Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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OPTICAL DEVICE ON THE DOORS OF MOTOR V~HICLES TO S~10W THEY
ARE OPEN AND TO ILLUMINATE THE ZONE BETWEEN DOOR AND VE~IICLE
Safety is one of the basic features for a motor vel)icle and
light represents the most elementary but essential means for
improving it especially where daylight is lacking.
It is necessary to see well and be seen for safe driving but
also to make the act of driving more relaxing.
Light-emitting or reflecting devices exist on motor vehicles
to indicate the bulk and presence of certain projecting s~ruc
tures. The accessories included in this catetogy are those
placed on the back edge of the door to enable drivers ar~
ving from behind to see the open door, an example being the
red light that comes on automatically when the door is opened
or merely a reflector that returns the light to its source
when struck by the lights of a vehicle coming up behind.
The reference patent US-A-3 452 190 discloses a visual de-
vice for the doors of motor vehicles comprising a lamp
that lights up a coloured disc placed on the side face
of the device~
The lamp sends its light down through a lower aperture in
a kind of box to be mounted on the door of the vehicle.
On opening the door the coloured disc warns approachi1lg
vehicles of the open door of the stationary vehicle, while
the downward directed white light illuminates the piece
of ground between the vehicle and its door facilitating
entry and exit into and from the vehicle by users.
The reference patent FR-1 412 309 also discloses a visual
device the effects of which are practically same as those
of the first described patent.
By meanS of a red diffuser, the light fro111 a la111p s11i1)es
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both perpendicularly to the door, and at an angle to said
door on the horizontal plane.
Light from the lamp is directed onto the ground througl
a lower aperture in an opaque cover over the lamp.
S The advantage of this device is that it warns approaching
vehicles that the door of the stationary vehicle is open
and also indicates its position.
Further, the space between door and vehicle is iLluminated.
Visibility of the warning red light is however limited,it
being directed only onto planes that are subsLanti~llly
horizontal, while effectiveness of the white light shining
to facilitate movement in and out of the vehicle is greatly
limited being directed exclusively to an area rigllt close
to the door.
On the other hand, any widening of the aperture through
which the light reaches the ground might create beams tllaL
are too bright and might even endanger approaching vehicles.
The invention described in the present patent application
gives a more powerful warning of the open door and of its
position as well as giving good illumination both of the
area of ground between door and vehicle and also of the SpdCe
created by the opening of the door, but without causing any
annoyance to approaching vehicles as will here be described.
The visual device, subject of the present patent applica-
tion comprises a warning light diffuser whose light is co-
loured, having a flat face inclined at about 30 in relatio
to the plane of the side of the door towards tlle front of
the vehicle, and an illumination diffuser with a flat face
inclined at about 30 in relation to the plalle of tlle side
of the door towards the rear of the vehicle.
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Therefore, considering a maximum door aperture of 60, when
said door is half-way opea, the face of the above mentioned
warning diffuser lies practically perpendicular to the longi-
tudinal axis of the vehicle, allowing said diffuser maximum
visibility by approaching vehicles.
However far the door is open, the above mentioned illumina-
tion diffuser will always remain hidden from approaching
vehicles and, when the door is fully opened, said diffuser
will be oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
vehicle so that its light will be directed perpelldiCUIdr tV
the side of the vehicle.
In this way maximum light is thrown not only on the ared of
ground between door and vehicle but also into the space crea-
ted by the open door.
The geometrical structure of the visual device collcerned is
substantially that of a truncated pyramid havil1g a square base
and lateral faces inclined at about 30 in relation to
the base, forming two dihedral angles opposite each other
respectively for the warning diffuser and illuminating
diffuser.
On the smaller base of said truncated pyramid there is
an opaque diagonal cover that extends over the other two
opposite dihedral angles.
Said device is to be installed with the larger base co-
inciding with the side of the door and with two opposite
vertical sides of said base.
In this way one face of the warning diffuser is directed
towards the rear of the vehicle and the other face is
directed upwards, coloured warning light being emitted
both to the rear of the vehicle and upwards.
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In the case of the illuminating diffuser one face is di-
rected towards the front of the vehicle and the other
towards the ground, light being emitted both downwards
and towards the front of the vehicle, as well as towards
the space left free by the door being open.
Preferably the warning light is red and the illuminating
light is white.
Said optical device comprises a tubular lamp placed a~
in relation to the common geometrical axis of the two dit-
fusers and at the centre of said axis, or else comprises
one lamp for the warning diffuser and one for the ill-u~
nating diffuser with joint or separate lighting controlj.
Preferably said optical device lights up automatically wlle
the door is opened.
In one type of execution the warning diffuser con~ists ol
a reflector.
According`to the types of execution, manual, mecllanical,
electro-mechanicalj electro-pneumatic, electronic me,los, rheosLals Or
others can if desired be provided to allow li~ht beams to
be directed and light intensity be regulated as required.
There may also be more than two diffusers of various SllJI)eS
with the light diffusing surfaces set at various inclinatiolls.
The advantages offered by the invention are evident.
The diffuser of the red warning light directs its light
not only towards the rear of the vehicle, and therefore
towards the approaching vehicles, but also upwards and
in directions intermediate between the first two men-
tioned.
When the door is fully opened, the diffuser lies trans-
- versally to the direction of approaching vehicles.
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In this way the open door and its position are
powerfully indicated.
The illuminating diffuser emits white light not only in
a downward direction but also towards the rear of the
vehicle, also lighting up its side, namely the space
created by the opening of the door.
When the door is fully opened, the latter diffuser lies
parallel to the side of the vehicle.
Therefore, not only is said white light diffuser hidden
from approaching vehicles, but it also amply illuminates
both the area of ground between door and vehicle and
also the side of said vehicle assisting travelers to
enter and leave it after dark.
Thus, an aspect of this invention is as follows:
Optical device mounted on the inner surfaces of the
doors of motor vehicles, said device lighting up
automatically when the door is opened indicating the
open position by a colored light and assisting entry and
exit from the vehicle by means of a white light,
characterized in that said device comprises two light
diffusers, a first position-warning diffuser of colored
light with a flat vertical lateral surface facing
towards the back of the vehicle and inclined towards the
front of said vehicle at an angle of practically 30 in
relation to the side of the door, and a second diffuser
for illumination with a flat, vertical lateral surface
facing towards the front of the vehicle and inclined
towards the back of said vehicle at an angle of
practically 30 in relation to the surface of the door,
so that when the door is open to an aperture of about
30, namely to practically half its full opening, the
above surface of the position-warning light is
practically perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of
the vehicle thus showing colored light to approaching
vehicles however wide the door is opened while, even
when fully opened, the above surface of the diffuser of
light for illumination is practically parallel to the
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longitudinal axis of the vehicle, is consequently
hidden from oncoming vehicles and emits light for
illumination towards the side of the vehicle.
Characteristics and scope of the invention will be made
even clearer by the following example of its execution
illustrated by diagrammatic drawings.
Fig. 1. Detail of a motor vehicle with a door open on
which is mounted the optic device, subject of
the invention, seen Erom the back;
Fig. 2. The same as Fig. 1 seen from above;
Fig. 3. Detail of the inner side of the door with the
optic device mounted on it, seen from the
front;
Fig. 4. Detail of the view in Fig. 3, cut through;
Fig. 5. Detail of Fig. 4 with a part cut away to show
the lower diffuser;
Fig. 6. Perspective of the transversal cover of the
optic device, between the two diffusers;
Fig. 7. Plan view of the base of the device;
Fig. 8. Profile view of the base of the device.
The optic device (10) placed on the inner side (13) of
the
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door (12) of the motor vehicle (11) presents, near the back
edge ( 14)7 the light diffusers (15), (16) facing the oppo-
site way and aligned on the XX axis at 45 in relation to
vertical.
Inside the device (Figs.6-8) the tubular lamp (17) is moun-
ted perpendicular to the XX axis above, between the two elas-
tic contacts (18), (19) fixed to the base (20) and project-
ing from the back of said base forming the projecting ends
(18'), (19') for connection to the vehicle's electric circuit.
The base (20) can be fixed to the side (13) of the door by
screws (2B), (29).
The diffusers (15), (16) are held firmly to the base(20)
by the arched transversal cover (21) with its holes (22),
(23) into which penetrate the elastic tongues (24),(25)
fixed to the base (20). The teeth (26) (Fig.8) of said
tongues grip onto the reliefs (27) made on the inside of
said holes.
The flat side (30) of the red angular warning diffuser(15)
faces towards the back of the vehicle and the flat side(31)
faces upwards, while the flat side (32) of the white angular
illuminating diffuser(16) faces downwards and the flat side (33)
faces towards the front of the vehicle.
As Figs. 1-5 clearly show, the angle of said sides (30),(31),
(32),(33),to a plane at right angles tothe side (13) of the
door (12) is practically an angle of 30.
Therefore when the door is open half way of its maximum, pre-
sumed to be 60, the flat side (30) with the red warning
light of the diffuser (15) is practically perpendicular to
the vehicle's direction of movement indicated (Fig.2) by
the arrow (39) accentuating effectiveness of the warning.
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When the door is open to its maximum, the flat side (33)
with the white illuminating light of the diffuser (l6)
lies practically parallel to the direction (39) of vehi-
cle movement and its direct visibility by vehicles approa-
ching from the back is practically prevented.
Without lessening the safety of the vehicle, therefore,
the diffuser (l6) lights up the zone (40) of the ground
comprised between the vehicle and its open door, facili-
tating exit from the inside of said vehicle (38).
The device (IO) here described can also serve other pur-
poses and can be varyingly composed and shaped. For exam-
ple, if mounted with two diffusers of the same colour, it
can be fitted in the middle of the ceiling of the vehicle
to project two separate light beams front and back.
The device can also be mounted on the inside of the door
by other means such as a snap-in fixture or using glue
or by other methods.
The advantages of the invention are evident.
Any vehicle can be fitted with two lighting systems to
promote safety and comfort by means of a single element
that can be universally mounted on each door.
Opening the door is made much safer at the same time fa-
cilitating exit from the vehicle where environmental light-
ing is lacking.
Due to the original composition and shape of the optic de-
vice described, illumination of the zone between the open
door and the vehicle is of great convenience to travelers
while in no way diminishing the safety ofered by the red
warning light fully visible to vehicles approaching from
behind.
All this is achieved by a means at once simple, inexpen-
sive and easily mounted.
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