The present invention relates to brake lights and tail Eights for a motor vehicle
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and more particul& to an automatic failure indication of the brake lights and tail.
. , lights of the motor vehicles. I. -
BACKGROUND OF TKE TZY)TENTION
The statements in this section 'merely provide background information related ,
to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art(s>.
.Generally, the two wheelers are equipped with a plurality of lights mounted
externally on the vehicle to indicate certain information about the vehicle to other
drivers and pedestrians. Such plurality af lights mainly include a brake light which is
used to inform others that the driver has applied the brake aid is thus beginning to .
slow down the, vehicle, a tail light which is wed at night to indicate the presence of
. the vehicle to others, and indicator lights to indicate the direction of the turning of
vehicles. While motorcycles are for the most part .a safe mode of transportation, they
are particularly at risk when drivers of automobiles fail to & them. With 'their
. smaller size, motorcycles are inherently less visible than automobiles, and thus use
lights advantageously to enhance their visibility. For this reason, proper operation of
motorcycle lights are even more important zhan might otherwise be presumed. Since
a high percentage' of motorcycle accidents happen when a motorcycle is hit h r n
behind, rear warning lights are parb.cdatly important for maintaining motorcycle * 7 skety. Brake lights and tail lights are particularly imporbnt, since, if they are not
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C ? . operating properly, a motorcycle may be significantly less visible to an automobile
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W following the hotorcycle. Properly operating brake and tail lights are even more
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ob important when the motbrcycle is being operated during nighthe or twilight hours.
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c3 1 Often, the rider remains unaware of the failure of the brake light or the tail
light due to tr&c and absence of any indicator for the rider, that may lead to
I continuous driving leading to accidents too.
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Hence, there is an urgent need of an automatically actuated audio andlor
visual brake light and taillight failure indicator which can be installed at a position
clearly visible to the operator without losing the basic requirements of reliability,
easy assembling, less cost, customers' satisfaction and the like.
BRlJ3 Y-FS AND OBJECTIVES OF THlE INVENTION
The present subject matter relates to a taillight assembly for a motor vehicle
that is structured with a light source unit holder to receive a light source unit
structured 'with two filaments, each for illumination and brake light. The tail' light
assembly is further provided with a base extending h m the rear of the vehicle to
hold the light source unit holder and a hood mounted to the base to house the light
source unit. The &il light asseinbly is governed by an electronic circuit structure that
includes an illumination circuit and a brake light circuit to regulate the indication of
. failure of both respective filaments of the light source unit. The illumination circuit
. and the brake light circuit are provided with respsctive current sensing integrated
chips that get energid on activating an illumination switch and a brake light switch
respectively. The illumination cirmit and the brake light cirmit of the tail light
assembly is further provided with plurality of comparators to compare the output
voltage of the current sensing integrated chips with a reference voltage. The present
invention dquely discloses the presence of plurality of light emitting diodes
provided in a vehicle information display instrument of the motor vehicle to receive
the output signal of the comparator indicating the respective status of the filaments of
the light source unit to riderldriver of the motor vehicles.
An object of the present invention is to provide the tail light assembly with
brake lights, illumination light, indicator lights and the like.
An object of Ithe present invention is t~ provide the vehicle information
display at a posiltion visible to the rider/~vero f the motor vehicle.
An object of the present invention is to structure the filament bulbs with
different power. . .
An object of the present invention is to provide the taillight assembly with the
illumination circuit to govern and indicate the status of the illumination fiilure.
An object of the present invention is t~'~rovitdhee taillight assembly with the
" brake light circuit to iovem and indicate the status of the brake light failure.
An object .of the present invention' is to provide. the illumination circuit and
the hike light circuit with arrent serising integrated chips to sense the current
flowing t h i g h the cim:kit once the respective switches are energized.
Another objective of the present invention is to replace the current sensing
integratd chips with a similar functioning device.
Another objective of the present invention 'is to provide the illumination
circuit with a diode and a voltage regulator to safeguard the illumination circuit.
Another objective of the present invention is provide the fail light assembly
with comparators to compares the the output voltage of the c m t sensing integrated
chips with the reference voltage to consequently output the larger of the said two
voltages.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to replace the comparators by
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0 . . a programmed mimcontmller to compare the output voltage of the c m t sensing
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1 integrated chips with reference voltages.
