360{20 {0 Viewable vehicular reflector flashing system

Claim 2

In a wheel supported, reflectorized vehicle which moves by wheel rotation and which has weel mounted reflector means, each such means having one region comprised of transparent solid material which has a region axis normal thereto, said region having formed therein a group of cube corner reflector elements, all such elements in each such group each having a central optical axis, each respective such optical axis being disposed substantially parallel to the respective such optical axes of the other such elements in each such group, each such group being retroreflective of light directed thereon within a zone containing an inner zone of peak retroreflectance linearly extending away from said region, each such zone of retroreflectance extending angularly and transversely relative to its said inner zone at least about 30*, the improvement which comprises the combination of A. from four through six such reflector means, B. such reflector means each being adapted for functional association with selected respective side portions of such vehicles wheel members without interferring with rotational movements of such wheel members on their respective axles for front and side viewability thereof at spatial positions horizontally relatively removed from such vehicle, C. mounting means mounting each such reflector means fixedly to such wheel members in such respective associations, D. the angular relationship between the center plane of each such wheel member having such a reflector means so mounted thereon and the inner zone of peak retro-reflectance of each such respective reflector means so mounted thereon being such that 1. when each such reflectorized wheel member is rotated about its axle with the axis of rotation thereof spatially stationary a. each such inner zone of peak retro-reflectance traverses a curved path in space, b. each such path is generally radially adjacent to other such paths through 360* in a plane containing such axis of rotation, and 2. in such axis containing plane, the radial spacing between adjacent such paths is such that a flashing light signal of retroreflected light is viewable at any spatial position relatively remote from said wheel member.

Claim 3

An assembly for producing a light flashing effect comprising in combination A. a rotatable wheel Member having a wheel axis, and a center plane generally perpendicular to said wheel axis, B. two reflector means, each such reflector means having at least one region comprised of transparent solid material and having a region axis normal thereto, said region having formed therein a group of cube corner reflector elements, such elements each having a central optical axis, each respective such optical axis being disposed substantially parallel to the respective such optical axes of the other such elements in said group, said region being retroreflective of incident light in a zone which extends at least about 30* from an inner zone of such retro-reflectance, the efficiency of retro-reflectance in the vicinity of said inner zone being at least about 75% the efficiency of retro-reflectance at about 30* from such inner zone being not less than about 25% of the light reflectance efficiency in said inner zone, C. one said reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said inner zone of retro-reflectance is generally normal to said wheel axis, D. the second said reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said inner zone of retro-reflectance is inclined at an angle of from about 25* to 35* with respect to a perpendicular to said center plane, and E. mounting means to mount each respective said reflector means fixedly to said wheel member in such association, F. said wheel member, said reflector means, and said mounting means coacting together so that, when said wheel member is rotated, said reflector means are adapted to produce flashing light signals viewable at any spatial position relatively remote from said assembly within a viewing angle extending over about 180* in a measurement plane extending perpendicularly through said center plane.

Claim 4

An assembly for producing a light flashing effect comprising in combination A. a rotatable wheel Member having a wheel axis, and a center plane generally perpendicular to said wheel axis, B. two reflector means, each such reflector means having at least one region comprised of transparent solid material and having a region axis normal thereto, said region having formed therein a group of cube corner reflector elements, such elements each having a central optical axis, each respective such optical axis being disposed substantially parallel to the respective such optical axes of the other such elements in said group, said region being retroreflective of incident light in a zone which extends at least about 30* from an inner zone of such retro-reflectance, the efficiency of retro-reflectance in the vicinity of said inner zone being at least about 75% the efficiency of retro-reflectance at about 30* from such inner zone being not less than about 25% of the light reflectance efficiency in said inner zone, C. one said reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said inner zone of retro-reflectance is generally normal to said wheel axis, D. the second said reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said inner zone of retro-reflectance is inclined at an angle of from about 25* to 35* with respect to a perpendicular to said center plane, and E. mounting means to mount each respective said reflector means fixedly to said wheel member in such association, F. said wheel member, said reflector means, and said mounting means coacting together so that, when said wheel member is rotated, said reflector means are adapted to produce flashing light signals viewable at any spatial position relatively remote from said assembly within a viewing angle extending over about 180* in a measurement plane extending perpendicularly through said center plane.

Claim 5

in such axis containing plane, the radial spacing between adjacent such paths is such that a flashing light signal of retroreflected light is viewable at any spatial position relatively remote from said wheel member.

