Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
  • B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
  • B60Q1/34—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction
  • B60Q1/38—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps

Definitions

• the invention relates to a direction indication lamp control device for controlling the direction indication lamps of a vehicle, suitable for working together with a blinker unit and direction selection switch already present on the vehicle.
• the present invention relates particularly but not exclusively to the illumination of a motorcycle, and will therefore be specifically explained hereinafter for this application example. It is, however, specifically noted that the invention is also applicable to cars and the like.
• a vehicle such as a car or a motorbike
• the most essential functions of the lamps on a vehicle are the function of indicating the presence of the vehicle by means of perimeter illumination, the brake signal function and the direction change signal function.
• illumination lamps disposed at the front side and rear side of the vehicle, which will hereinafter be referred to as illumination lamps. They are normally off, and are switched on and off, respectively, with a manually controlled light switch.
• brake lamps disposed at the rear side of the vehicle, which will hereinafter be referred to as brake lamps. They are normally off, and are switched on by a brake light switch associated with a brake lever or brake pedal.
• direction indication lamp the function of direction indication signal is fulfilled by one or more lamps disposed at the left side and right side of the vehicle, which will hereinafter be referred to as direction indication lamps. They are normally off, and are switched on by a blinker circuit which is controlled by a manually controlled direction selection switch. That direction selection switch has three operative positions. In a first operative position NEUTRAL, the direction indication lamps are off. In a second operative position LEFT, the righthand direction indication lamps are off while the lefthand direction indication lamps are alternatingly on and off (blinking) . In a third operative position RIGHT, the lefthand direction indication lamps are off while the righthand direction indication lamps are blinking. The blinking phase is determined by the blinker circuit.
• the second and third operative positions of the direction selection switch will be referred to as direction indication position.
• the brake signal function and the direction indication signal function at the rear side of the vehicle is fulfilled by a common lamp.
• the direction indication signal has priority over the brake signal.
• the light intensity is equal.
• This is realized by implementing a direction selection switch with two double acting make-and-break contacts. In a first position of the direction selection switch, the lamps at the rear end of the car are connected to a power source through a brake switch, and in a direction choice position of the direction selection switch, the lamps at the side of the car concerned are connected with the power source through a blinker. Then, the lamps burn continuously when braking and they burn blinking when indicating a change of direction.
• a dual filament at the front end of an American motorbike.
• Such a dual filament has a first filament with a low wattage and a second filament with a high wattage.
• the low wattage filament burns continuously when perimeter illumination of the motorcycle concerned is switched on.
• the high wattage filament burns, wherein an observer at the front end of the motorcycle will notice a change between a low and a high intensity of the lamp concerned.
• a device which is intended to be arranged on a motorbike for achieving that the direction indication lamps can also function as perimeter illumination.
• the circuit applied in the known device is complicated and needs many components, which makes that the device is costly to be manufactured.
• this known device has the disadvantage that the direction indication lamps can only fulfill a perimeter illumination function when the direction selection switch is in the position NEUTRAL. If the direction selection switch is in the direction indication position LEFT or RIGHT, the left and right direction indication lamps, respectively, fulfill the direction indication function, while the right or left, respectively, direction indication lamps are off.
• the present invention aims to solve this drawback.
• the present invention aims at the provision of a device for controlling direction indication lamps of a vehicle, wherein that lamps can be switched between an illumination operative condition wherein the lamps fulfill a perimeter illumination function, and an indication operative condition wherein the lamps fulfill a direction indication signal function, wherein the switching is effected by actuating a direction selection switch.
• the present invention aims to provide a direction indication lamp control device with which the switching of perimeter illumination function to direction indication signal function by means of the direction selection switch is separated for left and right .
• Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling a direction indication lamp of a vehicle by which it is possible to activate all individual direction indication lamps present on a vehicle, particularly the direction indication lamps at the front side of the vehicle, and thus let them fulfill a brake signal function when a brake of the vehicle concerned is activated.
• Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling a direction indication lamp of a vehicle that can be manufactured simply and cheap with a minimum of parts, and wherein the device can be integrated in a simple manner with a blinker circuit already present on the vehicle.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling a direction indication lamp of a vehicle that is suitable to be applied in combination with most common blinker circuits for fulfilling the direction indication signal function.
• a vehicle that is provided with such a device is better visible for fellow road users than vehicles that are not provided with a device according to the invention.
• the visibility of the motorbike has increased substantially, which contributes to the safety for the user of the motorbike .
• a further advantage when applying on a vehicle the device according to the invention, wherein the direction indication lamps can also perform the brake signal function, is the possibility for the fellow road users to see an optical signal which is indicative for an activation of a brake of the vehicle concerned, besides at the rear end, also at a front end of the vehicle.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling a direction indication lamp of a vehicle in such a way, that such a lamp can emit a plurality of mutually different optical signals.
• a first optical signal concerns the direction indication signal function, wherein the direction indication lamp burns blinking.
• a second optical signal concerns the perimeter illumination function, wherein the direction indication lamp burns continuously.
• a third optical signal concerns the brake signal, wherein the direction indication lamp burns according to a characteristic which differs from the characteristic of the direction indication signal function on the one hand and of the perimeter illumination function on the other hand; preferably, the direction indication lamp then burns "vibrating", with a frequency in the order of about 5 Hz .
• the direction indication lamp is connected with a power source of the vehicle through a voltage reducer and a controllable interrupt switch in order to be able to perform the function of perimeter illumination, wherein the current circuit with the voltage reducer and the interrupt switch is parallel to a current circuit with a blinker circuit and a direction selection switch, said current circuits being separated from each other by means of diodes.
• a relais is switched parallel to the lamps concerned between the direction selection switch and a mass wire, said relais controlling the interrupt switch such that the connection of the lamps to the power source through the voltage reducer is interrupted as soon as the direction selection switch is switched over to a direction indication position.
• figure 1 schematically displays a top view of a motorcycle
• figure 2 schematically displays a blinker circuit already present on the motorcycle
• figure 3 schematically displays a circuit with a double interrupt switch in supply wires for the continuous burning of the lamps
• figure 4 schematically displays a circuit with a single interrupt switch in a common supply wire
• figure 5 schematically displays a circuit in which a detector is formed by a electronic unit
• figure 6 schematically displays a modification of the circuit of figure 5, with left/right separated detectors
• figure 7 schematically shows a block diagram of an electronical dimmer for application in a control device according to the present invention
• figure 7A schematically illustrates details of the electronical dimmer.
• a motorcycle 100 is schematically shown with four direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4.
• a first direction indication lamp 1 is present at the lefthand front side of the motorcycle 100.
• a second direction indication lamp 2 is present at the lefthand rear side of the motorcycle 100.
• a third direction indication lamp 1 is present at the righthand front side of the motorcycle 100.
• a fourth direction indication lamp 1 is present at the righthand rear side of the motorcycle 100.
• the motorcycle 100 is provided at the front side with a headlight unit 14 with a front illumination lamp, which for the sake of simplicity is not shown separately. Further, the motorcycle 100 is provided at the rear side with a rearlight unit 50 with a rear illumination lamp and a brake lamp, which for the sake of simplicity are not shown separately.
• the two lefthand direction indication lamps 1, 2 can be controlled by a user of the motorcycle 100 for indicating a change of direction towards the left of the motorcycle 100.
• the two righthand direction indication lamps 3, 4 are intended for indicating a change of direction towards the right.
• the user actuates a direction selection switch mounted for instance at the steer of the motorcycle 100, which for the sake of simplicity is not shown in figure 1, and which in the electrical diagram of figure 2 is indicated as SI.
• a simple circuit suffices, as indicated in figure 2.
• the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 or the right direction indication lamps 3, 4, as desired can be connected with a supply 8 through a blinker circuit 6.
• the conventional circuit shown in figure 2 knows three operational conditions: an OFF-condition in which both the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 and the right direction indication lamps 3, 4 are continuously off, a LEFT-condition in which the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 burn intermittently and the right direction indication lamps 3, 4 are continuously off, and finally a RIGHT-condition in which the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 are continuously off and the right direction indication lamps 3, 4 burn intermittently.
• a switch wire 10 the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 are connected to a first make-and-break contact L of the direction selection switch SI.
• the right direction indication lamps 3 , 4 are connected to a second make-and-break contact R of the direction selection switch SI.
• a fixed contact N of the selection switch SI is connected to an output of the blinker circuit 6, which in turn is connected to a main supply wire 15.
• the direction selection switch SI has three positions: a first direction indication position in which the fixed contact N is connected to the first make-and-break contact L, a second direction indication position in which the fixed contact N is connected to the second make-and-break contact R, and a neutral middle position in which the fixed contact N makes no connection with any of the two make-and-break contacts L, R.
• the operation of the blinker circuit 6 will not be explained elaborately here. Suffice it to note that the blinker circuit 6 is arranged to provide an intermittent voltage only if the direction selection switch SI is switched to one of the make-and-break contacts L, R of the direction selection switch SI. At that moment, a current starts flowing through the blinker circuit 6 which triggers the providing of the intermittent voltage.
• the direction selection switch SI Since most of the time a motorbike driver moves without changing direction, the direction selection switch SI is normally in the neutral middle position. In the case of the conventional circuit, all the direction indication lamps 1-4 are then off. With a view to security, however, it is desirable that the visibility of the motorbike 100 is as high as possible.
• the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 and the right direction indication lamps 3 , 4 are switched in such a way that they burn in a dimmed manner when no change of direction is indicated, i.e. when the direction selection switch SI is in the neutral middle position.
• the invention provides a device which is easy to arrange, wherein the circuit originally present on the motorbike 100 remains intact, but in which the number of operational conditions of the direction indication lamps is extended with at least a rest situation in which both the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 and the right direction indication lamps 3, 4 burn in a dimmed manner, such that they then fulfill a perimeter illumination function.
• the number of operational conditions of the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 and the right direction indication lamps 3 , 4 can be extended with the device according to the invention with a brake condition in which all lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 burn with substantially maximum intensity, such that they then fulfill a brake signal function.
• FIG 3 an embodiment of a circuit is schematically shown with which left direction indication lamps 1, 2 and right direction indication lamps 3, 4 of a vehicle can be controlled for giving multiple, mutually different optical signals.
• substantially three current circuits can be recognized: a first circuit through a main supply wire 15, a common supply wire 16 and additional wires 12, 13 in order to be able to let the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 and the right direction indication lamps 3, 4 burn continuously; a second circuit through the main supply wire 15, the blinker circuit 6 and a switch wire 10 to be able to let the left direction indication lamps 1, 2 burn intermittently; and a third circuit through the main supply wire 15, the blinker circuit 6 and a switch wire 11 to be able to let the right direction indication lamps 3, 4 burn intermittently.
• a detector 21 is present, with which it can be detected that a direction change signal must be given.
• the direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 are connected with the main supply wire 15 through the additional wires 12, 13 and the common supply wire 16.
• a voltage reductor 9 is arranged in the common supply wire 16 such that the direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 burn with a reduced intensity when they are fed through the wires 12, 13.
• the voltage is reduced to such extent that the direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 burn with an intensity of 40-70% of the maximum light intensity.
• the four direction indication lamps 1-4 will always burn when the direction selection switch SI is in the neutral middle position.
• the supply wire 16 can be connected to the main supply wire 15 through an ignition lock or a light switch (not shown) or can be connected with a point that only carries voltage when city light or (dimmed) front light is switched on.
• the voltage reductor 9 can be bypassed with the aid of a switch S4, which is actuated by activating a brake of the vehicle in question, for instance with the aid of a coil 7.
• the coil 7 can be switched in parallel with the brake lamps of the vehicle, as will be clear to persons skilled in the art.
• the direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 then fulfill a brake signal function and thus they give an additional indication of activating the brakes of the vehicle in question, wherein an important advantage is that this brake signal indication thanks to the front direction indication lamps 1 and 3 can also be observed at the front end of the vehicle.
• the brake signal function of the direction indication lamps 1-4 in this example distinguishes itself from the perimeter illumination function of the direction indication lamps 1-4 by a higher light intensity.
• the voltage reductor 9 together with the switch S4 actuated by the coil 7 can be considered as an auxiliary voltage supply for the direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 which can provide a voltage in two different levels.
• the switch S2 has a rest contact S2a, a switch contact S2B and a fixed contact S2c.
• a switch lip S2d is fixedly connected with the fixed contact S2c. In a rest position of the switch S2, the switch lip S2d makes connection with the rest contact S2a as shown in the figures 3 and 4. In an active position of the switch S2 , the switch lip S2d makes contact with the switch contact S2b. Said additional wire 13 is connected to the rest contact S2a.
• the output of the voltage reductor 9 is connected to the fixed contact S2c.
• the switch S3 is built in similar manner, wherein the additional wire 12 is connected to the rest contact S3a of the switch S3.
• the switches S2 and S3 are part of a relais with an actuation coil 5.
• the actuation coil 5 is, through respective diodes D2 and D3 , connected to the first change-over contact L and the second change-over contact R of the direction selection switch SI, respectively.
• the lefthand direction indication lamps 1, 2 or the righthand direction indication lamps 3, 4 are now supplied with voltage from the blinker circuit 6, such that they burn blinking and thus fulfill the direction indication signal function.
• the blinker circuit 6 delivers an intermitting voltage pulse.
• an intermitting current passes through the actuation coil 5.
• the switches S2, S3 are continuously switched on and off in a frequency which corresponds to the frequency of the blinker circuit 6, a - _ ⁇ _
• capacitor Cl with a suitable capacity is connected in parallel with the actuation coil 5. This capacitor holds the voltage over the actuation coil 5 during sufficiently long time for keeping the switches S2, S3 in the active position during the interval between two successive voltage pulses of the blinker circuit 6.
• the diodes D2 and D3 serve to prevent that, when the direction selection switch SI is in a direction indication position, the left lamps 1, 2 as well as the right lamps 3, 4 start to blink.
• the direction selection switch SI When now for instance the direction selection switch SI is in the position LEFT, wherein the output of the blinker circuit 6 is connected to the first change-over contact L, the current from the blinker circuit 6 is able to reach the actuation coil 5 through the diode D2, but is not able to reach from there the righthand direction indication lamps 3, 4 through the diode D3. Also, diodes D2 and D3 prevent that the capacitor Cl can discharge through the direction indication lamps; therefore, the capacitor Cl is only able to discharge through the coil 5.
• the direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 can thus give three mutually different optical signals to the surroundings of the vehicle, wherein they fulfill an illumination function or a brake signal function or a direction indication signal function, depending on the position of the direction selection switch SI. - _ __.- _
• the lefthand direction indication lamps 1, 2 or the righthand direction indication lamps 3, 4 fulfill the direction indication signal function. If the direction selection switch SI is in the neutral middle position, all direction indication lamps 1-4 fulfill the perimeter illumination function (at least, if the common supply wire 16 carries voltage) by burning with a first illumination intensity, determined by the reductor 9, or all direction indication lamps 1-4 fulfill the brake signal function (again, provided that the common supply wire 16 carries voltage) by burning with a second, higher light intensity, if the brake of the vehicle is actuated.
• bypass switch S4 and the associated coil 7 can be omitted. Conversely, if there is no need for the perimeter illumination function, the reductor 9 can be omitted.
• one single actuation coil 5 is present, which is connected to both change-over contacts L and R of the direction indication switch SI through the diodes D2 and D3 , and which controls the two brake switched S2 and S3 simultaneously.
• the perimeter illumination function or the brake signal function, respectively, of all direction indication lamps 1-4 is switched off if the direction selection switch SI is brought in a direction indication position.
• the device according to the present invention is designed such that the switching off of the perimeter illumination function or the brake signal function, respectively, does not occur for all four direction indication lamps 1-4 together, but separated for left and right.
• the single actuation coil 5 can be replaced by two actuation coils, each with associated - capacitor.
• a first actuation coil can then, through the first diode D2, be connected between the first change-over contact L and mass and actuate the switch S3 associated with the lefthand direction indication lamps 1, 2, while the second actuation coil can then, through the second diode D3 , be connected between the second change-over contact R and mass and can actuate the switch S2 associated with the righthand direction indication lamps 3 , 4.
• the first actuation coil will bring the switch S3 into the activated condition and will thus terminate the connection between the lefthand direction indication lamps 1, 2 and the reductor, but the switch S2 keeps connecting the righthand direction indicating lamps 3, 4 with the reductor 9.
• An advantage achieved by this is that the brake signal at the front of the vehicle can be combined with a direction indication signal. Further, a higher current intensity and thus a brighter burning is possible at a reduced development of heat, because the parts are implemented double.
• a double acting relais with two separate coils can be utilized, which each can separately activate both switches.
• a limitation of the scheme as described so far is that it can only be applied with an electronic blinker circuit which itself is connected to mass.
• the connection of the blinker circuit 6 with mass through the direction selection switch SI is necessary in order to trigger the deliverance of the intermitting signal when the output of the blinker unit 6 is connected with one of the switchover contacts L, R.
• the voltage difference over the blinker circuit when switching the direction selection switch SI towards a direction indication position can be insufficient for triggering the , ,
• the switchover contacts L, R are preferably connected directly to mass through resistors Rl and R3 , as shown in broken lines in the figures 3 and 4. The overall resistance between the switchover contact L, R and mass is reduced in this way.
• a thermal blinker circuit has a heating resistance which gets warm when the direction selection switch SI is switched over towards a direction indication position. After a heating period, the thermal blinker circuit switches such that the direction indication lamps in question are connected to the voltage source 8. Herein, the heating resistance is short- circuited and thus it cools down, whereby after some time the thermal blinker circuit switches out again and, simultaneously therewith, the direction indication lamps in question switch out. This cycle repeats itself as long as the direction selection switch SI stays in the said direction indication position.
• the actuation coil 5 is activated and this actuation coil 5 actuates the switches S2 and S3, whereby the switch lip S2d and the switch lip S3d make contact with respective switch contacts S2c and S3c.
• the voltage over the actuation coil 5 decreases since the cooling direction indication lamps and the actuation coil 5 are switched in parallel.
• the voltage over the actuation coil 5 is equal to the voltage over the direction indication lamps in question, wherein this voltage is the consequence of a voltage split between the heating resistance of the thermal blinker and the direction indication lamps in question.
• the voltage over the actuation coil 5 decreases in the extent that the direction indication lamps in question further cool down.
• the embodiment of the device according to the present invention as illustrated in figure 3 is provided with a hold circuit for the actuation coil 5, comprising a capacitor C2 coupled between the actuation coil 5 and the switch contact S2b of switch S2.
• the actuation coil 5 is activated through the switch contact S2b of switch S2 and through capacitor C2.
• the capacitor C2 As soon as the capacitor C2 has been charged, the voltage through the capacitor C2 falls away.
• the time which the capacitor C2 needs for charging is, however, longer than the time which the thermal blinker needs for switching.
• the capacitor Cl switched in parallel to the actuation coil 5 is charged. The value of the capacitor Cl is chosen such that the actuation coil 5 stays activated during the period that the thermal blinker is switched out.
• a hold circuit will then comprise two of such capacitors, always coupled between an actuation coil and the switch contact of the corresponding switch.
• the circuit described above comprises in principle a part with which the direction indication lamps 1-4 can be switched as desired between continuously burning of all direction indication lamps with a lower intensity, continuously burning of all direction indication lamps at a higher and preferably maximum intensity, and intermittently burning of either left direction indication lamps 1, 2 or right direction indication lamps 3, 4.
• the actuation coil 5 has been incorporated in the circuit.
• the actuation coil 5 fulfills the function of a detector which detects the demand for an intermitting signal.
• the supply wires 12, 13 to the direction indication lamps 1, 2, 3, 4 are interrupted by two switches S2 , S3.
• Another preferred embodiment of a circuit according to the invention is shown in figure 4, wherein the two switches S2, S3 have been replaced by a single switch S5.
• the supply wires 12 , 13 are both connected to a rest contact S5a of the single switch S5.
• additional diodes D6 and D7 are arranged in the supply wires 12, 13. Otherwise, the functioning of the circuit of figure 4 is comparable with that of figure 3.
• the circuit schedules shown in figures 3 and 4 are suitable for the most common blinkers: the electronic blinker with its own mass connection, the mass-less electronic blinker, and the thermal blinker.
• a dim resistor can be used but also an electronic dimmer.
• an electronic circuit can be used as detector 21, wherein the detector 21 delivers a control signal for the dimmer. This is shown in figure 5.
• the electronic dimmer 9a has two inputs 18, 23 and two outputs 19, 20.
• the dimmer 9a receives the control signal from the detector 21 at its detection input 18.
• the outputs 19, 20 can each deliver a voltage signal with a predetermined characteristic.
• the dimmer 9a is designed to generate at its two outputs 19, 20 a voltage signal with either a first characteristic or a second characteristic. These two characteristics can, for instance, concern an average voltage of two different levels.
• the electronic dimmer 9a is designed to deliver voltage pulses with a substantially constant voltage.
• a first characteristic, destinated for the perimeter illumination function, concerns a pulse frequency in the order of 40 Hz or more, for instance in the order of 100 Hz, wherein the duration of each voltage pulse can be depending on the required dim action; this results in an _ ___ -- _
• the ratio pulse width to pulse distance is about 1:2 - 1:1.
• the pulse width can for instance be about 9 ms, and the pulse distance can be about 14 ms.
• a second characteristic, destinated for the brake signal function concerns a pulse frequency in the order of about 5 Hz, wherein the pulse width can be in the order of about 50 ms and the pulse distance can be in the order of about 150 ms .
• the pulses are sufficiently wide to achieve that the direction indication lamps reach almost the maximum light intensity, while the pulse distance is short to such extent that the cooling direction indication lamps will not extinguish completely.
• the lamps burn "vibrating" with a frequency which clearly differs from the blinking frequency of the direction indication signal function, wherein the frequency is normally in the order of about 1 Hz with an ON/OFF ratio of about 1:1.
• the characteristic of the brake signal function is thus clearly different from the characteristic of the perimeter illumination function, observed as constant light intensity. Thus, no confusion between these three functions is possible.
• the electronic dimmer 9a is designed for generating at its output 19, 20 a voltage signal with the first characteristic or the second characteristic in dependency of a control signal received at its brake input 23, which is representative for the activation of the brake of the vehicle.
• the changing of the outputs 19, 20 between the one characteristic and the other characteristic is synchronously.
• the control signal delivered at the input 18 by the detector 21 determines whether the electronic dimmer 9a is switched out completely.
• the detector 21 must perform different tasks.
• a primary task of the detector 21 is providing a control signal which is indicative for the fact whether the direction selection switch SI is in the neutral middle position or in the lefthand or righthand direction indication position L or R, respectively.
• this control signal namely, a voltage signal for the direction indication lamps 1-4 is or is not delivered at the output 18, 19 of the dimmer 9a.
• this control signal is a DC signal.
• the value 0 V can be indicative for the fact that the direction indication switch SI is in the neutral middle position and the value 12 V (corresponding to supply 8) can be indicative for the fact that the direction selection switch SI is in the lefthand or righthand direction indication position L or R, respectively, but the opposite is also possible, as is the case in the embodiment illustrated in figure 5.
• the detector 21 comprises a transistor 17 of which the emitter is connected to the mass terminal 14, and of which the collector is connected with the supply terminal 16 through a resistor 25.
• the collector of the transistor 17 functions as output of the detector 21, and is connected to the detection input 18 of the electronic dimmer 9a.
• the detection input 18 of the electronic dimmer 9a receives a high voltage level through said resistor 25.
• the collector-emitter voltage can be neglected, and the voltage at the detection input 18 of the electronic dimmer 9a is almost 0 V.
• the collector emitter current is then limited by the resistor 25.
• the transistor 17 is brought into conduction when the detector 21 detects a high voltage at the change-over contacts L or R of the direction selection switch SI, because there the signal generated by the blinker circuit 6 is received.
• the output signal of the blinker circuit 6 is a pulsed signal, of which the repetition period is typically in the range of 0.6 - 1.0 sec, and of which the ON/OFF-ratio is typically in the range of 40%/60% to 60%/40%. This means that the OFF-time of the blinker signal can in practice be in the order of 0.6 sec. During this time, and preferably longer with a certain safety margin, the dimmer 9a should stay switched off, and thus the control signal for the detection input 18 of the electronic dimmer 9a should stay low.
• a capacitor C5 is connected in parallel with said resistor 25.
• the capacitor C5 is charged relatively quickly.
• the voltage level at the detection input 18 of the electronic dimmer 9a stays low because of the charged capacitor; this voltage level increases only slowly because the capacitor C5 discharges itself over the resistor 25.
• the detector 21 also performs the important function of keeping the dimmer 9a switched off during the time interval between two successive voltage pulses of the blinker circuit 6.
• the detector 21 has two inputs, connected with the changeover contacts L and R of the direction selection switch SI, respectively.
• the detector 21 can also receive at its inputs a voltage signal which originates from the dimmer 9a. As a consequence of this, the detector 21 might switch off the dimmer 9a. After passing of time, the detector 21 sets the dimmer 9a free again, which therefore generates a voltage again, etcetera. This can be desired, in situations that the output signal of the dimmer 9a is a DC voltage but a discontinuously burning of the direction indication lamps is desired.
• the output signal of the dimmer 9a is a pulsed signal with a characteristic which depends on the signal received at its brake input 23. In that case, it is not desirable that the detector 21 switches off the dimmer 9a.
• diodes might be incorporated in the connection lines between the respective change-over contacts L and R of the direction selection switch SI and the direction indication lamps 1, 2 and 3, 4, as the diodes Dl and D4 illustrated in figure 3.
• a disadvantage of this is, however, that during use they become quite warm.
• a disadvantage which is at least as important is that arranging such diodes implies that the connection lines which are normally already present in the vehicle between the respective change-over contacts L and R and the direction indication lamps 1, 2 and 3, 4 must be interrupted.
• the detector 21 is preferably, and as illustrated in figure 5, a discriminating detector which can distinguish between on the one hand the pulsed blinker signal as provided by the blinker circuit 6, and on the other hand the pulsed signal as provided by the dimmer 9a.
• the dimmer 9a produces voltage pulses with a pulse width which is maximal in the case of the brake signal function, and which can then be in the order of 50 ms, while the blinker circuit 6 produces voltage pulses of which the pulse width is typically minimal 240 ms . Therefore, the detector 21 is designed to respond only to voltage pulses of which the pulse width is larger than a predetermined border value, which border value in a suitable embodiment is about 100 ms .
• the detector 21 comprises a first detection capacitor C3 which with its one terminal is connected to mass terminal 14 and with its other terminal is connected to a first change-over contact L of the direction selection switch SI through a first series resistor R4.
