Description:TITLE OF THE INVENTION: AN INTEGRATED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure is generally related to brake light switches. Particularly, the present disclosure is related to integrated brake light switches. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to a brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, brake light switches are mounted on brake pedals of vehicles. During application of brakes, the brake light switches are actuated, by (or through) the brake pedals, enabling glowing of rear brake lights.
The brake light switches available conventionally are of threaded type. Said brake light switches are manually installed, below the brake pedals. Incorrect adjustments cause brake push-in, affecting travel of the brake pedals. Therefore, accurate adjustments are required, which are time consuming and require expertise.
There is, therefore, a need in the art, for: a brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and shortcomings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder, is disclosed. Said integrated brake light switch broadly comprises: an at least a primary plunger; an at least a primary cylinder; and an at least a secondary cylinder. Said at least one primary plunger, said at least one primary cylinder, and said at least one secondary cylinder are housed within (or are housed in, or are housed inside) a primary chamber of a body.
Said integrated brake light switch further comprises: an at least a retainer cap; an at least a secondary plunger; an at least a pin; an at least a ball; an at least a return spring; and an at least a switching member.
Said at least one retainer cap is disposed on (or is mounted on, or is installed on, or is disposed at, or is associated with) one end of said at least one primary plunger.
Said at least one secondary plunger is disposed within (or is disposed in, or is disposed inside) a secondary chamber of said body. Said at least one secondary plunger is configured with a cam profile.
Said at least one pin is disposed in between said at least one retainer cap and said at least one secondary plunger.
Said at least one ball is disposed on (or is disposed at, or is associated with) a closed end, within (or in, or inside) said secondary chamber. Said at least one ball prevents vacuum leaks. Further, said at least one ball withstands said at least one return spring’s forward application loads. Furthermore, said at least one ball supports resting of said at least one return spring.
Said at least one return spring is disposed between said at least one ball and said at least one secondary plunger. Through said at least one return spring, said at least one secondary plunger returns back, to a home position (or an initial position).
Said at least one switching member is disposed on (or is mounted on, or is installed on, or is disposed at, or is associated with) said master cylinder, with (or through) a plurality of fastening members. Said at least one switching member broadly comprises an at least a tertiary plunger with a curved profile. Said curved profile is tangential, to said cam profile.
The method of working of said integrated brake light switch is also disclosed.
The disclosed integrated brake light switch offers at least the following advantages: simplifies brake pedal structure; eliminates installation requirements of said brake light switch; eliminates brake jamming, due to wrong installation of said brake light switch; eliminates adjustment requirements of said brake light switch; delivers enhanced results; is simple in construction; and/or is cost-effective.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrate a conventional vehicle master cylinder;
Figure 2 illustrates a brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
Figure 3 illustrate a cam profile of a brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder (an enlarged view of section C, in Figure 2), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “comprise” and “include”, and variations, such as “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, and “including”, may imply the inclusion of an element (or elements) not specifically recited. Further, the disclosed embodiments may be embodied, in various other forms, as well.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “device” is to be construed as: “a set of technical components (also referred to as “members”) that are communicatively and/or operably associated with each other, and function together, as part of a mechanism, to achieve a desired technical result”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “communication”, “couple”, and their variations (such as communicatively), is to be construed as being inclusive of: one-way communication (or coupling); and two-way communication (or coupling), as the case may be, irrespective of the directions of arrows, in the drawings.
Throughout this specification, where applicable, the use of the phrase “at least” is to be construed in association with the suffix “one” i.e. it is to be read along with the suffix “one”, as “at least one”, which is used in the meaning of “one or more”. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the phrase “at least one” is a standard term that is used, in Patent Specifications, to denote any component of a disclosure, which may be present (or disposed) in a single quantity, or more than a single quantity.
Throughout this specification, where applicable, the use of the phrase “at least one” is to be construed in association with a succeeding component name.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “plurality” is to be construed as being inclusive of: “at least one”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “vehicle”, and its variations, is to be construed as being inclusive of: “passenger cars; light commercial vehicles; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the words “the” and “said” are used interchangeably.
Throughout this specification, the phrases “at least a”, “at least an”, and “at least one” are used interchangeably.
Also, it is to be noted that embodiments may be described as a method. Although the operations, in a method, are described as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A method may be terminated, when its operations are completed, but may also have additional steps.
Figure 1 illustrates a conventional vehicle master cylinder. Said master cylinder broadly comprises: an at least a primary plunger (8); an at least a primary cylinder (9); and an at least a secondary cylinder (10). Said at least one primary plunger (8), said at least one primary cylinder (9), and said at least one secondary cylinder (9) are housed within (or are housed in, or are housed inside) a primary chamber (14) of a body (12).
When a brake is applied, by pressing a brake pedal, said brake pedal pushes the at least one primary plunger (8). As a result, the at least one primary plunger (8) moves forward, actuating the at least one primary cylinder (9) and the at least one secondary cylinder (9).
A brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder (also referred to as “device”, “integrated brake light switch”, and/or “IBLS”), is disclosed. Figure 2 illustrates said device.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated, in Figure 2, said integrated brake light switch broadly comprises: an at least a retainer cap (1); an at least a secondary plunger (2); an at least a pin (3); an at least a return spring (4); an at least a switching member (5); and an at least a ball (6).
The at least one retainer cap (1) is disposed on (or is mounted on, or is installed on, or is disposed at, or is associated with) one end of the at least one primary plunger (8).
