Headgear with safety light
AssigneeAdonis Incorporated
InventorsMichael G. Eikenberry, Richard Stants, William Baker, Raymond G. Benson, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A motorcycle helmet with a brake light includes a duty cycled receiver circuit for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from a transmitter located on the motorcycle. The receiver circuit is generally turned off if the RF signal is not present. When the receiver detects the RF signal, the receiver is turned on. The brake light is illuminated when the receiver receives the RF signal. The brake light includes LEDs for providing light. The lens is a plastic lens which provides superior performance having spherical indentations on an interior surface.
Claims20
An apparatus for use with a helmet or other article, comprising:
- a duty cycled receiver circuit including a duty cycle generator and a receiver control circuit, the receiver control circuit having a power input, the duty cycle generator having a power output coupled with the power input of the receiver control-circuit and the receiver control circuit having an antennae for receiving an external signal;
- a light source coupled to the duty cycled receiver circuit for receiving a light control signal;
- a power source terminal for coupling to a power source, the power source terminal coupled to the duty cycle generator;
- wherein the receiver control circuit produces the light control signal in response to a presence of the external signal and the light source produces light in response to the light control signal, the duty cycle generator providing a pulse signal at the power output in response to an absence of the external signal and providing a constant signal at the power output in response to the presence of the external signal, whereby power from the power source consumed by said receiver control circuit is reduced by powering the receiver control circuit with the pulse signal in response to the absence of the external signal.
Art apparatus for attachment to headgear, comprising:
- battery means for providing electric power;
- duty cycled receiver circuit including a duty cycle generator means coupled with the battery means and a control means for providing a brake signal, the duty cycle generator means for providing a low power mode, the duty cycle generator means having a power output providing the electric power, the control means having a power input coupled with the power output of duty cycle generator means for receiving the electric power, wherein the electric power is periodically removed from the power output in response to an absence of the transmitted signal, whereby power consumption of the control means is reduced by periodically removing the electric power from the power output;
- light source means, coupled to the battery means, for providing light in response to the brake signal;
- and
- lens mounted near the light source means.
The safety system for use with a vehicle, comprising:
- power terminals for coupling to a battery;
- a brake signal indicator attachable to an article wearable by a rider of the vehicle;
- a transmitter configured to provide an RF signal in response to a brake operation;
- a pulse signal circuit coupled to the power terminals, the pulse signal circuit generating a pulse signal;
- a receiver, coupled with the brake signal indicator and coupled with the pulse signal circuit and powered by the pulse signal, the receiver generating a control signal in response to the RF signal;
- and wherein the brake signal indicator provides indicia of the brake operation in response to the control signal and wherein the pulse signal is provided by the pulse signal circuit in response to an absence of the control signal and a DC signal is provided by the pulse signal circuit in response to the control signal, whereby power consumption of the receiver is reduced by powering the receiver with the pulse signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.