• the node between the first detection capacitor C3 and said first series resistor R4 is coupled with the base of the transistor 17.
• a diode D10 is incorporated, for instance of the Zener diode type, which assures that the transistor comes only into conduction when the voltage at said node exceeds a predetermined value, which value in a suitable embodiment is 6 V.
• the detector 21 comprises a second detection capacitor C4 which with its one terminal is connected to mass terminal 14 and with its other terminal is connected to the second change-over contact R of the direction selection switch SI through a second series resistor R5.
• the node between the second detection capacitor C4 and said second series resistor R5 is also connected with the Zener diode 10.
• Diodes D8, D9 incorporated between said nodes and the Zener diode 10 assure a separation of the lefthand circuit and the righthand circuit of the circuitry.
• the direction selection switch SI When the direction selection switch SI is set in the position L, and thus voltage appears on the first change-over contact L, the first detection capacitor C3 is charged through the series resistor R4. Assuming that the voltage pulse is long enough (minimally 240 ms) , the potential at the node between C3 and R4 reaches, after a certain amount of time, a value which is sufficiently high to bring the transistor 17 into conduction. A similar operation is of course valid when the direction selection switch SI is put in the position R.
• a potential originating from the dimmer 9a is present at the first change-over contact L.
• a voltage pulse will charge the first detection capacitor C3 through the series resistor R4, but this voltage pulse is not long enough (maximally about 50 ms) for charging the first detection capacitor C3 to the required level.
• a diode Dll can be arranged in parallel with the series resistor R4, as shown in broken lines in figure 5.
• the resistance for the discharge current of C3 is much lower than the resistance for the charge current.
• a diode D12 is arranged in parallel with the series resistor R5.
• each detection capacitor C3 , C4 can have a value of about 22 ⁇ F, and each series resistor R4, R5 can have a value of about 5.6 k ⁇ .
• An advantage of applying the electronic circuit according to figure 5 is that the detector can be connected directly to the change-over contacts L and R of the direction selection switch SI, and further that only a supply wire and a mass wire are necessary.
• the additional wires 12, 13 can also be connected directly to the change-over contacts L, R, such that the entire circuit can be built as a single unit, which unit, apart from a supply wire, a break light signal terminal and a mass terminal, has two connection wires which can be connected to the changeover contacts L, R of the direction selection switch SI, respectively.
• one single detector 21 is present, which is connected to both change-over contacts L and R of the direction selection switch SI, and which has one output
• the device according to the present invention is preferably designed such that the switching off of the perimeter illumination function or the break signal function, respectively, does not take place for all four direction indication lamps 1-4 in common, but left and right separated.
• the electronic dimmer 9a can be replaced by an electronic dimmer 9b with two detection inputs 18L and 18R, and the single detector 21 can be replaced by two detectors 21L and 21R, as illustrated in figure 6.
• a first detector 21L then comprises a capacitor C3 coupled between the first change-over contact L and mass, which is coupled to the base of a first transistor 17L, and of which the output is connected to the first detection input 18L of the electronic dimmer 9b.
• a second detector 21R comprises a capacitor C4 coupled between the second change-over contact R and mass, which is coupled to the base of a second transistor 17R, and of which the output is connected to the second detection input 18R of the electronic dimmer 9b.
• the operation of the detectors 21L and 21R is identical to the operation of the detector 21 described with reference to figure 5, and need not be repeated. It suffices to note that the separation diodes D8 and D9 can now be omitted.
• the first detector 21L When the direction selection switch SI is now brought into the first direction indication position LEFT, the first detector 21L will give a signal to the first detection input 18L of the dimmer 9b. This one is designed for then generating an output signal at its second output 20 only, such that the righthand direction indication lamps 3, 4, depending on the signal received on the brake input 23, can perform the perimeter illumination function or the brake indication signal function while the lefthand direction indication lamps 1, 2 can perform the direction indication signal function.
• the reverse operation takes place if the direction selection switch SI is placed in the second direction indication position RIGHT.
• the brake signal can have a constant intensity
• the brake signal preferably has a changing intensity with a predetermined frequency.
• the brake signal can change between said low intensity and the maximum intensity.
• the duration of the period with maximum light intensity of the brake signal can be set such that there is a difference with other functions.
• the period with maximum light intensity is longer than the period with low light intensity. . 24
• Figure 7 illustrates a possible embodiment of the electronic dimmer 9b.
• the electronic dimmer 9b comprises a signal generator 30, for instance a multivibrator, with an output 31 and with a brake input 23 for receiving a signal which is indicative for the actuation of a brake member of the vehicle.
