US3736392A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Directional signal apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-07-15
•
Granted: 1973-05-29
•
Expires: 1991-07-15
Abstract
Abstract A switch which is mounted on the steering column of a vehicle and may be actuated to indicate either right or left turn information, right or left lane changing information or emergency information. The switch is transferred to the lane-change or turn mode by an actuator member which moves ball contact assemblies into various contact relations thereby making electrical contact to the various lights of the vehicle. The system also includes a circuit interconnecting the various lamps on the vehicle through a flasher, the energization of the lights being controlled by the turn signal switch. In one case a standard and emergency flasher are utilized and in the other case two standard flashers are utilized and a system is provided to short one of the lamps by means of the flasher thereby giving a sequential affect to the energization of the inboard and outboard lamps. Certain preferred modifications include a five-ball and three-ball switch.
Inventors
- 👤 R Dyksterhouse
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:37
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/34; B60Q1/40; B60Q1/42; B60Q1/425; B60Q1/38; B60Q1/381; H; H01; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/12; H01H1/14; H01H1/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
An automobile turn signal device including a housing having a base, a left turn signal switch, a right turn signal switch, both of said switches being disposed in said housing, and actuator means for said switches, the improvement comprising means forming a first and second arcuate slot portions supported by at least a portion of said base, each of said switches having first and second contact strips disposed in spaced relation in said slot and first and second contact balls adapted to be moved along said slot portion by the actuator and having neutral positions in which said contact balls are held out of engagement with at least one of said first and second strips, the actuator being movable in one direction from said neutral position to move the contact ball of one of said switches into engagement with both the contact strips of that switch and movable in another direction from said neutral position to move the contact ball of the other of said switches into engagement with the both contact strips of said other of said switch.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
An automobile turn signal device including a housing having a base, a left turn signal switch, a right turn signal switch, both of said switches being disposed in said housing, and actuator means for said switches, the improvement comprising means forming a first and second arcuate slot portions supported by at least a portion of said base, each of said switches having first and second contact strips disposed in spaced relation in said slot and first and second contact balls adapted to be moved along said slot portion by the actuator and having neutral positions in which said contact balls are held out of engagement with at least one of said first and second strips, the actuator being movable in one direction from said neutral position to move the contact ball of one of said switches into engagement with both the contact strips of that switch and movable in another direction from said neutral position to move the contact ball of the other of said switches into engagement with the both contact strips of said other of said switch.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said contact balls are out of engagement with both of said first and second contact strips in said neutral position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said arcuate slot portions form part of a continuous arcuate slot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The improvement of claim 3 wherein the actuator has a pivot point on the base about which said actuator means is pivotable a pivot point, said continuous arcuate slot having a radius through said pivot point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
The improvement of claim 3 further including a third contact strip for each switch, said third contact strip being disposed in said slot portions, said actuator being movable in one direction to move the ball contact of one of said switches to simultaneously engage said first, second and third contact strips of that switch and movable in another direction from said neutral position to move the ball contact of the other of said switches to simultaneously engage said first, second and third contact strips of such other of said switches.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The improvement of claim 5 wherein said second contact strips have portions disposed adjacent each other, the device further including an emergency flasher switch mounted in said housing and comprising an emergency contact strip disposed adjacent said adjacent portions of said second contact strips, and an emergency ball contact.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
The improvement of claim 6 further including an emergency flasher control member for moving said emergency ball contact and movable between an ''''off'''' position in which said emergency ball contact is disposed out of engagement with said adjacent portions of said second contact strips and an ''''on'''' position in which said emergency ball contact simultaneously engages said adjacent portions of said second contact strips and said emergency contact strip.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
The improvement of claim 7 further including a brake switch mounted in said housing and comprising a brake contact strip disposed adjacent said adjacent portions of said second contact strips and a brake ball contact adapted to simultaneously engage said brake contact strip and said portions of said adjacent second contact strips and movable to a position out of contact with at least one of said adjacent portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improvement of claim 8 further including abutment means on said actuator effective upon a predetermined movement of said actuator in either of said directions from said neutral position to engage said brake ball contact and move it out of engagement with one of said portions of said second contact strips.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
