Emergency light module for motor vehicles

A combination of headlight assembly and an emergency light module consists of a light module and a lighting cavity having a reflector with a light emitting source. A headlight assembly comprises a reflecting portion and a lens member. The reflector is connected to the external area of the lens, so that the light source faces the headlight reflector, wherein the light generated by the light emitting source is directed through the lens into the interior of the headlight assembly and is reflected back from the reflector utilizing its reflective properties passing though the body of the lens illuminating area outside the motor vehicle, so that working condition of the vehicle headlight light is simulated.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vehicle headlights in general, more particularly, the invention relates to equipment for temporary and emergency use with inoperable headlights.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Headlights are essential for safe operation of vehicles, especially when driving at night. Properly operated headlights enable a driver to see the road, and are also essential for other drivers to observe the vehicle. Thus, properly operating headlights represent an essential safety feature of a motor vehicle, especially when driving at night.

However, failed or malfunctioning headlights are a matter of common occurrence, preventing and delaying safe operation of a motor vehicle. Because of the importance to safety, repair on the malfunctioning headlights must be carried out on a top priority basis. But this is not always possible, especially when a vehicle is away from a repair facility or at night when such facilities are closed.

Prior art discloses arrangements for performing some functions of a broken headlights as emergency occurs. However, such prior art arrangements are typically complicated, expensive and often substantial labor steps are required in order to establish their functionality. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,585,233 to Torres discloses a temporary emergency replacement for a motor vehicle headlight bulb. One of the major drawbacks of the Torres disclosure is that a body of a tapered design having large exterior threads must be screwed into the headlight bulb socket of a motor vehicle after a non-operational headlight bulb is removed. Operation of the Torres device require substantial labor manipulation by means of disassembly of the malfunctioning headlight through the removal of the exterior lens, unscrewing and removing the broken headlight bulb, screwing the device into the headlight bulb socket, etc. These labor steps are quite difficult to perform in the emergency circumstances.

Thus it has been long felt and unsolved need for a simple and economical, temporary device enabling a non-operating motor vehicle headlight to function until fixed. There is also a need for a temporary device which can be utilized by a common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training, the device which does not require tools and disassembly of the broken headlight prior to installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention provides an emergency headlight module for a motor vehicle comprising a housing extending between proximal and distal ends thereof. A lighting cavity having a concave reflector and a light emitting source are formed at the distal end. The module is used in combination with a headlight assembly formed with a concaved reflecting portion and a lens member secured at the forward portion of the reflector. A body of the lens extends between external and internal areas. An essential aspect of the invention is that no disassembly of the headlight is required prior to installation of the module. More specifically, in use the proximal end of the housing of the module is connected to the external area of the lens, so that the light emitting source faces the headlight reflector. The light generated by the light emitting source is directed through the body of the lens into the interior of the headlight assembly and is reflected back from the reflector utilizing its reflective properties passing through the body of the lens and illuminating area outside of the motor vehicle. In this manner, working condition of the headlight is simulated.

Another aspect of the invention provides a combination of a headlight assembly of a motor vehicle and the above-discussed emergency light module. Prior to the use of the combination of the invention no disassembly of the vehicle headlight is required.

The module is connected to the exterior lens of the malfunctioning light of a motor vehicle in such a manner that light emitting source faces the reflector of the light fixture. The light generated by the light emitting source is directed through the exterior lens into the interior of the malfunctioning light fixture and is reflected back from the reflector utilizing its reflective purposes in passing through the body of the exterior lens illuminating an area outside of the motor vehicle and simulating working condition of the headlight.

A further aspect of the invention provides an emergency kit for modifying a headlight of a motor vehicle. The headlight includes a reflecting portion and a lens member provided at the forward portion of the reflector. In the use of the kit no disassembly of the headlight is required prior to installation of the module. The lens is formed having a body with external and internal areas, an interior of the headlight is formed between the internal area of the lens the concaved reflecting surface. The kit further comprises a light module having a housing extending between proximal and distal ends thereof. A lighting cavity consists of a concave reflector with a light emitting source provided in the cavity at the distal end of the module. An attachment arrangement attaches the distal end of the module to the lens of the headlight. The proximal end of the housing is connected to the external area of the lens by the attachment arrangement, so that the light emitting source faces the headlight reflector, the light generated by the light emitting source is directed through the body of the lens into the interior of the headlight and is reflected back from the reflector through the body of the lens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

We refer now to various Figures of the drawings illustrating an emergency light module10of the invention and its use in combination with a headlight fixture50of a motor vehicle. The light module10is formed with a waterproof housing12extending between proximal14and distal16ends thereof. A lighting cavity18having a concaved reflector20is provided at the distal end. A forward lens22is secured at the distal end forming the lighting cavity. The reflector20defines a protruding rear portion having an aperture therein. The cavity further includes a light emitting source24located substantially within the aperture of the reflector and extending forwardly within the lighting cavity18relative to the reflector20. Although the preferred embodiment of the invention is being described with the light emitting source24in the form of high intensity LED module beneficially mounted in the cavity18, it should be understood that any conventional light sources, such as for example light bulbs, etc. are within the scope of the invention.

A battery compartment26is located at the proximal end of the housing and includes an internal volume28that is sufficient to store several regular or rechargeable batteries, which can provide several hours of operating time. Preferably, the batteries can be a plurality of nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or lithium ion rechargeable batteries known to one of ordinary skill in the art. An additional battery set having a magnetic base can be also provided. Operation of the module10is controlled by a user by means of an ON/OFF switch30that is located toward the rear of the battery compartment. A charging port32is formed at the proximal end of the housing. From the ON/OFF switch30power is applied to an LED driver assembly34also disposed in the battery compartment.

The LED driver assembly applies controlled power to the light emitting source or the high intensity LED module. The batteries can be recharged through the use a cigarette lighter port or other parts of the vehicle electrical system.

The light module10is provided for emergency use in combination with a malfunctioning headlight fixture50of a motor vehicle illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2. The headlight fixture includes a reflector52with a reflecting portion54forming an opening56at the front area thereof. A lens member58is secured across the front portion of the reflector's opening56to provide a closure for the lens reflector assembly and also establishing its interior area60. A body of the lens member58is formed with an interior area62facing the reflecting portion and an exterior area64facing outside of the headlight fixture50and the vehicle.

The housing26including the lighting cavity18and the battery compartment28, can be constructed of high impact resistant plastic in an injection molding process. On the other hand use of any suitable material is also within the scope of the invention. The LED driver assembly and the charging regulator circuit are designed to produce the necessary illumination levels given the power and time operating requirements.

The module10is mountable on the vehicle headlight fixture50by a variety of suitable methods. For this purpose an attachment arrangement70is provided at outer periphery of the module distal end. One essential function of the attachment arrangement is to assure a reliable connection between the module and the vehicle headlight assembly to withstand intervening factors such as shocks, wind, etc. On the other hand, the attachment arrangement60should enable a user to remove the module10promptly after an emergency situation ceases to exist, without damage to the headlight lens. As illustrated inFIG. 1, in one embodiment the attachment arrangement70is an intermediate adapter72having a rear portion74provided for receiving the distal end14of the module10and a front portion76provided for connection to the exterior area64of the vehicle lens58. The front portion76is substantially flat, with the rear portion extending outwardly therefrom to define a receiving space78formed to accept the distal end14of the module. The front portion76of the intermediate adapter72is removably attached to the lens by any suitable means, including an adhesive, to provide a stable connection between the distal end14of the module and the exterior area64of the lens. As illustrated inFIG. 2, the module10can be mounted on the headlight fixture50by means of an adhesive, without the use of the adapter. In a further embodiment (not illustrated), the attachment arrangement can include a pad having opposite sides which are covered with a pressure sensitive or heat sensitive material. A removable cover which is detached immediately before the module is to be used, in turn, covers this material.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2in use. the distal end14of the emergency light module is connected by the attachment arrangement70to the lens exterior area64of a malfunctioning light fixture of a motor vehicle. In this position the light emitting source24faces the reflector52of the light fixture. As the switch30is turned on, the module produces light40which emanates from the light emitting source24and is directed through the body of the vehicle lens58into the interior60of the malfunctioning fixture and is reflected back from the vehicle reflector52, utilizing its reflective properties. The reflected light42passes through the body of the lens64, so that an area outside of the malfunctioning light fixture is illuminated and functionality of the headlight fixture is simulated. It should be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the present art that no disassembly of the headlight fixture50is required prior to installation of the module10of the invention.

According to the method of the invention, a user should first clean the exterior area64of the headlight lens58. When the intermediate flange62(seeFIG. 1) is utilized, the user next attaches the front portion76of the flange to the exterior area64of the lens, and inserts the distal end14of the module into the receiving space78. In this position, the light emitting unit24projects from the reflector20forwardly in the direction of the vehicle headlight50. Then the ON/OFF switch30is turned to ON position to generate high intensity light40. The light42reflected from the vehicle reflector52passes through the body of the lens64, so that an area outside of the malfunctioning light fixture is illuminated. When emergency situation ceases to exist, the user will then remove the emergency module10of the invention from its engagement with the lens58, (including the intermediate flange, if applicable), so that the malfunctioning headlight fixture can be repaired. The rechargeable batteries will then be charged for an adequate period of time, envisioned as being several hours. Following an adequate charging time, the headlight module10is ready for a future use and it can be safely stored in a motor vehicle for use as required.

The invention is also envisioned for use as an emergency kit for modifying a headlight of a motor vehicle. The kit includes the emergency light module10and the attachment arrangement60as discussed above, so that these items can be distributed together in one package.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, the emergency module10is adapted for use on a motor vehicle, depicted as a passenger car. However, it can be effectively used on any type of motor vehicles including sport utility vehicles, vans, pickup trucks, buses, tractor-trailer rigs, emergency vehicles, or the like.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art. For example, the module10has been described for use in combination with a headlight of motor vehicles. However, it may also be used as a conventional flashlight by grasping the housing by one's hand around the battery compartment26and aiming the distal end14with the lighting cavity at an object to provide illumination. Such versatility makes the module10applicable for other applications, such as for example carrying in many motor vehicles to provide the flashlight functionality.

It has been discussed above that the invention provides an emergency light module10for connection to an exterior lens of a malfunctioning light fixture of a motor vehicle. The module10is simple, economical and can be utilized by a common user in an effortless manner with little or no training. Beneficially to the users the module10does not require disassembly of the broken headlight fixture prior to installation. When the module is installed, the light emitting source faces the reflector of the light fixture. The light generated by the emitting source is directed through the exterior lens into the interior of the malfunctioning fixture and is reflected back from the reflector utilizing its reflective properties, so that the functionality of light fixture is simulated.

Other styles and configurations of the emergency light module invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention. While only one particular configuration is shown and described that is for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope.