Patent Application
20180236931
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The disclosure and prior art relates to signaling devices and more particularly pertains to a new signaling device for signaling when a bicycle is stopping, making a right hand turn and making a left hand turn.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a bicycle that may be ridden. The bicycle a pair of brake handles and each of the brake handles is selectively manipulated to stop the bicycle. A jacket is provided and the jacket may be worn while riding the bicycle. A helmet is provided and the helmet may be worn while riding the bicycle. A signaling unit is provided and the signaling unit is coupled to the bicycle. The signaling unit is in communication with each of the brake handles such that the signaling unit is turned on when the brake handles are manipulated. A lighting unit is coupled to the jacket to selectively emit light thereby facilitating the lighting unit to communicate a stop signal, a right turn signal and a left turn signal. The lighting unit is in electrical communication with the signaling unit.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A signaling unit 36 is provided and the signaling unit 36 is coupled to the bicycle 12. The signaling unit 36 is in communication with each of the brake handles 16 such that the signaling unit 36 is turned on when the brake handles 16 are manipulated. The signaling unit 36 comprises a base housing 38 is releasably coupled to the bicycle 12. The base housing 38 may be retained on the bicycle 12 with a strap or any other mechanical means of releasably coupling the base housing 38 to the bicycle 12.
A base processor 40 is provided and the base processor 40 is positioned within the base housing 38. The base processor 40 selectively generates a stop sequence, a right turn sequence and a left turn sequence. The base processor 40 may be an electronic processor or the like. A transmitter 42 is provided and the transmitter 42 is positioned within the base housing 38. The transmitter 42 is electrically coupled to the base processor 40 and the transmitter 42 may be radio frequency transmitter 42 or the like. Additionally, the transmitter 42 may employ Bluetooth communication protocols. A base power supply 44 is provided and the base power supply 44 is positioned within the base housing 38. The base power supply 44 is electrically coupled to the base processor 40 and the base power supply 44 comprises at least one battery.
A pair of sensors 46 is provided and each of the sensors 46 is coupled to an associated one of the brake handles 16. In this way each of the sensors 46 detects when the associated brake handle 16 is manipulated. Each of the sensors 46 is electrically coupled to the base processor 40 such that the base processor 40 generates the stop sequence when the associated brake handle 16 is manipulated. Moreover, each of the sensors 46 may be a magnetic sensor, a micro switch or any other sensor capable of detecting when the associated brake handle 16 is manipulated.
A pair of switches 48 is provided and each of the switches 48 is releasably coupled to the handlebars 14 to be manipulated. Each of the switches 48 is aligned with an associated one of the brake handles 16 and each of the switches 48 is electrically coupled to the base processor 40. The pair of switches 48 includes a left switch 50 and a right switch 52. Moreover, each of the switches 48 may be a toggle switch, a push button or any other type of electrical switch. The base processor 40 generates the left turn sequence when the left switch 50 is manipulated and the base processor 40 generates the right turn sequence when the right switch 52 is manipulated.
A lighting unit 54 is provided and the lighting unit 54 is coupled to the jacket 18. The lighting unit 54 selectively emits light thereby facilitating the lighting unit 54 to communicate a stop signal, a right turn signal and a left turn signal. In this way the lighting unit 54 facilitates drivers on the roadway to be made aware when the bicycle 12 is stopping, making a right turn and making a left turn. The lighting unit 54 is in electrical communication with the signaling unit 36.
The lighting unit 54 comprises a remote housing 56 that is positioned within the jacket 18. The remote housing 56 may be accessible through a pocket in the jacket 18 or the like. A remote processor 58 is positioned within the remote housing 56 and the remote processor 58 may be an electronic processor or the like. A receiver 60 is positioned within the remote housing 56 and the receiver 60 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58. The receiver 60 is in electrical communication with the transmitter 42 such that the remote processor 58 receives the stop sequence, the right turn sequence and the left turn sequence from the base processor 40. The receiver 60 may be a radio frequency receiver 60 or the like and the receiver 60 may employ Bluetooth communication protocols. In this way the receiver 60 may be synched with the transmitter 42 in the convention of Bluetooth communication.
A remote power supply 62 is positioned within the remote housing 56. The remote power supply 62 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58. Additionally, the remote power supply 62 comprises at least one battery.
A plurality of left shoulder light emitters 64 is provided and each of left shoulder light emitters 64 is coupled to the jacket 18. Each of the left shoulder light emitters 64 selectively emits light outwardly from the jacket 18 and each of the left shoulder light emitters 64 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58. Moreover, each of the left shoulder light emitters 64 may comprise an LED or the like.
The plurality of left shoulder light emitters 64 includes a front set of light emitters 66 that are positioned on the front side 22 of the jacket 18 corresponding to the left shoulder 24. The plurality of left shoulder light emitters 64 includes a back set of light emitters 68 that are positioned on the back side 20 of the jacket 18 corresponding to the left shoulder 24. Each of the left shoulder light emitters 64 is turned on when the base processor 40 generates the left turn sequence. Additionally, the back set of light emitters 68 may emit red colored light and the front set of light emitters 66 may emit white colored light.
