Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to vehicular safety devices
and more particularly to such a device controlling the speed and
lighting systems of a motor vehicle dependen-t upon the presence
of :Eog. ;;
The prior art abounds with safety devices which : :
automatically control the operational characteristics of the .. :
vehicle as a function of the proximity to a leading vehicle.
United States Patent 2,851,120 issued on September 9, 1958 to
M. Fogiel and United States Patent 3,011,580 issued on December
10 5, 1961 to J.D. Reid and United States Patent 3,716,822 issued
February 13, 1973 to Y.Tsuruta all teach control of the speed of
a motor vehicle responsive to the proximity and location of solid
objects or leading vehicles located forward of the vehicle so
protected.
A object of the instant invention is to provide a
vehicular control responsive to th.e presence of fog immediately ~ -
preceding the forwardmost portion of the vehicle.
In the present invention a fog sensor is installed at or
near the front bumper of the vehicle responsive to fog patches
20 above the road bed immediately preceding the vicinity of the front
portions of the vehicle. The fog sensor, when detecting the pre- .
sence of fog, activates a control box which in turn automatically
applies the vehicle's~ braking system so that the speed of the :
vehicle is reduced and llmited to a speed determined by a preset
governor attached to the engine. The control box simultaneously
activates a high intensity rearmost signalling lamp system
intermittently, for the period of time that fog is detected.
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Concurrent1y, and for the same duration, the headlamps of the
vehicle are modified in mode of operation by either turning on
~og lamps or changing ~rom high to low beam. All vehicular
controls, including the application of the emergency braking
system and speed limiting devices, are turned off when fog is no
longer detected.
Thus according to -the present invention,there is provided
a vehicular safety device comprising fog detecting means for the
detection of fog in the pathway of a vehicle, said fog detecting
means carried by a frontmost portion of said vehicle, said fog
detecting means utilizing rays emanating outwardly and forwardly
from said vehicle directed over a roadway carrying said vehicle,
said fog detecting means including means to detect said rays
reflected from said fog when said fog is located in front of
said vehicle and above said roadway, said fog detecting means for
controlling apparatus means of said vehicle in a fog detected mode
and a lack of fog detected mode, said fog detecting means being
disposed in said fog detected mode when said rays are reflected
from said fog towards said frontmost portion of said vehicle, said
apparatus means including automatic braking means and automatic
s~eed control means and visual signalling means and frontmost lamp
control means, said automatic braking means utilized for the
application of braking forces to said vehicle when said fog detecting
means is in said fog detected mode, said applied braking forces
being removed when said fog detecting means is in said non fog
detected mode, said automatic braking means including means
for automatically adjusting the amplitude of said braking forces
in proportion;to the speed of travèl of said vehicle, said
automatic speed control means limiting the speed of the motor
of said vehicle when said fog detecting means is in said fog
detected mode, said automatic speed control means ~eing inoperable
when said fog detecting means ~s in said non fog detected mode,
said visual signalling means visi~l~ signalling trailing vehicles
locat~d beh.ind said vehicle b~ intermittently operating at least
one lamp secured to a rear surface of said vehicle ~hen said fog
detecting means is in said fog detected mode, said visual
signalling means becoming inopera~le ~hen said fog detecting
means is in said non fog detected mode, said frontmost lamp
controlling means for al~:exing the lighting mode emanating
forward of said vehicle from a lamp located on a front surface
of said vehicle into a fog lighting mode when said fog detecting
means is in said fog detected mode, said frontmost lamp control
means for altering said lighting mode to a non fog lighting
mode when said fog detecting means is ;.n said non fog detected .
mode.
The st,ructure and method of f.ahrication of the present
invention is applica~le to a fog detect:or preferably utili~ing
a small forwardly directed light source, projecting a light
to~ards fog located slightly above the road~ed immediately .'
preceding the forward portion of the vehicle so equipped~
photoelectric cell is directed in such a manner as to be
responsive to light signals reflected from the fog ~ut
unresponsive from incident lighting such as is available rom
oncoming vehicles. Polarized light may be utiliæed as ~ell as
conventional sound producing and detecting apparatus sensitive to
the sound absorbing characteristics of the fog. The- sensor
feeds a control box comprising, if desired, a rela~ which in turn,
operates an automatic braking system and a light control unit
when energized due to the presence of detected fog ~y the fog
sensor.
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The au-tomatlc braking system utilizes a conventional
vehicular braking apparakus operated ~y a spring loaded solenoid
released cylinder attached to the brak~ng hydraulic lines of the
vehicle. A hydro-check unit or needle valve may ~e interposed
between the pressurized side of the cylinder to control the rate
of application of hydraulic forces to the master cylinder
operating the braking system of the vehicle. An adjustable but
preset governor is permitted to control the speed of rotation of
the engine, by conventional means, when operated, so as to limit
the speed of the vehicle to a preset maximum.
The control relay, when energized, causes high
intensity rearmost lamps to energize utilizing a fla~her to
produce intermittent illumination therefrom. A set of cantacts,
operated by the control relay, when energized, may be utilized
to either transfer the headlamp lightlng mode from high beam to
low beam or, if desired, ~otally extinguish the conventional
high-low headlamps whilst energizing a set of og lamps. ~hen
fog is no longer detected, the automati.c braking system is
released, the control of the governor vver the engine speed is
2a nullified, the intermittently operating fog signalling lamps are
extinguished, and the headlamp or fog lamps are returned to the
initial operating condition.
A specific el~bodiment of the invention is illustrated
in the accompanying drawings, in ~hich:
FIGURE 1 is a side elevation vie~ of a vehicle equipped
with the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a block diagram representation of the
operable components of the pre~ent invèntion.
Now referring to the figures, and more particularly to
the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 showing vehicle 10 having a
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fog sensor 12 ins-talled immediately below the front bumper 14.
Rays 16 are utilized to detect t~e presence of fog 18 over
roadbed 20 upon which vehicle 10 is traveling in the direction of
arrow 22. Headlamps 24, rearlamps 26, a braking system, not
shown, and engine 28, shown in dotted lines, are all ~odified in
operation when fog sensor 12 detects fog 18.
Fig. 2 illustrates th~ fog sensor 12 providing a signal
to the control box 30 when fog ~s sensed there~y. When the
control ~ox 30 is activated, a signal is sent to the atuomatic
braking system 32, the automatic governor 34, and the light
contxol unit are simultaneously p~aced ;nto operation. The light ~ -
control unit operates flasher 38 causing rear lights 40 to
intermittently energize and, simultaneously, provides a signal
to the head light or fog light devices of the vehicle, causing
them to operate in a mode most $uitahle fox travellng in fog
bound areas. When the fog sensor ceases to detect the presence
of fog, tI~e control box 30 i5 made inoperative causing the
automatic braking system 32, the automatic governor 34, and the
; light control unit 36 to ~ecome inoperable, e~tinguishing
thereby, rearlights 40 and restoring the head and fo~ lights to
a normal mode of operation and allo~ing the vehicl~ operator full
manual control over the engine speed and the vehicular braking
system.
One of the advantage~ of the instant invention is a
vehicular control responsive to the presence of fog immediately
preceding the for~ardmost portion of the vehicle.
Another advantage of the instant invention is a
vehicular safety device wlth ~raking mèans automatically slowing
down the vehicle upon the detection of fog.
Still another advantage o~ the instant invention is a
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vehicular safe-ty device with siynalling means visi~ly signalling
the detection of fog -to tra~ling vehicles.
Yet another advantage of the instant invention is a
vehicular safety device with headlamps control upon the detection
of fog immediately preceding th~ vehicle.
A further advantage of the instant invention is a
vehicular safety device with governor control limiting the speed
of the vehicle when fog bound.
Thus there is disclosed in the above description and in
the drawings, an embodim~nt of the invention which fully and
effectively accomplishes the objects thereof. However, it will
become apparent to those skilled in the art, how to make
variations and modifications to the instant invention. Therefore,
this invention is to be limited, not by the specific disclosure
herein~ but only by the appending claims.
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