GB2429053A - Detachable LED lamp set for bicycles including indicators - Google Patents

Abstract

A detachable LED indicator, warning and safety light set for a bicycle includes a front headlamp (1, fig 2) rear taillight (3, fig 2) and front and rear direction indicator lights (8-11, fig 2) The light set also includes a control mechanism (4, fig 2) positioned at the front of the bicycle, supports and interconnecting cables (7, fig 2) for the lights. The light set is battery operated, and is easily releasable from its mountings to prevent stealing.

Description

1 2429053 LED INDICATOR & SAFETY LIGHT SET FOR BICYCLES.

This invention relates to indicator warning lights for bicycles, which also incorporate a front head lamp and rear taillight for increased visibility and safety. The light set is of a type that includes a control mechanism and support, interconnecting cable with support straps, front and rear indicator lights and supports, a front headlamp and rear taillight.

I am a cyclist and a motorist who also happens to live and work in London.

London is renowned for being the UK's largest and busiest capital city. It also has the UK's highest proportion of cycling accidents. {1} As a result of being a motorist, and as a result of cycling to and from my place of work during peak hours, I have become increasingly aware that although there are many advantages to cycling there is many disadvantages. Cyclists are amongst the most vulnerable group out of all road users. In 1997, it was reported that for every 100 million kilometres travelled, 89 cyclists were killed or seriously injured.{2} More recent figures show that in 2002, 130 pedal cyclists were killed in road accidents and 2,320 were seriously injured.{3} It is also widely recognised that the toll is particularly high amongst cyclist's in urban areas.{4} Whilst conducting this research, I read a report that stated that Britons cycle less than other Europeans. The reason it seems is that Britons are scared to go on the road. The report went on to detail how per each kilometre travelled, cyclists are 14 times more likely to meet with a serious or fatal accident than car drivers. {5} The research that I conducted made grim reading. It is clear that one of the reasons as to why more people do not cycle, and why cyclists are so at risk of death or injury is that their presence on the road is not always recognised or taken seriously enough.

Cycling is a legendary form of transportation, yet I have noted that as a cyclist your personal safety largely depends on the visibility of your clothing, the use of arm signals and on other road users being fully aware of your presence.

A cyclist glancing round is a signal to another road user that the cyclist may be going to move out or to turn. However, I have observed as a cyclist that these signals tend to go unnoticed or get totally ignored. This problem is made worse at night or in conditions of poor visibility. Furthermore, when cycling in large cities or regions, which have a high density of traffic, arm signals are not always adequate, as other road users are not always attuned to the cyclist.

It is well documented that other particular hazards for cyclists are at junctions and roundabouts.{6} At junctions, the cyclist is faced with traffic moving in several directions, which is particularly dangerous if it is dark or if visibility is poor due to bad weather conditions. If a cyclist is travelling on the near side of a busy road and intends to turn right at the next junction, this involves making a fairly complex manoeuvre. The cyclist has to be aware of the traffic approaching from behind, to ensure that it is safe to switch lanes and to move into the offside area of the road. At the same time, the cyclist has to ensure that they are aware of all oncoming traffic. These two sets of observations have to be juggled in tandem with the use of arm signals before the cyclist can cross the busy road and continue travelling off down the required junction.

In order to negotiate a busy junction, I have observed cyclists moving into the offside area of the road well in advance of the required junction. This means that the cyclist is left to travel in the middle of a busy road, which is not only a hazard in itself, but it can also mean that they are travelling in the centre of the busy road for quite some time before they actually reach the required junction.

It is understandable that as cyclists, we take these risks because it is invariably the only way of ensuring that we will get across the road to our junction. However, I have noticed that another distinct disadvantage with taking these risks is that other vehicles do not expect to find a cyclist in the middle of the road and are not always able to accommodate them safely.

Another distinct disadvantage for the motorist is that many cyclists do not use arm signals. However, cyclists that do use arm signals can be wilfully ignored by motorists or ignored because the cyclist is not visible enough.

The other problem with cyclists having to totally rely on arm signals is that they do not have absolute control of their bicycle. This problem is compounded if the cyclist is contemporaneously looking back over their shoulder to check the whereabouts of traffic approaching from the rear. This problem is even more complicated and hazardous if the cyclist is wearing a backpack or riding with a child in a child's seat, as the additional load has a tendency to interfere with balance, which again interferes with the control over the bicycle.

In its web-site, the government has recognised all of the pitfalls that can befall cyclists who ride their bicycles on the highway. In particular, it has highlighted roundabouts and junctions as particular hazards for cyclists, with bulky loads also being recognised as factors that can seriously affect control, balance and even vision. (5) The majority of road users are aware of the significance of using indicators.

The use of indicators automatically alerts other road users to the fact that a vehicle intends to pull out or to turn. An object of this invention is to draw upon that same principle, by instantly alerting other road users to the presence of the cyclist and to their intention to pull out or to turn. This invention is in no way intended to be an absolute safety measure in its own right. Instead this invention is intended to enhance the use of arm signals, whilst also increasing the visibility of the cyclist. By alerting other road users to the presence of the cyclist it is intended that this invention will help to reduce the number of cyclists hurt or killed on our roads.

This invention consists of a set of detachable LED indicator warning lights for bicycles, which are powered by ordinary known alkaline batteries, and which incorporate a front head lamp and rear taillight which incorporate four indicator lights and supports, a front control mechanism containing known LED flasher circuitry, which includes control buttons or switches and support, and interconnecting cable and supports.

The front headlamp and the rear taillight are incorporated to save the cyclist the added expense of having to purchase these separately. The front headlamp will preferably be white in colour and the rear taillight will preferably be red in colour.

The LED lights and accompanying indicators will preferably be made from plastics so that they are cost effective, lightweight, and durable, particularly in poor weather conditions. Alternatively, they could be made of metal such as chrome to create a modern designer effect, but they may also be made from a combination of these materials.

The LED lights and accompanying indicators should be of a type, which includes supports or mounts, which are all detachable at will to prevent the light set from being stolen when the bicycle is not in use.

The indicators or circuitry will house flasher units to known specifications causing them to flash intermittently as known indicator lights.

The front indicators and front headlamp and its supports should be affixed to the front of the main bicycle frame so that they are visible to oncoming traffic or traffic approaching from the side. The rear indicators, rear taillight and its supports can be affixed to the rear of the main bicycle frame. They can be affixed so that they are high enough to prevent any obstruction from panniers, but low enough to prevent obstruction from clothing and so that they are visible to traffic approaching from the rear.

The preferred form for this invention is explained by the use of the accompanying drawings of which: FIGURE 1 shows an overview of where the headlamp, taillight, indicators and supports fit onto a bicycle.

FIGURE 2 shows a detailed version of the relevant sections of the invention.

FIGURE 3 shows the LED flasher circuitry that is housed within the inventions control mechanism. NB: the values of the components may vary slightry depending on the manufacturing process. r

As shown in Figure 2, the switch or button marked 2 operates the main front headlamp 1 and the rear taillight 3.

The entire control mechanism 4 is affixed to the centre of the handlebars 5 by a support.

When the switch marked 6 is depressed for example towards the left, it will send a signal simultaneously via the interconnecting cable 7 to the left indicators 8 & 9 showing that the cyclist intends to move towards the left or to turn to the left. The process is repeated if switch 6 is flicked or depressed towards the right, i.e. sending the same signal via cable 7, simultaneously activating the front and rear indicator lights on the right 10 & 11 showing that the cyclist intends to move towards the right or turn to the right.

The interconnecting cable 7 extends from the control mechanism 4 to the front headlamp 1 and extends to the rear taillight 3 conducting the power from 4 to control the entire invention including the front indicators 9 &10 and the rear indicators 8 &1 1.

*The cable 7 can be affixed to the bicycle frame by supports to prevent it from becoming entangled during cycling.

When the switch marked 2 is depressed, it will send a signal simultaneously to the front headlight 1 and the rear taillight 3 via the interconnecting cable 7.

This signal will activate the front headlamp 1 and rear taillight 3 causing them to light up simultaneously to known LED specifications as known front and rear bicycle lamps.

Alternatively, this invention can be manufactured to specifications that would enable it to be operated by infra red remote control. This would eliminate the use of the interconnecting cable 7, which would make the entire lights and accompanying indicators more streamline. r

{1} The BBC news online Tuesday 16th November 2002 http://news.bbccoukjl/hj/ufr11g30961.stm {2} Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation 1999 - archive official records 7. 4 wwww.archive.officjal -documents.co.uk Page 2.

{3} House of Commons - UK Parliament Hansard Debates for 24th June 2003 pt 13 Column 893.

{4} The Department for Transport - 1 9 December 2003.

{5} The London Cycling Campaign - The BBC news online Tuesday 16th November 2002 -http://news.bbc.co uk/1/hi/uk/1 930961.stm {6} html Chapter 4 For Cyclists & Chapter For All Drivers.

Claims (6)

1. Detachable LED indicator warning and safety light set for bicycles including a front headlamp and rear taillight two front indicator lights left and right and two rear indicator lights left and right and a front control mechanism and support and including interconnecting cable and supports.

2. LED indicator and safety lights as claimed in Claim 1 where the control mechanism includes the indicator operating switch and headlamp and taillight operating switch accompanying circuitry and known alkaline batteries.

3. LED indicator and safety light as claimed in Claim 2 where the interconnecting cable spans from the control mechanism to the front and rear indicators via an interconnecting cable.

4. LED indicator and safety light set as claimed in any preceding claim and which includes supports or mounts which are all detachable at will to prevent the set from being stolen when the bicycle is not in use.

5. LED indicator and safety light set as claimed in any preceding claim and where the light set and accompanying supports or mounts will preferably be made from plastics so that they are cost effective, lightweight, and durable alternatively they could be made of metal such as chrome to create a modern designer effect, but they may also be made from a combination of these materials.

6. A detachable LED indicator and safety light set as substantially described herein and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. r