Apparatus for lighting brake lamp for vehicle using non-contactless switch

The present invention provides an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle. The apparatus includes a brake pedal arm including a brake pedal at one end thereof, a pedal arm stop bracket integrally formed on the brake pedal arm at the upper side of the brake pedal arm, and a non-contacting switch that is separated from or comes in contact with the pedal arm stop bracket so as to be turned on or off depending on the operation of the brake pedal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle using a non-contacting switch, and more particularly to an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle using a non-contacting switch that uses a proximity switch, that is, a non-contacting switch to control the lighting of a brake lamp depending on the operation of the brake pedal of a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

As shown inFIG. 1A, an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle in the related art includes a brake pedal arm3including a brake pedal1at one end thereof, a pedal arm stop bracket5integrally formed on the brake pedal arm at the upper side of the brake pedal arm3, and a switch7that includes mechanical contacts and is turned on or off depending on the operation of the brake pedal.

The operation of the switch including mechanical contacts will be described below. As shown inFIG. 1BandFIG. 1Cthat is a view of the switch as seen from the line A-A ofFIG. 1B, before the brake pedal is operated, due to a return spring of the brake pedal, the pedal arm stop bracket integrally formed on the pedal arm pushes up a shaft8, which is made of plastic, of the switch7. For this reason, a spring9is compressed, and a first contact A comes in contact with a second contact B. Further, a third contact C and fourth contact D, which have come in contact with each other, are separated from each other. In contrast, when the brake pedal is operated, the pedal arm stop bracket is separated from the shaft8of the switch7and the first and second contacts A and B are separated from each other. Further, the third and fourth contacts C and D come in contact with each other. As a result, the brake lamp is lighted.

However, as the above-mentioned operation is repeated, the contacts repeatedly come in contact with each other, so that the contacts are worn away. Accordingly, there is an undesirable possibility that the brake lamp is not lighted. For this reason, a driver of a vehicle behind cannot perceive a braking signal. As a result, there is a problem that accidents occur. Further, in the case of the switch including mechanical contacts, when the brake pedal is operated, noise occurs due to the spring provided in the switch. As a result, there is a problem that the driver loses concentration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to resolve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle using a non-contacting switch that uses a high-frequency type non-contacting switch to control the lighting of a brake lamp depending on the operation of the brake pedal of a vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle using a non-contacting switch that uses a capacitance type non-contacting switch to control the lighting of a brake lamp depending on the operation of the brake pedal of a vehicle.

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle. The apparatus includes a brake pedal arm including a brake pedal at one end thereof, a pedal arm stop bracket integrally formed on the brake pedal arm at the upper side of the brake pedal arm, and a non-contacting switch that is separated from or comes in contact with the pedal arm stop bracket so as to be turned on or off depending on the operation of the brake pedal.

In the above-mentioned apparatus, the non-contacting switch may be a proximity sensor, and may be a high-frequency type non-contacting switch or capacitance type non-contacting switch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment

The structure of an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle according to this embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 2.

As shown inFIG. 2, an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp according to this embodiment includes a brake pedal arm13including a brake pedal11at one end thereof, a pedal arm stop bracket15integrally formed on the brake pedal arm at the upper side of the brake pedal arm13, and a non-contacting switch17that is separated from or comes in contact with the pedal arm stop bracket15so as to be turned on or off depending on the operation of the brake pedal11.

In the above-mentioned structure, it is preferable that the pedal arm stop bracket15according to this embodiment be made of ferromagnetic metal.

Further, the non-contacting switch according to this embodiment is a proximity sensor, and may be a high-frequency type non-contacting switch or capacitance type non-contacting switch. The types of the non-contacting switch are shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B.

First, the configuration and operation of a high-frequency type non-contacting switch17will be described below with reference toFIG. 3A. After power is applied from a battery, a high frequency magnetic field depending on the operation of the brake pedal is generated by an electromagnetic coil32. As a result, an oscillation circuit34is oscillated in a predetermined frequency band due to the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil32. The change of the magnetic field caused by the oscillation of the oscillation circuit34is detected by a detector circuit36, and is then converted into a current signal by an integration circuit38. The current signal converted by the integration circuit38is amplified by an amplifying circuit40, and then output by a signal output unit42. Subsequently, the signal is output through a connector44that is connected to a brake lamp and an ECU of a vehicle.

