a red signal light formed by arranging and mounting red light emitting diodes in a universal stop sign shape.

8. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one of the at least three signal lights is a yellow signal light formed by arranging and mounting yellow light emitting diodes in a universal caution sign shape.

9. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one of the at least three signal lights is a green signal light formed by arranging and mounting green light emitting diodes in a universal proceed sign shape.

10. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 6 wherein some of the light emitting diodes are clustered together so that the at least three signal lights are located within a perimeter of the one single opening.

11. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a lens placed over each of the at least one openings for collecting light from the ligth emitting diodes of each of the at least three signal lights and focusing the light towards a viewer.

12. The traffic light apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a lens enclosure surrounding each of the at least one openings for directing light from the at least one opening towards a viewer.

13. A method of making a traffic light comprising the steps of:

providing a housing having at least one opening, and

embedding at least three signal lights into the at least one opening of the housing wherein each of the at least three signal lights are light emitting diodes arranged in a symbolic shape that is representative of one of the at least three signal light.

14. The method of making a traffic light according to claim 13:

wherein the providing step further comprises the step of providing a housing having at least three separate openings, and

wherein the method of making a traffic light further comprises the steps of correspondingly embedding each of the at least three signal lights into one of the at least three separate openings and arranging light emitting diodes in the symbolic shape of a universal symbol to provide each of the at least three signal lights.

15. The method of making a traffic light according to claim 13:

wherein the providing step further comprises the step of providing a housing having one single opening, and

wherein the method of making a traffic light further comprises the steps of embedding the at least three signal lights into the one single opening of the housing and forming the at least three signal lights by arranging the light emitting diodes in a generally common area of a circuit board mounted into the one single opening to allow activation and display of one of the signal lights in a symbolic shape of a universal symbol.

16. A method of using a traffic light comprising the steps of:

providing a traffic light with a housing having at least one opening and at least three signal lights embedded into the at least one opening of the housing wherein each of the at least three signal lights are light emitting diodes arranged in a symbolic shape that is representative of one of the at least three signal lights,

mounting the traffic light at a desired location,

coupling the traffic light to a power source,

attaching the traffic light to a control switch box to operate the traffic light, and

controlling each of the at least three signal lights in its corresponding symbolic shape at appropriate times by using the control switch box.

17. The method of using a traffic light according to claim 16:

wherein the providing step further comprises the step of providing a traffic light with a housing having at least three separate openings.

18. The method of using a traffic light according to claim 16:

wherein the providing step further comprises the step of providing a traffic light with a housing having one single opening.