Headlights "ON" control for motor vehicles

• US 5,457,347 A
• Filed: 03/10/1994
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lewis L. Ruter
• Original Assignee: Lewis L. Ruter
• Inventors: Ruter, Lewis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krishnan, Aditya
• Application Number:
  US08/208,949
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 315/81-84, 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 362/62, 362/253, 362/80, 362/276
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/08 electrically driven conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and liquid supply of windscreen washer B60S1/482; conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and means for cleaning parts o parts other than windscreens or front windows B60S1/56, B60S1/58, B60S1/606

Abstract

An electrical control system for turning ON the headlights and taillights of a motor vehicle that has a first relay operable to turn the headlights and taillights ON when the ignition switch it turned ON. The first relay has a solenoid connected to the ignition switch and a pair of switches connected to the battery, headlights and taillights. A wiper control switch is connected to a second relay which turns the headlights and taillights ON when the windshield wipers are operating in the event of failure of the first relay or electrical circuit thereto.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a vehicle having a windshield wiper means to clear the windshield operable to connect an electric power source to the vehicle headlights, taillights and electric powered means to operate the windshield wiper means of the vehicle only when the headlights are ON comprising:

an ignition switch having START, RUN and OFF positions connected to the electric power source, first relay means having a solenoid electrically connected to said ignition switch to energize the solenoid when the ignition switch is in the RUN position, said first relay means having normally open switch means connected to the electric power source, headlights and taillights so that when the solenoid is energized, the switch means closes, thereby turning the headlights and taillights ON, windshield wiper switch means connected to said ignition switch operable in response to at least ON and OFF conditions to control operation of said electric powered means to operate the windshield wiper means, said windshield wiper means having a wiper actuator movable to ON and OFF positions, headlight switch means operable to selectively turn the headlights and taillights ON and OFF, said headlight switch means having a headlight actuator selectively movable to ON and OFF positions, second relay means connected to the electric power source and headlights and taillights, said second relay means having a solenoid connected to said windshield wiper switch means, said second relay means being actuated in response to operation of said wiper actuator in the ON position to complete an electrical circuit to the headlights and taillights and light responsive switch means connected to the ignition switch and said solenoid of said second relay means, said light responsive switch means operably turns the headlights ON when the light intensity surrounding the light responsive switch means is below a selected level indicative of visually dark environmental conditions and energizes said electric powered means, thereby operating the windshield wiper means.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the first relay means has a normally closed second switch means connected to the ignition switch, indicator means connected to the second switch means to signal non-operation of the first relay means, said indicator means being ON when the second switch means is closed, and OFF when the second switch means is open, said second switch means being open when the solenoid is energized.

3. The control apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the indicator means is a light indicator to generate visible light.

4. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle has parking lights and parking light switch means connected to the electric power source and parking lights.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the second relay means is a solenoid-operated switch that is open when the wiper actuator is in the OFF position and closed when the wiper actuator is in the ON position to complete the electric circuit to the headlights and taillights.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the second relay means has electric contact means and a solenoid operable to close the electric contact means, said solenoid being electrically connected to the windshield wiper switch means, said electric contact means being electrically connected to the headlights, tailights and electric power source to turn the headlights and taillights ON when the wiper control switch is turned ON.

7. A control apparatus for a vehicle having headlights, taillights, a windshield, windshield wipers, an electric motor means to operate the windshield wiper means, to connect an electric power source to the vehicle headlights and taillights and to operate the windshield wipers when the light intensity surrounding the vehicle is below a selected level indicative of visually dark environmental conditions comprising:

an ignition switch having START, RUN and OFF positions connected to the electric power source, relay means having a solenoid and normally open switch means, said solenoid being electrically connected to the ignition switch and electric motor means to operate the windshield wipers when the solenoid is energized, the normally open switch means closes, thereby turning the headlights and taillights ON, and light responsive switch means connected to the ignition switch and solenoid, said light responsive switch means operably turns the headlights ON when the light intensity surrounding the light responsive switch means is below a selected level indicative of visually dark environmental conditions and energizes said electric motor means, thereby operating the windshield wipers.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including:

an electric conductor line connecting the ignition switch with the solenoid, said light responsive switch being interposed within said electric conductor line.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 including:

a wiper control switch connected to the ignition switch, electric motor means and solenoid whereby when the wiper control switch is ON, the electric motor means is energized to operate the windshield wipers and the solenoid is energized to turn the headlights and taillights ON.

