Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ Q-1134
VEHIC~E W~RNING LAMP CHECKING CIRCUIT
Backgrou~d Of The Invention
Field Of The Invention
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The present invention relates ~o a warning lamp
checking circuit designed to determine ihe operability of
a variety of warnin~ lamps frequently used on vehicles.
One such lamp is that which warns that a mo-torcycle kick-
stand is still set when ~he rider attempts to start the
mGtorcycle.
Description Of The Prior Art
Vehicles, such as automobiles and motorcycles,
are commonly provided with several kinds of warning lamps
in addition to the kickstand warning lamp referred to abo~e.
These lamps are lighted to inform the-operator of the vehicle
of the existence of a state that is inapproprlate for operation
of the vehicle. Since they are provided for inlorming some
abnormality by lighting, these lamps are not lighted when
devices to which the warning lamps are connected operate
normally or when these devices are set artificially in
appropriate conditions. However, if a condition responsive
lamp Lemains unlit, there are two possibilities. The first
possibility is that the condition is normal. The second
possibility is that the lamp is inoperative. The lamp may
be inoperative ~or a wide variety of reasons~ It may be
burned out. It may be unscrewed in its socket. It may be
in a broken circuit. Consequently, there is the possibility
that an unlit inoperative lamp will convey misinformation to
the vehicle operator.
One of the prior art circuits used to solve the
above-stated problem relies on the oil pressure lamp CiL-cuit.
The oil pressure lamp is lighted for only a brief period
until the oil pressure rises after the main switch is turned
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~n. This feature is utilized so that warniny lamps responsive
to othe. conditions are lighted simultaneously with the oil
pres.~llre lamp. The use of such a circuit is confusing because
~wo ].amps responsive to two quite different conditions are
lighted and extinguished simultaneously. It can be considered,
in this relation, that a contact for checking is provided
at the main switch so as to check up the operability of a
~onaition-responsive lamp when the main switch is operated.
However, this requires a main switch of special specifications
which increases manufacturing costs~
An object of the present invention is to provide
a circuit for checking the operability of warning lamps of
vehicles in which the above-stated problems are solved.
Summary Of The Invention
In order to solve the aforesaid problemsf;the
present invention uses a publicly-known timer-switch having
two output terminals, each with a different output voltage
profile. In one output terminal, the voltage is ground
voitage for a certain time f om the moment of impression cf
a voltage on the input terminal and then increases to in~ut
voltage after the passage of said time using also a construc-
tion in which abnormality warning lamps of various devices
and a diode being forward in the direction from a power
source to the output terminal of said timer-switch, are
connected in series between said output terminal of the
timer and ~he power source.
According to this circuit, the abnormality warning
lamps are lighted only for a certain tim.e after the start of
an engine. Operability of the lamps is deter~ined only by
the confirmation of the lighting of these lamps, and thus
reliability on normal functions can be put on the reiated
devices when the lamps are not lighted.
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Moreover, the aforesaid object can be attainedonly by providin~ an additional circuit without any remodeling
of other components such as the main switch. This makes it
easy to manufacture the circuit of the present invention and
also makes it possible to attach this circuit to existing
vehicles.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of
the present invention; and
Figure 2 is a graph showing the change in voltage
overtime at an input terminal 7a of a timer 7; and
Figure 3 is a graph showing the change in voltage
overtime at an ouput terminal 7c of the timer-switch 7; and
Figure 4 is a graph showing the change in voltage
overtime at an ouput terminal 7b of the timer-swi'ch; and
Figure S is a side view of a motorcycle showing
a preferred embodiment of the lnvention in place.
Descri~tion Of The Preferred Embodiment
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Since the present invention uses a timer-switch
employed in a publicly-known decompression device, the whole
of the decompression device is also disclosed in Figure 1
showing one embodiment of the present invention. This decom-
pression device operates to lead the function of a device
which temporarily reduces the pressure in a combustion chamber
of an engine when the starter motor is operated.
A description will be ~ade on the aforesaid decom-
pression device prior to the description on the present
invention. Numeral 1 denotes a battery (power source) which
is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) and grounded (body-grounded,
and so forth) on the negative pole side. The positive pole
side of the battery 1 is connected to fuses 2 and 3. The
other end of the fuse 2 is connected to a source ter~inal
7a of a timer-switch 7 through a series circuit composed o
-a main switch 4, a starter switch 5 and a clutch switch 5.
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~ Q-il346
The timer-swi~ch 7 has output terminals 7b and 7c
and a ground terminal 7d. The ~oltage at the output terminal
7c is ground voltage, namely, zero for a certain time, e.g.,
~or 1.0 seconds as shown in Figure 3. Time zero begins with
the moment of impression of a constant voltage on the source
terminal 7a as shown in Figure 2. After the passage of this
switching time, the voltage becomes equal to the input voltage.
As for the output terminal 7b, the input voltage is main-
tained for a certain tirne, e.g., for 0.5 seconds as shown
in Figure A. Time zero begins with the moment of impression
of a voltage on the source terminal 7a. After the passage
of said period of time, the voltage becomes zero.
A circuit for operating the decompression device
including the aforesaid timer-switch 7 is constructed in
the following wayr The coil 9 of a relay 8 is connected
between the fuse 3 and the output terminal 7b of the timer-
switch 7. The normally-open contact 10 of the relay 8 and
the coil 12 of a starter motor relay 11 are connected in
series between the fuse 3 and the ground. The normally-open
contact 13 of the starter motor ~~elay 11 is connected between
the battery 1 and a starter motor 14, one pole of which is
grounded. ~he starter motor is adapted to turn the main
drive shaft of an internal combustion engine (not shown).
The coil 16 of â relay 15 is connected between the fuse 3
and the output terminal 7c of the timer-switcn 7. The
normall~-open contact 17 of this relay 15 and a decompression
device 18 are connected in series between the fuse 3 and
the ground.
The above-described circuit functions as follows.
When the main switch 4 is closed for starting an engine and
then the starter switch 5 is closed for a prescribed time,
a current from the battery 1 flows to the source terminal 7a
of the timer-switch 7 through the clutch switch 6. The
clutch switch 6 is closed when the clutch pedal (not shown)
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is depressed. Thereby, the tlmer-switch 7 starts a time-
limiting operation. When the source terminal 7a of the
tisner-switch 7 is in this state, a source voltage (e.g., a
voltage of 12 volts) given by the closure of the main switch
4 takes place at the output terminal 7b only for a definite
time (e.g., for O.S seconds) after the starter switch 5 is
closed, as shown in Figure 4. Therefore, no current flows
through the coil 9 of the relay 8 during this time, and
consequently, the normally-open contact 10 remains open.
Thus, the starter motor 14 does not rotate.
After 0.5 seconds, current flows through the coil 9
of the relay 8 and the starter motor 14 rotates. Meanwhile,
current passes through the coil 16 of the relay 15, 0.5 seconds
earlier than said excitation; and it contil-ues to a point in
time 0.5 seconds later than the point in time at which the
starter motor 14 starts to rotate. Consequently, the pressure
inside the combustion chamber of the engine is lowered during
this time, facilitating starting.
Next, a description will be made of the construction
of the present invention in which the timer-switch 7 in the
aforesaid circuit is used. In this construction, a kickstand
lamp 19, as one example of warning lamps, and a diode 20 being
~orward in the direction from the power source side (the main
switch 4 sidP) toward the output terminal 7c are connected in
series between the node of the main switch 4 and the starter
switch 5 and the ouptput contact 7c of the timer-swiich 7.
Moreover) a kickstand switch 21 is connected between the node
of the kickstand lamp 19 and the diode 20 and the ground.
The kickstand switch 21 is ciosed whenever the kick-
stand 24 (see Figure S) is away from the side of the vehicle
whether drawn out completely to be set on the la~eral side of
the vehicle body for parking or held back incompletely.
Accordingly, warning is required when said switch 21 is closed,
and there~ore, the kickstand lamp 19 is lighted by the circuit
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Q 11346
shown. When the main switch 4 is closed for starting the
engine, a current is caused to flow to the kickstand lamp 19,
ev~n with the kickstand switch 21 opened, by the ou~pu~ terminal
7~ whose potential is zero at that point in time. Consequently,
the kickstan~ lamp 19 is lighted if it is not disconnected.
The lighting of the kickstand lamp 19 continues for 1.0 seconds
in a manner similar to that of decompression device 18. By
this lighting, operability of the kickstand lamp 19 is confirmed.
Referring now to Figure 5 there is shown a vehicle
in the form of a motorcycle 22 having a kickstand 24 carried by
the frame 26. An engine 28 is also carried by the frame 26.
As shown in Figure 5 the kickstand 24 is in the down position.
The switch 21 is, therefore, closed as shown in Figure 5. T~hen
the kickstand 24 is in the up position, the switch 21 would
be open as shown in Figure 1.
The circuit of the present invention can be used
with a wide variety of vehicles as long as they are powered by
one or more internal combustion engines. Examples of vehicles
include automobiles, trucks, locomotives, motorcycles and motor-
tricycles.
The same object can be attained, in the present
invention, by providing in parallel an open door warning lamp
22, a diode 23 and a switch 24, for instance, in the same way
as the circuit of the lamp 19, the diode 20 and the switch 21
providea between the intermediate point of the main switch 4
and the starter switch 5 and the output terminal 7c of the
timer. By providing likewise in parallel a plurality of
warning lamps which are lit in response to various functions
of a vehicle, any inoperability of the warning lamps is
automatically checked when the engine is started.
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