Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The preserlt inverltiorl relates to a me~hod and
apparatus for morlitoring towed vehicles.
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BA~KGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many types of towed vehicles, such as
trailers and the like, which are not visible in a rear
view mirror of a tow vehicle. The problem is
particularly acute with the owners of motor homes. A
vehicle being towed behind a motor home is not visible
10 to the driver of the motor home in the sight lines of
any of his rear view mirrors.
There are many things which can go wrong with a
towed vehicle. The hitch can fail. One of the tires
15 can become flat. A bearing can seize. An axle can
fail. Suspension can fail. The towed vehicle can be
struck from the rear.
In the absence of a timely warning to the driver of
20 the tow vehicle, hitch failure may result in a loss of
the towed vehicle or a hazardous condition known as
"jackknifing". In the absence of a timely warning to
the driver when tire, bearing, axle, or suspension
problems occur, the towed vehicle will literally be
25 dragged behind the tow vehicle resulting in damage or
destruction of the towed vehicle. The heat generated by
such dragging over a prolonged distance, with metal in
contact with pavement, presents a danger of fire
consuming the towed vehicle when the tow vehicle
30 eventually does stop. As for rear end impact, a minor
impact can occur sufficient to damage a towed vehicle
without alerting the driver of the tow vehicle.
The problem has recently been addressed by "high
35 tech" solutions, such as mounting a video camera on the
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back of the tow v~hicle with the c:amera foc:used upon the
towed vehicle. The video camera solution i9 expensive
and does not give as early a warnirly of developing
problems as is desirable. The camera is unavoidably
5 focused on the top of the towed vehicle. A problem
manifesting itself in a change in the positioning of the
wheel of the towed vehicle must be well advanced in
order to be visible from that vantage point.
10 S~ARY OEr 1~ INVENTION
What is required is a simple and inexpensive method
of monitoring towed vehicles, such as trailers and the
like, WhiC}l are not visible in a rear view mirror of a
t ow veh i c l e .
1 5
According to the present invention there i8
provided a method for monitoring towed vehicles, such as
trailers and the like, which are not visible in a rear
view mirror of a tow vehicle. The method being
20 comprised of the following described steps. Firstly,
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attaching rods to a towed vehicle such that the rods are
visible on each side of a tow vehicle to which the towed
vehicle is coupled. An unattached end of each of the
rods is enlarged thereby improving visibility.
25 Secondly, attaching to each side of a tow vehicle a
projection positioned such that the projection is in
linear alignment with the enlarged ends of the rods when
viewed from a rear view mirror of the tow vehicle. The
enlarged ends of the rods ceasing to be in linear
30 alignment with the projection during highway driving
signals to a driver of the tow vehicle an alteration of
the positioning of the towed vehicle indicating a
problem requiring a stoppage of the vehicles.
According to another aspect of the invention the
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Apylicant ha~- developed an apparatus whic}l can be used
in accordance with the teachings of the described
method. The apparatus for monitoring towed vehicles,
which i9 comprised of a tubular telescopic body having a
first end and a second end. The first end is secured by
a spring to means to pivotally attach the telescopic
body to a towed vehicle. The second end is enlarged.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRANINGS
These and other features of the invention will
become more apparent from the following description in
which reference is made to the appended drawings,
wherein~
FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a vehicle
15 being towed having two axles to monitor.
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the vehicles
illustrated in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is a view through a rear view mirror from
the tow vehicle illustrated in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view of the vehicles
illustrated in FIGURE 1, the vehicle being -towed having
a flat tire.
FIGURE 5 is a view through a rear view mirror from
the tow vehicle illustrated in FIGURE 4.
FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of a vehicle
being towed having a single axle to monitor.
FIGUR8 ~ is a side elevation view of the vehicles
illustrated in FIGURE 6, the vehicle being towed having
developed hitch problems.
FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the vehicles
illustrated in FIGURE ~
FIGURE 9 is a side elevation view of the vehicles
illustrated in FIGURE 1, the front wheels of the vehicle
being towed having started to come off a trailer used
35 for towing.
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FIGURE 10 i~ a top plarl view of t~le ve~licle~
illustrated in FIGUR~ 9.
FIGURE 11 i5 a view through a rear view mirror from
the tow vehicle illustrated in FIGURES 7 or 9.
FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a preferred form
of apparatus to be used with the described method.
FIGURE 13 is a top plan view illustrating a
preferred method of illuminatiny the apparatus
illustrated in FIGURE 12 for night operation.
FIGURE 14 is a de-tailed view taken from FIGURE 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred method will now be described with
reference to FIGURES 1 through 14. The underlying
15 premise behind the described method is that when there
is a problem with a vehicle which is being towed it
manifests itself in an alteration of the positioning of
the vehicle. Therefore, the solution is the described
method which monitors the relative positioning of the
20 vehicle. The method was developed by the applicant to
monitor towed vehicles, such as trailers and the like,
which are not visible in a rear view mirror of a tow
vehicle.
The method consists of the following steps, as
illustrated in FIGUR~S 1 and 2. Firstly, attaching rods
12 to a towed vehicle 14. The Applicant prefers to
attach rods 12 adjacent each axle 16. It is to be noted
that in FIGURES 1 and 2 two rods are used, whereas the
30 single axle trailer illustrated in FIGURE 6 uses only
one axle. Rods 12 are arranged to extend until they are
visible beyond each side 18 of a tow vehicle 20 to which
towed vehicle 14 is coupled. An unattached end 22 of
each of rods 12 is enlarged so as to be clearly visible.
