Emergency deceleration warning device
First Claim
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1. An emergency deceleration warning device comprising:
- a decelerometer for measuring the deceleration of a vehicle equipped with said warning device;
transducer means for outputting a circuit enabling signal for a duration of period in which, and only in which, the deceleration of the vehicle as measured by said decelerometer is at or above a threshold level;
a visual warning display; and
circuit means enabled by the signal outputted from said transducer means for turning said visual display on and off at a rapid, selected rate for so long as said circuit means remains enabled, said decelerometer comprising an inclined plane and an element which is effective to roll up said plane a distance proportional to the level and duration of the deceleration of said vehicle and said device further comprising;
a source of visible or infrared radiation, said radiation source and said transducer means being located on opposite sides of said inclined plane and so constructed and interrelated that said element is effective upon its reaching a position along said inclined plane corresponding to said threshold level of deceleration, or a position beyond the aforesaid position, to intercept the visible or infrared radiation emitted from said source toward said transducer means and thereby make said transducer means capable of outputting said enabling signal; and
thermal protection means for disenabling said circuit means if the temperature reached by a protected component of said circuit means exceeds a preselected level and for maintaining the circuit means in a disenable state until the protected component cools to said preselected level, said circuit means comprising a switching regulator which is required to be turned on for said visual warning display to be turned on and off as aforesaid and said thermal protection means comprising a heat sensitive voltage regulating means;
(a) which is connected to a terminal of said switching regulator;
(b) which is disposed in heat transfer relationship to said switching regulator; and
(c) which is effective upon reaching a selected temperature to so alter the voltage at a switching regulator terminal as to turn off said switching regulator.
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Abstract
Emergency deceleration warning devices which may also be manually activated to provide a warning in situations where abnormal deceleration is not involved. The disclosed devices are self-contained units which include: (1) a flasher which is highly visible, even in bright daylight; (2) a circuit for turning the flasher on and off; and (3) a simple, enclosed decelerometer for enabling the flasher-operating circuit when a vehicle equipped with the warning device is decelerated at an abnormal rate.
49 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An emergency deceleration warning device comprising:
- a decelerometer for measuring the deceleration of a vehicle equipped with said warning device;
transducer means for outputting a circuit enabling signal for a duration of period in which, and only in which, the deceleration of the vehicle as measured by said decelerometer is at or above a threshold level;
a visual warning display; and
circuit means enabled by the signal outputted from said transducer means for turning said visual display on and off at a rapid, selected rate for so long as said circuit means remains enabled, said decelerometer comprising an inclined plane and an element which is effective to roll up said plane a distance proportional to the level and duration of the deceleration of said vehicle and said device further comprising;
a source of visible or infrared radiation, said radiation source and said transducer means being located on opposite sides of said inclined plane and so constructed and interrelated that said element is effective upon its reaching a position along said inclined plane corresponding to said threshold level of deceleration, or a position beyond the aforesaid position, to intercept the visible or infrared radiation emitted from said source toward said transducer means and thereby make said transducer means capable of outputting said enabling signal; and
thermal protection means for disenabling said circuit means if the temperature reached by a protected component of said circuit means exceeds a preselected level and for maintaining the circuit means in a disenable state until the protected component cools to said preselected level, said circuit means comprising a switching regulator which is required to be turned on for said visual warning display to be turned on and off as aforesaid and said thermal protection means comprising a heat sensitive voltage regulating means;
(a) which is connected to a terminal of said switching regulator;
(b) which is disposed in heat transfer relationship to said switching regulator; and
(c) which is effective upon reaching a selected temperature to so alter the voltage at a switching regulator terminal as to turn off said switching regulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a decelerometer for measuring the deceleration of a vehicle equipped with said warning device;
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13. An emergency deceleration warning device comprising:
- a decelerometer for measuring the deceleration of a vehicle equipped with said warning device;
transducer means for outputting a circuit enabling signal for a duration of period in which the deceleration of the vehicle as measured by said decelerometer is at or above a threshold level;
a visual warning display;
circuit means enabled by the signal outputted from said transducer means for turning said visual display on and off at a rapid, selected rate for so long as said circuit means remains enabled; and
means for turning off said circuit means to conserve energy if the voltage of the power source for said circuit means falls below a specified level for a period of selected duration, there being means incorporated in said circuit means for ensuring that said visual warning display is operated for a specified minimum period of time even if the power source voltage falls below a selected minimum during that period.
- a decelerometer for measuring the deceleration of a vehicle equipped with said warning device;
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14. An emergency deceleration warning device comprising:
- a decelerometer for measuring the deceleration of a vehicle equipped with said warning device;
transducer means for outputting a circuit enabling signal for the durations of periods in which the deceleration of the vehicle as measured by said decelerometer is at or above a threshold level;
a visual warning display;
circuit means enabled by the signal outputted from said transducer means for turning said visual display on and off at a rapid, selected rate for so long as said circuit means remains enabled; and
thermal protection means for disenabling said circuit means if the temperature reached by a protected component of said circuit means exceeds a preselected level and for maintaining the circuit means in a disenable state until the protected component cools to said preselected level, said circuit means comprising a switching regulator which is required to be turned on for said visual warning display to be turned on and off as aforesaid, said thermal protection means comprising a heat sensitive voltage regulating means;
(a) which is connected to a terminal of said switching regulator;
(b) which is disposed in heat transfer relationship to said switching regulator; and
(c) which is effective upon reaching said selected temperature to so alter the voltage at said switching regulator terminal as to turn off said switching regulator, and said device further including means incorporated in said display operating circuit means for bypassing said thermal protection means and maintaining said circuit means in the enabled condition for a period of specified finite duration even if the temperature reached by the protected component reaches and exceeds said selected temperature.
- a decelerometer for measuring the deceleration of a vehicle equipped with said warning device;
Specification