The at least one secondary plunger (2) is disposed within (or is disposed in, or is disposed inside) a secondary chamber (15) of the master cylinder’s body (12). In another embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated, in Figure 3, the at least one secondary plunger (2) is configured with a cam profile (7), at one end of the at least one secondary plunger (2). The at least one pin (3) is disposed between the at least one retainer cap (1) and the at least one secondary plunger (2).
The at least one ball (6) is disposed on (or is disposed at, or is associated with) a closed end, within (or in, or inside) the secondary chamber (15). The at least one return spring (4) is disposed between the at least one ball (6) and the at least one secondary plunger (2). Through said at least one return spring (4), the at least one secondary plunger (2) returns back, to a home position (or an initial position).
Said at least one ball (6) prevents vacuum leaks, through the secondary chamber (15). Further, the at least one ball (6): withstands forward application loads of the at least one return spring (4); and supports resting of the at least one return spring (4). The phrase “forward application loads” refers to loads that are created, by (or as a result of) forward movements of the at least one return spring (4).
The at least one switching member (5) is disposed on (or is mounted on, or is installed on, or is disposed at, or is associated with) the master cylinder, with (or through) a plurality of fastening members (13). Said at least one switching member (5) broadly comprises an at least a tertiary plunger (11). Said at least one tertiary plunger (11) is of a curved profile. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated, in Figure 3, the curved profile is tangential, to the cam profile (7).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one switching member (5) is a mechanical Normally Closed (NC)/Normally Open (NO) switch.
When the brake is applied, by pressing the brake pedal, said brake pedal pushes the at least one primary plunger (8), causing forward movement of the at least one primary plunger (8). Due to the forward movement of the at least one primary plunger (8), the at least one retainer cap (1) also moves forwards. The forward movement of the at least one retainer cap (1) pushes the at least one secondary plunger (2). As a result, the at least one secondary plunger (2) moves forwards, through the at least one pin (3).
Since the curved profile is tangential, to the cam profile (7), the forward movement of the at least one secondary plunger (2) pushes the at least one tertiary plunger (11) down, activating the least one switching member (5). At this point, the NC becomes open and the NO becomes closed, enabling the glowing of a rear brake light.
Since said at least one primary plunger (8), said at least one secondary plunger (2), and said at least one tertiary plunger (11) are directly and/or indirectly associated with each other, the at least one tertiary plunger (11) is in the down position, as long as the at least one primary plunger (8) is in the forward movement.
When the brake pedal is released, the at least one primary plunger (8) returns back, enabling the at least one secondary plunger (2) to return back, to the home position, through the at least one return spring (4). At the same time, the at least one tertiary plunger (11) also returns back (to its home position, or to its initial position). Hence, the NC becomes closed and the NO becomes open, switching off the rear brake light.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the device, and its various components, may be made of any suitable materials known in the art. Likewise, a person skilled in the art will also appreciate the fact that the configuration of the device, and its various components, may be varied, based on requirements.
The disclosed device offers at least the following advantages: simplifies the brake pedal structure; eliminates installation requirements of the brake light switch; eliminates brake jamming, due to wrong installation of the brake light switch; eliminates adjustment requirements of the brake light switch; delivers enhanced results; is simple in construction; and/or is cost-effective.
It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the above description is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting. Various modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements, without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure, may be made, by a person skilled in the art. Such modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements should be construed as being within the scope of this disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 - At Least One Retainer Cap
2 - At Least One Secondary Plunger
3 - At Least One Pin
4 - At Least One Return Spring
5 - At Least One Switching Member
6 - At Least One Ball
7 - Cam Profile
8 - At Least One Primary Plunger
9 - At Least One Primary Cylinder
10 - At Least One Secondary Cylinder
11 - At Least One Tertiary Plunger
12 - Body
13 - Plurality of Fastening Members
14 - Primary Chamber
15 - Secondary Chamber
, Claims:1. A brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder, said brake light switch comprising:
a primary chamber (14) of a body (12) that houses: an at least a primary plunger (8); an at least a primary cylinder (9); and an at least a secondary cylinder (10);
characterized in that, said integrated brake light switch comprises:
an at least a retainer cap (1) that is associated with one end of said at least one primary plunger (8);
an at least a secondary plunger (2) that is disposed within a secondary chamber (15) of said body (12), with:
said at least one secondary plunger (2) being configured with a cam profile (7);
an at least a pin (3) that is disposed between said at least one retainer cap (1) and said at least one secondary plunger (2);
an at least a ball (6) that is associated with a closed end, within said secondary chamber (15), with:
said at least one ball (6) preventing vacuum leaks;
said at least one ball (6) withstanding said at least one return spring’s (4) forward application loads; and
said at least one ball (6) supporting resting of said at least one return spring (4);
said at least one return spring (4) that is disposed between said at least one ball (6) and said at least one secondary plunger (2), with:
said at least one secondary plunger (2) returning back, to a home position, through said at least one return spring (4); and
an at least a switching member (5) that is associated with said master cylinder, through a plurality of fastening members (13), with:
said at least one switching member (5) comprising: an at least a tertiary plunger (11) with a curved profile, said curved profile being tangential, to said cam profile (7).
2. The brake light switch, which is integrated with a vehicle’s master cylinder, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said at least one switching member (5) is a mechanical Normally Closed/Normally Open switch.