SE541505C2

SE541505C2 - Priority light bar device

Info

Publication number: SE541505C2
Application number: SE1750024A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Garcia Juan José Muñoz
Original assignee: Fed Signal Vama Sa
Priority date: 2016-03-31
Filing date: 2017-01-13
Publication date: 2019-10-22
Also published as: FR3049531A3; DE202016107063U1; ES1156833U; SE1750024A1; GB2548946B; NO20161981A1; GB201619773D0; ES1156833Y; FR3049531B3; GB2548946A

Abstract

PRIORITY LIGHT BAR DEVICEA priority light bar device (1) for police cars or emergency vehicles, which comprises a plurality of modules (2) mechanically and electrically coupled to each other, wherein the device (1) comprises removable coupling means of at least one of the modules (2), such that the device (1) is configured to allow for the removal of the at least one module (2) with removable coupling means and its replacement by a plurality of sub-modules (3) with electrical and mechanical mutual removable coupling means, wherein each sub-module (3) comprises at least one warning signal unit (4, 5, 6, 7), wherein the at least one warning signal unit (4, 5, 6, 7) is selected among at least one of: a visible light emitting unit (4), an infrared light emitting unit (5), a video-surveillance unit (6) and an acoustic unit (7).

Description

PRIORITY LIGHT BAR DEVICE DESCRIPTION OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present description refers to a priority light bar device of the type installed on the roof of certain vehicles, such as police cars or emergency assistance vehicles.

The priority light bar device which is the object of the present description is applicable to the industries devoted to the manufacture, distribution and operation of equipment for police and/or emergency vehicles.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM TO ADDRESS AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Nowadays, emergency and/or police vehicles including priority light bar devices on top of them are known in the art, to indicate certain emergency situations and/or transmit certain messages to other users circulating in the street.

Depending on the type of emergency vehicle, one type of priority light bar device or another is to be installed, adequate for each situation to transmit one type of emergency signal and/or illuminated messages or acoustic warnings (electronic sirens) or other.

It has been observed that current systems lack the capacity to adapt to different kinds of vehicles and/or to different kinds of applications, this adaptability being desirable so that it is not necessary to make the installation of a whole new and different priority light bar device when using a different kind of emergency vehicle, and/or every time that a different type of warning signal is intended to be assigned to a device installed in a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With the purpose of providing an improved solution to the adaptability of the priority light bar devices, a priority light bar device whose essential feature is its modularity is described below.

The priority light bar device for police cars or emergency vehicles which is the object of the present description is composed of a plurality of modules mechanically and electrically coupled to each other.

This priority light bar device is mainly characterised in that it includes removable coupling means in at least one of the modules of the device, such that, through said removable coupling means, the device is configured to allow for the removal and replacement of at least one module with removable coupling means, replacing it by a plurality of sub-modules with electrical and mechanical mutual removable coupling means.

Each sub-module includes at least one warning signal unit. Said at least one warning signal unit is selected among at least one of: a visible light emitting unit, an infrared light emitting unit, a video-surveillance unit and an acoustic unit.

Each visible light emitting unit comprises a plurality of LED diodes, emitting visible light.

According to a possible embodiment of the device, all LED diodes of each visible light emitting unit emit visible light of the same colour.

However, according to a preferred embodiment of the priority light bar device, among the LED diodes of each visible light emitting unit, there are LED diodes that emit light of different colours.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device includes a controller configured to control the simultaneous, sequential or random switching on and off of the LED diodes of each visible light emitting unit.

In addition, each infrared light emitting unit comprises at least one LED diode, emitting infrared light.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device, the controller is configured to control, independently, the simultaneous, sequential or random switching on and off of the LED diodes of each visible light emitting unit and of the at least one LED diode of each infrared light emitting unit.

According to a possible embodiment of the device, there are light reflectors (secondary optical system) in each visible light emitting unit and/or in each infrared light emitting unit.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device includes a folding panel comprising an array of LED diodes for lighting illuminated messages. The folding panel is configured to unfold to show illuminated messages and to retract inside an orifice of the device, concealing it in the device.

Preferably, the folding panel comprises removable coupling means that allow for uncoupling the folding panel from the device.

Preferably, the LED diodes of the folding panel are selected between single-colour LED and multi-colour LED with RGB technology.

Each video-surveillance unit includes at least a camera configured to record license plates of surrounding vehicles and/or to record images of the police car's or emergency vehicle's environment.

Furthermore, each acoustic unit includes at least one speaker configured to emit sound signals, such as sirens or voice warnings.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device, each module and sub-module of the device has a height ranging between 40 mm and 80 mm.

According to a possible embodiment of the device, the mutual removable coupling means of the sub-modules comprise a tongue-and-groove coupling between sub-modules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES As part of the explanation of at least one exemplary embodiment of the priority light bar device which is the object of the present description, the following figures have been included: Figure 1 shows a first perspective view of a first embodiment of the priority light bar device.

Figure 2 shows a second perspective view of the first embodiment of the priority light bar device.

Figure 3 shows a perspective exploded view of the first embodiment of the priority light bar device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present description refers, as it has been previously mentioned, to a priority light bar device 1 for police cars and/or emergency vehicles, composed of a plurality of modules 2.

Figure 1 shows a first perspective view of a first embodiment of the priority light bar device 1.

The priority light bar device 1 comprises, according to the first embodiment thereof, a folding panel 8, configured to show illuminated indications when it is in the unfolding position (view shown in Figure 1).

When the folding panel 8 is not intended to emit any illuminated indication, the folding panel 8 may be folded, as it is shown in the view of Figure 2.

The folding panel 8 likewise comprises removable coupling means (not shown) that allow for uncoupling the folding panel 8 from the device 1.

The device 1 preferably comprises between its modules 2, a front module and a rear module, each of said modules comprising light and/or acoustic indicators. The priority light bar device likewise comprises lateral modules, said lateral modules comprising light indicators.

The main feature of the priority light bar device 1 which is the object of the present description is indicated in Figure 3, and refers to one or more modules 2 (Figure 3 refers to the rear module with an arrow) including removable coupling means (not shown in figures) which allow for extracting said modules 2 provided with removable coupling means and replacing them by a plurality of sub-modules 3 provided with electrical and mechanical mutual removable coupling means (the figures do not show said electrical and mechanical mutual removable coupling means in detail).

Through the configuration described, one or more of the modules 2 may be substituted (generally the front module and/or rear module of the priority light bar device 1) and replaced by a plurality of sub-modules 3, which together generally occupy the same space occupied by the extracted module 2.

Each sub-module 3 comprises at least one warning signal unit, wherein said warning signal unit is typically selected among a visible light emitting unit 4, an infrared light emitting unit 5, an acoustic unit 7 and a video-surveillance unit 6.

The infrared light emitting unit 5 and/or the visible light emitting unit 4 of each sub-module 3 preferably includes one or more LED diodes.

The visible light emitting units 4 will be preferably installed in an aligned manner in each sub-module 3 and are capable of emitting, together or separately, light of different colours and intensities to provide optimum priority light signalling and auxiliary illumination for each circumstance.

Each sub-module 3 provided with at least one light emitting unit preferably comprises, apart from the related LED diodes, a secondary optical system consisting of one or more than one reflecting devices (not represented) to increase the effectiveness of the illumination.

In addition, the device 1 includes an electronic controller (not represented) which allows for maintaining certain optical characteristics of the light emitted, regardless of the colour being generated. For example, the electronic controller may allow for generating flashes of sweeping light for, for example, re-directing and indicating a direction to detour traffic. The controller may, therefore, cause the emitted lights to switch on simultaneously or in groups conducting sweeps, such that said sweeps and said traffic detour direction are more clearly defined.

Each sub-module 3 may be simultaneously provided with at least one visible light emitting unit 4 and at least one infrared emitting unit 5. The infrared light emitting unit 5 is intended to increase the visibility of the priority vehicle from cameras mounted in air means, to follow land vehicles. The switching on and off sequence of the infrared light is independent from the switching on and off sequence of the visible light. For example, the infrared light may be flickery and the visible light may remain fixed.

As it has been previously mentioned, the priority light bar device 1, by being modular, allows for integrating sub-modules 3 with at least one acoustic unit /comprising at least one speaker for emitting sound signals, such as sirens and/or voice warnings.

In addition, the priority light bar device 1 allows for integrating submodules 3 with at least one video-surveillance unit 6 comprising at least one camera intended for recording images and/or videos of the environment for the recognition of license plates of surrounding vehicles and/or for other additional purposes.

As mentioned before, according to the first embodiment (preferred) of the priority light bar device 1, the device 1 includes a folding panel 8, removable and illuminated, preferably composed of an array of single-colour or multi-colour LED diodes with RGB technology, which allows for showing texts in different languages, symbols and signals. This folding panel 8 is preferably concealed in a housing or orifice located in the device 1 , such that it is only unfolded when an illuminated message is intended to be shown and is folded back when showing illuminated signals is no longer necessary, in order to reduce noise and aerodynamic resistance of the device 1.

According to a possible embodiment of the priority light bar device 1 , the device 1 is coupled to the roof of a vehicle by means of anchoring supports 9, and the entire device 1 comprises an aerodynamic profile that offers little resistance, typically having a height ranging from 40 mm to 80 mm.

According to one embodiment, the device 1 is fed and controlled preferably by means of a bundle of cables (not shown), which travels through the vehicle's roof, and by means of a connector provided with the necessary number of contacts based on the specific design of the device.

Claims

1. A priority light bar device (1) for police cars or emergency vehicles, which comprises a plurality of modules (2) mechanically and electrically coupled to each other, wherein the device (1) comprises removable coupling means of at least one of the modules (2), such that the device (1) is configured to allow for the removal of the at least one module (2) with removable coupling means, and its replacement by a plurality of sub-modules (3) with electrical and mechanical mutual removable coupling means, wherein each sub-module (3) comprises at least one warning signal unit (4, 5, 6, 7), wherein the at least one warning signal unit (4, 5, 6, 7) is selected among at least one of: a visible light emitting unit (4), an infrared light emitting unit (5), a video-surveillance unit (6) and an acoustic unit (7), the priority light bar device (1) being characterized in that it comprises a folding panel (8) that comprises an array of LED diodes for lighting illuminated messages, wherein the folding panel is configured to unfold to show illuminated messages and to retract inside an orifice of the device (1), concealing it in the device (1).

2. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each visible light emitting unit (4) comprises a plurality of LED diodes, which emit visible light, in one or different colours.

3. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a controller configured to control the simultaneous, sequential or random switching on and off of the LED diodes.

4. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each infrared light emitting unit (5) comprises at least one LED diode, emitting infrared light.

5. A priority light bar device (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller is configured to control, independently, the simultaneous, sequential and random switching on and off of the LED diodes of each visible light emitting unit (4) and of at least one LED diode of each infrared light emitting unit (5).

6. A priority light bar device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises light reflectors in each visible light emitting unit (4) and/or in each infrared light emitting unit (5).

7. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the folding panel (8) comprises removable coupling means that allow for uncoupling the folding panel (8) from the device (1).

8. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the LED diodes of the folding panel (8) are selected between single-colour or multi-colour LED with RGB technology.

9. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each video-surveillance unit (6) comprises a camera configured to record license plates of surrounding vehicles and/or to record images of the police car's or emergency vehicle's environment.

10. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each acoustic unit (7) comprises a speaker configured to emit sound signals, such as sirens or voice warnings.

11. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each module (2) and each sub-module (3) of the device (1) have a height ranging from 40 mm to 80 mm.

12. A priority light bar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the mutual removable coupling means of the sub-modules (3) comprise a tongue-and-groove coupling between the sub-modules (3).