Patent Publication Number: US-2002008617-A1

Title: Flashing rescue signal light unit

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE RELATED TO THE APPLICATION  
     [0001] This is a regular application of a provisional application, Ser. No. 60/203,842, filed May 12, 2000. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of Invention  
       [0003] The present invention relates to signal light unit, and more particularly to a flashing rescue signal light unit which adapted for strongly signifying the driver is in danger and needs help, so as highly increase the liability of driving.  
       [0004] 2. Description of Related Arts  
       [0005] Thousands of accidents occur everyday because of the drivers&#39; careless. Accidents usually occur especially when drivers want to cut lane on the road without a significant signal so that collisions may happen between vehicles. Moreover, when the driver is in danger such as being chased or the vehicle suddenly broken down on the freeway or the street, an emergency light on the vehicle should be significantly switched on to awake people in the surroundings. So, a panel of signlight such as turn and hazard warning signlight is important to a vehicle for attracting people&#39;s attention by the designated signals.  
       [0006] A conventional vehicle signlight system is usually installed at a rear panel of a vehicle in which the vehicle signlight system comprises a pair of hazard warning lights each having a yellow illuminator, which are twinkled at two outermost ends of the rear panel respectively.  
       [0007] Since the conventional vehicle signlight system is installed at the lower portion of the vehicle which is the rear panel of the vehicle, other drivers may hard to aware of the immediate signal especially at some conditions such as in rainy day or winding road. Furthermore, the hazard warning lights flashing at two ends of the rear panel are not shape enough for people to recognize the emergency of the driver especially when the hazard warning lights are hidden by other vehicle. Worse, driver does not have other alternative method but the hazard warning light for signifying he or she is in danger while people will just think the vehicle is broken down.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0008] The main object of the present invention is to provide a flashing rescue signal light unit which is adapted for strongly signifying the driver is in danger and needs help, so as to highly increase the liability of driving.  
       [0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a flashing rescue signal light unit which is easy to install to an existing vehicle and in low cost.  
       [0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a flashing rescue signal light unit which is reliable and highly effective strobe product to a vehicle.  
       [0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a flashing rescue signal light unit which can be equipped with an existing vehicle without any alteration of the vehicle.  
       [0012] Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a flashing rescue signal light unit, comprising:  
       [0013] a plurality of illuminating units, each of which is shaped into a specific character each comprising a casing, an illuminator protected by the casing, and an electric input connector provided on the casing and electrically connected with the illuminator, and  
       [0014] a power supply device electrically connected between the illuminating units and a power source of a vehicle.  
       [0015] In an alternative embodiment, the present invention provides a flashing rescue signal light unit, comprising:  
       [0016] a plurality of illuminating units, each of which is shaped into a specific character each comprising a casing, an illuminator protected by the casing, and an electrical terminal provided on the casing and electrically connected with the illuminator,  
       [0017] an electric adapter detachably engaged with the electrical terminals of the illuminating units for electrically connecting between the illuminating units, and  
       [0018] a power supply device electrically connected between the illuminating units and a power supply of a vehicle. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flashing rescue signal light unit according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flashing rescue signal light unit according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the illuminating units being installed into a side mirror housing of a vehicle.  
     [0021]FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative mode of the flashing rescue signal light unit according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 4 a rear perspective view of the flashing rescue signal light unit installed into a vehicle according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0023]FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a flashing rescue signal light unit according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0024]FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative mode of the electric adapter of the flashing rescue signal light according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0025] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a flashing rescue signal light unit  1  according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the flashing signal light unit  1  is adapted for installing into an existing vehicle such as a tail light and a rear windshield of the existing vehicle.  
     [0026] When flashing signal light unit  1  is electrically connected with the existing vehicle, the flashing signal unit  1  is adapted to function as an auxiliary signlight for signifying the rescue signal of the driver clearly. Alternatively, the flashing signal unit  1  can also be built in the existing vehicle as an auxiliary signlight.  
     [0027] The flashing signal light unit  1  comprises a plurality of illuminating units  10 , each of which is shaped into a specific character, each comprising a casing  11 , an illuminator  12  protected by the casing  11 , and an electric input connector  13  provided on the casing  11  and electrically connected with the illuminator  12 . Each of the plurality of the illuminating units  10  is shaped into a specific character, such as an alphabet (A to Z). The flashing signal light unit  1  further comprises a power supply device  30  electrically connected between the illuminating units  10  and a power supply  2  of a vehicle.  
     [0028] The casing  11  of each illuminating unit  10  comprises a protective layer  111  and a shelter  112  having a character shape, such as alphabet, and a transparent front surface. The shelter  112  is made of transparent and waterproof material such as material. As shown in FIG. 1, the shelter  112  of the casing  11  is shaped as a V shape and has a U-shaped cross section. The protective layer  111  is also shaped as the character respective to the shelter  112  wherein the shelter  112  is sealedly attached to the protective layer  111  to define a lighting chamber  113  therebetween to receive the illuminator  12  therein. Accordingly, the protective layer  111  is made of resin such that the illuminator  12  is well protected by the casing  11  in such a water tight manner.  