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a Yet another objective of the present subject matter is to provide an audible '
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' . buzzer dong with ithe light emitting diodes to indicate the stam of the illumination
c md brake light respectively. *w d
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n2014/Form 2(Title Page)
FIG. 5 shows a front view of the vehicle information display device provided
with a two separate light emitting warning diodes in an embodiment of the present . ,
subj sct matter.
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PIG. 6 shows a rear view of the vehicle information display device provided ,
with a buzzer as indicatorb an embodiment of the present subject matter.
FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the vehicle informatiori display device provided
with a buzzer and the ZEDS in an embodiment of 'the present subject &er.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION .
The embodiments of the present subject matter are described in detail kth
reference to ,the accompanying drawings: However, the present subject matter is not
limited. to these ernbodits which are only proisided t~ .explain more clearly the
present subject matter to the ordinarily skilled in the art of the present disclosure. In
the ackompanying drawings, like rkfemnce alphabets and 'numerals are used to
indicate like components. . .
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Thk present invention relates to an automatically actuated indication of the
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CI, failure of a brake light and tail lights of a motor vehicle, thus indicating the, status of
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L. the brake light and the tail lights; of the motor vehicle as clearly visible on the screen
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M . of a vehicle infomation display instrument of the motor vehicle. .- . . The following ,-+ description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present ,
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E disclosure, application, or uses. The present kntion will hereinafter be described in
. . g detail below as applied to a motor cycle SOO. However, the principles of the present
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? , invention are also applicable' to other vehicles ,100 such as four wheelers. Upward,
7 o lower, front and rear directions (see the directions indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1)
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will be described with respect to directions as seated by the rider on the hotorcycle
FIG. '1 illuskates a two wheeler 100 that include a fuel tank 102 and.an
ehgine moulted ahead of a rider's seat 104, a frame 106 and two relatively large
sized wheels 108 on which the frame 106 rides. The structure is necessarily firovided
with a pair of left and right front fork members rotatably supported by a head pipe
110 on the front end of the vehicIe frame, The steering of the two wheelers 100 is
possible via n front wheel which .is mounted on the front fork member whereas the '
rear wheel (chive wheel) is at the rear end. FIG. 1 shows a handlebar 112 secured to
an upper portion of the front fork member, md the front and rear portion of the
handle bar 112 is'covered with a handle wver which is further divided into fad
and backward portions. The two wheeler f 00 are dso provided with various lights
mounted exitemally on the vehicle to indicate certain information about the vehicle to
other drivers and pedestrians. These lights m d y include brake lights and tail. lights
besides indicator lights which are provided to indicate the driving direction of the two
wheelers. The two wheeler 100 is further provided with the intelligent vehide
information display instrument 114 (as shownmin FEG. 5 later) (also known as a
speedometer) located between the 'handle bars 112 of the two wheeler 100. The
vehicle infomation display instrument 114 may be viewable by the rider of the motor
cycle 100 when the rider is seated on the seat 104 and operating the vehicle 100. The
vehicle information display instrument 1 14 may be disposed generally in front of the
rider so that the rider can inspect or view a variety of information that form part of
the vehicle information display instrument 114, which information may indicate an
operating condition or conditions of the vehicle. The vehicle information display
instrument 114 may 'be provided with audiofvisual waning indicators comprising
information s& as speed, the fuel level, telephone, bluetooth, rpm of the engine, tell
tale symbols, turn signal indicator, h& warning indicator and / or other indicators.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, FIG. 2 discloses the taillight
assembly 200 (location is show in FIG. 1) which includes a base 202, a light sounit
204, and a hood 206. The base 202 has a projection forming a light source unit
holder 208 for receiving a light source unit 204 mounted therein. The hood 206 is
mounted to the base 202 to house the light source unit 204. Thus, when the light
source unit 264 is energized or set into operation, the light travels through the hood
206 to the outer swound'ings in a direction towards the rear side of the vehicle 100.
. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, FIG. 2 further discloses that light
source unit 204 is structured with two filament bulb ranked by their power i.e. the .
amount of light they put out in a certain period of time (measured in watts). Therefore,
the higher watt bulb would have a bigger filament thus more light. The
filaments are wired to separate circuits,.& discussed la& in an embodiment of the
prcscnt subject mattcr, which may be closed initially using a special three-way socket
and the like. The two filaments respectively govern the brake light and the tail light
\ . provided with the two wheelem 100. .
