GB2365959A - Improvements in traffic indicator systems - Google Patents

Abstract

Traffic indicator systems with dual actuation of hazard and brake lights capable of distinguishing between normal and hazardous conditions, such as preparing to turn across high speed traffic or emergency stop conditions with ancillary horn signals to carry to the following stream of drivers designed to remove ambiguity of purpose when compared with current traffic indicator systems.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> IMPROVEMENRIN TRAFFIC INDICATOR SYSTEMS I, Eric Edgar Sunderland, a British subject of Sundial House, 5 Manscombe Road, Allerton, Bradford, BD15 7AQ, West Yorkshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a Patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement.

This invention relates to traffic indicator systems displayed at the rear of vehicles and in particular to improvements designed to remove uncertainty and confusion as factors in the increasing number of rear end shunts and high-speed pile-ups.

Currently the amber flasher used when accelerating to overtake is the same signal used when slowing down to turn and misinterpretation by drivers of following traffic can have serious or lethal results.

Similarly, current break light systems do not distinguish between routine traffic braking and emergency braking, a matter of great significance on high speed roads such as motorways, where often lulled by boredom or in car music or distracted by mobile phone conversation, driver reaction time is often longer than the 0.7 second thinking time regarded as normal and in a stream of traffic each only able to read the vehicle lights immediately on the vehicle in front a dozen cars at 70 mph would lose (12 x 0.7) minus 0.7 seconds, equivalent to 210m of road safety margin.

To overcome these hazards, this invention provides for double signalling; in the case of trafficator signals the first position remains as now standard for overtaking, but for turning a second paciglion provides for the brake lights also to flash, giving an immediate and insistent amber and red signal to following traffic, that the vehicle is slowing to turn and not accelerating to overtake.

The Patent also provides for a horn to flash simultaneously, giving warning for a considerable distance back into the stream of traffic.

The provision for double signalling in emergency braking utilises the existing pressure switch operating at normal brake pedal pressure for routine braking, but is augmented by a second pressure switch with a higher setting, designed to operate only at the higher pedal pressure of emergency braking.

This second switch actuates the hazard warning lights and a penetrating high-pitched horn, thus jolting any dozing drivers following into a rapid response.

Here again the horn bleep carries well back into the stream of traffic triggering simultaneous braking rather than sequential braking, giving a calculated safety margin of 21 Om for a stream of a dozen cars at 70 mph.

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In the above example, two switches are fitted to the hydraulic braking system, the first reacting to normal pedal pressure, the second to intense emergency pressure. Alternatively, a single two position switch with pressure adjustment would equally trigger the emergency light system described.

Alternatively, a dynamic or electronic pendulum system set along the longitudinal access of the vehicle's direction of travel with a means for centring the pendulum by calibrated springs or magnetic gap under normal traffic conditions, but designed to swing forward under emergency braking conditions can be arranged to activate the second switch controlling the flashers and horn.

A so called captive ball in tube type pendulum restrained magnetically and triggering electronically could also perform the necessary switching function.

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Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. What I claim is a means of triggering double signalling during emergency braking or routine turning manoeuvres.
2. 2. A means as described in claim 1, incorporating a dual position hydraulic or manual switch, suitably wired to brake and indicator lights and high pitched horn.
3. 3. A means as described in claims 1 and 2, incorporating two separate switches suitably wired to brake and indicator lights and a high pitched horn.
4. 4. A means as described in claims 1, 2 and 3, incorporating dynamic sensing devices generally of the restrained pendulum type.
5. 5. A double signalling system substantially as described herein, for simultaneously actuating brake and flasher lights and emergency high pitched horn of suitably equipped vehicles.