Abstract:
The present invention relates to an advanced warning system operable to provide a more precise indicator to the operator of a following vehicle as to the changes in vehicle speed of the leading vehicle. The present invention utilizes an indicator signal and/or an acceleration signal. The indicator signal produces a slowing signal that indicates to the operator of the following vehicle that the leading vehicle is slowing down prior to the operator of the leading vehicle actually depressing the brake pedal. The acceleration signal provides a speeding up signal to the operator of the following vehicle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a vehicle warning system for a vehicle which provides a signal indicative of a change in vehicle speed. In particular, the present invention is directed to a signaling system which provides a slowing down and/or speeding up signal to alert following and oncoming vehicles of the braking or acceleration of the leading vehicle or the vehicle in front.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Many motor vehicle accidents are from rear end collisions which could have been avoided if the driver of the following vehicle received an advanced warning as to the sudden slowing, stopping or acceleration of the vehicle in front. All modern vehicles are equipped with brake lights and blinking turning signals, both of which are intended to inform the drivers of vehicles following behind and/or the drivers of oncoming vehicles that the vehicle in front is either stopping or turning. Unfortunately, such limited information does not fully inform the following or oncoming drivers as to the status of the vehicle in front. For example, the brake light merely indicates to the operator of the following vehicle that the driver of the leading vehicle has depressed the brake pedal. No further information beyond sudden hard braking is provided as to the rate of decrease in speed of the leading vehicle. The result is that the driver of the following vehicle must utilize other external cues to assess the speed of the leading vehicle. Such external cues may include whether the cars in front of the leading vehicle have their brake lights on, and the rate of decrease in the gap between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle.  
         [0003]     Accordingly, the leading vehicle&#39;s decreasing speed is difficult to judge by the operator of the following vehicle solely from the brake light. Furthermore, reliance and utilization of the external cues and the accuracy with which the driver of the following vehicles can interpret these cues is subject to external influencing factors such as weather conditions, the operator&#39;s driving experience, and other distractions in the surrounding environment.  
         [0004]     Conventional vehicle warning systems are linked to the brake pedal and attempt to provide a warning light indicating a decrease in vehicle speed once the brake pedal is depressed. The disadvantage is that the time period between the time the user removes his or her foot from the acceleration pedal to the time the brake pedal is depressed is lost. As such, conventional systems do not provide an instantaneous indication of changes in vehicle speed but merely an indication that the operator of the leading vehicle is deploying the brake pedal. That is, conventional warning systems are only activated by a change in vehicle speed produced by deployment of the brake pedal and do not provide an advanced warning before braking. Conventional warning systems do not account for changes in vehicle speed that are produced other than by deployment of the brake pedal, as for example reduction in vehicle speed produced by removal of the user&#39;s foot from the acceleration pedal during coasting. Furthermore, conventional vehicle warning systems do not provide an indication of an increase in vehicle speed such as when the vehicle is accelerating, as for example driving against strong wind, up-hills, climbing, etc.  
         [0005]     Conventional vehicle warning systems provide even more limited information to drivers of oncoming vehicles. The vehicle turning signal merely indicates that at some point the driver of the vehicle in front had an intention to turn but does not indicate if that intention is still present or if the driver of the vehicle in front has merely forgotten the turning light on. Accordingly, driver&#39;s of oncoming vehicles are often guessing at the intention of the approaching vehicle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is to enhance the safety features for vehicles and thereby decrease motor vehicle accidents occurring from both rear end and front end collisions.  
         [0007]     It is also an advantage of the present invention to provide an enhanced signaling system for pre-warning following and oncoming vehicles as to changes in the speed of the leading vehicle prior to depression of the brake pedal, and in addition to the vehicle turning signals.  
         [0008]     It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide an enhanced signaling system for pre-warning following and oncoming vehicles of a change in vehicle speed produced other than by depression of the brake pedal.  
         [0009]     The present invention seeks to provide an enhanced signaling system which fully appraises the drivers of vehicles following behind and/or oncoming vehicles in front of the leading vehicle as to the status of the leading vehicle, namely as to whether it is accelerating, slowing down or stopping. The present invention advantageously provides detailed information as to the status of the leading vehicle by providing an enhanced signaling system which advantageously processes and relays signals to following and/or oncoming drivers in response to the driving operations (i.e. braking and/or acceleration) carried out by the driver of the leading vehicle which cause a change in vehicle speed.  
         [0010]     It is also an advantage of the present invention to provide a vehicle signaling system operable to sense a change in speed of the vehicle and provide a signal indicative thereof substantially instantaneously with a speed change.  
         [0011]     The signaling system of the present invention is directed at overcoming the disadvantages in conventional warning systems by providing the operator of a trailing vehicle with an advanced indication of a change in the leading vehicle&#39;s speed. Thus, the system of the present invention seeks to provide the driver of the trailing vehicle a longer time to react. In this regard, an advantage of the present system is that the signaling system in a preferred embodiment is independent from the brake and acceleration pedals so that it is the actual movement of the leading vehicle which provides an anticipatory signal to drivers of following vehicles as to a change in the leading vehicle&#39;s speed. Accordingly, an advantage of the signaling system of the present invention is that it can be an after market addition to the vehicle.  
         [0012]     Accordingly, in one aspect, the signaling system of the present invention provides a signal indicative of a decrease in vehicle speed or “slowing down”, when a minimum threshold decrease in vehicle speed causes the vehicle to pitch or sway forward. The system saves the time period between which the driver removes his or her foot from the acceleration pedal and places it onto the brake pedal activating the brake light. Thus, activation of the signaling system of the present invention provides additional time for the driver of the trailing vehicle to react to decreases in the vehicle speed of the leading vehicle, prior to deployment of the brake pedal.  
         [0013]     In another aspect, the signaling system of the present invention provides a signal indicative of an increase in vehicle speed or “speeding up” when a minimum threshold increase in vehicle speed causes the vehicle to lurch or pitch backward.  
         [0014]     The particular movement of the vehicle activates the signaling system of the present invention to produce a specific warning signal. The specific warning signal produced provides better and more accurate information as to the precise status of the leading vehicle, for example speeding-up or slowing down.  
         [0015]     In another aspect, the present invention seeks to provide an after market device that can be installed in the vehicle and integrated with the vehicle light system.  
         [0016]     In yet another aspect, the present invention seeks to provide an after market device that can be installed in or on the vehicle in a location selected to be visible to the driver of another vehicle, and operate independently of the vehicle light system.  
         [0017]     In yet another aspect, the present invention resides in a signaling system for use in a vehicle to provide a signal indicative of a change in vehicle speed, the signaling system comprising a housing; a displaceable member moveable relative to the housing from a first rest position to each of a forward displaced position and a reward displaced position, wherein the displaceable member is displaced from the first rest position to one of the forward displaced position and the reward displaced position in response to movement of the vehicle caused by a threshold minimum change in vehicle speed; a guide member for resiliently biasing said displaceable member to said rest position; a forward switch assembly positioned relative to said housing so as to be transiently activated when said displaceable member is in the forward displaced position; a rearward switch assembly positioned relative to said housing so as to be transiently activated when said displaceable member is in the reward displaced position; an indicator signal positioned in a location selected to be visible to an operator of another vehicle, the indicator signal electrically coupled to the forward switch assembly, wherein activation of the forward switch assembly activates the indicator signal to provide a visual signal indicative of a vehicle slowing and an acceleration signal positioned in a location selected to be visible to the operator of another vehicle, the acceleration signal electrically coupled to the reward switch assembly, wherein activation of the reward switch assembly activates the acceleration signal to provide a visual speeding-up signal.  
         [0018]     In another aspect, the present invention resides in a signaling system for use in a vehicle to provide a signal indicative of a change in vehicle speed, the signaling system comprising a housing; a displaceable member moveable relative to the housing from a first rest position to a forward displaced position in response to forward movement of the vehicle caused by a threshold minimum change in vehicle speed; a guide member for resiliently positioning said displaceable member to said rest position; a forward switch assembly positioned relative to said housing so as to be transiently activated when said displaceable member is in the forward displaced position and an indicator signal positioned in a location selected to be visible to an operator of another vehicle, the indicator signal electrically coupled to the forward switch assembly, wherein activation of the forward switch assembly activates the indicator signal to provide a visual signal indicative of a vehicle slowing.  
