Patent Publication Number: US-2011074568-A1

Title: Wireless brake light apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wireless brake light apparatus, and more particularly to a brake light apparatus which provides illumination by wireless communication and is easily detached/assembled. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional bicycle handlebar with an illuminating device in accordance with the prior art comprises a handlebar having a control switch disposed on an outer periphery thereof. The handlebar is hollow. An illuminating device is mounted on one end of the handlebar for providing illumination. The illuminating device includes a control circuit mounted thereon for controlling blinking light. The control circuit has an automatic turn-off function. A signal cable is received in the handlebar. The signal cable has two ends respectively electrically connected to the control circuit and the control switch. Therefore, when a rider turns on the switch, the illuminating device emits blinking light for providing an alert. 
     However, the conventional bicycle handlebar with an illuminating device suffered from several disadvantages. The control cable is easily unintentionally pulled or dragged if the control cable is not installed well. It may cause a bad communication between the switch and the illuminating device. When the rider brakes the bicycle, it is inconvenient that the rider has to switch on the illuminating device to provide a blinking alert light. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional bicycle handlebar with an illuminating device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved wireless brake light apparatus. 
     To achieve the objective, the wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a brake device adapting to be connected to a handlebar of a bicycle. The brake device comprises a brake lever having a first end pivotally movably located beside the handlebar. A clamping member is detachably connected to the brake device. The clamping member has an elastic clamp formed thereon for detachably clamping on the brake device. The clamping member has a positioning portion on one end thereof. The positioning portion has a spring and a ball received therein. The clamping member includes a bolt movably connected to the positioning portion. The bolt has a recess defined in a first side thereof and two series of second teeth formed on the first side thereof. The two series of second teeth oppositely located beside the recess. The bolt has at least one positioning hole defined in a second side thereof opposite to the first side. The spring urges the ball to engage with the positioning hole for limiting a movement of the bolt. 
     The wireless brake light apparatus further comprises an actuator adjustably rotatably connected to the clamping member and located beside a second end of the brake lever opposite to the first end. The actuator has a detector disposed on one side thereof and facing the second end of the brake lever. The actuator has an engaging portion formed on one end thereof and pivotally connecting with the positioning portion. The engaging portion has a series of first teeth extending therefrom for engaging with the bolt and restraining a movement of the actuator. 
     Additionally, at least one lighting device adapts to be mounted on the bicycle and wirelessly communicates with the detector via radio frequency identification (RFID). 
     Accordingly, when the first teeth are received in the recess in the bolt, the actuator is free to be adjusted close to brake lever. When the first teeth engage with any one of the two series of second teeth and the spring urges the ball to engage with the positioning hole in the bolt, the actuator is locked. When braking, the first end of the brake lever is pivotally moved to the handle bar. The second end of the brake lever is simultaneously slightly moved to contact with the detector, such that the detector is actuated to send a radio frequency signal to the at least one lighting device for providing illumination. 
     In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the clamping member has a C-shaped holder formed on one end thereof opposite to the positioning portion for detachably holding on the handlebar. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional plane view of the preferred embodiment of an engagement of an actuator and a positioning portion of the wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4-5  are operational plane views of the preferred embodiment of the wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention when braking; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the wireless brake light apparatus assembled on a bicycle in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7-8  are respectively a side and a top views of the preferred embodiment of the wireless brake light apparatus assembled on the bicycle in accordance with the present invention when braking; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the clamping member of the wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-5 , a wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a brake device  6  adapting to be connected to a handlebar  61  of a bicycle. The brake device  6  comprises a fastener  62  detachably connected to one end of the handlebar  61  and a brake lever  63  having a second end pivotally connected to the fastener  62 . When the brake lever  63  pivotally rotates relative to the handlebar  61 , a first end of the brake lever  63  opposite to the second end is pivotally moved toward the handlebar  61 . 
     A clamping member  1  is detachably connected to the brake device  6 . The clamping member  1  has an elastic clamp  11  laterally formed thereon thereof for detachably clamping on the fastener  62  of the brake device  6 . The clamping member  1  has a positioning portion  3  formed on one end thereof. The positioning portion  3  has a receiving hole  35  defined therein and has two holes  34  defined in two opposite lateral sides thereof. The positioning portion  3  has a spring  33  and a ball  331  received in the receiving hole  35 . The spring  33  has two ends respectively abutting against a bottom of the receiving hole  35  and the ball  331 . 
     Moreover, the positioning portion  3  includes a bolt  32  movably passing through the two holes  34  and received in the receiving hole  35 . The bolt  32  has a recess  321  defined in a centre of a first side thereof. The bolt  32  has two series of second teeth  322  respectively formed on two ends of the first side thereof and oppositely located beside the recess  321 . The bolt  32  has at least one positioning hole  323  defined in a second side thereof opposite to the first side. The spring  33  urges the ball  331  to engage with the at least one positioning hole  323  for limiting a movement of the bolt  32 . 
     The wireless brake light apparatus further comprises an actuator  2  adjustably pivotally connected to the clamping member  1  and located beside the second end of the brake lever  63  opposite to the first end. The actuator  2  has a detector  4  disposed on one side thereof and facing the second end of the brake lever  63 . The actuator  2  has an engaging portion  31  formed on one end thereof for pivotally rotatably connecting to the positioning portion  3 . The engaging portion  31  has a series of first teeth  311  extending therefrom for engaging with the bolt  32  in the receiving hole  35 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , at least one lighting device  5  adapts to be mounted on a head tube (not numbered) or a seat tube (not numbered) of the bicycle. The at least one lighting device  5  wirelessly communicates with the detector  4  via radio frequency identification (RFID). The present invention applies RFID technology for wireless communication. How the RFID works in the present invention is not described 
     Accordingly, when the first teeth  311  are received in the recess  321  in the bolt  32 , the ball  331  is retracted to disengage with the at least one positioning hole  323 . The actuator  2  is free to pivotally rotate relative to the clamping member  1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , when the detector  4  is adjusted close to the second end of brake lever  63 , the bolt  32  is laterally pushed such that the first teeth  311  engage with any one of the two series of second teeth  322  for restraining a movement of the actuator  2 . The spring  33  urges the ball  331  to engage with the positioning hole  323  in the bolt  32 . The actuator  2  is locked. 
     When the first end of the brake lever  63  is pivotally moved to the handle bar  61 , the second end of the brake lever  63  is simultaneously slightly moved to contact with the detector  4 , such that the detector  4  is actuated to send a radio frequency signal to drive the at least one lighting device  5 . The at least one lighting device  5  receives the radio frequency signal to provide illumination for a braking alert. 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , that shows a second embodiment of the wireless brake light apparatus in accordance with the present invention. The elements and effects of the second embodiment which are the same with the first embodiment are not described, only the differences are described. In this embodiment, the clamping member  1  has a C-shaped holder  12  formed on one end thereof opposite to the positioning portion  3  for detachably holding on the handlebar  61 . 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.