Abstract:
A highway hazard marker is housed within a disc shaped high impact plastic housing, an upper portion of which is transparent. A plurality of LEDs are circularly disposed proximal to the side of the upper portion. A ring counter provides signals to transistors that sequentially drive the LEDs. Excitation provided to the ring counter is controlled to cause a desired current through the LEDs.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention is in the general field of highway warning devices and, more particularly, is a hazard marker that provides an aimed illumination. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A hazard marker is typically placed near a problem area created by a mishap that occurs on either a street or a highway. Reasons for placing the marker include protection of people against injury, discouraging people from either walking or driving in the problem area, discouraging intrusion into emergency medical treatment of injuries resulting from the mishap and discouraging intrusion into clean up activity. The hazard marker may, for example, be a flare, a sequentially illuminated arrow, a message sign, a wooden barricade that carries a blinking warning light or an orange cone. 
     The flare has an advantage of being easily visible at night. However, a motorist who drives past one or more flares may be temporarily blinded by their brightness, thereby endangering the motorist and people in the vicinity of the motorist. The flare is particularly dangerous to use where an automobile collision causes a spillage of gasoline on a roadway. Among other undesirable aspects of the flare is that a person charged with igniting the flare risks being burned and having their clothing burned. The flare additionally releases noxious fumes when it burns. 
     The orange cone is one of the most commonly used hazard markers. The cone frequently has a light and a battery mounted near its apex. The light cannot readily be seen outside of an immediate area where the cone is placed, particularly in poor weather conditions. The light and the battery make the cone top heavy, thereby destabilizing the cone. Even in the absence of the destabilizing, the cone is frequently destroyed or badly damaged when inadvertently struck by a motor vehicle. 
     Practically all hazard markers are either badly damaged or destroyed when struck by the motor vehicle; additionally, the motor vehicle is frequently damaged. Thus there is a need for a new type of hazard marker that is neither damaged nor causes damage when struck by the automobile, provides light that can be seen outside of an immediate area where the new type of marker is placed and does not temporarily blind a passing motorist with its brightness. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a turbo flare hazard marker in the general shape of a disc includes a transparent upper housing and a lower housing that are made from a high impact plastic. Each of three or more similar legs of the marker are made from a plastic plate that is connected to an outer edge of the lower housing and extends radially therefrom. A foot of each of the legs extends below a bottom surface of the lower housing. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, the turbo flare hazard marker includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that have a circular disposition within the housing. The LEDs are oriented either to provide light that can be seen by a motorist at a substantial distance from the turbo hazard flare marker or provide light that can be seen by an aircraft flying above the turbo hazard marker. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention, an oscillator drives an input of a ring counter. Outputs of the ring counter sequentially drive the LEDs. Current through the LEDs passes through a sampling resistor, thereby providing a sampling voltage. A reference voltage is compared to the sampling voltage. An excitation voltage applied to the ring counter is changed in response to a difference between the reference voltage and the sampling voltage. The change in the excitation causes a corresponding change in the drive at the output of the ring counter that results in the reference and sampling voltages being substantially equal. 
     The turbo flare hazard marker is of a construction that is neither damaged by a motor vehicle nor causes damage to the motor vehicle, provides light that can be seen outside of its immediate area and does not blind a passing motorist with its brightness. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention should be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a circuit board in the embodiment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the interior of a housing in the embodiment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a section view of a lid of a housing in FIG. 1 taken along the line  5 — 5 ; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevation of hazard markers mounted upon a charging stick; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic showing of elements that cause a sequential illumination of LEDS in the embodiment of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 8 is a timing diagram applicable to the schematic of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a turbo hazard marker  10  has a general shape of a disc. The marker  10  includes a lower housing  12  and an upper housing  14  that are made from a high impact plastic. The upper housing  14  is transparent. A plurality of bolts  16  pass through the upper housing  14  and a bottom  18  of the lower housing  12  where they screw into nuts (not shown), whereby the lower housing  12  and the upper housing  14  are held together. 
     Visible through the upper housing  14  is a printed circuit board  19  whereon LEDs  20 -A through  20 -T are circularly disposed proximal to a wall  14 V of the housing  14 . As explained hereinafter, the LEDs  20 -A through  20 -T transmit light through the wall  14 V. 
     The hazard marker  10  includes a leg  21 A that has general shape of a right triangular slab. A side  22 A (FIG. 1) of the leg  21 A is connected to a side  24  of the lower housing  12 . The leg  21 A extends radially from the hazard marker  10 . Because of its size, the leg  21 A extends to a level below the bottom  18  whereby a ramp edge  22 R of the leg  21 A extends from below a level of the bottom  18  to the upper housing  14 . 
     The leg  21 A includes a foot  22 F that extends from an end of the ramp edge  22 R to the side  22 A. The foot  22 F has a V shaped cross section. 
     Legs  21 B- 21 F, similar to the leg  20 A, are connected to the side  24 . The legs  21 A- 21 F have equal spacing therebetween. 
     Because of the legs  21 A- 21 F, the bottom  18  does not usually rest upon the ground. Therefore, when a motor vehicle drives over the hazard marker  10  on an asphalt roadway, the V shaped feet sink into the asphalt thereby preventing the hazard marker  10  from being moved laterally. Additionally, when the motor vehicle drives over the hazard marker  10 , the ramp edges of the legs  20 A- 20 F prevent damage to the motor vehicle and to the hazard marker  10 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, rechargeable nicad batteries  26 - 30  are connected in series. More particularly, the battery  26  is connected to the battery  27  through a conductive ribbon  32  and the battery  27  is connected to the battery  28  through a conductive ribbon  34 . Similarly, the battery  26  is connected to the battery  30  through a conductive ribbon  36  and the battery  30  is connected to the battery  29  through a conductive ribbon  38 . In an alternative embodiment, non-rechargeable batteries are used. 
     An anode (not shown) of the battery  28  and a cathode (not shown) of the battery  29  are connected through wires  40 ,  42 , respectively, to a plug  44  which mates with a socket  46 . A pair of wires  50  connects the socket  46  to the circuit board  19 , whereby the batteries  26 - 30  provide a voltage to the circuit board  19 . The plug  44  and the socket  46  render unnecessary a making and breaking solder connections when the batteries  26 - 30  are removed and reinstalled for any purpose. 
     The lower housing  12  includes similar posts  54 - 58  (FIG. 4) that extend perpendicularly from the bottom  18 . When the lower housing  12  and the upper housing  14  are connected together, the posts  54 - 58  wedge the batteries  26 - 30 , respectively, against the side  24 . Because the hazard marker  10  has the shape of the disc, a curvature of the side  24  and the posts  54 - 58  maintain positions of the batteries  26 - 30  within the lower housing  12 . 
     It should be understood that the batteries  26 - 30  rest upon the bottom  18 . Additionally, a sponge rubber annulus  60  is placed over the batteries  26 - 30 . The circuit board  19  is placed upon the sponge annulus  60 . Because of a thickness of the annulus  60 , the circuit board  19  is within the upper housing  14 . 
     As shown in FIG. 5, LEDs  20 -A,  20 -J have spring-like leads that are connected to the circuit board  19 . An interior surface  60  of the upper housing  14  urges the LED  20 -A into a position that causes an angle  62  to be sustained between a central axis  64  of the LED  20 -A and a surface  14 L of the lower housing  14 . It has been determined that when the angle  62  is substantially equal to four degrees, light transmitted through the wall  14 V is visible at distances in excess of fifty yards. The LED  20 -J is positioned in a similar manner. In this embodiment, the positioning of the LEDs  20 -A,  20 -J is exemplary of the positioning of the LEDs  20 -B through  20 -I and LEDs  20 -K through  20 -T. 
     The upper housing  14  has annular depressions  66  therein that diffuses light from the LEDs  20 -A through  20 -T that passes therethrough. The diffused light does not cause a glare that temporarily blinds a passing motorist. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the LEDs  20 -A through  20 -T are positioned to transmit light vertically through a horizontal wall  14 A of the upper housing  14 . The vertically transmitted light is used to indicate a scene of a mishap to an aircraft. 
     At the center of the interior of the housing  12  (FIG. 4) is a post  68  with an axial hole  70  therethrough. The hole  70  includes slots  72 ,  74  that extend through the column  68 . A storage hole  76  (FIGS. 1 and 2) similar to and coaxial with the hole  70  extends through the upper housing  14 . 
     The circuit board  19  (FIG. 3) has a central hole  77  therethrough. Spring contacts  78 ,  80  are connected to the circuit board  19  near the hole  77 . When the housings  12 ,  14  are connected, the contacts  78 ,  80  are fitted into the slots  72 ,  74 , respectively. The contacts  78 ,  80  are connected to the batteries  26 - 30  via a bridge rectifier (not shown) on the circuit board  19 . Because of the bridge rectifier, polarity of a voltage applied to the contacts  78 ,  80  is irrelevant. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, a storage stand is for storing the hazard marker  10  and hazard markers  10 A,  10 B that are similar to the hazard marker  10 . The storage stand includes a fiber glass charging stick  82  that has a rectangular cross section. Metal strips  84  extend along opposite sides of the stick  82 . An end (not shown) of the stick  82  is connected to a base  86  that has an outward appearance similar to that of the hazard marker  10 . It should be understood that the appearance of the base  86  is of no critical importance. 
     As explained hereinafter, when the hazard marker  10  is positioned upside down (with the upper housing  14  below the lower housing  12 ), the batteries  26 - 30  do not provide power. Accordingly, the hazard marker  10  is stored upside down with the stick  82  passing through the holes  70 ,  76 ,  77 . The hazard markers  10 A,  10 B are similarly stored. Within the hole  70 , the contacts  78 ,  80  (FIG. 3) provide a connection to the metal strips  84 , thereby providing an electrical connection of the metal strips  84  to the batteries  26 - 30  via the bridge rectifier. A similar electrical connection is made to the hazard markers  10 A,  10 B. 
     A pair of wires  88  passes through an outer wall  90  of the base  86  to connect to the metal strips  84 . Because of the electrical connection of the metal strips  84  to the batteries  26 - 30 , application of a charging voltage to the wires  88  charges the batteries  26 - 30 . Batteries of the hazard markers  10 A,  10 B are similarly charged. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, there is a connection (not shown) between the batteries  26 - 30  and a mercury switch  92 . When the hazard marker  10  is right side up, the switch  92  closes, thereby providing a voltage, designated as Vcc, to a contact  92 A of the switch  92 . The contact  92 A is connected to an operational amplifier  94  and an oscillator  96 , whereby the voltage, Vcc, is provided to the operational amplifier  94  and the oscillator  96 . 
     The oscillator  96  provides a train of pulses with an  18  millisecond period that are represented in FIG.  8 ( a ). The oscillator  96  is connected to a ring counter  98  at a clock input  100 . 
     A first pulse  101 A and a second pulse  102 A of the train of pulses (FIG.  8 ( a )) cause an output  101  of the ring counter  98  to provide an  18  millisecond pulse  101 B (FIG.  8 ( b )). The second pulse  102  A and a third pulse  103 A (FIG.  8 ( a )) cause an output  102  of the ring counter  98  to provide an  18  millisecond pulse  102 B, FIG.  8 ( c ). It should be understood that the pulse  101 B ends simultaneously with a beginning of the pulse  102 B. In a similar manner,  18  millisecond pulses are provided at outputs  103 - 110 , respectively, of the ring counter  98 . The pulses at the outputs  103 - 110  are represented in FIG.  8 ( d )-FIG.  8 ( f ) as pulses  103 B- 110 B, respectively. 
     From the explanation given hereinbefore the pulses  101 B- 110 B are provided in a serial manner, one at a time. It should be understood that the amplitude of the pulses  101 B- 110 B is directly related to a voltage applied to an excitation input of the ring counter  98 . The application of the voltage to the excitation input is described hereinafter. 
     The outputs  101 - 110  are connected to bases of NPN transistors  112 - 121 , respectively. The transistors  112 - 121  have their collectors respectively connected to LEDs  20 -A,  20 -C,  20 -E,  20 -G,  20 -I,  20 -K,  20 -M,  20 -O,  20 -Q and  20 -S at their cathodes, anodes thereof being all connected to the contact  92 A. The transistors  112 - 121  have their emitters respectively connected to the LEDs  20 -B,  20 -D,  20 -F,  20 -H,  20 -J,  20 -L,  20 -N,  20 -P,  20 -R,  20 -T at their anodes, cathodes thereof being all connected through a sampling resistor  122  to ground and to the operational amplifier  94  at an inverting input thereof, whereby a sampled voltage is provided to the amplifier  94 . 
     When the switch  92  is closed, substantially equal currents flow through the LEDs  20 -A,  20 B in response to the pulse  101 B(FIG. 8) being provided to the transistor  112 , thereby causing an emission of light from the LEDs  20 A,  20 B. In a similar manner, current flows through the LEDs  20 -C,  20 -D, the LEDs  20 -E,  20 -F, the LEDs  20 -G,  20 -H, the LEDs  20 -I,  20 -J, the LEDs  20 -K,  20 -L, the LEDs  20 -M,  20 -N, the LEDs  20 -O,  20 -P, the LEDs  20 -Q,  20 -R and the LEDs  20 -S,  20 -T in response to the pulses  102 B- 110 B, respectively, to cause emissions of light therefrom. 
     The contact  92 A is connected through a resistor  124  to a non-inverting input of the amplifier  94 . A resistor  126  is connected from the non-inverting input to ground. In other words, the resistors  124 ,  126  are a voltage divider that provides a reference voltage to the non-inverting input. An output of the amplifier  94  is connected to an excitation input  128  of the ring counter  98  whereby an excitation input voltage is provided to the ring counter  98 . 
     When, for example, the pulse  101  B is provided, an emitter current of the transistor  112  passes through the resistor  122 , thereby providing the sampled voltage. In response to the sampled voltage being greater than the reference voltage, the excitation input voltage is reduced, thereby reducing the amplitude of the pulse  101 B (FIG. 8) to cause a reduction of the emitter current of the transistor  112 . Correspondingly, in response to the sampled voltage being less than the reference voltage, the excitation input voltage is increased, thereby increasing the amplitude of the pulse  101 B, to cause an increase of the transistor  112  emitter current, whereby the amplitude of the pulse  101 B is regulated. In a similar manner, the amplitudes of the pulses  102 B- 110 B are regulated. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the diodes  20 -A,  20 -C,  20 -E,  20 -G,  20 -I,  20 -K,  20 -M,  20 -O,  20 -Q, and  20 -S are omitted and the collectors of transistors  112 - 121  are connected to the contact  92 A. 
     Thus there is described herein a turbo flare hazard marker that is especially suited for marking a problem area created by a mishap on a highway.