10. A control apparatus for a vehicle having headlights, taillights, a windshield, windshield wipers and electric motor for operating the windshield wipers to connect an electric power source to the vehicle headlights and taillights and to the electric motor means to operate the windshield wipers of the vehicle only when the headlights are ON comprising:

an ignition switch having START, RUN and OFF positions connected to the electric power source, first relay means having a solenoid electrically connected to the ignition switch to energize the solenoid when the ignition switch is in the RUN position, said first relay means having normally open switch means connected to the electric power source, and headlights and taillights so that when the solenoid is energized, the switch means closes thereby turning the headlights and taillights ON, a wiper switch operable to control the operation of the electric motor means to operate the windshield wipers, first conductor means connecting the wiper switch to the ignition switch, a headlight switch operable to connect and disconnect the electric power source with the headlights and taillights, second conductor means connecting the headlight switch to the headlights and taillights, and second relay means to complete the electric circuit to the headlights, taillights and electric motor means when the wiper switch is ON and, so that the electric motor means operates the windshield wipers only when the headlights and taillights are ON in event of failure of the first relay.

11. The control apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

the first relay means has a normally closed second switch means connected to the ignition switch, indicator means connected to the second switch means to signal non-operation of the first relay means, said indicator means being ON when the second switch means is open, said second switch means being open when the solenoid is energized.

12. The control apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the indicator a light indicator is means to generate visible light.

13. The control apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

the vehicle has parking lights, said normally open switch means of the first relay means comprises a normally open switch connected to the headlights, said first relay means including a second normally open switch connected to the parking lights, said first and second switches also being connected to the electric power source.

14. The control apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

the second relay means is a solenoid-operated switch that is open when the wiper actuator switch is in the OFF position and closed when the wiper switch is in the ON position to complete the electric circuit to the headlights and taillights.

15. The control apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

the second relay has electric contact means and a solenoid operable to close the electric contact means, said solenoid being electrically connected to the windshield wiper switch means, said electric contact means being electrically connected to the headlights, taillights and electric power source to turn the headlights ON when the wiper switch is turned ON.

16. A control apparatus for a vehicle having headlights, taillights, a windshield, windshield wipers and electric power means to operate the windshield wiper means of the vehicle only when the headlights are ON comprising:

an ignition switch having START, RUN and OFF positions connected to the electric power source, first relay means having a solenoid electrically connected to the ignition switch to energize the solenoid when the ignition switch is in the START and RUN positions, said first relay means having normally open switch means connected to the electric power source, and headlights and taillights so that when the solenoid is energized, the switch means closes thereby turning the headlights and taillights ON, windshield wiper switch means connected to said ignition switch operable in response to at least ON and OFF conditions to control the operation of the electric motor means to operate the windshield wiper means, said windshield wiper means having a wiper actuator movable to ON and OFF positions, headlight switch means operable to selectively turn the headlights and taillights ON and OFF, said headlight switch means having a headlight actuator selectively movable to ON and OFF positions, and second relay means connected to the electric power source, headlights and windshield wiper switch means, said second relay means being actuated in response to operation of the wiper actuator in the ON position to complete an electric circuit to the headlights and taillights in the event that the first relay means does not turn the headlights and taillights ON, whereby the electric powered means operates the windshield wipers only when the headlights and taillights are ON.

17. The control apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

the first relay means has a normally closed second switch means connected to the ignition switch, indicator means connected to the second switch means to signal non-operation of the first relay means, said indicator means being ON when the second switch means is closed, and OFF when the second switch means is open, said second switch means being open when the solenoid is energized.

18. The control apparatus of claim 17 wherein:

the indicator means is means to generate visible light.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

the second relay means is a solenoid-operated switch that is open when the wiper actuator is in the OFF position and closed when the wiper actuator is in the ON position to complete the electric circuit to the headlights and taillights in the event that the first relay means does not turn the headlights and taillights ON.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

the second relay means has electric contact means and a solenoid operable to close the electric contact means, said solenoid being electrically connected to the windshield wiper switch means, said electric contact means being electrically connected to the headlights, taillights and electric power source to turn the headlights and taillights ON when the wiper control switch is turned ON.