GB2257674A

GB2257674A - Vehicle visor for estimating safe distances.

Info

Publication number: GB2257674A
Application number: GB9115214A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian William Paul Adams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-07-15
Filing date: 1991-07-15
Publication date: 1993-01-20
Anticipated expiration: 2011-07-15
Also published as: GB9115214D0; GB2257674B

Abstract

The transparent visor (1a, 1b), eg for use in road vehicles or motor boats, is placed in the driver's forward or rearward line of sight and carries silhouettes (5-8) giving the apparent widths of other vehicles when at the recommended safe distance in front of, or behind, the vehicle to which the visor is fitted. The visor is adjustable in fore-and-aft position and may be pivoted out of the way completely. like the conventional sun visor (12). <IMAGE>

Description

A SAFE DISTANCE MEASURING VISOR This invention relates to a retractable transparent visor in particular, although not exclusively, fitted on the same hinges as a vehicle Sun Visor, on which the outlines, particularly the apparent widths, of an average width lorry and car are marked when at the recommended safe distances in front of the "fitted vehicle" at one or more combinations of road speeds and road surface braking conditions, when viewed by the driver of the fitted vehicle from a known viewing distance.

Known safe-distance measuring systems are either engraved on the windscreen, or rely on complex optics and control mechanisms to provide a "head-up display".

These known systems have several disadvantages. In particular, those engraved on the vehicle windscreen must be installed at manufacture specifically for the type of vehicle as non-standard parts.

They must be re-installed as non-standard parts ordered from the manufacturer after windscreen damage or breakage. They are not retractable and the engravings constitute a permanent partial occuration of the windscreen.

Those based on opto-mechanical or opto-electronic "head-updisplays" are complex, expensive and require costly periodic maintenance.

They do not extend to the vehicle rear window to indicate when another vehicle is travelling too close behind.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a safedistance measuring visor or visors which substantially alleviate the problems associated with known systems.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided in the fitted vehicle a transparent visor arranged for mounting within a vehicle, the visor arranged for mounting either between the driver of the vehicle and its windscreen, or in a position substantially not to interfere with the driver's view of the windscreen; the visor arranged with markings for depicting the apparent widths of average width vehicles at recommended safe distances in front of the vehicle when viewed by the driver in front of the windscreen.

Preferably, an indication of the correct viewing distance between the drivers eyes and the visor is provided, for instance, by moving the visor into a fore-and-aft position with the viewing distance marked on the visor Preferably, the vehicle silhouettes show the apparent widths of average width vehicles when at the recommended safe distances at well known speeds and road conditions, for example, at the legal maximum motorway or autobahn speed in dry conditions and in wet conditions, and at the legal maximum urban speed in dry conditions and in wet conditions.

According to another aspect of the invention a similar retractable visor is mounted within the fitted vehicle near the rear window, marked with one or more silhouettes showing the apparent widths of average width vehicles when at recommended safe distances behind the fitted vehicle when viewed from the correct viewing distance through the internal rearview mirror by the driver of the fitted vehicle.

Preferably, the visor mounted near the rear window has a warning light on it or associated with it which may be switched on or off by the driver of the fitted vehicle to warn a driver behind him that is driving too close.

According to another aspect of the invention a similar set of visors may be fitted to boats, particularly, but not exclusively, to motor boats, which sometimes travel in restricted and crowded water-ways.

The present invention will now be further described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: Figure 1 shows a visor according to one embodiment of the invention. The visor (1) is fitted to the vehicle roof at point (2) via a rotatable socket at (2) and a hinge along its top edge (3) both the hinge and socket enabling it to be lowered in front of the driver's eyes or retracted upwards out of the way or swung sideways. The hinge and socket are designed with sufficient friction of movement to allow the visor to be moved easily to the desired position and to retain it in that position.

In this example, but not exclusively, the visor is made of an outer sleeve (lea) of resilient transparent plastic material (resilient for vehicle accident safety reasons) which may slide up or down over an inner transparent piece of plastic material of slightly smaller dimensions (1b) so that the outer sleeve may be adjusted to be positioned at the correct height in front of the eyes of drivers of different heights, and held in the desired position by clamp (4).

In this example, but not exclusively, the outer sleeve of the visor is engraved , or otherwise marked, with the silhouettes of standard width vehicles when at safe distances in front of the fitted vehicle at 30mph in dry conditions (5) 70 mph in dry conditions (6) 30mph in wet conditions (7) and 70mph in wet conditions (8). Different speeds and road surface braking conditions and their associated silhouettes may be applicable in different countries.

The size of the visor would typically be 40cm in length by 15cm deep by 1cm thick.

Preferably, the safe-distance measuring visor is in front of the driver uses the same hinge and socket as the vehicle sun-visor but fitted so that the safe-distance measuring visor may be lowered and used independently of the sun visor.

Preferably, measuring the correct size of the silhouettes marked on the visor at different safe-distances in front of the vehicle to be fitted takes place before manufacture of the visor by viewing average width vehicles1 or mock-ups, stationed at the recommended safe-distances in front of the vehicle to be fitted and measuring their apparent sizes at the correct viewing distance behind the visor. These apparent sizes may be used for all fitted vehicle types which use the same viewing distance and vehicle safety-distance combinations.

Preferably, the visor has a mark on it (9) at the correct viewing position allowing this distance to be indicated to the driver when the visor is swung to a fore-and-aft position.

Preferably, the silhouettes on the visor are labelled on the visor, to indicate which speed and road surface braking condition they represent, for example, (6) is marked with "70 DRY" alongside it.

Figure 1 is completed by showing the outline of the steering wheel (10) rear-view mirror (11) and the normal sun-visor (12) of the fitted vehicle as an aid to orientation of reader for this embodiment of the invention.

In a second embodiment of the invention a similar second safedistance measuring visor is fitted in front of the rear window of the vehicle.

The main difference between this and the front visor is that the measurement of the size of the silhouettes marked on this visor is made before manufacture by viewing average width vehicles, or mock-ups, stationed at the recommended safe-distances behind the vehicle to be fitted and measuring their apparent sizes through the rear-view mirror at the correct viewing position (which is the same as the position for the front visor). These apparent sizes may then be used for all fitted vehicle types which use the same viewing distance and vehicle safety-distance combinations.

In another difference between the rear window safe-distance measuring visor and the windscreen safe-distance measuring visor the rear visor may, in this example, but not exclusively, have a warning light on it or associated with it, operated by the driver of the fitted vehicle, to warn a driver behind that he is driving to close.

In another difference between the rear-window safe-distance measuring visor and the windscreen safe-distance measuring visor, the rear visor is preferably labelled in "mirror writing" so that the labels may be read by the driver through the rear-view mirror.

The present invention may thus provide the following advantages when compared with known systems : A safe-distance measuring safety feature for vehicles which can be easily and cheaply manufactured for any type of vehicle in a kit form which can be installed by the purchaser.

It allows the safe-distance to be estimated both in front of, and behind, the fitted vehicle.

The visor silhouettes are easily calibrated for a particular vehicle type by placing average width vehicles, or mock-ups, at the recommended distances in front of or behind the vehicle type being calibrated, in a stationary test layout.

The visors retract when not in use and do not permanently partly obscure the windscreen or rear window of the fitted vehicle.

The visor associated with the rear window of the fitted vehicle may be illuminated or associated with some warning signal operated by the driver to warn a driver behind that he is too close.

The visors require no maintenance or servicing.

The visors may be easily transferred to another similar vehicle.

Claims

A transparent visor arranged for mounting within a vehicle, the visor arranged for mounting between the driver of the vehicle and its windscreen, or in a position substantially not to interfere with the driver's view of the windscreen; the visor arranged with markings for depicting the apparent widths of average width vehicles at recommended safe distances in front of the vehicle when viewed by the driver in front of the windscreen.
2 A transparent visor as claimed in claim 1 able to be moved into a fore-and aft position with a mark on it to indicate the correct viewing distance of the driver's eyes.
3 A transparent visor as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 with vehicle silhouettes marked on it showing the apparent widths of average width vehicles when at the recommended safe distances at well known speeds and road conditic7s, for example, at the legal maximum motorway or autobahn speed in dry conditions and in wet conditions, and at the legal maximum urban speed in dry conditionsa in wet conditions.
4 A transparent visor as claimed in any preceding claim arranged for mounting between the driver of the vehicle and its rear windscreen, or in a position substantially not to interfere with the driver's view of the rear windscreen; the visor arranged with markings for depicting the apparent widths of average width vehicles at recommended safe distances behind the vehicle when viewed by the driver behind the rear windscreen through the rear view mirror,
5 A warning light associated with the visor as claimed in claim 4 which may be switched on or off by the driver to warn the driver behind that he is driving too close,
6 A transparent visor as claimed in any preceding claim arranged for fitting to boats, particularly, but nor exclusively, to motor boats which sometimes travel in restricted and crowded waterways.
7 A transparent visor substantially as described herein with reference to figure I of the accompanying drawing.