Accessory brake light system for automobile

• US 5,798,691 A
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Issued: 08/25/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nien Tsu Tim Kao
• Original Assignee: Nien Tsu Tim Kao
• Inventors: Tim Kao, Nien Tsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANNAVA, ASHOK K
• Application Number:
  US08/821,060
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 340/479, 340/467, 340/468, 340/463, 340/464, 362/61, 362/80, 200/83 R, 200/83 A, 200/835, 200/61.58 R
• US Class Current: 340/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/263 Snap-in fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2661 mounted on parts having other functions on wheels B60Q1/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/442 visible on the front side of the vehicle, e.g. for pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/40 Several lamps activated in sequence, e.g. sweep effect, progressive activation

Abstract

An accessory brake light system for automobile includes an elongated housing having a receiving cavity therein and a front transparent shield covering the receiving cavity, a lighting apparatus having a plurality of brake lighting LEDs mounted within the receiving cavity of the elongated housing, an electrical controlling device for connecting the lighting apparatus with the power source of the automobile and activating the lighting apparatus to provide lighting when the automobile is braked, and a mounting means for firmly securing the elongated housing to a frontmost central position of the automobile, such as a central position on the front bumper, the front license case, or a radiation cover positioning between the two front head lamps of the automobile. Whereby the automobile can provide specific warning signals when the automobile is braking to slow down or fully stopped, in order to enable the other vehicles or pedestrians that are positioned in front of the vehicle to clearly aware that whether the driver of that vehicle is preparing to stop or not and hence reduce the chance of accident from happening.

Claims

1. An accessory brake light system for an automobile, comprising

an elongated housing having a receiving cavity therein and a front transparent shield covering said receiving cavity;

a lighting apparatus comprising a plurality of brake lighting LEDs mounted within said receiving cavity of said elongated housing;

an electrical controlling device, electrically connected with said lighting apparatus, a power source of said automobile and a braking signal source, for activating said lighting apparatus to provide lighting when braking signals are received from said braking signal source during a braking condition of said automobile, wherein said electrical controlling device comprises power supply terminals electrically connected with a power wiring of said automobile and a signal activating circuitry connecting to said braking signal source of said automobile for activating said electrical controlling device when said braking signals from said braking signal source of said automobile are received, said signal activating circuitry comprising a manual activating switch which is to turn on said accessory brake light system manually under emergency situation, a coupler C1, two resistors R1, R2, and a transistor T1, in which said transistor T1 is connected in series with said power supply terminals and said manual activating switch which is further connected in parallel with a capacitor C2 and said coupler C1 which is connected in series with said resistors R1, R2, said resistors R1, R2 being connected to said braking signal source of said automobile through a brake switch assembly; and

a mounting means for firmly securing said elongated housing to a frontmost central position between two front head lamps of said automobile.

2. An accessory brake light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said brake switch assembly incorporating with said braking signal source which is an intake manifold of said automobile, said brake switch assembly having a vacuum chamber linked to said intake manifold, a stationary terminal electrically connected to said poser supply terminals, a driving valve disposed in said vacuum chamber, a motion terminal electrically connected with said resistors R1, R2, a driving stem connecting said driving valve with said motion terminal, and a spring element mounted behind said driving valve for pushing said driving valve outwards so as to push said motion terminal away from said stationary terminal during an "unbrake" condition, therefore when said automobile is braked, said vacuum condition of said intake manifold of said automobile and inside said vacuum chamber is increased to a maximum value, said driving valve is sucked to move inwards, so that said motion terminal is pulled towards and kept in contact with said stationary terminal, and that said electrical controlling device is activated to activate said lighting apparatus to provide braking light.

3. An accessory brake light system as recited in claim 2 wherein said electrical controlling device further comprises a controllable pulse generating circuitry for generating output pulse, a light controlling circuitry for controlling all said brake lighting LEDs of said lighting apparatus to remain in lighting condition during a continuous braking condition, a pulse activating auto-sequential circuitry which has a single circulating switch for controlling said activation of said light controlling circuitry for generating sequential signal pulses, and a sequential signal amplifying and relay transforming circuitry having a predetermined number terminals connecting to said plurality of brake lighting LEDs of said lighting apparatus for amplifying said sequential signal pulses and activating said lighting apparatus to provide consecutive lighting, wherein said controllable pulse generating circuitry comprises a NE-555 integral circuit IC1, three resistors R3, R4, R5, and a capacitor C3, in which said capacity C3 is connected in series with said resistors R3, R4, R5 which are further connected in parallel with said NE-555 integral circuit IC1, said light controlling circuitry comprising a resistor R6 and a transistor T2, said resistor R6 connecting in series with said transistor T2 which is further connected in parallel with said capacitor C3 of said controllable pulse generating circuitry, wherein said pulse activating auto-sequential circuitry further comprises a MC-14017 integral circuit IC2, a plurality of diodes D1-D8, and a plurality of corresponding resistors R1'"'"'-R8'"'"', said MC-14017 integral circuit IC2 being connected in series with NE-555 integral circuit IC1, said plurality of diodes D1-D8 being further connected in series with said plurality of R1'"'"'-R8'"'"' respectively, said single circulating switch being connected in series with said resistor R6 and said resistor R8'"'"', said plurality of corresponding resistors R1'"'"'-R8'"'"' being connected in parallel with said sequence of controlling LED, wherein said sequential signal amplifying and relay transforming circuitry comprises a first set of corresponding resistors R1"-R8" respectively connected in series with said corresponding resistors R1'"'"'-R8'"'"' of said pulse activating auto-sequential circuitry, a plurality of corresponding transistors T1'"'"'-T8'"'"' respectively connected in series with said first set of corresponding resistors R1"-RB" and a second set of corresponding resistors R11-R81 which are respectively connected in parallel with a plurality of corresponding diodes D1'"'"'-D8'"'"', a plurality of corresponding switches, and said plurality of corresponding terminals, said plurality of corresponding switches being connected to said power supply terminals and said plurality of corresponding terminals.

4. An accessory brake light system as recited in claim 2 wherein said elongated housing is mounted in a front license case.

5. An accessory brake light system as recited in claim 3 wherein said elongated housing is mounted in a front license case.

6. An accessory brake light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said electrical controlling device further comprises a controllable pulse generating circuitry for generating output pulse, a light controlling circuitry for controlling all said brake lighting LEDs of said lighting apparatus to remain in lighting condition during a continuous braking condition, a pulse activating auto-sequential circuitry which has a single circulating switch for controlling said activation of said light controlling circuitry for generating sequential signal pulses, and a sequential signal amplifying and relay transforming circuitry having a predetermined number terminals connecting to said plurality of brake lighting LEDs of said lighting apparatus for amplifying said sequential signal pulses and activating said lighting apparatus to provide consecutive lighting, wherein said controllable pulse generating circuitry comprises a NE-555 integral circuit IC1, three resistors R3, R4, R5, and a capacitor C3, in which said capacity C3 is connected in series with said resistors R3, R4, R5 which are further connected in parallel with said NE-555 integral circuit IC1, said light controlling circuitry comprising a resistor R6 and a transistor T2, said resistor R6 connecting in series with said transistor T2 which is further connected in parallel with said capacitor C3 of said controllable pulse generating circuitry, wherein said pulse activating auto-sequential circuitry further comprises a MC-14017 integral circuit IC2, a plurality of diodes D1-D8, and a plurality of corresponding resistors R1'"'"'-R8'"'"', said MC-14017 integral circuit IC2 being connected in series with NE-555 integral circuit IC1, said plurality of diodes D1-D8 being further connected in series with said plurality of R1'"'"'-R8'"'"' respectively, said single circulating switch being connected in series with said resistor R6 and said resistor R8'"'"', said plurality of corresponding resistors R1'"'"'-R8'"'"' being connected in parallel with said sequence of controlling LED, wherein said sequential signal amplifying and relay transforming circuitry comprises a first set of corresponding resistors R1"-R8" respectively connected in series with said corresponding resistors R1'"'"'-R8'"'"' of said pulse activating auto-sequential circuitry, a plurality of corresponding transistors T1'"'"'-T8'"'"' respectively connected in series with said first set of corresponding resistors R1"-R8" and a second set of corresponding resistors R11-R81 which are respectively connected in parallel with a plurality of corresponding diodes D1'"'"'-D8'"'"', a plurality of corresponding switches, and said plurality of corresponding terminals, said plurality of corresponding switches being connected to said power supply terminals and said plurality of corresponding terminals.

7. An accessory brake light system as recited in claim 6 wherein said elongated housing is mounted in a front license case.

8. An accessory brake light system as recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated housing is mounted in a front license case.