Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Special application – Vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-01-23
Vu, David (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Special application
Vehicle
C307S010800, C340S461000, C340S474000, C315S077000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177766
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the automotive technology field. More specifically, the invention relates to a control device for the signal lights of a motor vehicle, such as direction indicators and warning flashers.
Conventional control devices for the signal lights of a motor vehicle generally have a flasher unit, which switches signal lights on and off via relays. An optical display on the dashboard indicates to the driver whether direction indicators or warning flashers are switched on. The driver also receives acoustic feedback since a typical ticking or clicking noise arises as the relays are switched. In addition, the relay can also be designed as a buzzer. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,415 and German published patent application DE 25 58 717 A1.
Relays are increasingly being replaced by semiconductor switching elements since the latter are not as fault-prone as relays. See German published patent application DE 37 24 916 A1 and European published application EP 0 693 399 A2. Since there is no longer a relay, the acoustic feedback is produced by an electronic buzzer, which ensures that the driver hears a noise during the flashing. However, this involves an additional component as compared with the relay, which both switched the current and produced the acoustic feedback. Moreover, the noise does not correspond to the typical noise of a relay.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a control device for the signal lights of a motor vehicle, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which is of simple construction and provides acoustic feedback to the driver when the signal lights are switched on.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a control device for the signal lights of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a fully electronic flasher unit for intermittently supplying signal lights of a motor vehicle with flasher current upon an actuation of an associated switch; and
an electrical connection between the fully electronic flasher unit and a relay in the motor vehicle, for intermittently activating the relay and acoustically indicating an operation of the signal lights.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the flasher unit comprises an electronic control circuit with at least one clock generator and a transistor output stage producing the flasher current.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the relay in the motor vehicle is a relay connected in a circuit for controlling one of a rear window heater and a seat heating system.
In summary, the invention is directed to a fully electronic flasher unit which switches signal lights on and off intermittently when the driver has manually actuated a corresponding switch (turn signal, emergency flashers). A relay that is present in the vehicle in any case for other purposes is used for the acoustic feedback, and the relay is likewise activated intermittently by the flasher unit.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a control device for the signal lights of a motor vehicle, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4080588 (1978-03-01), Seitter et al.
patent: 5473306 (1995-12-01), Adell
patent: 5555502 (1996-09-01), Opel
patent: 2558717 (1977-07-01), None
patent: 3724916A1 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 0693399A2 (1996-01-01), None
Greenberg Laurence A.
Lee Wilson
Lerner Herbert L.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Stemer Werner H.
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