Motorcycle safety device

A motorcycle safety device includes a housing and a mount for coupling the housing to a motorcycle. A light assembly is removably coupled to the housing, the light assembly including a casing, a light positioned inside the casing, a lens coupled to the casing, and a battery positioned inside the casing. An input is in communication with the light to selectively cause the light to illuminate an area in front of the housing. A processor, tilt sensor, timer, and speaker are coupled to the housing, the tilt sensor and timer being in data communication with the processor. The processor includes programming to actuate at least one of the light and speaker upon the tilt sensor detecting a tilt event for a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to lighting systems and, more particularly, to a motorcycle safety device that includes a light assembly and sensors for activating the light assembly or other safety devices in the event of a crash. In addition, the light assembly may be activated manually in periods of darkness.

Although racing-type motorcycles are typically operated during daylight hours such that traditional headlights are usually unnecessary, recreational riding of these types of motorcycles may find a rider out beyond sundown with little or no light to guide his way. In addition, a recreational or off-road motorcycle rider may be miles away from other persons and have limited means of communication with others, especially if he were to have an accident. If a cyclist were to have an accident, engine trouble, or if it were too dark to continue riding, he would have to walk or otherwise not be found for a considerable amount of time.

Various devices have been proposed in the art for providing removable or portable lighting for a motorcycle. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not adequately provide removable, battery powered lighting for a motorcycle and do not also provide for detection of a possible crash or other emergency situation.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a motorcycle safety device that may be easily mounted to a racing motorcycle. Further, it would be desirable to have a motorcycle safety device that includes a sensor that detects a potential crash. In addition, it would be desirable to have a motorcycle safety device that includes a communicating device for informing other riders if one rider is in distress.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a motorcycle safety device according to the present invention includes a housing and a mount for coupling the housing to a motorcycle. A light assembly is removably coupled to the housing, the light assembly including a casing, a light positioned inside the casing, a lens coupled to the casing, and a battery positioned inside the casing. An input is in communication with the light to selectively cause the light to illuminate an area in front of the housing. A processor, tilt sensor, timer, and speaker are coupled to the housing, the tilt sensor and timer being in data communication with the processor. The processor includes programming to actuate at least one of the light and speaker upon the tilt sensor detecting a tilt event for a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer.

A general object of this invention is to provide a motorcycle safety device that provides enhanced safety to a racing motorcycle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a motorcycle safety device, as aforesaid, that includes a light assembly mountable to a motorcycle and a sensor for detecting a potential crash.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a motorcycle safety device, as aforesaid, in which the light assembly is detachable from the motorcycle for independent use.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a motorcycle safety device, as aforesaid, in which a beam angle of the light assembly is adjustable.

A further object of this invention is to provide a motorcycle safety device, as aforesaid, having crash detection features that avoid false alarms or premature alarms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a motorcycle safety device, as aforesaid, that is easy and cost effective to manufacture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A safety device for a two-wheeled vehicle (e.g., a motorcycle, bicycle, etc.) will now be described in detail with reference toFIG. 1throughFIG. 4of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, the safety device100includes a housing110and a light assembly120. “Motorcycle” is used herein to denote any two-wheeled vehicle, whether motorized or not.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the safety device100includes a mount112for coupling the housing110to the two wheeled vehicle. The mount may be a plate112and bolts may pass through holes112a (as shown inFIG. 2) to couple the housing110to the plate112and sandwich a portion of the two wheeled vehicle therebetween, or any other mount (i.e., any other coupling system) may be used.

The light assembly120is removably coupled to the housing110. As shown inFIG. 2, the housing110may define a cavity114and the light assembly120may be removably positioned in the housing cavity114. The light assembly120includes a casing122, a light124inside the casing122, and a battery126inside the casing122(FIG. 2). The battery126may be particularly contained in a battery holder126a. The light124may be a LED or any other appropriate light, and an input125(FIG. 1) is in communication with the light124to selectively cause the light124to illuminate an area in front of the housing110. A LED may be particularly suitable as the light124because of its sturdy construction and low energy requirements.

