Replacement led lamp assembly and modulated power intensity for light source

• US 6,380,865 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 911EP Incorporated (Safariland LLC)
• Original Assignee: 911 Emergency Products, Inc. (Safariland LLC)
• Inventors: Pederson, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/539,189
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45, 340/815.47, 340/469, 340/471, 340/472, 340/473, 340/321, 340/815.4, 340/815.83, 340/815.87, 362/800, 362/35, 362/459, 362/493, 362/170, 345/46, 345/39, 345/903
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/10 for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) warning signal light, the warning signal light comprising an array of light sources configured on a light support and in electrical communication with a controller and a power supply, battery, or other electrical source. The warning signal light provides various colored light signals for independent use or use by an emergency vehicle. These light signals may include a stationary light, strobe light, revolving light, an alternating light, a flashing light, and an oscillating light. Additionally, the warning signal light may be capable of displaying symbols, reverse characters, or arrows. Preferably, rotating and oscillating light signals are produced by sequentially illuminating columns of LED'"'"'s on a stationary light support. However, the warning signal light may also be rotated or oscillated via mechanical means. The warning signal light may also be transportable for easy connection to a stand such as a tripod for electrical connection to a power supply as a stand-alone warning signal. The controller may further be adapted to regulate or modulate the power intensity exposed to the illuminated LED'"'"'s to create a variable intensity light signal.

Claims

1. A warning signal light comprising:

a) a light support having a front side;

b) a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light sources disposed on the front side;

c) a controller in electric communication with the light sources, the controller for selectively illuminating the light sources to create a plurality of light signals, at least two different light signals being produced simultaneously, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated light sources to provide at least one of the plurality of light signals.

2. The warning signal light of claim 1, wherein said light support is flexible and can be formed into various shapes.

3. The warning signal light of claim 1, said light support further comprising a back side having a plurality of LED light sources disposed thereon.

4. The warning signal light of claim 3, said plurality of light sources comprising LED'"'"'s of at least two different colors.

5. The warning signal light of claim 4, wherein the light signal is a revolving light.

6. The warning signal light of claim 4, wherein the light signal is an oscillating light.

7. The warning signal light of claim 4, wherein the light signal is a flashing light.

8. The warning signal light of claim 4, wherein the controller is a microprocessor.

9. The warning signal light of claim 4, the light support further comprising a gyrator for moving the warning signal light.

10. A warning signal light comprising:

a) a cylindrical body portion having an exterior surface;

b) a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) arranged about the exterior surface; and

c) a controller for selectively illuminating the LED'"'"'s, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s.

11. A warning signal light in combination with an emergency vehicle light bar, the warning signal light comprising:

a) support having a front;

b) a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) disposed on the front; and

c) a controller in electric communication with the LED'"'"'s, the controller for selectively illuminating the LED'"'"'s to create a light signal, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s.

12. The combination of claim 11, said LED support further comprising a back opposite the front, the back having a plurality of LED'"'"'s disposed thereon, the controller configured to selectively illuminate the LED'"'"'s of the back, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s of the back.

13. A warning signal light for use with a vehicle, the warning signal light comprising:

a) a light support mounted to the vehicle, the light support having a plurality of sides;

b) a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) disposed about at least one of the sides of each light support; and

c) a controller in electric communication with the LED'"'"'s, the controller for selectively illuminating the LED'"'"'s to create a light signal, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s.

14. The warning signal light of claim 13, wherein the controller selectively illuminates the LED'"'"'s to create multiple different light signals.

15. The warning signal light of claim 14, wherein the LED'"'"'s are disposed about at least two sides, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively illuminate the LED'"'"'s on each side independently of the other sides, whereby different light signals may be created on each of the sides.

16. The warning signal light of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to selectively illuminate the LED'"'"'s to create multiple different light signals on each side.

17. A multiple warning signal light for use with a vehicle, the multiple warning signal light comprising:

a) a light support having a front side with a visible exterior surface;

b) a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged about the visible exterior surface; and

c) a controller in electric communication with the light emitting diodes the controller for selectively illuminating the light emitting diodes to create a plurality of visually distinctive warning light signals, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s.

18. The multiple warning signal light of claim 17, said light support further comprising a back side with a visible exterior surface having a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged about the visible exterior surface of the back side of the light support.

19. The multiple warning signal light of claim 18 said plurality of light emitting diodes comprising light emitting diodes of at least two different colors.

20. The multiple warning signal light of claim 19, wherein the controller selectively illuminates the light emitting diodes to create one of a single colored light signal and a multi-colored light signal.

21. The multiple warning signal light of claim 18, wherein the controller independently controls the light emitting diodes on each side of the visible exterior surfaces for the provision of different light signals on each side of the visible exterior surfaces.