. 'FIG. 3 discloses an electronic circuit structure provided to govern -the
operation of automatic failure indicator of the brake light and the tail lights of the
motor vehicle 100, in an embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 3 explains a
battery powered tail light assembly 200 provided indicate the status of the brake
light which is used to inform others that the driver has applied the brake and is thus
beginning to slow down the vehicle 100, and the tail light which is used at night to
indicate the presence of the vehicle 100 to.others.'.~htaei l light assembly 200 mainly
include an illumination circuit (to govern and indicate the illumination failure) and a
brake light circuit (to govern and indicate the brake light failure) which are
respectively provided with an illumination switch 210 and a brake light switch 212 in
an embodiment of the present subject matter. The illumination circuit primarily
comprises of a first c-nt sensing integrated chip 214 mereinafter may. be referred
as IC) that gets energized on activating the illumination &itch 210 in an embodiment
of the present subject hatter. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the said
current sensing IC 214 may be replaced with another similar functioning
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devicelmechanism 'that can sense the current flowing through the circuit. The frrst IC
214 is shctured with multiple capacitors 216 that filters the voltage surgeslspikes. In
an embodiment of the present subject matter, the illumination circ~t is further
provided with a first diode 218 connected.to a voltage regulator 220 that filters and'
limits the voltage of 12 V or more (as received h m the batte~y via illumination
switch) to 5 V. The diode 218 is provided with the a power circuit to safeguard the
circuit, importantly the fmt IC 214, from any overflow of negative voltage. into the
circuit. In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the illumination
circuit is also provided with a fmt comparator 222 that compares the voltage as '
received from the first IC 214 with a reference voltage and consequently outputs the A
one which is larger. The first comparator 222 is subsequently provided with a first
' light emitting' diode 224 (hereinafter may be referred as LED) that get lit if the output
voltage of the first wmparator 222 is less than the 'reference voltage in an
embodiment of the present subject matter. The first LED 224 is located on a vehicle
information information display instrument 1 14 which is clearly visible on the screen
of the vehicle information display instrument 114 of the motor vehicle 100 so that the
rider can easily check its status as shown in FIG. 5, in an embodiment of the present
subject matter. The LED may be replaced by an audible buzzer in an embodiment of
the present subject matter. However, the buzzers can also be provided along with the '
said LEDs as shown in FIG. 7, in an embodiment of the present subject matter.
FIG. 3 further illustrates the brake light circuit provided with the electronic
ckuit to govern the brake light circuit and its failure so that the rider may know the
status of the brake light of the two wheelers 100. The brake light circuit cornpri&s of
a second current sensing integrated chip 226 that gets energized on activating 'the
brake light switch 212 in an embodiment of the present subject matter. The second IC
226 is also structured .with multiple capacitors 216 acting as current filters. In an
embodiment of the present subject matter, the brake light circuit is further provided
with a second diode 228 connected to a second voltage regulator 230 that filters and
limits the voltage of 12 V or more (as received fiom the bacery via illumination
switch) to 5 V. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the illumination
circuit is also provided with a second comparator 232 that compares the voltage as
received from the s k n d current sensing IC 226 with another reference voltage
(which is different fiom that of the reference voltage in case of first current sensing
IC 214 as discussed above) and consequently outputs the one which is larger. The
second comparator' 232 is subsequently provided with a second light emitting diode :
(LED) 234 that get lit if the output voltage of the second comparator 232 is .less than
4; w the reference voltage in an embodiment of the present subject matter. The second
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first IC 214, when energized, sense the current being flown to the filament and
subsequently output the said current in terms of voltage to the first comparator 222
provi&d with the illumination circuit, in an embodiment of the present subject matter.
The first comparator 222 which is a part of the tail light circuit 200 identifies and
compares the said output voltage with the reference voltage in an embodiment of the
present subject matter. If the said output voltage is lower than the reference voltage,
which happens only when the illumination light fails, the comparator 222 logically
activate the first LED 224 indicating the failure status of the illumination bulb of the
two wheelers 100. In a similar way, the status of the failure of the brake light gets
evident on -the glow of the second LED 234 when the second comparator 232
(provided with the brake light circuit) identifies and compare the output voltage of
the second comparator 232 with a second reference voltage. The frrst reference
voltage is different from the first reference voltage, as explained earlier. When
compared, if the said output voltage of the second comparator 232 is lower than the
corresponding reference voltage, which happens when the brake light fails, the
comparator 232 logically activate the second LED 234 indicating the fail& status of
the brake light bulb of the two wheelers 100. In an embodiment of the present subject
matter,. the tail light circuit 200 is also equipped with current regulators , respectively
for illumhtion circuit and the brake light circuit, that regulates the voltage drawn
fiom the batter3 (12 V) of the vehicle to a required voltage of 5 V. The voltage
regulator is provided with multiple filters that modulates the voltage as required for
the circuit to get completed. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the
presence of two different LEDs for indicating the status of illumination light and the
brake light facilitates the demarcation in indicating the their status separately. h an
embodiment of the present subject matter, the two LEDs can be demarcated on the
basis of their size, color, way of indication by text, and the like. As
discussed earlier, these LEDs are located on the vehicle information display
instrument and are thus clearly 'evident to the rider clearly indicating the status of the
failure of illumination light and the brake light
The present' subject matter facilitates an advanced and automatic warning
signaling system to the rider about the failure of the illumination light and the brake
light of the vehicle. Additionally, the presence of separate indicators avoid . any . .
confusion about the fail& status of both lights. Moreover, since the present subject
matter can be assembled in the vehicle information display instrument, this applies to
the fact that the design of the vehicles need not to be changed. Further, the present
subject matter also alleviates the pmvision.of audible' buzzers along with the LEDs to
indicate the status of the lights, as evident from FIG. 7. However, the audible buzzers
400 can also be provided instead of the LEDs as shown in FIG. 6. Importantly, the
invention truly targets the basic requirements in vehicle information display
instruments such as reliability, easy assembling, less cost, customers' satisfaction and ,
the like.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to
. * the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept
thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all. respects as
illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the +
appended claims rather than by the -foregoing .description and all variations,
A substitutions and changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency 1 !. of thk claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
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1. A taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 comprising:
a light source &it holder 208 to &eke a light source unit 204 structured with
two respective filaments for illumination and brake light;
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a base 202 extending h m the rear of the vehicle 100 to hold the'light source
a hood 206 mounted'to the base 202 to house the light source unit 204 ,
wherein the tail light assembly 200 is governed by;
.an electronic 'circuit structure comprising 0E.m illumination circuit and a
brake .light circuit to regulate the indication of failure of both respective
filaments of the light some unit 204;
the illumination circuit and the brake light chcuit provided with respective
current sensing integrated chips (214,226) that get energid on activating an
illumination switch 210 and a brake light switch 212 respectively;
plurality dfcomparators (222,232) provided with the ~lluminationc ircuit and
the +brake light "circuit to compare the output ,voltage of the current sensing
' integrated chips (214,226) with a reference voltage;
plurality of light emitting diodes (224,234) pmvidsd in a vehicle idormation
display instrument 114 of the motor vehicle 100 to receive the output signal of
the comparators (222, 232) indicating the respective status of the filaments of
the light source unit 204.
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2. The taillight 'assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1,
O wkaein the current sensing integrated chips (214, 226) are structured with "
multiple capacitors 216 that act as voltage spikes.
3. The taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the current sensing integrated chip (214, 226) may be replaced by a
similar functioning devicelmechanism. ' . . 4. The taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1,
, wherein the illumination circuit and the brake light circuit are provided with * . '
respective diodes (218, 228) and voltage regulators (220, 230) to safeguard the
illumination circuit. . .
5. The taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1, - ,
. wherein the comparators (222, 232) compare the output voltage of the current
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sensing integrated chips. (2 14, 226) with the reference voltage to consequently
output the.larger of the said two voltages. !
6. The taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1,
. wherein the comparators (222, 232) may be replaced by a programmed "
microcontroller 300 to compare the output voltage of the current sensing
htegrated chips (214,226) with the reference voltages.
- . 7. . The taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1,
8 m .
CII wherein the outputs of the current sensing integrated chips (214, 226) are
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a converted fiom analog to digital signals, by analog to digital (A to D) converters, !
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M before they are compared with the reference voltage by the programmed micro i= i
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cv controller 300. 1
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L o 8. The taillight assembly 2b0 for a motor vehicle 100 as elaimeb id claim 1, I
wherein the light emitting diodes (224, 234) may be additionally provided with
1 : or may be replaced by an audible buzzer 400 to indicate the status of the of the !
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illumination and brake light respectively. i
9. The taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the reference voltage in case of the first current sensing integratsd chip
214 in the illumination circuit is different from that in case of second current
sensing integrated chip 216 in the brake circuit.
10. The taillight assembly 200 for a motor vehicle 100 as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the light emitting diodes (224, 234) for the illumination and brake light
circuits may be, demarcated on the.basis of their size, color, position, way of
indication by text, and the like.