A plurality of right shoulder light emitters 70 is provided and each of right shoulder light emitters 70 is coupled to the jacket 18 to emit light outwardly from the jacket 18. Each of the right shoulder light emitters 70 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58. Moreover, each of the right shoulder light emitters 70 may be an LED or the like.
The plurality of right shoulder light emitters 70 includes a front set of light emitters 72 that are positioned on the front side 22 of the jacket 18 corresponding to the right shoulder 26. The plurality of right shoulder light emitters 70 includes a back set of light emitters 74 that are positioned on the back side 20 of the jacket 18 corresponding to the right shoulder 26. Each of the right shoulder light emitters 70 is turned on the when base processor 40 generates the right turn sequence. The back set of light emitters 74 corresponding to the right shoulder 26 may emit a red colored light and the front set of light emitters 72 corresponding to the right shoulder 26 may emit a white colored light.
A plurality of left sleeve light emitters 76 is provided and each of the left sleeve light emitters 76 is coupled to the jacket 18 to emit light outwardly from the jacket 18. Each of the left sleeve light emitters 76 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58. Moreover, each of the left sleeve light emitters 76 is positioned on the back side 20 of the jacket 18 corresponding to the left sleeve 28. Each of the left sleeve light emitters 76 is turned on when the base processor 40 generates the left turn sequence. Each of the left sleeve light emitters 76 may comprise an LED or the like and each of the left sleeve light emitters 76 may emit a red colored light.
A plurality of right sleeve light emitters 78 is provided and each of the right sleeve light emitters 78 is coupled to the jacket 18 to emit light outwardly from the jacket 18. Each of the right sleeve light emitters 78 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58. Additionally, each of the right sleeve light emitters 78 is positioned on the back side 20 of the jacket 18 corresponding to the right sleeve 30. Each of the right sleeve light emitters 78 is turned on when the base processor 40 generates the right turn sequence. Each of the right sleeve light emitters 78 may comprise an LED or the like and each of the right sleeve light emitters 78 may emit a red colored light. Each of the left sleeve light emitters 76 and the right sleeve light emitters 78 may be either vertically distributed on the jacket or horizontally distributed on the jacket 18.
A plurality of collar light emitters 80 is provided and each of the collar light emitters 80 is coupled to the jacket 18 to emit light outwardly from the jacket 18. Each of the collar light emitters 80 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58 and each of the collar light emitters 80 is positioned on the back side 20 of the jacket 18 corresponding to the collar 32. Each of the collar light emitters 80 is turned on when the base processor 40 generates the stop sequence. Moreover, each of the collar light emitters 80 may comprise an LED or the like and each of the collar light emitters 80 may emit a red colored light. Each of the collar light emitters 80 may continually emit a low intensity light. Additionally, each of the collar light emitters 80 may emit a high intensity light when the base processor 40 generates the stop sequence.
A first conductor 82 extends outwardly from the collar 32 and the first conductor 82 is electrically coupled to the remote processor 58. The first conductor 82 has a distal end 84 with respect to the collar 32 and a first plug 86 is electrically coupled to the distal end 84. A plurality of helmet light emitters 87 is provided and each of the helmet light emitters 87 is coupled to the helmet 34. In this way each of the helmet light emitters 87 emits light outwardly from the helmet 34 to enhance visibility of the helmet 34 with respect to the drivers on the roadway. Each of the helmet light emitters 87 may comprise an LED or the like and the helmet light emitters 87 may be spaced apart from each other and distributed around the helmet 34.
A second conductor 88 is provided and the second conductor 88 extends outwardly from the helmet 34. The second conductor 88 has a distal end 90 with respect to the helmet 34 and a second plug 92 is electrically coupled to the distal end 90 of the second conductor 88. The second plug 92 is selectively electrically coupled to the first plug 86 such that each of the helmet light emitters is in electrical communication with the remote processor 58.
In use, each of the jacket 18 and the helmet 34 are worn when the bicycle 12 is ridden. The first plug 86 is electrically coupled to the second plug 92 and the transmitter 42 is synched with the receiver 60. Each of the collar light emitters 80 emits the high intensity light when either of the brake handles 16 is manipulated. In this way the collar light emitters 80 communicates to drivers on the roadway that the bicycle 12 is stopping. Each of the right shoulder light emitters 70 and the right sleeve light emitters 78 emits light when right switch 52 is manipulated. In this way the right shoulder light emitters 70 and the right sleeve light emitters 78 communicate to drivers on the roadway that the bicycle 12 is making a right hand turn. Each of the left shoulder light emitters 64 and the left sleeve light emitters 76 emits light when the left switch 50 is manipulated. In this way the left shoulder light emitters 64 and the left sleeve light emitters 76 communicate to drivers on the roadway the bicycle 12 is making a left hand turn.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, system and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