• This brake signal can for instance take the following values : 0 V : braking does not take place 12 V: braking takes place In that case, the brake signal can be tapped directly from a brake lamp of the vehicle.
• the signal generator 30 is designed to generate a pulse- shaped voltage signal at its output 31, wherein the voltage level of the pulses is 12 V and the voltage level between the pulses is 0 V. Since circuits for generating such a pulse-shaped signal are known per se, this will not be explained in more detail here.
• the repetition frequency and the pulse width of the pulse- shaped voltage signal depend on the value of the voltage level at the brake input 23. For instance, if the voltage level at the brake input is 0 V, the pulse width can be about 9 ms and the pulse distance can be about 14 ms, such that the repetition frequency is about 43 Hz. Further, if the voltage level at the brake input is 12 V, the pulse width can be about 50 ms and the pulse distance can be about 150 ms, such that the repetition frequency is about 5 Hz . It will be clear for a person skilled in the art how such values can be set .
• the switching from the one characteristic to the other and vice versa in dependency of a control signal can for instance be achieved in that the signal generator 30 has two signal generating circuits, each set in accordance with a respective characteristic, wherein the output of those two signal generating circuits are coupled with the output 31 of the signal generator 30 through a controllable switch, and wherein that controllable switch is controlled by the signal received at the brake input 23.
• the electronic dimmer 9b further comprises a first controllable switch 40L, of which an input 41L is connected with the output 31 of the signal generator 30.
• the first controllable switch 40L has an output connected to the output 19 of the electronic dimmer 9b, and a control input connected to the detector input 18L of the electronic dimmer 9b.
• the first controllable switch 40L is designed to deliver a high signal at its output if at both inputs 41L and 18L a high voltage level is received simultaneously, and to let its output float in all other conditions (AND-function) .
• the first controllable switch 40L might cause a connection between its input 41L and its output under control of the signal at its control input, but this has the disadvantage that then the signal generator 30 must deliver the current intensity for the direction indication lamps. Therefore, the first controllable switch 40L is preferably designed to connect its output with its supply terminal if a high voltage level is received at both inputs 41L and 18L simultaneously, and to let its output float in all other conditions (AND-function with "high” as active value; see figure 7A) . Conversely, this can be implemented by letting its output float if a low voltage level is received at at least one of its inputs 41L and 18L, and to connect its output with its supply terminal in other conditions (OR-function with "low” as active value) .
• the first controllable switch 40L can comprise a relais.
• the electronic dimmer 9b further comprises a second controllable switch 40R, of which an input 41R is connected to the output 31 of the signal generator 30.
• the second controllable switch 40R has an output connected to the output 20 of the electronic dimmer 9b, and a control input connected to the detector input 18R of the electronic dimmer 9b.
• the electronic dimmer 9a of figure 5 might be implemented in an identical way, with the understanding that then the control input of the two controllable switches 40L, 4OR are both connected to the detector input 18 of the electronic dimmer 9a. nie ,.
• an auxiliary voltage source has been described as a single reductor 9, or a single electronic dimmer 9a, 9b with a single output (figure 3) or two different outputs (figure 5, 6) , always controlled by a single detector or two separate detectors for LEFT and RIGHT.
• the auxiliary voltage source can also comprise two separate reductors or dimmers, respectively, always for controlling the lefthand direction indication lamps and righthand direction indication lamps, respectively, wherein then they are preferably controlled by two separate detectors for LEFT and RIGHT.
• the operation of the electronic dimmer 9a, 9b has been described for the situation that the detector 21 gives a HIGH signal as indication that the direction selection switch SI is in the neutral middle position. It will be clear to a person skilled in the art how the electronic dimmer 9a, 9b should be amended for the inverted situation, namely that the detector 21 gives a LOW signal as indication that the direction selection switch SI is in the neutral middle position. Furthermore, in the foregoing the operation of the electronic dimmer 9a, 9b has been described for the situation that the signal generator 30 generates a pulse-shaped signal of which the HIGH parts correspond to the burning of the direction indication lamps.
• the electronic dimmer 9a, 9b should be amended for the inverted situation, namely that the signal generator 30 generates a pulse-shaped signal of which the LOW parts correspond to the burning of the direction indication lamps.
• the present invention can be applied to vehicles of different type, such as car, lorry, motorcycle, scooter, moped, etcetera.

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• 1999
  • 1999-03-11 NL NL1011534A patent/NL1011534C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-03-03 WO PCT/NL2000/000139 patent/WO2000053455A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-03-03 EP EP00908122A patent/EP1165346A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-03-03 AU AU29494/00A patent/AU2949400A/en not_active Abandoned

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