     [0029] The illuminator  12  comprises a circuit board  121  sealedly mounted on the protective layer  111  and covered by the shelter  112  in a water tight manner, and a plurality of LEDs  122  electrically connected on the circuit board  121  in such a manner the LEDs  122  are spacedly aligned and affixed on the circuit board  121 . The circuit board  121  of the illuminator  12  is also shaped corresponding to the casing  11  having the character shape, such as the V shape, such that the illuminator  12  is fittingly received in the casing  11 . In other words, the entire illuminating unit  10  is in a character shape such as “V” as shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, since the shelter  112  of the casing  11  is made of transparent material, the lightened LEDs  122  can be viewed from outside.  
     [0030] The electric input connector  13  comprises an electric cable  131  provided on a back of the casing  11  is electrically connected to the circuit board  121 . The power supply device  30  comprises an electric cord  31  electrically connecting with the electric cable  131  of the electric input connector  13  to a power plug  32  which is extended to a power source of the vehicle such as a battery of the vehicle.  
     [0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the illuminating units  10  are adapted to be installed into a side mirror housing of the vehicle such as an interior surface of a side mirror wherein the illuminating units  10  are aligned and shaped as an arrowhead shape for providing a rescue signal to notice people in the surrounding. Since the side mirror of the vehicle is a one-way mirror such that when the illuminating units  10  are switched off, the illuminating units  10  cannot be seen from outside. While the illuminating units  10  are switched on, the light from the illuminating units  10  is adapted to pass through the side mirror for indicating the rescuer signal, so that the illuminating units  10  can keep the beauty appearance of the vehicle. Alternatively, the illuminating units  10  are attached on an interior surface of a rear windshield or/and a tail lamp of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 4, such that people at the side and back view of the vehicle can be notify clearly while the illuminating units  10  are switched on.  
     [0032] For example, when the vehicle is broken down on the street, the driver will usually turn on a hazard warning light for indicating the emergency signal for other drivers. However, the flashing hazard warning light of the vehicle may not notify clear enough the moving direction of the other vehicles in order to avoid accident occurs. So, when the driver switches on the illuminating units  10 , the flashing illuminating units  10  will detour other drivers to change lane, so as to prevent an avoidable collision of the vehicle. In other words, the illuminating units  10  are similar to a re-directional signal sign or as a detour signal while a construction is working ahead as it is normally seen on the freeway.  
     [0033] Alternatively, the illuminating unit  10  can also be shaped as an alphabet from A to Z, so that each of the illuminating units  10  is capable of representing a particular character. In other words, the illuminating units  10  are selectively aligned to form a combination of the alphabets in an array manner. As shown in FIG. 3, the illuminating units  10  are respectively shaped as H, E, L, and P and aligned to form a word of “HELP” as an emergency light wherein the illuminating units  10  are adapted for mounting on the interior surface of the rear windshield, as shown in FIG. 5, such that when the illuminating units  10  is switched on, the rescue massage from the illuminating units  10  is adapted for noticing the emergency signal to the people at the back of the vehicle that the driver is in emergency and needs help. Moreover, the illuminating units  10  can be shaped as another common rescue signal such as “SOS” that can be easily recognized by the people. It is worth to mention that the illuminating units  10  are flashing when they are switched on so as to easily get the attention from other people for strong signifying the driver is in danger and needs help.  
     [0034] The power device  30  may further comprises a power control for turning on the illuminating units  10  wherein the power control can be a switch installed at a designated places inside the vehicle such as the dashboard or armrest for easy reaching and/or can be a remote control, so that the driver and passengers are able to turn on the illuminating units  10  immediately when necessary.  
     [0035] Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawing, the flashing rescue signal light unit  1 ′ according to a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein an electric terminal  13 ′ provided on the casing  11 ′ and electrically connected with the illuminator  12 ′ and an electric adapter  20 ′ adapted to engage with the electric terminal  13 ′ for electrically connecting between the illuminating units  10 ′.  
     [0036] The electric terminal  13 ′ of each illuminating unit  10 ′ is electrically connected to the circuit board  121 ′ of the illuminator  12 ′ and is provided on the casing  11 ′ at the protective layer  111 ′ thereof.  
     [0037] The electric adapter  20 ′ according to the second preferred embodiment is a conductive wire  21 ′ having two power connectors  211 ′ provided at two ends thereof wherein each power connector  211 ′ is adapted to engage with the electric terminal  13 ′ of the illuminating unit  10 ′ for electrically connecting two illuminating units  10 ′ together. Thus, the electric cord  31 ′ of the power supply device  30 ′ is electrically connected with the electric adapter  20 ′ and extended to the power source to the vehicle for electrically connecting with each illuminating unit  10 ′. In other words, the illuminating units  10 ′ are electrically connected with each other as a serial connection.  
     [0038] As shown in FIG. 6, an alternative mode of the electric adapter  20 ″ according to the second embodiment is illustrated, wherein the electric adapter  20 ″ having a rigid supporting frame  21 ″ comprises a plurality of power connectors  211 ″ aligned thereon such that the electric terminals  13 ″ of the illuminating unit  10 ″ are adapted to engage with the power connectors  211 ″ respectively in such a manner the illuminating units  10 ″ are lined-up along the electric adapter  20 ″. The advantage of the electric adapter  20 ″ is that the electric adapter  20 ″ can rigidly support the illuminating units  10 ″ thereon in order to avoid unwanted lateral movement of the illuminating units  10 ″.