         [0019]     In a further aspect, the present invention resides in a signaling device for use in a vehicle to provide a signal indicative of a change in vehicle speed, the device comprising a housing; a displaceable member moveable relative to the housing from a first rest position to each of a forward displaced position and a reward displaced position, wherein the displaceable member is displaced from the first rest position to one of the forward displaced position and the reward displaced position in response to movement of the vehicle caused by a threshold minimum change in vehicle speed; a guide member for resiliently positioning said displaceable member to said rest position; a forward switch assembly positioned relative to said housing so as to be transiently activated when said displaceable member is in the forward displaced position; a rearward switch assembly positioned relative to said housing so as to be transiently activated when said displaceable member is in the reward displaced position; an indicator signal positioned in a location selected to be visible to an operator of another vehicle, the indicator signal electrically coupled to the forward switch assembly, wherein activation of the forward switch assembly activates the indicator signal to provide a visual signal indicative of a vehicle slowing and an acceleration signal positioned in a location selected to be visible to the operator of another vehicle, the acceleration signal electrically coupled to the reward switch assembly, wherein activation of the reward switch assembly activates the acceleration signal to provide a visual speeding-up signal. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0021]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show diagrams of the signaling system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart diagram of the operation of the signaling system of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0023]      FIGS. 3A, 3B ,  4 A,  4 B,  5 A and to  5 B are alternate embodiments of the displaceable member and guide member of the signaling system of  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams of the signaling system  10  for use in vehicle  11  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the signaling system  10  is an after market addition to the vehicle  11 . The signaling system includes a housing  12 , a displaceable member  14 , a guide member  16 , a forward contact switch  18 , a reward contact switch  20 , indicator signal  22  and an acceleration signal  24 . In an alternate preferred embodiment, the housing  12  would comprise a gimbal member (not shown).  
         [0025]     The displaceable member  14 , in a preferred embodiment, comprises a swing bar moveable relative to the housing  12  from a first rest position (or balanced position)  26  to each of a forward displaced position  28  ( FIG. 1A ) and a reward displaced position  30  ( FIG. 1B ) in response to movement of vehicle  11  caused by a threshold minimum change in vehicle speed. The threshold minimum decrease in vehicle speed causes the vehicle  11  to pitch or sway forward, displacing the displaceable member  14  from the balanced or rest position  26  to the forward displaced position  28  in contact with the forward contact switch  18 . Contact between the displaceable member  14  when in the forward displaced position  28  and the forward contact switch  18 , transiently activates the forward contact switch  18 . Similarly, the threshold minimum increase in vehicle speed which causes the vehicle  11  to pitch or sway backward, displaces the displaceable member  14  to the reward displaced position  30  in contact with reward switch  20 . Contact with the displaceable member  14  when in the reward displaced position  30  transiently activates the reward contact switch  20 . Displaceable member  14  is returned or biased back to the rest position  26  by the guide member  16  once the speed of the vehicle  11  drops below the threshold minimum increase or decrease.  
         [0026]     The forward contact switch  18  is electrically coupled to indicator signal  22  and the reward contact switch  20  is electrically coupled to acceleration signal  24 . Both of the indicator signal  22  and the acceleration signal  24  are positioned in a location selected to be visible to an operator of another vehicle. Activation of the forward contact switch  18  activates the indicator signal  22  to provide a visual signal indicative of a vehicle slowing. Activation of the reward contact switch  20  activates the acceleration signal  24  to provide a visual speeding-up signal.  
         [0027]     In a preferred embodiment, the indicator signal  22  and the acceleration signal  24  are LED lights that are placed on the housing  12 , which is positioned in or on the vehicle  11  in a location selected to be visible to the operation of another vehicle. By way of non-limiting example the housing  12  could be placed in the rear end of vehicle  11  near a rear windshield, in view of the operator of a following vehicle, or as an attachment for placement on a vehicle hood as a hood mounted after market signaling device.  
         [0028]     In another embodiment of the invention (not shown), the indicator signal  22  and the acceleration signal  24  of vehicle  11  are vehicle lamps which can be placed in a location on the vehicle  11  adjacent the brake lamp and/or head lamp.  
         [0029]     In a further embodiment (not shown), the indicator signal  22  and acceleration  24  comprise individual filaments that are part of the brake lamp in addition to a brake lamp filament.  
         [0030]     In a further preferred embodiment, the signaling system would further comprise a signal controller (not shown) operable by both the forward contact switch  18  and reward contact switch  20 . The signal controller would be operable to effect a signal feature of each of the indicator signal  22  and acceleration signal  24 . The signal feature affected by the signal controller in a preferred embodiment would be selected from the group consisting of signal illumination, signal intensity, signal frequency and signal extinguishment.  
         [0031]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 . A flow chart diagram of the operation of the signaling system  10  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  is shown. When the displaceable member  14  swings to the forward displaced position  28  during breaking or slowing down  32 , the forward contact switch  18  is activated and in turn activates the indicator signal  22  to, in a preferred embodiment produce a red or amber light. When the displaceable member  14  swings toward the reward displaced position  30 , during the vehicle speeding up  34 , the reward contact switch  20  is activated and in turn activates the acceleration signal  24  to, in a preferred embodiment produce a green light. When the displaceable member  14  is in the balanced or rest position  26  both the acceleration signal  24  and indicator signal  22  are “off”. In one embodiment, displaceable member  14  in the balanced or rest position  26  is operable to produce a “safe signal”  34 .  