The light assembly120may include one or more solar cells (not shown) for collecting sun energy, the solar cells being electrically connected to the battery126for recharging the battery126. Therefore, energy collected during the daylight—when the two wheeled vehicle is most likely to be used—will be readily available to keep the battery charged for nighttime use of the light assembly120.

The light assembly120may further include a lens128coupled to the casing122, and the light assembly120may be adjustable to focus illumination from the light124in a relatively narrow beam when at a first configuration and focus illumination from the light124in a relatively wide beam when at a second configuration. An input127(FIG. 2) may be in communication with the light assembly120to change the light assembly120between the first and second configurations. For example, a user input127may change interior reflective and/or focusing properties of the casing122.

As shown inFIG. 2, a processor130may be coupled to (e.g., inside) the housing110. A tilt sensor132(FIG. 4) may be coupled to (e.g., inside) the housing110and in data communication with the processor130to inform the processor130of tilt events, a timer134(FIG. 4) may be coupled to (e.g., inside) the housing110and in data communication with the processor130, and a speaker136may be coupled to (e.g., inside) the housing110and in data communication with the processor130. Programming may be included in the processor130to actuate the light124and/or the speaker136upon the tilt sensor132detecting a tilt event for a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer134. As shown inFIG. 3, a user input137may be in communication with the processor130to actuate and deactivate the described programming and/or to deactivate the light124and/or the speaker136.

A microphone140may be coupled to the housing110, and a transmitter142may be in communication with the microphone140to transmit messages input to the microphone140, as shown inFIG. 4. A receiver144may be in communication with the speaker136to play messages received by the receiver144over the speaker136(FIG. 4). As shown inFIG. 3, a user input147may be in communication with the microphone140to actuate the microphone140.

The battery126may be in electrical communication with the light124, the processor130, the tilt sensor132, the timer134, the microphone140, the transmitter142, the speaker136, and the receiver144when the light assembly120is coupled to (e.g., inside) the housing110(FIG. 4). Alternately, multiple batteries may be used to power the various components.

As shown inFIG. 1, a cover150may be removably coupled to the housing110to enclose the housing cavity114. In one embodiment, only one of the cover150and the light assembly120may be coupled to the housing110at one time.

In use, the mount112couples the housing110to the motorcycle, such as by sandwiching a portion of the motorcycle between the housing110and the mount112. To light the path of the motorcycle, the light assembly120may be coupled to the housing110and the user may operate the input125to cause the light124to activate. As set forth above, either a relatively wide beam of illumination or a relatively narrow beam of illumination may be selected using the input127.

If the motorcycle happens to overturn, the tilt sensor132may detect the tilt event, and the programming may cause the processor130to actuate the light124and/or the speaker136after the predetermined amount of time is measured by the timer134while the tilt event is detected. This may indicate the accident to others (which may be particularly useful in crowded areas) and may make the motorcycle easy to locate (which may be particularly useful in remote and uncrowded areas). Further, if an accident occurs, the user may input a distress message into the microphone140, and the distress signal may be transmitted by the transmitter142to a friend or aid agency. The microphone140and the transmitter142may be actuated automatically after the tilt sensor132detects the tilt event for the predetermined amount of time, or the user input147may be used to actuate the microphone140and the transmitter142. The receiver144and speaker136may additionally be used to allow two-way communication.

If the light134is not needed (such as during daylight hours), the light assembly120may be removed from the housing110and the cover150may instead be coupled to the housing110. If the battery136in the light assembly120is the only power source for the electrical components, removal of the light assembly may render the remaining electrical features inoperable but may remove the greatest amount of weight from the safety device100(which may be important in race conditions, etc.). If additional power sources are employed, remaining electrical components may operate after the light assembly120is removed, but the resultant weight of the safety device100may be increased due to the extra batteries.