22. The multiple warning signal light system of claim 18, the controller selectively illuminating and simultaneously displaying light emitting diodes to create a plurality of visually distinctive warning light signals.

23. A multiple warning signal light in combination with a vehicle light bar, the vehicle light bar having at least one sector, the warning signal light comprising:

a) a support having a front with a visible exterior surface;

b) a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) disposed on the visible exterior surface of the front; and

c) a controller in electric communication with the LED'"'"'s, the controller for selectively illuminating the LED'"'"'s to create a plurality of visually distinctive warning light signals within the at least one sector, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s.

24. The combination of claim 23, said support further comprising a back opposite the front, the back having a plurality of LED'"'"'s disposed thereon, the controller configured to selectively activate the LED'"'"'s of the back independently of the front.

25. A multiple warning signal light system, for use with a vehicle, the warning signal light system comprising:

a) a plurality of light supports, the plurality of light supports mounted to a vehicle, each of the plurality of light supports having at least one visible exterior surface;

b) one or more light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) disposed about the at least one visible exterior surfaces of each of the plurality of light supports; and

c) at least one controller in electric communication with the one or more LED'"'"'s, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to illuminated LED'"'"'s.

26. The multiple warning signal light system of claim 25, wherein the vehicle is an emergency vehicle.

27. The multiple warning signal light system of claim 25, wherein the vehicle is a utility vehicle.

28. The multiple warning signal light system of claim 25, wherein the LED'"'"'s are disposed about the visible exterior surfaces, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively illuminate the light emitting diodes on each visible exterior surface of each support independently of the other visible exterior surfaces, whereby different light signals may be created on each of the visible exterior surfaces.

29. A multiple warning signal light system comprising:

a) a plurality of light supports, each of the plurality of light supports having one or more visible exterior surfaces, the one or more visible exterior surfaces having a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed (LED'"'"'s) thereon; and

b) a controller in electric communication with each of the plurality of LED'"'"'s, the controller selectively illuminating the LED'"'"'s of the one or more visible exterior surfaces to provide each of the one or more visible exterior surfaces with one or more of a plurality of independent and visually distinctive warning light signals, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s.

30. The multiple warning light system of claim 29 wherein LED'"'"'s of at least 2 of the plurality of light supports are selectively activated to provide the one or more visible exterior surfaces respectively with a common visually distinctive light signal.

31. The multiple warning signal light system of claim 30 further comprising a vehicle, the one or more light supports mounted to the vehicle.

32. A multiple warning signal light system comprising:

a) at least one light support, the at least one light support having at least one visible exterior surface, the at least one visible exterior surface having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) disposed thereon; and

b) a controller in electric communication with the LED'"'"'s, the controller selectively illuminating the LED'"'"'s of the at least one visible exterior surface to provide the at least one visible exterior surface with at least one of a plurality of independent and visually distinctive warning light signals, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated LED'"'"'s.

33. The multiple signal warning light system of claim 32 wherein the plurality of independent and visually distinctive warning light signals warn and direct traffic.

34. The multiple signal warning light system of claim 32 each light support comprising one or more sectors, the controller independently regulating each of the sectors with one or more of the plurality of independent and visually distinctive warning light signals.

35. A replacement light emitting diode (LED) lamp module comprising:

a) a base having an electrical connector having a plug, said base having an approximate diameter dimension of one inch; and

b) a support assembly extending from said base, said support assembly having at least one light emitting diode (LED) illumination source;

wherein the plug is adapted to engage a light support of a warning signal light, the warning signal light having a controller for selectively illuminating the at least one LED, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the at least one illuminated LED.

36. The replacement LED lamp module according to claim 35, said support assembly comprising a plurality of LED illumination sources.

37. The replacement LED lamp module according to claim 35, wherein said LED illumination sources are adapted to provide different colored light signals.

38. The replacement LED lamp module according to claim 35, wherein said LED lamp module is positioned within an opening in the light support having an approximate diameter dimension of one inch.

39. The replacement LED lamp module according to claim 35, further comprising a reflector, said LED lamp module being connected to said reflector.

40. The replacement LED lamp module according to claim 39, said reflector comprising a rotational base, said rotational base adapted for the provision of rotational motion to said reflector and to said LED lamp module.

41. A warning signal light comprising:

a) a light support having a front side;

b) a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light sources disposed on the front side;

c) a controller in electric communication with the light sources, the controller for selectively illuminating the light sources to create a plurality of light signals, at least two different light signals being produced in at least one combination, the controller adapted to provide selectively modulated illumination to the illuminated light sources to provide at least one of the plurality of light signals.