Vehicular hazard warning system

Details Vehicular hazard warning system Vehicular hazard warning system

2000-04-19

2001-05-08

Lefkowitz, Edward (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Land vehicle alarms or indicators

Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...

C340S471000, C340S472000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06229438

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a system that provides a warning to others of the possibility of a hazard experienced by a driver of a vehicle in which the warning system is installed.
BACKGROUND
Prior art vehicular warning light systems commonly include a taillight assembly, headlight assembly, brake light assembly, turn signal assembly, and an emergency flasher assembly, all employing incandescent light bulbs. Each of these assemblies operates in a well-known manner to illuminate the roadway, to indicate an impending stop or slowdown, indicate an impending turn, or indicate an emergency condition of some nature.
Conventional vehicular warning lighting systems suffer from certain drawbacks under modern driving conditions. For example, emergency flashers, which are standard equipment on motor vehicles, require that a vehicle occupant operate the flashers by pressing a switch that is usually located on or near a vehicle's steering column. Typically, these flashers are employed by the driver when the driver is in a distressful situation or to warn others including other drivers, of the vehicle's presence. Therefore, if the driver or other occupant cannot activate the flashers, other drivers will not become aware of a driver's peril or the vehicle's presence.
Another conventional vehicular warning lighting system is the use of brake lights. The driver must apply the brakes in order to activate this warning device to alert others of a potential hazard. Even if the driver does activate the system, occasions can arise where there is still insufficient warning to others. For example, in the situation where a leading vehicle applies a conventional brake light system used to indicate that the vehicle is slowing down or stopping, a following vehicle may not have sufficient time to stop because the following vehicle may be located too close to the leading vehicle such that the brake lights of the leading vehicle cannot be seen in sufficient time to allow the following vehicle to stop. Additionally, on very sunny days, the intensity of the brake lights is such that a driver may not be able to determine whether the brakes have been applied in the leading vehicle.
Other forms of vehicular warning systems include horns, flares or a white flag or towel displayed on the vehicle to indicate that the driver is in distress. In each of these cases, however, these warning systems require driver intervention.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a need for a vehicular warning system which indicates to others that a vehicle or its occupants are experiencing a hazardous condition or are in a dangerous position, but which does not require any intervention from the driver of that vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in known types of prior art vehicular warning systems, the present invention provides a vehicular warning system, which detects when the automobile in which it is employed has engaged a safety mechanism or is in a hazardous condition and provides an appropriate warning to others about the condition.
To attain this, the vehicular warning system of the present invention generally comprises at least one warning indicator which is detectable outside of the car in which the system is installed, such as a light or an audible indictor which is operationally coupled to a warning controller. Examples of a light indicator include a strobe light, or other high intensity light. The audible indicator could be a horn. The warning controller, which is preferably a microprocessor, is operationally coupled to a power source and a detecting circuit(s) which detects the activation of a vehicle safety device or detects a hazardous condition with regard to the vehicle in which the warning system is installed. Examples of hazardous conditions include the vehicle reaching its maximum braking capacity and the wheels locking up, the vehicle experiencing frontal or side impact, the vehicle positioned too close to an obstacle such as another vehicle, a pedestrian, etc., the vehicle tilting over and other similar situations. Examples of detecting circuits include an antilock braking system (ABS) detecting circuit, an airbag deployment detecting circuit, a rollover protection detecting circuit and a parking aid detecting circuit. Upon activation of at least one of the abovementioned vehicle safety devices, a signal from an associated detecting circuit(s) is provided to the vehicle warning controller. The vehicular warning system is activated in response to a signal or signals from the vehicle warning controller. Upon detection of the signal, the warning indicator is automatically engaged so that there is no need for driver intervention.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
The term “vehicle” as used herein includes, but is not limited to, all types of motorized transportation including automobiles, trucks, vans, motorcycles and the like. The term “automatically” is used herein to mean that the system is activated without human intervention.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis to design other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the purpose of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims are regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.


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