Multi color and omni directional warning lamp

• US 6,844,824 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Star Headlight & Lantern Company Incorporated (Grote Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Star Headlight & Lantern Company Incorporated (Grote Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vukosic, Stephen T.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/253,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20030020627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.65, 340/815.4, 340/815.46, 340/815.45, 340/815.55, 362/800, 362/459, 362/35, 362/487
• US Class Current: 340/815.65
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/06 flashing, e.g. with rotating reflector or light source signalling lighting devices mounted on vehicles B60Q1/26
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/006 the substrate being distinct from the light source holder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/90 on two opposite sides of supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A warning lamp, provides multi status indication by being illuminated in selected ones of a plurality of colors or by flashing a selected color or colors sequentially. The lamp has a pair of printed circuit boards disposed, one in a base and another upstanding from the base along a central axis, extending midway through the upstanding board. Around the upstanding board and coaxial therewith is a lens which is mounted in assembled relationship with the boards and the base. The upstanding board has arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs), disposed along spaced lines which are parallel to the axis. The LEDs along different lines provide light of different color, for example, red, green and amber. The printed circuit boards provide a subassembly in which the bottom portion of the upstanding board and the other board are contained in a plastic casting disposed in a recess in the base. The boards carry circuits and circuit components which connect the arrays to leads which extend through the base and which carry current for each of the groups of lamps in the arrays so that they may be selectively illuminated or illuminated in sequence.

Claims

1. A warning lamp comprising a plurality of groups of light sources connected together, a power conductor, a plurality of independent control conductors respectively corresponding to said groups, a control circuit for connecting selectively each of said conductors to said power conductor, a processor in said control circuit responsive to the state of said control conductors for providing a programmed sequence of connections to said groups for selective powering of said groups.

2. The lamp according to claim 1 wherein said groups each comprise a series of LEDs.

3. The lamp according to claim 2 wherein the LEDs in said series are respectively sources of different colors.

4. A warning lamp which provides selective illumination comprising a support member, a plurality of interconnected groups of LED'"'"'s, each group emitting light of a selected color when energized so as to provide illumination in multiple colors, said groups being mounted on said member, a processor providing selective connections to each of said groups for selecting energization thereof continuously or sequentially, a plurality of independent control lines each corresponding to different ones of said colors connected to said processor for energizing said groups to provide illumination from said groups in different colors continuously or in sequence of colors.

5. The warning lamp of claim 4 wherein said groups each have a series connected string of LED'"'"'s.

6. The warning lamp of claim 4 wherein said LED'"'"'s in said groups are generally red emitting, yellow/amber emitting and green/blue emitting LED'"'"'s.

7. The lamp according to claim 5 wherein said LED'"'"'s in said groups are disposed longitudinally spaced from each other on opposite sides of a board supporting and connecting the LED'"'"'s of said groups so that illumination of each of said colors is outwardly from that opposite sides to provide omni-directional illumination of selected colors from said board.

8. A warning lamp which provides selective illumination comprising a support member, a plurality of interconnected groups of LED'"'"'s, each group emitting light of a selected color when energized so as to provide illumination in multiple colors, said groups being mounted on said member, a controller providing selective connections to each of said groups for selecting energization thereof continuously or sequentially, a plurality of independent control lines each corresponding to different ones of said colors connected to said controller for energizing said groups to provide illumination from said groups in different colors continuously or in sequence of colors, wherein said control lines corresponding to said colors each connect to a point of relatively low or common potential, a hot one of said control lines being connected to a point of relatively high potential, said controller being a processor which is programmed to provide different ones of said selected sequences of illumination and also steady illumination, said processor having control inputs connected to said control lines and outputs, switching means operated by said processor connected to said outputs for connecting said hot line to different ones of said groups corresponding to said colors.

9. The warning lamp of claim 8 wherein said switching means are transistor switches.

10. A warning signal light comprising a support, a plurality of groups of interconnected LED'"'"'s mounted on opposite sides of said support and arranged to produce omni-directional illumination from said support, each of said groups emitting a different color when energized, a processor connected in controlling relationship with said groups for selectively energizing said groups in response to independent inputs to said processor to emit said illumination of selected color simultaneously or successively to selectively modulate said illumination.