Photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting

• US 5,473,515 A
• Filed: 12/08/1994
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Young Max Enterprises Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Young Max Enterprises Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Liu, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/355,185
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 362/83.3, 362/80, 362/80.1, 362/276, 362/802, 362/61, 315/150, 315/149, 315/159
• US Class Current: 362/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system comprises a combination of a photo coupling set. The set includes a control light emitter assembly and a control light sensor assembly. The control light emitter assembly is attached to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle, and has a light emitting device for emitting light signals. The control light sensor assembly is attached to the exterior surface of the windshield at a location opposite the location of the control light emitter assembly across the windshield, and has a light sensing device for receiving the light signals emitted by the light emitting device of the control light emitter assembly. A switch is connected to an electrical power source for providing electric power to the light emitting device of the control light emitter assembly when the switch is turned on for emitting the light signals. A control module is coupled to the control light sensor assembly, the battery of the vehicle, and the lamps of the auxiliary lighting systems. When the switch is turned on, the light emitting device of the control light emitter assembly emits the light signals so as to be received by the light sensing device of the control light sensor assembly, and the control light sensor assembly issues a control signal to the control module upon receiving the light signals, whereby the control module providing electric power of the battery of the vehicle to the lamps of the auxiliary lighting system for turning on the lamps.

Claims

1. A photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system, comprising:

a combination of a photo coupling set includes a control light emitter assembly and a control light sensor assembly, said control light emitter assembly being attached to a location on a surface of a windshield of said vehicle and having a light emitting device for emitting light signals, and said control light sensor assembly being attached to an outer surface of said windshield at a location opposite the location of said control light emitter assembly across said windshield and having a light sensing device for receiving said light signals emitted by the light emitting device of said control light emitter assembly;

a switch connected to a battery of said vehicle for providing electric power to said light emitting device of said control light emitter assembly, whereby turning on of said switch emits said light signals; and

a control module coupled to said control light sensor assembly, the battery of said vehicle, and lamps of said auxiliary lighting systems, upon turning on of said switch, said light emitting device of said control light emitter assembly emits said light signals so as to be received by the light sensing device of said control light sensor assembly, said control light sensor assembly issuing a control signal to said control module upon receiving said light signals, whereby said control module providing electric power of said battery to said lamps of said auxiliary lighting system for turning on of said lamps.

2. The photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system of claim 1, wherein said control light sensor assembly further comprises a light indicating device, said light indicating device emitting light when said lamps of said auxiliary lighting system is turned on, and wherein said control light emitter assembly further comprises a focusing lens enclosed inside an enclosing housing for focusing the light emitted by said light indicating device.

3. The photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system of claim 1, wherein the location where said control light sensor assembly is attached to the outer surface of the windshield of said vehicle is outside a swing area of a pair of windshield wipers of said vehicle.

4. The photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system of claim 1, wherein said control light emitter assembly and said control light sensor assembly are attached to the inner and outer surfaces of said windshield respectively by double-faced adhesive tapes.

5. The photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system of claim 1, wherein said light sensing device of said control light sensor assembly is a photoresistor.

6. The photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system of claim 1, wherein said light sensing device of said control light sensor assembly is a photodiode.

7. The photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system of claim 1, wherein said light sensing device of said control light sensor assembly is a phototransistor.

8. The photo-coupled control apparatus for vehicle auxiliary lighting system of claim 1, wherein said control module further comprises a sensing means for sensing the status of a headlight of said vehicle for enabling turning on of said lamps of said auxiliary lighting system if and only if said headlight is sensed to be in a turned-on status, either in a high or low beam status.