35 Secondly, attaching to each side 18 of tow vehicle 20 a
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projection 24 positiorled such that projectiorl 24 i~ in
linear alignment with enlarged unattached ends 22 of
rods 12 wherl viewed from a rear view mirror 26 of tow
vehicle 20. The desired linear alignment as viewed from
rear view mirror 26 is illustrated in FIGURE 3. If
enlarged attached ends 22 of rods 12 cease to be in
linear alignment with projection 24 during highway
driving the misalignment serves as a signal to the
driver of tow vehicle 20 an alteration of -the
10 positioning of towed vehicle 14 indicating a problem
requiring a stoppage of the vehicles 20 and 14.
', :
A linear misalignment is illustrated in FIGURE 4
with respect to a flat tire. What the driver of tow
15 vehicle 20 would see in rear view mirror 26 in such a
case is illustrated in FIGURE 5.
A further example of linear misalignment is
illustrated in FIGURES ~ and 8, where the single axle
20 trailer illustrated in FIGURE 6 has developed a problem
with a hitch. This results in towed vehicle 14 not
travelling properly behind tow vehicle 20. The towed
vehicle 14 in such a case begins to whip back and forth
from side to side. In the absence of the preferred
25 method, the movement of towed vehicle 14 would not be
visible to the drive of tow vehicle 20 until a "jack
knifing" occurred. With the preferred method, what the
driver of tow vehicle 20 would see in rear view mirror
26 in such a case is illustrated in FIGURE 11.
A further example of linear misalignment is
illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10. Towed vehicle 14 as
illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, consists of a car with
its front wheels mounted on a trailer. In PIGUR~S 9 and
35 10, towed vehicle 14 is illustrated in a condition where
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2008200
one of the tie downs for the caL wheel~ haY come loo~e
permi-tting with one of the wheels of the car to come off
the trailer. This is a situation WhiC}l iS not uncommon.
In the absence of the preferred method the car would be
dragged down the highway at an angle wearing away the
rubber on the rear tires and eventually the metal rims
of the rear wheels. With the preferred method, what the
driver of tow vehicle 20 would see in rear view mirror
26 in such a case is illustrated in FIGURE 11.
The Applicant experimented with various forms of
rods 12. After experiencing many broken rods 12, the
Applicant devised a preferred embodiment for an
apparatus which will now be described with reference to
15 FIGURE 12. Illustrated in FIGURE 12 is a rod-like
apparatus for monitoring towed vehicles, which will be
generally referred to by reference numeral 12. Rod 12
consists of a plurality of tubular sections 30
telescopically cormected. The sections may be
20 telescopically extended to lengthen rod 12 or
telescopically nested to shorten rod 12. Rod 12 has a
first end 32 and a bulbous enlarged second end 22. It
is preferable that bulbous enlarged second end 22 be
made of materials which reflect light or are capable of
25 illumination so as to improve its visibility. However,
bulbous enlarged second end 22 must withstand
.
considerable abuse, and for this rçason the materials
used must durable; being both impervious to the elements
and impact resistant in the event it is struck. The
30 Applicant has found that a fluorescent coloured golf
ball is particularly suitable. First end 32 of rod 12
is secured by a spring 34 to towed vehicle 14. The
Applicant has found that in the absence of spring 34,
rods 12 tend to break as a result of çxcessive vibration
35 on rough roads or as a result of striking objects. An
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example where an object may be s~ruck by bulbous
unattached end 22 of rod 12 is in turniny a tight corner
where a power pole i5 positioned immediately adjacent
the corner. Rod 12 must be secured to towed vehicle 14
in such as manner as to permit adjustment on a vertical
plane in order to allow bulbous unattached end of rod 12
to be placed in linear alignment with projection 24.
The preferred embodiment uses a bracket 36 which permits
pivotal movement of rod 12, not only for linear
10 adjustment but also for movement into a stored position
when rods 12 are not required.
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The use of the preferred apparatus has been
described in relation to the preferred method. Rods 12
15 are pivoted from a stored position to an operative
position. The operative position is, as previously
described in relation to the method, extending until
enlarged bulbous ends 22 of rods 12 are visible beyond
each side 18 of a tow vehicle 20. Spring 34 provides
20 the resiliency required if objects are struck during
use.
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In order to use the preferred method and apparatus
at night enlarged ends 22 of rods 12 must be visible to
26 the driver of tow vehicle 20 in his rear view mirror 26.
It is not practical to place light bulbs at enlarged
ends 22 due to the impacts rods 12 receive. The
Applicant has therefore devised an alternate method of
illumination. The method involves drilling a hole 41
30 through each of rear tail lights 40 of tow vehicle 20.
An optic fibre 42 is then inserted into each of holes
41. Optic fibre 42 would normally be sealed in position
by a clear sealant 43. Optic fibre 42 is aligned with
one of enlarged ends 22 of one of rods 12. Light from a
35 light bulb 46 within rear tail light 40 shines through
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_ 8
optic fibre 42 producing a beam of ligh-t 44. Beam of
light 44 is focused upon one of enlarged ends 22 of one
of rods 12 to make them visible for night driving. In
appropriate cases where two sets of rods 12 are used a
like procedure would be followed insert an optic fibre
50 into tail lights 48 of towed vehicle 48 to project a
beam of light 52 upon bulbous enlarged ends 22 of
rearwardly positioned rods 12. As previously described, -
the Applicant has had good results using fluorescent
10 coloured golf bulbs for bulbous enlarged ends 22. ~ ~
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It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
the method as described provides a simple and
inexpensive method of monitoring towed vehicles, such as
15 trailers and the like, which are not visible in a rear
view mirror of a tow vehicle. It will also be apparent
to one skilled in the art that the apparatus, as
described, provides an effective device for use in
accordance with the teachings of the method. It will -
20 finally be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment of
the apparatus without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. In particular, enlarged
unattached end 22 of rods 12 need not be bulbous, as a
25 different geometric figure can be used.
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