Abstract:
An LED road flare device provides an outer protective structure substantially in the form of a box-like rounded triangle. The outer protective structure comprises a first portion, which is a light-transparent enclosure having a plurality of LEDs disposed within it, and a second portion, which is a light-opaque resilient overlay comprising a front and rear face, the front and rear face being connected by a plurality of ribs defined at the outer edges of the faces. The LEDs are mounted within the transparent enclosure such that they are positioned between the ribs of the first portion to and are visible from outside the device. Electronic circuitry is provided to vary the lighting sequence of the LEDs when activated. A self-contained power supply is disposed within the transparent enclosure and means for recharging the power supply is also provided. Alternative embodiments include structure for supplemental stabilization of the device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to electronic devices that use electroluminescence or light-emitting diode (or “LED”) technology. It also relates, very generally, to incendiary road flares of the type that are used to alert drivers of a hazardous road condition. More specifically, the present invention relates to a uniquely-configured and uniquely-shaped LED road flare device, namely, an electronic road flare that is fabricated as a substantially triangular-shaped box-like structure which can be used primarily and preferably in a vertical or upright position for traffic safety or advance warning purposes. The device of the present invention can also be used for a wide variety of other safety and marking applications where a lighted warning device is required or desired. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Night time marking is necessary in a wide variety of hazardous road situations. The most basic type of prior art road marking has been the use of incendiary road flares that are based on pyrotechnic technology and produce an extremely bright light that can be observed from a substantial distance. The drawback of incendiary road flares is that the flare, though bright, is short-lived. The life of a typical road flare, once lit, is only about 10 to 20 minutes. In applications where a road flare is needed to indicate obstacles or to advise caution on roadways at night, multiple flares are likely used until the obstacle or hazard is cleared. Further, the hazard can last well beyond 10 to 20 minutes, and even hours, depending on the severity of the situation to be cleared. 
         [0003]    In the experience of these inventors, there have been some attempts to develop electromechanical and electronic devices that simulate an incendiary road flare while making the device last longer. In the view of these inventors, however, the prior art devices that are intended to replace incendiary road flares have shortcomings. For example, some prior art devices are not as visible as traditional road flares. Others are cannot be easily positioned such that the electronic light-emitting counterpart is easily visualized by drivers. Still others are not quickly and easily dispersed at the scene of a vehicular or road hazard. Further, the shapes of other prior art devices do not allow them to be positioned in a stable vertical or upright position which can be critical in the advance warning of such a vehicular or road hazard. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a highly visible electronic road flare device that is highly visible, is quickly and easily used when such is required and is inherently stable when placed in a vertical or upright position due to its substantially triangular-shaped and box-like construction. It is a further objective to provide such a device that is weather resistant and re-usable. It is yet another objective to provide such a device that has a self-contained and re-chargable power supply built into the device. The road flare device of the present invention has met these objectives. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The road flare device of the present invention provides an outer protective structure that is fabricated substantially in the shape of a box-like triangle having slightly rounded sides or edges. This triangular shape is critical to the intended functionality of providing a highly stable device during use. The outer protective structure comprises a number of elements. A first element is a light-transparent enclosure having the similar triangular box-like configuration with slightly rounded edges. The triangular box-like enclosure comprises a primary hollow portion and a secondary cover portion. In the preferred embodiment, the primary hollow portion of the enclosure and the secondary cover portion are attachable to one another in a sealing and water-resistant fashion which protects electronic circuitry contained within the substantially triangular box-like enclosure. 
         [0006]    The outer protective structure further comprises a second element which is a shock-absorbing and substantially light-opaque outer structure. The outer structure assumes the same substantially triangular shape of the light-transparent enclosure and effectively envelops a substantial portion of that box-like enclosure, but does not cover it completely. That is, the outer structure must be configured to allow light to pass out of the light-transparent enclosure. To that end, the outer structure further comprises a plurality of ribs that are positioned about the perimeter and along the slightly curved edges of the device. The ribs are separated from one another by spaces between adjacent ribs. In the device of the present invention, the ribs include tubular portions which further provide a means for suspending the device or supporting the device in a vertical or upright position using auxiliary support members, if necessary. 
