Attachment to traffic light apparatus for visual indication of traffic light duration

• US 6,175,313 B1
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yefim Berezovsky
• Original Assignee: Yefim Berezovsky
• Inventors: Berezovsky, Yefim
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/300,875
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 340/929, 340/907, 340/944, 340/908, 340/930
• US Class Current: 340/929
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096 provided with indicators in which a mark progresses showing the time elapsed, e.g. of green phase

Abstract

The device of the invention comprises an attachment to a conventional traffic light and is connected to its side wall for visually indicating the duration of the time remaining till switching of the current green, yellow, or red light in proportion to the dimension of the illuminated portion of the indicator. In accordance with one embodiment, the device is made in the form of a housing with a rotating drum which is divided into three sections by nontransparent partitions, each containing an individual lamp. The cylindrical surface which defines the periphery of each section of the drum has a transparent portion in the form of a wedge. When the drum rotates, the lit sector is shown in the window of the device so that during rotation of the drum, the dimensions of the lit portion of the drum shown through the window decrease proportionally to the remaining part of the current traffic light signal. Other embodiments have visual displays in the form of a plurality of gas-discharge lamps arranged side by side and switched on and off in a predetermine sequence, in the form of serpentine lamps of triangular configuration, in the form of vertical rectangular stripes of variable width, etc.

Claims

1. An attachment to a traffic light apparatus for visual indication of current traffic light signal duration comprising:

a stationary housing which contains display means for reproducing a visual image with the surface area being reduced substantially in proportion with the time remaining till switching of said current traffic light signal to another traffic light signal;

wherein said housing has a window seen simultaneously with said current traffic light signal, and wherein said display means comprises;

a drum having a hub portion, a cylindrical peripheral surface, and radial nontransparent partitions which divide the interior of said drum at least into two angular sectors;

means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing;

illumination means attached to a stationary part of said stationary housing so that said illumination means remains stationary as said drum rotates;

said angular sectors having peripheral surfaces formed by portions of said cylindrical peripheral surface, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having transparent portions of different colors corresponding to the colors of said traffic light signals, said visual image being formed by said transparent portions and is illuminated by said illumination means; and

means for rotating said drum so that said visual image is seen through said window with the surface area gradually decreasing substantially in proportion with the time remaining till switching of said current traffic light signal to the next traffic light signal, so that at the moment of switching of said current traffic light signal said surface area of said visual image becomes equal to zero while the visual image of a color corresponding to the next traffic signal appears in said window in its full size.

2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said visual image has the same color as said current traffic light signal.

3. The attachment of claim 2, wherein said housing has a window seen simultaneously with said current traffic light signal, and wherein said display means comprises:

a drum having a hub portion, a cylindrical peripheral surface, and radial nontransparent partitions which divide the interior of said drum at least into two angular sectors;

means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing;

individual illumination means in each said angular sector attached to said drum for rotating therewith;

said angular sectors having peripheral surfaces formed by portions of said cylindrical peripheral surface, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having transparent portions of different colors corresponding to the colors of said traffic light signals, said visual image being formed by said transparent portions and are illuminated by said illumination means;

means for switching said individual illumination means on and off in synchronism with switching of said traffic light signals; and

means for rotating said drum so that said visual image is seen through said window with the surface area gradually decreasing substantially in proportion with the time remaining till switching of said current traffic light signal to the next traffic light signal, so that at the moment of switching of said current traffic light signal to the next traffic light signal said surface area of said visual image becomes equal to zero while the visual image of color corresponding to the next traffic signal appears in said window in its full size.

4. The attachment of claim 3, wherein said means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing comprises a stationary shaft attached to said housing and rotatingly supporting said hub;

said means for rotating said drum comprising an electric motor of a constant speed, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having angular lengths proportional to the duration of traffic light signals the color of which corresponds to the colors of respective visual displays.

5. The attachment of claim 4, where said drum is divided by said nontransparent partitions into three angular sectors, said attachment further comprising an electric circuit having a main power supply with a first terminal and a second terminal;

said electric motor having an output shaft which rigidly supports said hub and five current collectors, three of which are connected to said first terminal of said main power supply by individual conductors each of which is connected to one of said individual illumination means, the fourth current collector being connected to said three current collectors and to said second terminals of said main power supply and a fifth current collector being constantly connected to said first terminal and said individual illumination means, the angular length of said three current collectors being proportional to the angular length of said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors and to the duration of traffic light signals the color of which corresponds to the colors of respective visual displays.

6. The attachment of claim 5, wherein said visual image has a triangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated triangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

7. The attachment of claim 5, wherein said visual image has a rectangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated rectangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

8. The attachment of claim 3, wherein said means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing comprises a stationary shaft attached to said housing and rotatingly supporting said hub;

said means for rotating said drum comprising an electric stepper motor.

9. The attachment of claim 8, further comprising a control circuit comprising:

a power supply unit, an output of which is connected to said pulse motor;

a controller for controlling operation of said power supply unit, an output of said controller being connected to said power supply unit; and

a main traffic controller which controls operation of said attachment in synchronism with the operation of said traffic light apparatus.

10. The attachment of claim 9, further comprising an electric circuit having a main power supply with a first terminal and a second terminal;

said electric motor having an output shaft which rigidly supports said hub and five current collectors, three of which are connected to said first terminal of said main power supply by individual conductors each of which is connected to one of said individual illumination means, the fourth current collector being connected to said three current collectors and to said second terminals of said main power supply and a fifth current collector being constantly connected to said first terminal and said individual illumination means, the speed of rotation of said electric motor being controlled by pulses generated by said power supply unit.

11. The attachment of claim 3, wherein each said individual illumination means comprise gas-discharge lamps in a serpentine form corresponding to said visual image formed by said transparent portions.

12. The attachment of claim 11, wherein said visual image has a triangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated triangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

13. The attachment of claim 11 wherein said visual image has a rectangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated rectangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

14. The attachment of claim 11, further provided with a control circuit comprising:

a main power supply having a first terminal and a second terminal;

a continuous conductive ring on one end face of said drum;

a current collector which is in constant sliding electric contact with said continuous conductive ring and which is constantly connected to said first terminal;

at least two arch-shaped conductive elements on the other end face of said drum;

a second current collector in a constant sliding contact with said other end face of said drum on the path of said at least two arch-shaped conductive elements, each said arch-shaped conductive element being connected to one of said gas-discharge lamps so that when said second current collector is in contact with one of said arch-shaped conductive element, the lamp which is connected to said arch-shaped conductive element is illuminated.

15. The attachment of claim 2, wherein said housing has a vertically arranged window seen simultaneously with said current traffic light signal, and wherein said display means comprises:

a vertically arranged drum having a hub portion, a cylindrical peripheral surface, and radial nontransparent partitions which divide the interior of said drum at least into two angular sectors;

means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing;

individual illumination means in each said angular sector attached to said drum for rotating therewith;

said angular sectors having peripheral surfaces formed by portions of said cylindrical peripheral surface, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having transparent portions of different colors corresponding to the colors of said traffic light signals, said visual image being formed by said transparent portions and are illuminated by said illumination means;

means for switching said individual illumination means on and off in synchronism with switching of said traffic light signals; and

means for rotating said drum so that said visual image is seen through said window with the surface area gradually decreasing substantially in proportion with the time remaining till switching of said current traffic light signal to the next traffic light signal, so that at the moment of switching of said current traffic light signal to the next traffic light signal said surface area of said visual image becomes equal to zero while the visual image of color corresponding to the next traffic signal appears in said window in its full size, said means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing comprising a stationary shaft attached to said housing and rotatingly supporting said hub;

said means for rotating said drum comprising an electric motor of a constant speed, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having angular lengths proportional to the duration of traffic light signals the color of which corresponds to the colors of respective visual displays.

16. The attachment of claim 15, where said nontransparent partitions divide said rotating drum into three angular sectors, said attachment further comprising an electric circuit having a main power supply with a first terminal and a second terminal;

said electric motor having an output shaft which rigidly supports said hub and five current collectors, three of which are connected to said first terminal of said main power supply by individual conductors each of which is connected to one of said individual illumination means, the fourth current collector being connected to said three current collectors and to said second terminals of said main power supply and a fifth current collector being constantly connected to said first terminal and said individual illumination means, the angular length of said three current collectors being proportional to the angular length of said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors and to the duration of traffic light signals the colors of which corresponds to the colors of respective visual displays.

17. The attachment of claim 16, wherein said visual image has a triangular shape so that, as the drum rotates, an illuminated triangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

18. The attachment of claim 16, wherein said visual image has a rectangular shape so that, as the drum rotates, an illuminated rectangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

19. The attachment of claim 2, wherein said display means is divided at least into two sections, each said section comprising a plurality of tubular lamps arranged side by side and separated by nontransparent partitions, each said section is covered by a transparent colored medium having colors corresponding to the colors of said traffic light signals, said attachment having a control circuit comprising:

a main power supply having a first terminal and a second terminal;

each said tubular lamp being constantly connected to said first terminal;

individual switching means for connecting said lamps to said second terminal;

a controller for controlling operation of said individual switching means;

a central processing unit connected to said controller; and

a main traffic controller for synchronization of switching of said display means with switching of said traffic light signals.

20. The attachment of claim 19, wherein said traffic light apparatus has four sides a rectangular cross section with four comers and has at least three different traffic light signals on each side, said display means comprising panels, two said panels being connected back to back to form two-sided display panels;

each such two-sided display panel being installed on each corner of said rectangular cross section in a radial outward direction so as not to block the view of said traffic signals and to be seen simultaneously with said traffic light signals.

21. The attachment of claim 1, wherein each said partitions has an openings for passage of said illumination means during rotation of said drum.

22. The attachment of claim 21, wherein said means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing comprises a stationary shaft attached to said housing and rotatingly supporting said hub and rigidly supporting said illumination means;

said means for rotating said drum comprising an electric motor of a constant speed, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having angular lengths proportional to the duration of traffic light signals the colors of which correspond to the colors of respective visual displays.

23. The attachment of claim 22, wherein said visual image has a triangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated triangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

24. The attachment of claim 22, wherein said visual image has a rectangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated rectangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

25. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said window and said drum are arranged in a vertical direction.

26. The attachment of claim 25, wherein said partitions having opening for passage of said illumination means during rotation of said drum, said means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing comprising a stationary shaft attached to said housing and rotatingly supporting said hub and rigidly supporting said illumination means;

said means for rotating said drum comprising an electric motor of a constant speed, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having angular lengths proportional to the duration of traffic light signals the color of which corresponds to the colors of respective visual displays.

27. The attachment of claim 26, wherein said visual image has a triangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated triangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

28. The attachment of claim 26, wherein said visual image has a rectangular shape so that as the drum rotates an illuminated rectangular figure of the same color as the current traffic light signal is seen through said window.

29. The attachment of claim 28, wherein said means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing comprises a stationary shaft attached to said housing and rotatingly supporting said hub;

said means for rotating said drum comprising an electric stepper motor.

30. The attachment of claim 29, further comprising a control circuit comprising:

a power supply unit, an output of which is connected to said pulse motor;

a controller for controlling operation of said power supply unit, an output of said controller being connected to said power supply unit;

a main traffic controller which controls operation of said attachment in synchronism with the operation of said traffic light apparatus.

31. The attachment of claim 30, further comprising an electric circuit having a main power supply with a first terminal and a second terminal;

said electric motor having an output shaft which rigidly supports said hub and five current collectors, three of which are connected to said first terminal of said main power supply by individual conductors each of which is connected to one of said individual illumination means, the fourth current collector being connected to said three current collectors and to said second terminals of said main power supply and a fifth current collector being constantly connected to said first terminal and said individual illumination means, the speed of rotation of said electric motor being controlled by pulses generated by said power supply unit.