Switch enabled infrared lighting system with non-IR light elimination

• US 7,125,134 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Teubner, Brad, Hedlund, Dean, Sorenson, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US10/686,142
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 315 77- 82, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 362/106, 362/72, 362/802, 362/27, 340/468, 340/479
• US Class Current: 362/106
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle IR lighting system where manual actuation of a single switch both activates vehicle IR lights and automatically disables all non-IR vehicle lights. The IR lighting system provides a single switch enabling an IR light source and contemporaneously disabling all non-IR light sources. The output of a manual IR light switch is connected as the control line to a relay switch. When the manual IR light switch is closed thus connecting power to the IR light, the output opens the relay connected between vehicle power and the non-IR vehicle lights thus automatically turning off power to all non-IR vehicle lights.

Claims

1. A vehicle having an infrared lighting system for use with night vision viewing devices, comprising:

a chassis carrying a straddle-type seat, at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel suspended from the chassis, a handlebar assembly for steering the at least one front wheel, an engine carried by the chassis for powering the vehicle, a switch, an infrared light connected to the vehicle, and non-infrared lights connected to the vehicle including a headlight, the switch controlling the illumination of the non-infrared lights, and an infrared light switch that controls illumination of the infrared light.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the switch is a relay.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the infrared light switch automatically actuates the switch that controls illumination of the non-infrared lights.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the switch is manually actuated.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the infrared light illumination replaces the non-infrared light illumination of the oncoming terrain in response to the switch being moved from a first position to a second position.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the non-infrared lights produce visible light of wavelengths not primarily in the infrared light spectrum.

26. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 1, wherein the infrared light is housed in a waterproof housing.

2. A vehicle having an infrared lighting system for use with night vision viewing devices, comprising:

a chassis carrying a straddle-type seat, at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel suspended from the chassis, a handlebar assembly for steering the at least one front wheel, an engine carried by the chassis for powering the vehicle, a switch, an infrared light connected to the vehicle, and non-infrared lights connected to the vehicle including at least one of a headlight, a taillight, and an instrument cluster light, the switch controlling the illumination of the non-infrared lights, and an infrared light switch that controls illumination of the infrared light, wherein actuation of the switch extinguishes illumination of the non-infrared lights and activates illumination of the infrared light.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein activation of the infrared light comprises completion of an electrical circuit connecting a vehicle power source and the infrared light.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein extinguishing of the non-infrared lights comprises opening an electrical circuit connecting a vehicle power source and the non-infrared lights.

31. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 2, wherein the infrared light is housed in a waterproof housing.

8. A vehicle having an infrared lighting system for use with night vision viewing devices, comprising:

a chassis carrying a straddle-type seat, at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel suspended from the chassis, a handlebar assembly for steering the at least one front wheel, an engine carried by the chassis for powering the vehicle, a switch, an infrared light connected to the vehicle, and non-infrared lights connected to the vehicle including at least one of a headlight, a taillight, and an instrument cluster light, the switch controlling the illumination of the non-infrared lights, and an infrared light switch that controls illumination of the infrared light, wherein the infrared light provides illumination of oncoming terrain visible with the use of night vision viewing devices.

29. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein actuation of the switch extinguishes illumination of the non-infrared lights and activates illumination of the infrared light.

11. A vehicle having an infrared lighting system for use with night vision viewing devices, comprising:

a chassis carrying a seat, an engine for powering the vehicle, and an infrared light switch, an infrared light positioned to illuminate an area in front of the vehicle, and one or more non-infrared lights carried by the vehicle and positioned to illuminate an area in front of the vehicle, the infrared light switch for controlling the illumination of the non-infrared lights and the infrared lights.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the infrared light source is detachably mounted to the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the infrared light is tethered to the vehicle and moveable to a first position remote from the vehicle.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more non-infrared lights comprise a high beam light, a low beam light, an instrument cluster, a taillight, and a brake light.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein a dual element light source is carried by the vehicle and includes at least one of the one or more non-infrared lights and the infrared light.

16. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the infrared light is housed in a waterproof housing.

17. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the infrared light switch is further comprised of a catch to lock infrared switch in a closed position.

19. The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising an engine switch and a key switch electrically connected to the infrared light switch, wherein the infrared light is extinguished when either of the engine switch or the key switch is toggled to an “

OFF”

position.

18. A vehicle having an infrared lighting system for use with night vision viewing devices, comprising:

a chassis carrying a seat, an engine for powering the vehicle, and an infrared light switch, an infrared light, and one or more non-infrared lights carried by the vehicle, the infrared light switch for controlling the illumination of the non-infrared lights and the infrared lights, and a relay electrically connected to the infrared light switch, when the light switch is closed the relay opens a ground switch, which extinguishes the one or more non-infrared lights.

30. The vehicle of claim 18, further comprising an engine switch and a key switch electrically connected to the infrared light switch, wherein the infrared light is extinguished when either of the engine switch or the key switch is toggled to an “

OFF”

position.

32. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 18, wherein the infrared light is housed in a waterproof housing.

20. An all-terrain vehicle having an infrared lighting system comprising:

an infrared light switch, a lighting assembly having at least one non-IR light source and at least one infrared light source, the infrared light switch being electrically connected to the lighting assembly, when the infrared switch is toggled to an “

ON”

position electrical power is routed to the at least one infrared light source and power is removed from the at least one non-IR light source.

21. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20, further comprising a headlight switch electrically connected to the infrared light switch, wherein power cannot be applied to the at least one infrared light source when the headlight switch is in the “

OFF”

position.

22. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20, wherein the at least one infrared light source is detachably mounted to the vehicle.

23. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 22, wherein the at least one infrared light source is tethered to the vehicle and can be used remotely from the vehicle.

24. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20, wherein the at least one non-IR light source comprises a high beam light, a low beam light, an instrument cluster, a taillight, and a brake light.

25. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20 wherein the at least one non IR a dual element light source is carried by the vehicle and includes the at least one non-IR light source and the at least one infrared light source.

27. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20, wherein the infrared light switch is further comprised of a catch to lock infrared switch in closed position.

28. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20, further comprising a relay electrically connected to the infrared light switch, when the light switch is closed the relay opens a ground switch, which extinguishes the at least one non-IR light source.

33. The all-terrain vehicle of claim 20, wherein the at least one infrared light source is housed in a waterproof housing.