96 words
A switch mechanism as defined in claim 7 including another switch operated by said emergency flasher control member for controlling the circuit to said left and right turn switches and comprising a pair of strip contacts mounted in said housing and an emergency ball contact carried by and movable with said emergency flasher control member and disposed when said member is in said ''''off'''' position in engagement with both contacts of said pair of strip contacts and disposed when said member is in said ''''on'''' position out of engagement with said pair of turn strip contact.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A switch mechanism as defined in claim 10 wherein said another switch also includes a second pair of strip contacts disposed adjacent a portion of said emergency strip contact and wherein said emergency ball contact when said member is in said ''''on'''' position is disposed in engagement with said portion of said emergency strip contact and in engagement with said second pair of strip contacts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
127 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes means continuously urging said actuator toward and yieldably holding it in said neutral position, said actuator being movable in both of said directions from said neutral position to a first position in which it may be held by the operator during lane changing to hold the contact ball of one of said turn signal switches in engagement with the contact strips thereof and to a second position beyond said first position and to which the actuator may be moved by the operator in preparation for a normal turn and in which said contact ball of one of said turn signal switches engages the contact strips thereof, and detent means for holding said actuator in said second position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
An automobile turn signal device as defined in claim 12 wherein said detent means are integrally formed in said contacts and engage one of said ball contacts when said actuator is in one of said second positions to yieldably hold said actuator against movement from said second position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
116 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said second contact strips of said turn switches have portions disposed adjacent each other, the signal device further including a brake contact strip mounted in said housing adjacent said portions of said second contact strips, a brake ball contact mounted in said housing and disposed in engagement with said portions of said second contact and in engagement with said brake strip contact strips when said actuator is in said neutral position, and abutment means on said actuator and effective upon a predetermined movement of said actuator in either of said directions to move said brake ball contact out of engagement with one of said portions of said second contact strips.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
109 words
The improvement of claim 1 further including an emergency flasher switch disposed in said base and including an emergency contact strip and an emergency contact ball, said second contact strips of said turn signal switches having portions disposed adjacent each other and adjacent said emergency contact strip, and an emergency flasher control member controlling the position of said emergency contact ball and movable between an ''''off'''' position in which said emergency contact ball is disposed in spaced relation to said portions of said second contact strips and an ''''on'''' position in which said emergency contact ball engages said portions of said second contact strips and said emergency contact strip.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
An automobile turn signal and emergency flasher device as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said turn signal switches includes a third strip contact which is engaged by the ball contact of the switch throughout the engagement of the ball contact with the first and second strip contacts of the switch.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
120 words
An automobile turn signal and emergency flasher device as defined in claim 15 further including means continuously urging said actuator toward and yieldably holding it in said neutral position, said actuator being movable in opposite directions from said neutral position to a first position in which it may be held by the operator during lane changing to hold the contact ball of one of said turn signal switches in engagement with the contact strips thereof and to a second position beyond said first position and to which the actuator may be moved by the operator in preparation for a normal turn and in which said contact ball of one of said turn signal switches also engages the contact strips thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement of claim 17 further including detent means for holding said actuator in said second position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
An automobile turn signal and emergency flasher device as defined in claim 17 in which said housing has a slot in which said contact balls of said turn signal switches are moved by said actuator, said housing having a second slot extending transversely of said first named slot, said emergency contact ball being supported in said second slot and being moved by said emergency flasher control member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said first ball engages one of said first and second contact strips before it engages the other of said first and second contact strips to improve the life of said contacts.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
56 words
The improvement of claim 1 further including a brake terminal element, wherein said turn signal device further includes a first and second terminal element electrically engaging one of said first and second contact strips of each of said switches, one of said first and second contact strips being in electrical engagement with said brake terminal element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
