US3835450A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motor vehicle indicator systems
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
•
Filing: 1972-12-19
•
Granted: 1974-09-10
•
Expires: 1992-12-19
Abstract
Abstract A system for indicating operating conditions in motor vehicles comprises a warning device energised by a power source and electrically connected to the corresponding switches or measuring instruments for the respective vehicle mechanisms, any failure in one or more of the vehicle mechanisms to be monitored being indicated by a single stationary warning lamp arranged on the instrument panel in the field of vision of the driver, the lamp illuminating in each instance one field on a scale which is divided into several fault indicating fields and is arranged on a rotatable drum movable by a motor relative to the warning lamp and so controlled, that one field indicating the respective fault is illuminated by the warning lamp; in the event of a failure in more than one of the vehicle mechanisms provision is made to move the scale after a delay period to illuminate another fault indicating field of the scale.
Inventors
- 👤 L Reck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:43
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07C; G07C5/00; G07C5/08; G07C5/0816
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
A system for indicating the occurrence of each of a plurality of events in a motor vehicle, comprising: a plurality of monitoring means each associated with a respective event for generating an electrical signal upon the occurrence of said respective event; a transparent drum; support means for carrying the drum for relative rotation thereto; an indicator scale disposed around the periphery of the drum, the indicator scale being divided into a plurality of indicating segments each associated with a respective event; a viewing window adjacent the periphery of the drum, the indicating segments being sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is rotated; a lamp carried by the support means within the drum and opposite the viewing window for illuminating the indicating segment adjacent the viewing window when said lamp is energized; a motor having an output shaft coupled to the drum for rotating the drum when said motor is energized; means for energizing the motor; and circuit means coupled to the plurality of monitoring means, the lamp and the motor and responsive to an electrical signal generated by one of the monitoring means in response to the occurrence of an event for deenergizing the motor and energizing the lamp for a specified time duration after the indicating segment associated with said event is positioned adjacent the viewing window, whereby an indication of the occurrence of the event is provided for the specified time duration.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
237 words
A system for indicating the occurrence of each of a plurality of events in a motor vehicle, comprising: a plurality of monitoring means each associated with a respective event for generating an electrical signal upon the occurrence of said respective event; a transparent drum; support means for carrying the drum for relative rotation thereto; an indicator scale disposed around the periphery of the drum, the indicator scale being divided into a plurality of indicating segments each associated with a respective event; a viewing window adjacent the periphery of the drum, the indicating segments being sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is rotated; a lamp carried by the support means within the drum and opposite the viewing window for illuminating the indicating segment adjacent the viewing window when said lamp is energized; a motor having an output shaft coupled to the drum for rotating the drum when said motor is energized; means for energizing the motor; and circuit means coupled to the plurality of monitoring means, the lamp and the motor and responsive to an electrical signal generated by one of the monitoring means in response to the occurrence of an event for deenergizing the motor and energizing the lamp for a specified time duration after the indicating segment associated with said event is positioned adjacent the viewing window, whereby an indication of the occurrence of the event is provided for the specified time duration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circuit means includes a plurality of circularly spaced contacts carried by the support means, each of the contacts being connected to a respective monitoring means and further includes a contact arm connected to the drum so as to sequentially engage the contacts as the drum is rotated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the circuit means further includes a transistor switch coupled to the contact arm and the motor, the transistor switch being switched by an electrical signal from one of the monitoring means to deenergize the motor when the contact arm engages the respective contact.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
323 words
A system for indicating the occurrence of each of a plurality of events in a motor vehicle, comprising: a plurality of monitoring means each associated with a respective event For generating an electrical signal upon the occurrence of said respective event; a transparent drum; support means for carrying the drum for relative rotation thereto; an indicator scale disposed around the periphery of the drum, the indicator scale being divided into a plurality of indicating segments each associated with a respective event; a viewing window adjacent the periphery of the drum, the indicating segments being sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is rotated; a lamp carried by the support means within the drum and opposite the viewing window for illuminating the indicating segment adjacent the viewing window when said lamp is energized; a motor having an output shaft coupled to the drum for rotating the drum when said motor is energized; energizing circuit means for energizing the motor, the energizing circuit means including gate means coupled to the plurality of monitoring means and responsive to an electrical signal generated by one of said monitoring means for initiating the energization of the motor; means coupled to the plurality of monitoring means and the lamp for energizing the lamp upon the occurrence of an event; a plurality of light sensitive semiconductor elements each connected to a respective monitoring means; means coupled to the drum for rotation therewith for sequentially exposing the light sensitive semiconductor elements to the lamp so as to sequentially illuminate said exposed elements as the drum is rotated; first deenergizing means coupled to the light sensitive semiconductor elements for deenergizing the motor while one of the light sensitive semiconductor elements coupled to a monitoring means generating an electrical signal is illuminated; and second deenergizing means coupled to the light sensitive semiconductor elements for deenergizing the lamp a predetermined time period after the motor is deenergized by the first deenergizing means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
323 words
A system for indicating the occurrence of each of a plurality of events in a motor vehicle, comprising: a plurality of monitoring means each associated with a respective event For generating an electrical signal upon the occurrence of said respective event; a transparent drum; support means for carrying the drum for relative rotation thereto; an indicator scale disposed around the periphery of the drum, the indicator scale being divided into a plurality of indicating segments each associated with a respective event; a viewing window adjacent the periphery of the drum, the indicating segments being sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is rotated; a lamp carried by the support means within the drum and opposite the viewing window for illuminating the indicating segment adjacent the viewing window when said lamp is energized; a motor having an output shaft coupled to the drum for rotating the drum when said motor is energized; energizing circuit means for energizing the motor, the energizing circuit means including gate means coupled to the plurality of monitoring means and responsive to an electrical signal generated by one of said monitoring means for initiating the energization of the motor; means coupled to the plurality of monitoring means and the lamp for energizing the lamp upon the occurrence of an event; a plurality of light sensitive semiconductor elements each connected to a respective monitoring means; means coupled to the drum for rotation therewith for sequentially exposing the light sensitive semiconductor elements to the lamp so as to sequentially illuminate said exposed elements as the drum is rotated; first deenergizing means coupled to the light sensitive semiconductor elements for deenergizing the motor while one of the light sensitive semiconductor elements coupled to a monitoring means generating an electrical signal is illuminated; and second deenergizing means coupled to the light sensitive semiconductor elements for deenergizing the lamp a predetermined time period after the motor is deenergized by the first deenergizing means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-09 | 1978-03-11 | 1978-09-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-09 | 1982-03-11 | 1982-09-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-09 | 1986-03-11 | 1986-09-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |