End cap warning signal assembly

• US 7,468,677 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safariland LLC
• Original Assignee: 911EP Incorporated (Safariland LLC)
• Inventors: Branan, Edward R., Pederson, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US11/543,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45, 340/815.4, 340/815.49, 340/815.67, 340/815.83, 340/907, 340/468, 340/463, 362/542, 362/543, 362/544, 362/227, 362/232, 362/235, 362/362
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0076 Safety or security signalisation, e.g. smoke or burglar alarms, earthquake detectors; Self-defence devices
• 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: H05B 45/32 Pulse-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) end cap warning signal assembly is disclosed. The end cap warning signal assembly includes a controller for generating a warning signal that simulates a rotating warning light signal. The end cap warning signal assembly further includes an integer number of M-LEDs arranged in an integer number of N-LED groups, with each LED having a duty cycle and at least 6 states. The controller activates each group of LEDs sequentially in an activation sequence

Claims

1. An end cap warning signal assembly comprising:

an end cap, the end cap having a periphery, the end cap comprising a plurality of M light emitting diodes, M being an integer of at least one, at least one light emitting diode being engaged to each of the front, the first side, and the second side, the M light emitting diodes receiving power from a power source, the M light emitting diodes arranged in N light emitting diode groups, N being an integer of at least one light emitting diode groups 1, 2, 3, . . . , N arranged sequentially about the periphery; and

a first controller operatively connected with the N groups of light emitting diodes, the first controller programmed to activate the N groups of light emitting diodes, whereby;

each light emitting diode has at least 6 states, the first state having a first intensity level, the second state having a second intensity level, the third state having a third intensity level, the fourth state having the second intensity level, the fifth state having the first intensity level, and the sixth state having an off level, each of the 6 states having a predetermined duration of time T;

for light emitting diode groups 1 to N the light emitting diodes of each Nth light emitting diode group beginning at an off level, the light emitting diodes of each Nth light emitting diode group proceeding from the off level to the first state through the sixth state, each light emitting diode group 1 to N being activated sequentially in an activation sequence, each Nth light emitting diode group activating its first state at T seconds after the (N−

1)th light emitting diode group activated its first state.

2. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the activation sequence of claim 1 is repeated in order to simulate a rotating warning light signal.

3. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting diodes of each Nth light emitting diode group are activated substantially simultaneously.

4. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, the first intensity level comprising approximately a 30% duty cycle, the second intensity level comprising approximately a 70% duty cycle, and the third intensity level comprising approximately a 100% duty cycle.

5. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, the predetermined duration of time T comprising approximately 76 milliseconds.

6. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, wherein each light emitting diode group N has an equal number of light emitting diodes.

7. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, wherein M=14 and N=7.

8. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first controller is placed within the end cap.

9. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a second controller, the second controller being placed external to the end cap.

10. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second controller is operatively connected with the first controller, the second controller programmed to activate the first controller which in turn activates the N groups of light emitting diodes in order to simulate a rotating warning light signal.

11. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second controller is operatively connected with the N groups of light emitting diodes, the second controller programmed to activate the N groups of light emitting diodes in order to simulate a rotating warning light signal.

12. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, wherein M=14 and N=14.

13. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, wherein each light emitting diode is selected from the group consisting of red, blue, amber, green, and white.

14. The end cap warning signal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a light bar.