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US4041782A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Hood-mountable digital speedometer

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-08-03
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Granted: 1977-08-16
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Expires: 1996-08-03
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Abstract

Abstract A digital speedometer includes analog-to-digital converter means which may be coupled to a speed-indicator of a vehicle-mounted speedometer for converting a position of the speed indicator into a binary number which is displayed, upon being converted into a decimal number, on a display means mounted on the hood of a vehicle.

Inventors

  • 👤 Elmer J. Hingst

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 04:50
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P1/00; G01P1/07; G01P1/08; G01P1/10; G01P1/11

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 134 words
A hood-mountable digital speedometer comprising: analog-to-digital converter means couplable to a speed-indicator of a vehicle-mountable speedometer for converting a position of the speed-indicator into a binary number; binary-to-decimal number converter means connected to said analog-to-digital converter means for converting the binary number into a decimal number, wherein the speed-indicator is movable over a region of excessive speed of the speedometer, and said analog-to-digital converter means converts only the position of the speed-indicator in the excessive speed-region to the binary number; display means mountable on the hood of a vehicle for displaying the decimal number; and a blinker circuit interconnected between said analog-to-digital converter means and said display means for periodically flashing the displayed decimal number on and off, whereby said display means is disposed in a direct line of vision of a vehicle operator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 134 words
A hood-mountable digital speedometer comprising: analog-to-digital converter means couplable to a speed-indicator of a vehicle-mountable speedometer for converting a position of the speed-indicator into a binary number; binary-to-decimal number converter means connected to said analog-to-digital converter means for converting the binary number into a decimal number, wherein the speed-indicator is movable over a region of excessive speed of the speedometer, and said analog-to-digital converter means converts only the position of the speed-indicator in the excessive speed-region to the binary number; display means mountable on the hood of a vehicle for displaying the decimal number; and a blinker circuit interconnected between said analog-to-digital converter means and said display means for periodically flashing the displayed decimal number on and off, whereby said display means is disposed in a direct line of vision of a vehicle operator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
A digital speedometer according to claim 1 further comprising a shield mountable on said display means for the shielding thereof from extraneous light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 170 words
A hood-mountable digital speedometer comprising: analog-to-digital converter means, said analog-to-digital converter means including a disc formed with a multiplicity of alternately transparent and non-transparent regions, light from a light source being passable through said regions, a multiplicity of photodetectors disposed in the vicinity of said regions, each of said photo detectors being energizable upon the light passing through a corresponding one of the transparent regions, said analog-to-digital converter means being couplable to a speed-indicator of a vehicle-mounted speedometer for converting a position of the speed-indicator into a binary number; binary-to-decimal number converter means connected to said photodetectors for converting the binary number into a decimal number, wherein the speed-indicator is movable over a region of excessive speed of the speedometer, and wherein said analog-to-digital converter means converts only the position of the speed-indicator in the excessive speed-region to the binary number; and display means mountable on the hood of a vehicle for displaying the decimal number, whereby said display means is disposed in a direct line-of-vision of a vehicle operator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 170 words
A hood-mountable digital speedometer comprising: analog-to-digital converter means, said analog-to-digital converter means including a disc formed with a multiplicity of alternately transparent and non-transparent regions, light from a light source being passable through said regions, a multiplicity of photodetectors disposed in the vicinity of said regions, each of said photo detectors being energizable upon the light passing through a corresponding one of the transparent regions, said analog-to-digital converter means being couplable to a speed-indicator of a vehicle-mounted speedometer for converting a position of the speed-indicator into a binary number; binary-to-decimal number converter means connected to said photodetectors for converting the binary number into a decimal number, wherein the speed-indicator is movable over a region of excessive speed of the speedometer, and wherein said analog-to-digital converter means converts only the position of the speed-indicator in the excessive speed-region to the binary number; and display means mountable on the hood of a vehicle for displaying the decimal number, whereby said display means is disposed in a direct line-of-vision of a vehicle operator.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

CA572661A Cited
US1284091A Cited
CA183865A Cited
US1491347A Cited
US2887679A Cited
US3853191A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-08-15 1981-02-14 1981-08-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-08-15 1985-02-14 1985-08-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-08-15 1989-02-14 1989-08-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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