Meanwhile, the configuration and operation of the capacitance type non-contacting switch17will be described below with reference toFIG. 3B. After power is applied from a battery, positive charges depending on the operation of the brake pedal is generated by a charge generator (so-called pole plate)52. Then, an oscillation circuit54is oscillated in a predetermined frequency band due to the positive charges generated by the charge generator52. The change in capacitance caused by the oscillation of the oscillation circuit54is detected by a detector circuit56, and is then converted into a current signal by an integration circuit58. The current signal converted by the integration circuit58is amplified by an amplifying circuit60, and then output by a signal output unit62. Subsequently, like the high-frequency type non-contacting switch, the signal is output through a connector64that is connected to a brake lamp and an ECU of a vehicle.

The signal output unit of the non-contacting switch according to this embodiment includes a buffer circuit and a NOT circuit of a C-MOS, and a final output signal is output in a manner in which ON/OFF signals are simultaneously output by two power transistors.

The operation of the apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle, which has the above-mentioned configuration, will be described below with reference toFIGS. 4,3A, and3B.

As shown inFIG. 4, first, in the case of a high-frequency type non-contacting switch17, when power is applied to the non-contacting switch17from the battery20of a vehicle and the brake pedal11is not operated, that is, when the pedal arm stop bracket15comes in contact with the non-contacting switch17, a magnetic field opposite to a magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil of the non-contacting switch17is formed due to eddy current generated between the pedal arm stop bracket15and the non-contacting switch17. For this reason, the amplitude of waves generated by the oscillation circuit of the non-contacting switch17is reduced or the waves disappear. As a result, the switch is turned off, that is, an OFF signal is supplied to the brake lamp30so that the lamp is turned off. Meanwhile, when the OFF signal is supplied to the brake lamp, an ON signal is supplied to the ECU of a vehicle. For this reason, it is possible to detect the operation of the brake system. In contrast, when the brake pedal11is operated, the pedal arm stop bracket15is separated from the non-contacting switch17, so that the eddy current generated between the pedal arm stop bracket15and the non-contacting switch17is removed. Accordingly, the frequency of waves generated from the oscillation circuit of the non-contacting switch17is affected by power to be applied. As a result, the switch is turned on. That is, since an ON signal is supplied to the brake lamp30from the non-contacting switch17, the lamp is turned on. Even in this case, a signal is supplied to the ECU of the vehicle as described above, and the supplied signal is a signal opposite to the signal supplied to the brake lamp, that is, an OFF signal.

Meanwhile, the operation principle of a capacitance type non-contacting switch is the same as that of the high-frequency type non-contacting switch, but the contact or separation between the pedal arm stop bracket and the non-contacting switch is reversely performed.

That is, in the case where power is applied to the non-contacting switch17from the battery20of the vehicle, when the brake pedal11is not operated and the pedal arm stop bracket15comes in contact with the non-contacting switch17, negative charges are generated in the pedal arm stop bracket15of non-contacting switch17facing the charge generator (pole plate). Accordingly, capacitance is increased due to the polarization between the negative charges and the positive charges generated by the charge generator of the non-contacting switch17. In contrast, when the polarization occurs and the pedal arm stop bracket15is separated from the non-contacting switch17due to the operation of the brake pedal11, the capacitance is decreased. In this case, the OFF signal of the non-contacting switch17is supplied to the ECU of the vehicle, and the ON signal of the non-contacting switch17output simultaneously with the OFF signal is supplied to the brake lamp30. As a result, the lamp is turned on.

Modification

According to a modification of the present invention, since the structure described in the embodiment in which the pedal arm stop bracket and non-contacting switch are mounted on the brake pedal arm is applied to a clutch pedal, it is possible to detect an operation signal of the clutch pedal by non-contacting switch. Since the structure required to achieve this is the same as that of the apparatus for lighting a brake lamp according to the embodiment, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

According to an apparatus for lighting a brake lamp for a vehicle using a non-contacting switch of the present invention, since a non-contacting switch is used instead of a switch having mechanical contacts, a driver of a vehicle behind can perceive a signal caused by a reliable lighting of a brake lamp. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of accidents, and to improve the driver's concentration during the driving of a vehicle.