The improvement of claim 21 further including a brake signalling circuit having a brake switch actuated by a brake pedal to provide a brake signal, wherein said brake terminal element is provided with electrical energy upon energization of said brake signalling circuit, said brake terminal element providing brake signalling energy to said one of said first and second contact strips.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
62 words
The improvement of claim 22 wherein the movement of said first and second contact balls into engagement with said one of said first and second contact strips displaces said one of said first and second contact strips out of engagement with said brake terminal element thereby electrically disconnecting said brake terminal element from said one of said first and second contact strips.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
The improvement of claim 23 wherein the disengagement of said brake terminal element from said one of said first and second contact strips in response to movement of either said first and second contact balls in response to the signalling of a turn causes said turn signal to override said brake signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
90 words
The improvement of claim 1 further including a third contact strip for each switch, said third contact strip being disposed in said slot portions, said actuator being movable in one direction to move the ball contact of one of said switches to simultaneously engage said first, second and third contact strips of that switch and movable in another direction from said neutral position to move the ball contact of the other of said switches to simultaneously engage said first, second and third contact strips of such other of said switches.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
71 words
The improvement of claim 25 further including an emergency flasher switch mounted in said housing and comprising an emergency contact resilient web element disposed intermediate said one signal switch and said other signal switch and a third ball contact element in electrical engagement with said emergency contact element, said emergency contact element being adapted to be electrically connected to each of said first and second contact strips of both said switcheS.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
56 words
The improvement of claim 26 further including a standard flasher contact and an emergency flasher contact, said third contact ball being electrically connected in engagement with said standard flasher contact and said third contact strip to provide standard pulses of electrical energy to said first and second contact balls during a left or right turn signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement of claim 27 wherein said standard flasher contact and said emergency flasher contact are connected to separate flasher units.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
86 words
The improvement of claim 27 wherein said emergency flasher contact is mounted on said housing adjacent said standard flasher contact and said third contact strip, said emergency flasher contact being electrically connected to a source of emergency flasher pulse source of energy, and means actuating said third contact ball into engagement with both said third contact strip and said emergency flasher terminal to provide flasher energy to said first and second contact strips of both said turn signal switches during the emergency flash mode of operation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
58 words
The improvement of claim 29 wherein said third contact ball is mechanically engaged by said contact web element movable therewith, said contact web element being moved during the emergency flash mode of operation thereby moving said third contact ball from engagement with said standard flasher terminal and said third contact strip into engagement with said emergency flasher terminal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
45 words
The improvement of claim 30 wherein said contact web element includes four arm elements electrically connected therewith and adapted to be engageable with a portion of both said switches for providing emergency flasher pulse energy to said first and second contact strips of said switches.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
115 words
The improvement of claim 1 further including left vehicle lights, right vehicle lights, flasher means, circuit means interconnecting said left and right turn signal switches, said lights and said flasher means, module housing means forming one connection for said circuit means and connector means for interconnecting said module housing including said circuit means with said turn signal device including cooperable male plug means and female receptacle means, one of said plug means and receptacle means being mounted on said base for fastening at least certain of said contact strips to said base and the other of said plug means and receptacle means mounted on said module housing for readily detaching said housing from said base.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
48 words
The improvement of claim 32 wherein said female receptacle includes a generally cylindrical hollow portion and a swaged-over portion at one end thereof engaging said base distant from said contact strip means and the other end having a swaged-over portion at least in contact with said contact strip.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
The improvement of claim 32 wherein said male plug is mounted on said base and said female receptacle is mounted on said modular housing, said male plug including means formed thereon for clampingly engaging said base.
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) | 1976-05-28 | 1976-11-27 | 1977-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-28 | 1980-11-27 | 1981-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-28 | 1984-11-27 | 1985-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |