US 4,333,071 AGranted

Self-cancelling apparatus for vehicle turn indicators

OwnerHiroshi Kira, Verne W. Baumaninventors

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An electrical translation circuit for detecting the initiation and termination of a turn or change in direction of a motorcycle, automobile, boat or other like vehicle and the cancellation of the turn indicator for that vehicle. Sensors detect relative steering angle, distance and velocity of the vehicle processing same to cancel a manually operated turn indicator. The detected change in steering angle is coupled with processed signals indicative of appropriate forward movement of the vehicle. The combined signals initiate a cancellation signal which will terminate the vehicle turn indicator signal. The vehicle turn indicator signal will not be reset until there has been an appropriate retracement of the steering angle coupled with appropriate forward movement of the vehicle thereby precluding inadvertent reset signals arising from lane changes or vehicle stoppage during the turning operation.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A self-cancelling apparatus for vehicle indicator signals for a vehicle having a rotating steering member which rotates relative to the vehicle frame and turn signal means selectively operable for activating and deactivating the vehicle turn signal means comprising:

(a) steering angle sensor means for detecting the change in the relative angle between the rotating steering member and the frame of the vehicle;
(b) angle sensor processing means for producing a binary electrical output signal having on and off states responsive to the change in the relative angle between the rotating steering member and the frame of the vehicle, said on state occurring when said change exceeds a predetermined angle, said off state occurring when the change does not exceed the predetermined angle, said angle sensor processing means being coupled to said steering angle sensor means;
(c) distance sensor means for sensing the distance traveled by the vehicle, said distance sensor means being coupled to the vehicle;
(d) distance sensor processing means for producing an electrical output signal responsive to a predetermined distance having been traveled by the vehicle, said distance sensor processing means being coupled to the distance sensor means;
and
(e) cancellation means for deactivating the turn signal means when the binary electrical output signal of said angle sensor processing means has switched from the on to the off state and the electrical output signal of said distance sensor processing means coincides with the off state, said cancellation means being coupled to the outputs of said angle sensor processing means and said distance sensor processing means.

3 more elements

A self-cancelling apparatus for vehicle indicator signals for use with a motorcycle employing a rotating steering member which rotates relative to the motorcycle frame and turn signal means which are selectively operable to activate and deactivate said turn signal means comprising:

(a) a steering angle sensor including a slip ring secured to and rotatable with the rotating steering member relative to the motorcycle frame, a pair of conductive surfaces radially disposed about and secured to the periphery of said slip ring, ends of said conductive surfaces being separated by a predetermined angular displacement, and a switching member, a first end thereof being coupled to said motorcycle frame, the second end thereof being disposed between the separated ends of said conductive surfaces whereby said switching member will contact a conductive surface when the steering member is rotated;
(b) a distance sensor comprising a speedometer incorporating a rotatable cable coupled to the motorcycle, said cable rotating at a speed which is proportional to the movement of the motorcycle, and translation means for monitoring the rotation of the cable, said translation means producing an electrical output signal, the frequency of which is responsive to the rotation of the cable;
(c) turn sensor means for producing an electrical output signal responsive to the motorcycle turn signal means and said steering angle sensor, said turn sensor means being coupled to the motorcycle turn signal means and said steering angle sensor;
(d) counter means for determining the distance traveled by the motorcycle, and producing an electrical output signal when a predetermined distance has been traveled, said counter means being coupled to said distance sensor and being responsive to the output signal from said translation means;
(e) a binary latch connected to said counter means, said binary latch being set upon the production of an electrical output signal by said counter means;
and
(f) cancellation means for producing an electrical output signal to reset the motorcycle turn signal means upon the completion of a turn, said cancellation means being coupled to the turn sensor means, the output of said binary latch and the motorcycle turn signal means, the electrical output signal produced by said cancellation means being applied to said turn signal means responsive to the electrical output signals of said turn sensor means and said binary latch.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.