Warning light arrangements; components; and, methods

• US 8,742,916 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Original Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Inventors: Fleszewski, Vincent, Meyer, Charles, Radzik, Christopher, Frank, George, Urbanski, Sigmund, Gergets, Paul, Burke, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/776,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 340/468, 340/471, 340/472, 340/473, 340/332, 340/815.45
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an LED light bar that provides off axis lighting. The warning light system includes lights that do not need reflectors that rotate to provide good light effects.

Claims

1. A warning light arrangement for use on a motor vehicle;

the light arrangement comprising;

(a) a housing having an outer perimeter and defining a housing interior;

(i) the housing being sized and configured to be operably positionable on a vehicle roof;

(ii) the housing perimeter defining a forwardly directed, front, portion; and

, an opposite, rearwardly directed, rear portion; and

,

(iii) the housing defining a vehicle direction central alignment axis;

(b) a first plurality of LED units positioned within the housing and oriented so that each selected one of plurality of LED units can be actuated to emit light in a selected direction, for the selected one of the LED units, outwardly from the housing;

(i) the warning light arrangement being configured such that light direction is not varied in direction outwardly from the housing, for any of the first plurality of LED units, in use;

(ii) the first plurality of LED units including a forward light arrangement comprising at least one LED unit directed in a forward direction within an angle within the range of 0°

-20°

, inclusive, with respect to the vehicle direction central alignment axis;

(iii) the first plurality of LED units including a first set of forward, side, warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle within the range of 20°

-70°

inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis and outwardly from a first side of the housing, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis;

(iv) the first plurality of LED units including a second set of forward, side, warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle within a range of 20°

-70°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis and outwardly from a second side of the housing, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(v) the first plurality of LED units including a set of rear warning LED units each configured to direct light rearwardly from the housing at an angle of within the range of 0°

-20°

, inclusive, with respect to the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

2. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the first plurality of LED units includes a first side light arrangement comprising at least one LED unit directed from the first side of the housing at an angle within a range of 70°

-90°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(b) the first plurality of LED units includes at least a second side light arrangement comprising at least one LED unit directed from the second side of the housing at an angle with a range of 70°

-90°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

3. A warning light arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) the first side light arrangement comprises at least one LED unit directed from the first side of the housing forwardly at an angle within the range of 75°

-89°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(b) The second side light arrangement comprises at least one LED unit directed from the second side of the housing forwardly at an angle within the range of 75°

-89°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central arrangement.

4. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the housing defines a total maximum housing vertical dimension of no more than 3 inches.

5. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the housing defines an upper surface having a maximum relief therein of no greater than 1 inch.

6. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the forward light arrangement comprises at least a first LED unit positioned on a first side of the vehicle direction central alignment axis and a second LED unit positioned on a second side of the vehicle direction central alignment axis;

(i) each one of the first and second LED units in the forward light arrangement being directed in a forward direction within an angle of 0°

-15°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

7. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the set of rear warning LED units comprises at least six (6) LED units oriented with;

(i) a first three (3) of the at least six (6) LED units positioned on a first side of the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(ii) a second three (3) of the at least six (6) LED units positioned and a second side of the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

8. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) each LED unit in the set of rear warning LED units is configured to direct light rearwardly at an angle of 0°

-10°

, inclusive, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

9. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the first set of forward, side, warning LED units comprises LED units each of which is configured to direct light forwardly at an angle from within the range of 30°

-60°

, inclusive, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(b) the second set of forward, side, warning LED units comprises LED units each of which is configured to direct light forwardly at an angle from within the range of 30°

-60°

, inclusive, relative to the vehicle central direction alignment axis.

10. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the first set of forward, side, warning LED units comprises at least three (3) LED units; and

,

(b) the second set of forward, side, warning LED units comprises at least three (3) LED units.

11. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the first set of forward, side, warning LED units comprises at least four (4) LED units configured with;

(i) at least three (3) adjacent units; and

,

(ii) at least one (1) unit laterally spaced from the at least three (3) adjacent units by at least one (1) LED unit in the forward light arrangement; and

,

(b) the second set of forward, side, warning LED units comprises at least four (4) LED units configured with;

(i) at least three (3) adjacent units; and

,

(ii) at least one (1) unit spaced from the at least three (3) adjacent units by at least one (1) LED unit in the forward light arrangement.

12. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) the housing perimeter defines;

(i) a rear, straight, optic edge section extending over a distance of at least 36 inches; and

,

(ii) a front, V, section having two straight optic edge sections each extending over a distance of at least 12 inches and at an angle with the range of 170°

-210°

, inclusive, relative to the other.

13. A warning light arrangement according to claim 12 wherein:

(a) the housing perimeter defines;

(i) a straight, first, side forward optic edge section on a first side of the vehicle direction axis extending over a distance of at least 2.5 inches and directed opposite the rearward edge; and

,

(ii) a straight, second, side forward optic edge section on a second of the vehicle direction central alignment axis extending over a distance of at least 2.5 inches and directed opposite the rearward edge section.

14. A warning light arrangement according to claim 13 wherein:

(a) the housing perimeter includes;

(i) a straight, first, side optic edge section extending over a distance of at least 3 inches and oriented adjacent the rear straight edge section and directed, forwardly, at a forward acute angle of at least 1°

; and

,

(ii) a second side optic edge section extending over a distance of at least 3 inches and oriented adjacent the rear straight edge and directed, forwardly, at a forward acute angle, of at least 1°

.

15. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) each LED unit in the forward light arrangement is configured to selectively project at least white light;

(b) each LED unit in each of the first and second sets of forward, side, warning LED units is configured to selectively project at least one of blue and red light; and

,

(c) each LED unit in the set of rear warning LED units is configured to selectively project at least amber light.

16. A warning light arrangement according to claim 15 wherein:

(a) each LED unit in each one of the first and second sets of forward, side, warning LED units is configured to at least selectively, alternatively, project at each of red and blue light.

17. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) each LED unit in the set of rear warning LED units is configured to selectively, alternatively, project at least amber light and at least one of red light and blue light.

18. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) each LED unit in the set of rear warning LED units is configured to at least selectively, alternately, project each of amber light, red light, and blue light.

19. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 including:

(a) an auxiliary forward light arrangement positioned underneath the housing.

20. A warning light arrangement according to claim 1 including:

(a) an auxiliary, side light arrangement positioned underneath the housing.

21. A warning light for attachment to a motor vehicle, the warning light comprising:

(a) a housing including a top surface, a bottom surface, a leading face, and a trailing face;

(b) a plurality of LED units fixedly oriented within the housing such that light from the plurality of LED units emits from the leading face and trailing face of the housing;

(i) the trailing face being configured to be positioned across the width of the motor vehicle and oriented in the rearward direction;

(ii) the leading face including a V-shaped center portion and two opposed end portions;

(iii) the V-shaped portion of the leading face being configured to emit light at an angle between 30 to 60 degrees, inclusive, relative to the forward direction; and

(iv) each of the end portions of the leading face including a takedown portion that is configured to emit light at an angle between 0 to 10 degrees, inclusive, relative to the forward direction.

22. A warning light comprising:

(a) a housing including a top surface, a bottom surface, a leading face, and a trailing face;

the housing defining a vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(b) a plurality of LED light units oriented within the housing such that light from the LED emits from the leading face and trailing face of the housing;

(i) the leading face including a V-shaped center portion and an adjacent end portion; and

,

(ii) the average distance between the top surface and the bottom surface being less than 3.0 inches; and

(iii) the trailing face including a set of rear warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle of 0°

-20°

, inclusive, with respect to the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

23. A method of positioning warning lights on a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

(a) orienting a plurality of LED units within a housing such that light from the LED units emits through lenses that extend across portions of a leading face and a trailing face of the housing, wherein the lenses direct the light from each LED unit in a selected, fixed, direction relative to the housing;

the housing defining a vehicle direction central alignment axis;

(i) the trailing face including a set of rear warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle of 0°

-20°

, inclusive, with respect to the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

24. A method of providing a warning light arrangement;

the method comprising a step of;

(a) positioning a plurality of LED units in a housing of appropriate size to be positioned on a vehicle roof;

the housing defining a vehicle direction central alignment axis;

the step of positioning comprising providing;

(i) a first plurality of LED units positioned within the housing and oriented so that each selected one of plurality of LED units can be actuated to emit light in a selected direction, for the selected one of the LED units, outwardly form the housing;

(A) the warning light arrangement being configured such that light direction is not varied in direction outwardly from the housing, for any of the first plurality of LED units, in use;

(B) the first plurality of LED units including a first set of forward, side, warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle within the range of 20°

-70°

inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis and outwardly from a first side of the housing, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(C) the first plurality of LED units including a second set of forward, side, warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle within a range of 20°

-70°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis and outwardly from a second side of the housing, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

(D) the first plurality of LED units including a forward light arrangement comprising at least one LED unit directed in a forward direction within an angle within the range of 0°

-20°

, inclusive, with respect to the vehicle direction central alignment axis.

25. A method of operating a warning light arrangement;

the method including a step of;

(a) actuating a first plurality of LED units positioned in a housing of appropriate size on a vehicle roof;

the housing defining a vehicle direction central alignment axis;

(i) the warning light arrangement being configured such that light direction is not varied in direction outwardly from the housing, for any of the first plurality of LED units, in use;

(ii) the first plurality of LED units including a first set of forward, side, warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle within the range of 20°

-70°

inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis and outwardly from a first side of the housing, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

,

(iii) the first plurality of LED units including a second set of forward, side, warning LED units each configured to direct light at an angle within a range of 20°

-70°

, inclusive, of the vehicle direction central alignment axis and outwardly from a second side of the housing, relative to the vehicle direction central alignment axis; and

(iv) the first plurality of LED units including a set of rear warning LED units each configured to direct light rearwardly from the housing at an angle of within the range of 0°

-20°

, inclusive, with respect to the vehicle direction central alignment axis.