Vehicle light monitoring apparatus

A fiber optic cable sheath includes a predetermined number of fiber optic cables, with each of the cables arranged such that a first end of each fiber optic cable is received within a display panel within a passenger compartment of the associated vehicle, wherein a second end of each cable is arranged in a facing confronting relationship relative to each light member of a predetermined number of lights of the vehicle such that extinguishing of any of the light members is immediately illustrated in the panel upon failure of light to be transmitted through that individual fiber optic cable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to vehicular illumination structure, and 
more particularly pertains to a new and improved vehicular light 
monitoring apparatus wherein the same is arranged to monitor the 
functioning of individual light members relative to an associated vehicle. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Vehicles, and particularly truck members, are required to maintain 
operation of exterior lighting structure. The lighting structure is 
directed along the vehicular cab as well as a tailoring organization. The 
instant invention provides for monitoring structure for indicating the 
effective operation of such lights during use. Prior art light monitoring 
structure is indicated in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,588,816 for checking of 
filaments within individual illumination bulbs. 
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by 
providing for a retrofit structure arranged for ease of monitoring of 
illumination members of an associated vehicle and in this respect, the 
present invention substantially fulfills this need. 
In addition, a variation of this system replaces much of a vehicle's 
electrical lighting circuits with optical circuits. In this system an 
optical fibre would transmit light from a single bulb in a driving 
compartment to the respective exterior lenses such as cab and clearance 
lights. Benefits of this variation are as follows: 
1. The optical circuit would be immensely more reliable and more durable 
than an electrical system. 
2. One light bulb, accessible from the driver's seat, and visible from the 
driver's seat, would replace as many as twenty exterior light bulbs 
presently required on tractor, semi-trailer and busses. 
3. Use of this system on flammable bulk tanks and explosive transport 
vehicles would vastly reduce the risk of electrical sparks and heat from 
bulbs and filaments from causing explosion and fire hazards. 
4. Personnel safety would be enhanced by reducing the need or eliminating 
the need for climbing ladders to replace trailer lights. 
5. Fleet safety and repair efficiency would be enhanced because the driver 
would immediately detect a defective light and be able to change it within 
minutes instead of running several hundred miles without lights to a 
repair shop. 
6. The optical circuits would be impervious to the weather. This benefit 
alone would make this idea perfect for boat trailer lights since 
submergence during loading and unloading would be absolutely harmless to 
the optical filaments. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
vehicle light monitoring apparatus now present in the prior art, the 
present invention provides a vehicular light monitoring apparatus wherein 
the same is arranged to include individual fiber optic cables to monitor 
individual illumination structure of an associated vehicle. As such, the 
general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved vehicular 
light monitoring apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art 
vehicular light monitoring apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides a fiber optic cable sheath 
including a predetermined number of fiber optic cables, with each of the 
cables arranged such that a first end of each fiber optic cable is 
received within a display panel within a passenger compartment of the 
associated vehicle, wherein a second end of each able is arranged in a 
facing confronting relationship relative to each light member of a 
predetermined number of lights of the vehicle such that extinguishing of 
any of the light members is immediately illustrated in the panel upon 
failure of light to be transmitted through that individual fiber optic 
cable. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the function specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended thereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved vehicular light monitoring apparatus which has all the advantages 
of the prior art vehicular light monitoring apparatus and none of the 
disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
vehicular light monitoring apparatus which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved vehicular light monitoring apparatus which is of a durable and 
reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved vehicular light monitoring apparatus which is susceptible of a 
low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such vehicular light monitoring apparatus 
economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved vehicular light monitoring apparatus which provides in the 
apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, 
while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally 
associated therewith. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 8 
thereof, a new and improved vehicular light monitoring apparatus embodying 
the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally 
designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, the vehicular light monitoring apparatus 10 of the 
instant invention essentially comprises cooperation with a vehicle 11, 
having a predetermined number of light members 12. Further, the vehicle 
includes a passenger compartment 13 for mounting an indicator panel plate 
14 therewithin. Reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 indicates the panel plate 14 
having a front wall 15 spaced from a rear wall 21, with a rigid collar 17 
positioned in a spaced adjacency relative to the rear wall 21, with the 
rigid collar 17 including a plurality of collar legs 18 extending from the 
rigid collar 17 to the rear wall 21 to fixedly orient the rigid collar 17 
in a spaced relationship to the rear wall 21. A cable member 19 is 
provided, having a predetermined number of fiber optic cables 20 directed 
therethrough, with each of the fiber optic cables 20 including a first end 
directed into the panel plate 14 extending to the panel plate and received 
within an individual transparent dome member 16 of a plurality of such 
dome members, wherein the dome members 16 are equal to said predetermined 
number of said light members 12, as well as fiber optic cables 20 to 
provide an individual fiber optic cable 20 for each of the light members 
12. An end of each fiber optic cable 20 is directed from the cable member 
19 in a facing relationship to an individual one of the light members 12, 
such as indicated in FIG. 2. The second end is directed through a support 
housing 22 that is mounted to an individual support collar 23, that in 
turn is secured to a mounting plate 24 for securement to the vehicle 11. 
In this manner, upon undesired extinguishing of an individual light member 
12, that associated fiber optic cable 20 ceases to transmit light from its 
second end to its first end, and as the individual first ends are 
enumerated within individual transparent dome members 16, immediate 
indication as to which particular light member has been extinguished is 
immediately realized within the passenger compartment 13 of the associated 
vehicle 11. 
The FIGS. 5-8 indicate the use of a second fiber optic cable sheath 26 
mounted in adjacency relative to the vehicular cab first and second lights 
25 and 25a. As the individual cab lights are of need and use, the second 
fiber optic cable sheath 26 of flexible material is mounted to respective 
first and second support straps 34 and 35 to the associated vehicle 11 in 
adjacency to the first and second cab lights 25 and 25a. A matrix of 
second fiber optic cable members are directed within the second cable 
sheath 26, having fiber optic cable second fiber optic cable member first 
ends 28 and second fiber optic cable second ends 33. Upon undesired 
extinguishing of an individual of the first and second cab lights 25 and 
25a, and in addition to the monitoring structure, the sheath first and 
second ends 28 and 32 respectively are released relative to the straps 35 
and 34, with the sheath first end 29 directed through a first support ring 
30, and the sheath second end 32 directed through a second support ring 31 
that are positioned in adjacency relative to the respective first and 
second cab lights 25 and 25a. In this manner, should the second cab light 
25a be functioning and the first cab light 25 be extinguished, the fiber 
optic cable first ends 28 are directed in a first direction relative to 
the vehicle 11, with the sheath second end 32 directed in a first position 
in facing relationship relative to the second light to thereby provide for 
an emergency first light as the fiber optic cable first ends 28 are then 
visible in association from light received from the cab second light 25a. 
The FIGS. 7 and 8 indicate the use of the first and second support rings 30 
and 31, each including a plurality of spaced bracket plates 36, with one 
of the bracket plates including a rotary disc 37 mounting an associated 
sheath end portion to permit rotation of the sheath end towards or away 
from the associated light member to provide for ease of cooperation of the 
first and second ends to provide for visible light rearwardly of the 
associated vehicle 11. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.