Claim 6

in such axis containing plane, the radial spacing between adjacent such paths is such that a flashing light signal of retroreflected light is viewable at any spatial position relatively remote from said wheel member.

Claim 7

The assembly of claim 2 wherein said one reflector means is further characterized by having the respective optical axes of such elements comprising such group thereof generally parallel to said region axes thereof.

Claim 8

The assembly of claim 3 wherein said second reflector means is further characterized by having the respective optical axes of such elements comprising such group thereof inclined at a predetermined angle relative to said region axis thereof.

Claim 9

The assembly of claim 4 wherein said predetermined angle is such that the overlap angle of said zone of retro-reflectance from said second reflector means relative to said zone of reflectance from said first reflector means is less than about 15*.

Claim 10

The assembly of claim 2 wherein the angle subtended by the zone of retro-reflectance of said one reflector means overlaps the angle subtended by the zone of retro-reflectance of said second reflector means.

Claim 11

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said wheel member is spoked.

Claim 12

An assembly for producing a light flashing effect comprising in combination A. a rotatable wheel member having a wheel axis, and a center plane generally perpendicular to said wheel axis, B. three reflector means, each such reflector means having at least one region comprised of transparent solid material and having a region axis normal thereto, said region having formed therein a group of cube corner reflector elements, all such elements in each such group each having a central optical axis, each respective such optical axis being disposed substantially parallel to the respective such optical axes of the other such elements in each such group, said one region of one such reflector means having the optical axes of the elements in its such group generally parallel to the region axis thereof, said one region of the second such reflector means having the optical axes of the elements in its such group inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the region axis thereof, said one region of the third such reflEctor means having the optical axes of the elements in its such group inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the region axis thereof, said one region of said one reflector means thus being adapted to retro-reflect impinging incident light over angles of about 30* relative to said region axis thereof, said one region of each of said second reflector means and said third reflector means each thus being adapted to retro-reflect impinging incident light over angles ranging from at least about 30* up to at least about 45* in the direction of each respective said predetermined angle, each said one region having a peak zone of such retro-reflectance, C. said one reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said peak zone of retro-reflectance is generally coincident with said center plane in one direction, D. said second reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said peak zone of retroreflectance is from about 40* to 50* with respect to said wheel axis, E. said third reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said peak zone of retro-reflectance is from about 10* to 20* with respect to said wheel axis, and F. mounting means to mount each such reflector means fixedly to said wheel member in such respective association, G. said wheel member said reflector means, and said mounting means coacting together so that, when said wheel member is rotated, said reflector means are adapted to produce flashing light signals viewable at any spatial position relatively remote from said assembly within a viewing angle extending over about 180* in a measurement plane extending perpendicularly through said center plane.

Claim 13

An assembly for producing a light flashing effect comprising in combination A. a rotatable wheel member having a wheel axis, and a center plane generally perpendicular to said wheel axis, B. three reflector means, each such reflector means having at least one region comprised of transparent solid material and having a region axis normal thereto, said region having formed therein a group of cube corner reflector elements, all such elements in each such group each having a central optical axis, each respective such optical axis being disposed substantially parallel to the respective such optical axes of the other such elements in each such group, said one region of one such reflector means having the optical axes of the elements in its such group generally parallel to the region axis thereof, said one region of the second such reflector means having the optical axes of the elements in its such group inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the region axis thereof, said one region of the third such reflEctor means having the optical axes of the elements in its such group inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the region axis thereof, said one region of said one reflector means thus being adapted to retro-reflect impinging incident light over angles of about 30* relative to said region axis thereof, said one region of each of said second reflector means and said third reflector means each thus being adapted to retro-reflect impinging incident light over angles ranging from at least about 30* up to at least about 45* in the direction of each respective said predetermined angle, each said one region having a peak zone of such retro-reflectance, C. said one reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said peak zone of retro-reflectance is generally coincident with said center plane in one direction, D. said second reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said peak zone of retroreflectance is from about 40* to 50* with respect to said wheel axis, E. said third reflector means being adapted for functional association with a side portion of said wheel member so that its said peak zone of retro-reflectance is from about 10* to 20* with respect to said wheel axis, and F. mounting means to mount each such reflector means fixedly to said wheel member in such respective association, G. said wheel member said reflector means, and said mounting means coacting together so that, when said wheel member is rotated, said reflector means are adapted to produce flashing light signals viewable at any spatial position relatively remote from said assembly within a viewing angle extending over about 180* in a measurement plane extending perpendicularly through said center plane.

Claim 14

The assembly of claim 8 wherein said wheel member is spoked.