Vehicle warning system

Claim 1

A vehicle warning system intended to be mounted to the front and back bumpers of a vehicle to warn the vehicle driver of the bumpers encountering an obstacle, the system comprising, in combination: at least one pair of bumper guard members each of an identical structure and adapted to be mounted on the front and back bumpers respectively of the vehicle and project outwardly thereof forwardly of the bumper on which it is mounted; pressure sensitive electrical contact means mounted in each of said bumper guards and being of a normally open electrical configuration adapted to be closed upon the engagement of said bumper guard with an obstacle; a source of electrical energy; an electric lamp; an electrically operated buzzer; electrical wiring means connecting said lamp in parallel relationship with said buzzer for simultaneous operation thereof; an electrical switch manually operable between an on and an off position for selectively energizing and de-energizing said warning system, said switch being electrically wired intermediate said source of electrical energy and said parallelly connected lamp and buzzer; and suitably insulated electrical wires interconnecting said switch, lamp and buzzer to said electrical contact means of said bumper guards; a control panel of a hollow rectangular box-like configuration adapted to be mounted on a dashboard of the vehicle in a position readily accessible to and viewable by the vehicle driver, said control panel having said lamp, buzzer and electrical switch mounted therein; each bumper guard comprising; an inner member of a general box-like rectangular configuration having a flat vertical front wall surface, opposed flat vertical side wall surfaces, a back wall surface, and flat horizontal top and bottom wall surfaces; means adapted to mount said inner member in vertical disposition relative to a horizontal vehicle bumper on said bumper with said inner member back surface engaging said bumper and with said inner member extending both forwardly and upwardly and downwardly from said bumper; a slot extending vertically through said front surface of said inner member; a metallic electrical conducting strip of an elongated rectangular configuration affixed in said slot and having a flat face surface projecting slightly forwardly of said inner member front surface; an outer member of a box-like rectangular configuration having a flat vertical front surface, a flat vertical back surface, opposed flat vertical side wall surfaces, and opposed horizontal flat top and bottom surfaces; a box-shaped rectangular recess formed inwardly of said side wall surfaces opening out of said back wall surface, said recess being of a width, depth, and height to freely receive a major portion of said inner member therein; a metallic electrical conducting rectangularly shaped strip affixed to an interior front wall of said recess and disposed in confronting alignment with said inner member strip and spaced horizontally forwardly therefrom and extending generally parallel thereto; and means resiliently retaining said outer member to said inner member with said strips in normally spaced apart relationship.