         [0032]      FIGS. 3A, 3B ,  4 A,  4 B,  5 A and  5 B show alternate embodiments of the displaceable member  14  and guide member  16  of the signaling system  10  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  wherein like reference numerals are used to identify like components.  
         [0033]     In  FIGS. 3A and 3B , guide member  16  comprises a swing member selected from one of an inflexible arm and a flexible connector. The displaceable member  14  comprises a weighted member which is suspended from a lower end portion of the swinging member for pendulate movement thereby along a substantially concave arcuate path  36 . The displaceable member  14  is displaced during the pendulate movement along the concave arcuate path  36  from the rest position  26  substantially juxtaposed with a midpoint  38  of the concave arcuate path  36  to one of a first position  28  ( FIG. 3B ) in contact with the forward contact switch  18  and a second position  30  ( FIG. 3A ) in contact with the reward contact switch  20 .  
         [0034]     Referring now to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , yet another embodiment of the displaceable member  14  and guide member  16  are illustrated. In  FIG. 4 , the guide member  16  comprises an elongated U-shaped member with a forward end  40  spaced toward a position adjacent the forward contact switch  18 . The U-shaped member also comprises a reward end  42  spaced towards a position adjacent the reward contact switch  20 . In a preferred embodiment, the guide member  16  also comprises legs  41  operable to connect the U-shaped member  39  to the housing  12 . The displaceable member  14  is positioned on the U-shaped member  39  for movement relative thereto from the rest position  26  substantially juxtaposed with a bight (or centre) position  44  to one of a forward displaced position  28  ( FIG. 4B ) at the forward end  40  in contact with the forward contact switch  18  or the reward displaced position  30  ( FIG. 4A ) at the reward end  42  in contact with the reward contact switch  20 .  
         [0035]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show further alternate embodiment of the displaceable member  14  and guide member  16  of the signaling system  10  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B . In  FIGS. 5A and 5B , guide member  16  comprises a vertically upright inflexible member  46  connected to a spring member  48 . The displaceable member  14  is supported at an upper end portion of the vertically upright member  46  for vacillating movement thereby along a substantially convex arcuate path  50 . The displaceable member  14  is displaced during vacillating movement along the convex arcuate path  50  from the rest position  26  substantially juxtaposed with a midpoint  52  of the convex arcuate path  50  to one of the forward displaced position  28  ( FIG. 5B ) in contact with the forward switch assembly  18  and the reward displaced position  30  ( FIG. 5A ) in contact with the reward contact switch  20 .  
         [0036]     It can be appreciated that although a preferred embodiment has been described, other operable embodiments are possible to achieve the advantages of the present invention.  
         [0037]     Although the signaling system  10  of the present invention has been described in the preferred embodiment has having both indicator signal  22  and an acceleration signal  24 , it is to be understood that this is but one embodiment of the invention. A skilled artisan would readily appreciate that the signaling system  10  need not include both the indicator signal  22  and acceleration signal  24  to achieve the advantages of the present invention. By way of non-limiting example, a skilled artisan would appreciate that in an alternate embodiment the displaceable member  14  would be displaced only to the forward displaced position  28  from the rest or balanced position  26 . Also by way of non-limiting example, a skilled artisan would also appreciate that a guide member  16 , which only allows for displacement to the forward displaced position  18  may achieve such an embodiment. A skilled artisan could also envision that the embodiment may also be achieved by signaling system  10 , which comprises only a forward switch assembly.  
         [0038]     Furthermore, a skilled artisan would readily appreciate the various electrical switches and wiring which would be operable within the present invention to achieve the advantages thereof.  
         [0039]     Although in the preferred embodiment, each of the forward contact switch  18  and reward contact switch  20  have been described as being contact switches, a skilled artisan would appreciate other types of switches that would be operable to achieve the advantages of the present invention. Furthermore, although the activation of the forward contact switch  18  and the reward contact switch  20  has been described as occurring when contact is made with the displaceable member  14 , a skilled artisan would appreciate that the forward contact switch  18  and reward contact switch  20  could be activated by contact with the guide member  16  when the displaceable member  14  is in the forward displaced position  28  and reward displaced position  30 , respectively.  
         [0040]     It would be understood that all the various features of the invention have been described with respect to one or another of the embodiments in the invention, and that the various features and embodiments of the invention may be combined or used in combination with other features and embodiments of the invention as described and illustrated herein.  
         [0041]     Furthermore although this disclosure has been described and illustrated as containing preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments, which are functional, electrical or mechanical equivalence of the specific embodiments and features that have been described herein.