         [0007]    Significantly, each rib is also positioned between adjacent light-emitting diodes (or “LEDs”) that are located in an array within the enclosure. The spaces between the ribs are located at the point of each LED. In this way, the LEDs are visible from outside the device and between each rib. In the view of these inventors, the substantially triangular shape of the device of the present invention is novel because it effectively positions the LEDs in such a way that each side of the device has a number of LEDs facing outwardly. In this fashion, the emitted light from the LEDs is effectively concentrated at each side or edge of the device. This, in the view of these inventors, results in a substantially more visible, and highly visible, configuration than that of the prior art. 
         [0008]    The interior of the enclosure comprises support members for holding and supporting a printed circuit board (or “PCB”) within the enclosure. The PCB comprises a flat member having a peripheral edge. A number of LEDs are positioned, wired and secured at the peripheral edge of the PCB. The PCB is similarly configured in a generally triangular shape so as to position the LEDs in a way that makes them highly visible relative to the sides of the device, as described above. The PCB comprises circuitry for actuating each LED in accordance with a pre-programmed scheme which will be apparent later in the detailed description. The PCB of the device of the present invention further comprises an actuation switch and an electric battery. 
         [0009]    When assembled for use, the device comprises a substantially triangular front face, a substantially triangular rear face and an outer edge. The outer edge comprises three slightly curved sides, adjacent sides being connected by a substantially more curved corner. The overall rounded triangular shape of the device makes it highly stable when placed in the vertical or upright position and prevents it from rolling away when placed on a sloped surface. Other structural features comprise means for charging the battery, means for ensuring that the device is properly aligned for charging and means for attaching the device to a metallic surface via a magnet. 
         [0010]    In application, the LED road flare device of the present invention can be actuated to illuminate the LEDs and to provide a variable and operational lighting sequence. As previously alluded to, that lighting sequence is variable in accordance with a pre-programmed scheme. The device can be placed flat on the ground with one face facing upwardly and the edges being in the vertical position. In the preferred use of the device, however, the device stands vertically and in an upright position. The device is inherently stable in that vertical and upright position due to the substantially triangular shape of the device and its slightly arced sides or edges. In another alternative embodiment, supplemental structure can be used with the device to ensure even more stable stationary and upright placement of the road flare device as may be needed in a specific application. 
         [0011]    The foregoing and other features of the substantially triangular-shaped LED road flare device of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top, front and left side perspective view of the substantially triangular-shaped LED road flare device that is constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the LED road flare device that is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a slightly enlarged front elevational view of the LED road flare device shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but illustrating the use of supplemental stabilization elements with the LED road flare device of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  but illustrating a rear elevational view of the LED road flare device. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a recharging pad for use with the LED road flare device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numbers represent like elements throughout,  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the LED road flare device, generally identified  10 , that is constructed in accordance with the present invention. Although the device  10  is identified throughout as an LED “road” flare device, it is to be understood that the device  10  may be easily used in non-vehicular applications and non-traffic hazard situations. 
         [0019]    As shown, the LED road flare device  10  is configured as an outer protective structure  12  that is fabricated substantially in the shape of a triangular box having rounded edges. The device  10  is further configured with an overwrap structure  14  that covers a portion of the outer protective structure  12 . The outer protective structure  12  comprises a number of elements and the overwrap structure  14  comprises a number of elements as well. 
         [0020]    A first element of the outer protective structure  12  is a substantially triangular-shaped base-like housing portion  20 . A second element is a substantially triangular-shaped door-like access cover portion  30 . See  FIG. 2 . The door-like access cover portion  30  is configured to be sealingly engaged with the base-like housing portion  20 . Novel is the fact that the housing portion  20  and the cover portion  30  each assumes the substantially triangular shape, which aids in the stability of the device  10  during use. A circumferential O-ring  31  is placed about the perimeter  33  of the cover portion  30  to make the device  10  substantially weather resistant when the cover portion  30  engages the housing portion  20 . 
         [0021]    Further, the housing portion  20  and the cover portion  30  each has a light-transparent element  22 ,  32  and a light-opaque overwrap  24 ,  34 , respectively. The overwrap  24 ,  34  allows light to pass outwardly from within the housing portion  20  and through gaps  26  formed between resilient rib-like tubes  28  in the overwrap  24 . The overwrap  24 ,  34  is configured as a resilient plastic material whereas the light-transparent elements  22 ,  32  are configured as a hard plastic material. 
         [0022]    The light-transparent element  22  of the housing portion  20  comprises an interior cavity  23 . The cavity  23  comprises means for holding and supporting a printed circuit board (or “PCB”)  40  within it. The PCB  40  comprises a flat member  42  having a substantially triangular shape and a peripheral edge  44 . A number of light emitting diodes (or “LEDs”)  46  are positioned, wired and secured at this peripheral edge  44  of the PCB  40 . As shown in the preferred embodiment, each side  4  of the device  10  has five (5) LEDs, which increases the intensity of light projected through and from that side  4 , which also increases the visibility of the device  10 , particularly at night. See  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    The PCB  40  comprises electronic circuitry of conventional manufacture for actuating each LED  46  in accordance with a pre-programmed scheme which will be apparent later in the detailed description. The PCB  40  of the device  10  of the present invention further comprises an actuation switch  45  and an electric battery  48 . Means for re-charging the battery  48  is also provided, as will be apparent later in this detailed description. Within the interior cavity  23  of the housing portion  20  is a wall-like support structure  25  having a plurality of arcuate grooves  27  defined in it. Each groove  27  is functionally adapted to provide a receiving slot for an LED  46  of the PCB  40 . 
         [0024]    As previously alluded to, the housing portion  20  and the cover portion  30  are attachable to one another in a sealing and water-resistant fashion which protects the electronic circuitry of the PCB  40  contained therein. The exterior of the device  10  comprises the shock-absorbing and substantially light-opaque overwrap  24 ,  34  having a plurality of tube-like ribs  38  about the perimeter of the device  10 . Each rib  38  is disposed between adjacent LEDs  46  that are located within the device  10 , and vice versa. In this way, the LEDs  46  are visible from outside the device  10 . The ribs  38  are tubular such that they further provide a means for suspending the device  10  or supporting the device  10  in an upright position using optional stick-like support members  50 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0025]    When assembled, the device  10  comprises a triangular-shaped front face  2 , a triangular-shaped rear face  3  and three (3) very slightly arced sides  4 . See  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The slightly arced sides  4  are configured to form an overall rounded but substantially triangular shape which is a significant and novel feature of the device  10  of the present invention. In this triangular shape, the device  10  is prevented from rolling away or tipping over when placed on a sloped or uneven surface. See  FIG. 3 . With the use of the optional support members  50 , the device  10  is further prevented from falling face-first forwardly or backwardly. See  FIG. 4 . This functionality results in a much more stable device  10  when used as intended. Further, as explained above, the concentration of LEDs  46  to one of the three (3) sides  14  of the device  10  greatly increases visibility of the device  10 . 
         [0026]    The triangular-shaped front face  2  is further provided with a push button  5  which allows the PCB  40  of the device  10  to be electrically actuated. Internally, the push button  5  is aligned with the actuation switch  45  of the PCB  40 . See  FIG. 2 . Externally, the push button  5  forms a continuous surface with the overwrap  34  of the triangular-shaped front face  2 . This keeps the device  10  and its contents safe from exposure to rain, snow, dust and the like. The push button  5  actuates the LEDs  46  in various pre-programmed sequences as will be apparent. 
         [0027]    The triangular-shaped front face  2  is further provided with pads  8  for charging the battery  48  of the device  10 . Another structural feature comprises means for attaching the device  10  to a metallic surface via a magnet  1  that is disposed to the rear face  3  of the device  10 . Further, the device  10  comprises means for ensuring that the device  10  is properly aligned for charging. Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the device  10  comprises a split magnet  1  having two magnetic pole halves. One magnet half  6  has a first polarity and one magnet half  7  has a second opposite polarity. The halves  6 ,  7  are separated by a partition  9  and are disposed to the rear face  3  of the device  10  which ensures that the device  10  is properly positioned for recharging via a charging unit  60 , such as that shown in  FIG. 6 , for example. The charging unit  60  comprises a base  62  and a similar split magnet  61  having two magnetic pole halves, one half  66  with a first polarity and one half  67  with a second opposite polarity, the halves  66 ,  67  being separated by a partition  69 . The charging unit  60  further comprises base pads  68 . If the rear face  1  of the device  10  is not positioned properly atop the base  62 , the magnet halves  6 ,  7 ,  66 ,  67  will repel one another, requiring rotation of the device  10  by 180° for proper charging. If the device  10  is positioned properly, the magnet halves  6 ,  7 ,  66 ,  67  will attract one another, resulting in a successful recharging connection made between the flare pads  8  and the base pads  68 . 
         [0028]    In application, the LED road flare device  10  of the present invention can be actuated to illuminate the LEDs  46  and to provide an operational lighting sequence. As previously alluded to, that sequence is preferably pre-programmed and variable. That is, the preprogrammed lighting sequence residing within the electronic circuitry can be used to selectively alternate the lighting sequences of the LEDs  46 . In the device  10  of the preferred embodiment, the push button  5  is depressed a first time which will actuate the LEDs  46  in a first way. Subsequent depression of the button  5  by the user can change the lighting sequences in one or more of the following ways: 
         [0029]    where all of the LEDs  46  are “on;” 
         [0030]    where all of the LEDs  46  are “off” (which can also be considered the storage or non-use mode for the device  10 ); 
         [0031]    where the LEDs  46  to one side  4  of the device  10  are “on” and the LEDs  46  to the other two sides  4  of the device  10  are “off;” 
         [0032]    where the light from the LEDs  46  rotates about the device  10  in a pattern such that the lights appear to be chasing each other (which can also be considered an alternating and sequential lighting mode); 
         [0033]    where all of the LEDs  46  blink “on” a number of times in quick succession; 
         [0034]    where all even numbered LEDs  46  blink “on” and then “off,” alternating with all odd numbered LEDs  46  that blink “off” and then “on,” and vice versa; 
         [0035]    where all of the LEDs  46  sequentially blink “on” and then “off” in a pattern where three (3) adjacent LEDs  46  to one side  4  of the device  10  blink “on” followed by the next set of two (2) adjacent LEDs  46  which is then repeated along the two (2) other sides  4  of the device  10 ; 
         [0036]    where the LEDs  46  blink in accordance with the Morse code distress signal; and 
         [0037]    where the relative brightness of the LEDs  46  can be sequenced to vary the intensity of the emitted light. 
         [0038]    In this fashion, any number of pre-programmed lighting sequences can be accessed by the user as he or she depresses the button  5  in succession. The last depression of the button  5  would, preferably, turn off the power to the LEDs  46 . Reactivation of the sequence is initiated when next the button  5  is depressed by the user. It is also to be appreciated that the LED road flare device  10  of the present invention can be used for several hours before the battery  48  requires re-charging which greatly promotes the safety of the user for substantially longer times than conventional road flares would allow. 
         [0039]    In any of its activated modes, the LED road flare device  10  can be placed flat on the ground with one face  2  facing upwardly. Alternatively, and in the preferred use mode, the device  10  can stand vertically and is stabilized in that position due to the substantially triangular shape of the device  10 . In another alternative use mode, the addition of supplemental structure, such as the optional support members  50 , results in a much more stable device  10  when used as intended and ensures stable stationary and upright placement of the LED road flare device  10  as needed. Lastly, the substantially triangular shape of the LED road flare device  10  of the present invention is novel because it effectively positions the LEDs  46  in such a way that each side  4  of the device  10  has a number of LEDs  46  facing outwardly. In this fashion, the emitted light from the LEDs  46  is effectively concentrated at each side  4  or edge of the device  10 . This, in the view of these inventors, results in a substantially more visible, and highly visible, configuration than that taught by the prior art.