Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Of relative distance from an obstacle
Patent
1996-07-24
1999-07-13
Hofsass, Jeffery A.
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Of relative distance from an obstacle
340903, 340904, B60Q 100
Patent
active
059232439
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for giving out signals from a vehicle, in particular to vehicles directly following it, which has at least one light source, arranged detachably or undetachably and rigidly or swivellably on the vehicle, and which emits a visible laser beam.
An optical signalling device is already known from German laid-open specification DE-OS 40 18 327 in which laser beams are emitted, directed vertically upwards from a vehicle for example, in order to make following road users aware of this vehicle. The laser beam is recognizable as a clearly visible line even from a relatively great distance, in particular in unfavorable weather conditions such as in fog, rain and snow. For the safeguarding of, for example, a wide heavy goods vehicle, it is also proposed in this publication to emit from its rear left group of lights a laser beam which travels horizontally rearwards against the direction of travel, diagonally outwards to the edge of the road. As a result, what might be termed a colored luminous guide barrier is produced which is intended to make it easier for following vehicles to overtake the wide vehicle.
Further, through DE-OS 37 28 319, DE-OS 31 34 697 and DE-OS 39 35 001, devices have already become known with which the traffic following a vehicle is informed about the current travel status of the vehicle fitted with the device. To this end, differently colored signalling lights, preferably combined in a group of lights similar to traffic lights, are provided which indicate a certain travel status when they light up. In this way, travel statuses such as for example acceleration, deceleration and non-braking or braking can be signalled. As a rule, a braking operation is indicated by a red light and a green light indicates a non-braking vehicle. Such devices are more favorably mounted in the rear area of the vehicle.
The known optical signalling devices are each limited in their possibilities. The cited optical laser signalling device can only be used for certain situations in addition to those already mentioned, for example for securing the scenes of accidents and indicating direction of travel like an indicator. And the major disadvantage of the device with the differently colored lights for signalling the speed status is that the lights are provided with ordinary bulbs and therefore, in poor visibility, they are possibly recognized by the following vehicle with difficulty and thus maybe too late. On the other hand, it must be expected that, even in good visibility, following road users can be adversely affected through being dazzled by the lights which are often arranged in the rear window. This dangerous dazzling effect has also been established with the use of known rear fog light and braking light systems in the region of the vehicle's rear window.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a device for giving out signals from a vehicle, in particular to vehicles directly following it, which has at least one light source, arranged detachably or undetachably and rigidly or swivellably on the vehicle, which emits a visible laser beam, and which avoids the disadvantages of the known devices. Through the invention it is to be possible, for such a device, above all in unfavorable weather conditions and over a relatively great distance, to signal by a clearly visible, but not dazzling, signal to the following vehicle the safe distance to be observed for example in fog, rain or snow, the device at the same time being usable to give information about the current travel status of the vehicle provided with this device.
This object is achieved according to the invention with a device of the type mentioned above in which the optical axis of the laser beam is always directed rearwards against the direction of travel onto the road in such a way that the resulting distance of the vehicle from the point of impact of the beam on the road corresponds to the safe distance to be observed by a vehicle directly following.
With the
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Hofsass Jeffery A.
Trieu Van T.
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