GB2293930A

GB2293930A - Vehicle hazard warning system

Info

Publication number: GB2293930A
Application number: GB9520061A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Critoph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-10-03
Filing date: 1995-10-02
Publication date: 1996-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2015-10-02
Also published as: GB9419903D0; GB9520061D0; GB2293930B

Abstract

The system has a processor (3, Fig. 1) responsive to operation of the brake pedal (1) and accelerator pedal (2), so that the brake warning lights 5 are actuated in response to operation of the brake pedal (1) and then remain on, unless and until the vehicle subsequently accelerates again. Each of the two brake warning lights 5 may have a top part 6 and a bottom part 7, both of which are off, Fig. 2a, during normal driving. When the brake pedal (1) is operated, both parts 6, 7 come on together, Fig. 2b. When the brake pedal is subsequently released, the top and bottom parts 6, 7 flash alternately, Figs 2c - 2e, until either the accelerator pedal is operated resulting in the top and bottom parts 6, 7 both going off again, Fig. 2f, or the brake pedal is operated again resulting in the top and bottom parts 6, 7 both being energised continuously (Fig. 3f). <IMAGE>

Description

VEHICLE HAZARD WARNING SYSTEM Field of the Invention The invention relates to vehicle hazard warning systems.

Background to the Invention Vehicles in the form of road-going motor cars, motorcycles, and the like have for many years been fitted with so-called brake lights which are mounted at or adjacent the rear of the vehicle and which give a "brake-on" indication to following vehicles every time the vehicle driver depresses his foot brake pedal inside the vehicle.

These conventional "brake-on" warning lights are electrically high wattage lights and are readily visible even in the day-time. But they go off again, immediately, as soon as the depressed internal brake pedal is released. And they are not actuated at all, in all normal instances, by the hand-operated parking brake lever.

It is very often the case that in an accident, where a vehicle comes to a halt after a lengthy and/or very sharp braking action, the vehicle then cannot be moved and constitutes a dangerous obstruction to following traffic. Many vehicle crashes have this result and, whilst the vehicle's brake warning lights will all have come "on" during braking, none of them will have remained permanently on once the vehicle has come to a halt.

All modern road-going motor vehicles are fitted with hazard warning lights, usually comprising circuitry, actuable by the driver whether the vehicle is moving or stationary, causing all four corner-mounted "turn" indicator lights to flash repeatedly and simultaneously on the vehicle.

Such hazard warning light systems have however to be positively actuated by the driver from within the vehicle. In a sudden crash, he may have no time to do this. Even if he does have time, his attention will be preoccupied by the need to brake and to take other action to try to avoid the crash or its consequences. And if he is injured in the crash, he may be in no condition to actuate his hazard warning lights.

Summarv of The Invention Against this background the invention proceeds from the realisation that, in all emergency braking situations which cause the vehicle subsequently to stop, the one absolutely automatic human reaction is to hit the brake pedal.

Whatever else is done, that is always the first priority and very often the only thing the driver manages to do before his vehicle is brought to a halt, forcibly or otherwise.

Accordingly, in the broadest aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle hazard warning system comprising processing means for processing inputs from at least vehicle's brake pedal and accelerator pedal in order to provide outputs to control means for controlling the operation of the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights characterised in that the vehicle's "brakeon" warning lights once actuated, remain "on" after the vehicle's brake pedal has been released by the driver, unless and until the vehicle subsequently accelerates again.

This statement of the invention is broad enough to cover the situation where, in a non-emergency situation, the driver conventionally simply brings the vehicle to a halt in order to park it, gets out of it, and leaves it parked for some time until he returns to drive off again. This broad-scope definition of the invention is deliberate.

In a preferred embodiment the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights once actuated, flash repeatedly after the vehicle's brake pedal has been released by the driver, unless and until the vehicle subsequently accelerates again.

Ideally, each of the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights are of a two-part construction, each of which parts is able to be iluminated, in use (on actuation by said control means) independently from one another.

In a preferred form, in use said control means causes each of said two parts to flash alternately on release of the vehicle's brake pedal and until the vehicle's brake pedal is depressed again, when both of said two parts become illuminated continuously.

In a further preferred form, in use said control means causes each of said two parts to flash alternately on release of the vehicle's brake pedal and until the vehicle subsequently accelerates again, when both of said two parts are turned "off'.

In a further development of the invention, however, the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights may be switched "off' with the rest of the vehicle's electrical circuits in the situation where the driver simply wants to park the vehicle.

Brief Description of The Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows the status of a vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights during particular (sample) events; Figure 3 shows the status of a vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights during progressive braking.

Putting the Invention Into Practice The circuitry needed to put the invention into practice can be assembled from known integers by the intended skilled addressee of this specification.

The invention lies in the inventive idea, not the means to put the inventive idea into operation. The idea certainly involves an inventive step, if new, for the reasons given above; and it is believed to be inherently new to the best of the applicant's current knowledge.

Figure 1 shows a block diagram arrangement for the invention. Inputs from the vehicle's brake pedal 1 and accelerator pedal 2 are processed by processing means 3. Control means 4 controls the operation of the two "brake-on" warning lights 5, each of which comprises a top part 6 and a bottom part 7.

Figures 2 and 3 show two sample sequences of events. In these examples, both of the "brake-on" warning lights 5 operate identically and hence only one of them is represented in Figures 2 and 3. An alternative embodiment can be envisaged where the two "brake-on" warning lights 5 can be made to flash alternately by control means 4.

Referring to Figure 2, the sample sequence of events is as follows: a) Normal driving i.e "brake-on" warning light 5 completely off.

b) Brake pedal depressed. Both parts of "brake-on" warning light 5 are illuminated.

c)-e) Brake pedal released. Top part 6 and bottom part 7 flash alternately to warn following drivers that the vehicle has not begun to accelerate again.

f) Accelerator pedal depressed. Both parts of "brake-on" warning light 5 are turned off.

Referring to Figure 3, the sequence of events during progressive braking is as follows: a) Normal driving i.e "brake-on" warning light 5 completely off.

c)-e) Brake pedal released. Top part 6 and bottom part 7 flash alternately to warn following drivers that the vehicle has not yet begun to accelerate again.

f) Brake pedal depressed again. Both parts of "brake-on" warning light 5 become continuously illuminated.

Despite its simplicity it is believed that the invention constitutes a real advance in modern-day safety. The extent to which some kind of inherently advance-constituting safety feature is needed on modern vehicular traffic is all too apparent from published accident statistics. The invention makes such a contribution.

In reflecting on the inherent inventive step that the invention embodies, it is salutary to remark that "brake-on" warning lights themselves were unknown before the 1950s on road-going vehicles generally; high-intensity (i.e electrically high wattage) brake lights took many more years before they became widespread; and as for simultaneously flashing hazard warning turn indicator systems, they are a very recent development indeed because flashing-light turn-indicators were, again, unknown as such before the 1960s.

Claims

1. A vehicle hazard warning system comprising processing means for processing inputs from at least a vehicle's brake pedal and accelerator pedal in order to provide output to control means for controlling the operation of the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights, characterised in that the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights, once actuated, remain "on" after the vehicle's brake pedal has been released by the driver, unless and until the vehicle subsequently accelerates again.

2. A vehicle hazard warning system according to Claim 1 wherein the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights, once actuated, flash repeatedly after the vehicle's brake pedal has been released by the driver, unless and until the vehicle subsequently accelerates again.

3. A vehicle hazard warning system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein each of the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights are of a two part construction, each of which parts is able to be illuminated, in use (on actuation by said control means) independently of one another.

4. A vehicle hazard warning system according to Claim 3 wherein, in use, said control means causes each of said two parts to flash alternately on release of the vehicle's brake pedal and until the vehicle's brake pedal is depressed again, when both of said two parts become illuminated continuously.

5. A vehicle hazard warning system according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein, in use, said control means causes each of said two parts to flash alternately on release of the vehicle's brake pedal and until the vehicle subsequently accelerates again when both of said two parts are turned "off'.

6. A vehicle hazard warning system according to any of the preceding claims wherein the vehicle's "brake-on" warning lights are adapted to be switched "off' with the rest of the vehicle's electrical circuits, for example when the vehicle is parked.

7. A vehicle hazard warning system substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. A vehicle incorporating a vehicle hazard warning system substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.