Vehicle light controller apparatuses, methods and systems

• US 9,949,341 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2017
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barrie R. Briggs
• Original Assignee: Barrie R. Briggs
• Inventors: Briggs, Barrie R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Thai
• Application Number:
  US15/624,528
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0094 Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/10 Retrofit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00

Abstract

The VEHICLE LIGHT CONTROLLER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS include circuits for coupling lighting systems of a vehicle to controls for the windshield wipers. For example, when a vehicle operator engages the windshield wipers, vehicle lighting systems such as the headlights, tail lights, side markers, tag lights, and/or the like may be automatically engaged as well, without further user action. In some embodiments, the disclosed electronic circuitry may be configured as a kit suitable for retrofitting an existing vehicle system.

Claims

1. An apparatus electronic circuit coupled to lighting systems of a vehicle, the electronic circuit comprising:

a semiconductor-controlled rectifier having a gate electrode, an anode, and a cathode, wherein the gate electrode is connected through at least one of a diode and a resistor to a windshield wiper motor of a vehicle, and the anode is connected through a piggyback fuse holder to an ignition fuse holder in a fuse box of the vehicle;

a relay having a first coil terminal, a second coil terminal, a high power feed, and a high power output, wherein the first coil terminal is connected to ground, the second coil terminal is connected to the cathode of the semiconductor-controlled rectifier, the high power feed is connected to a key-on-engine-running signal of a vehicle, and the high power output is connected through a diode to at least one headlight of the vehicle.

2. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the high power output is connected through at least one of a diode and a resistor to two headlights of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the high power output is also connected through the diode to at least one auxiliary vehicle light.

4. The electronic circuit of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary vehicle light comprises a tail light.

5. The electronic circuit of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary vehicle light comprises a side marker light.

6. The electronic circuit of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary vehicle light comprises a tag light.

7. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the relay is rated for 12 volts and 40 amps.

8. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor-controlled rectifier is a silicon-controlled rectifier.

9. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor-controlled rectifier is wrapped in heat shrink tubing.

10. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the piggyback fuse holder corresponds to an Automatic Throw Over fuse.

11. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the piggyback fuse holder corresponds to a mini-blade fuse.

12. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the ignition fuse holder in the fuse box of the vehicle is a 5 Amp ignition fuse holder.