System for signalling conditions of, including an emergency within, a vehicle

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1, wherein said main housing is mountable on the roof of said vehicle.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 1, wherein said optical means further comprises a collimator lens.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 1, wherein said optical means further comprises a plurality of collimator lenses each mounted between said warning light producing means and an end of one of said tubular members.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 1, for signalling an emergency within a vehicle which is a taxicab, said system further comprising a base housing to which said main housing is fixed, a plurality of signal light producing means each mounted in said base housing for signalling different states of said taxicab, and switching means for selectively activating each of said signal light producing means from within said taxicab.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 5, wherein each said signal light producing means is of a color different from the remainder of said signal light producing means.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of signal light producing means comprises a first signal light producing means having either a green color or a white color for indicating that the taxicab is available for hire.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of signal light producing means comprises a second signal light producing means selectably operable for indicating that said taxicab is off duty and wherein said switching means comprises means for preventing simultaneous activation of said first and said second signal light producing means.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 8, further comprising power supply means and wherein said preventing means comprises a switch operable to enable and disable connection of said first signal light producing means to said power supply when said second signal light producing means is respectively deactivated and activated by said switching means.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of signal light producing means comprises signal light producing means for indicating that said taxicab is on radio call.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 10, where said one signal light producing means produces blue light.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of signal light producing means comprises signal light producing means for indicating that said taxicab is off duty.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 12, wherein said one signal light producing means produces red light.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of signal light producing means comprises two signal light producing means each for respectively indicating a direction in which said taxicab may turn.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for selectively increasing and decreasing the intensity of light produced by said warning light producing means.

Claim 19

A system to claim 16, further comprising means for selectively increasing and decreasing the intensity of light produced by said warning light producing means.

Claim 20

A signal light system for a taxicab, said system comprising: a housing mountable on said taxicab and including a portion laterally visible 360 degrees about said taxicab when mounted thereon; a plurality of signal light producing means mounted within said housing and including a first signal light producing means for selectably indicating that said taxicab is available for hire, and a second signal light producing means for selectably indicating that said taxicab is off duty; means for preventing simultaneous activation of said first and said second light producing means; warning light producing means mounted within said portion of said housing for producing warning light; optical means for projecting light produced by said warning light producing means as a plurality of beams each of which is oblique with respect to the major axis of the taxicab, said optical means comprising a plurality of elongate tubular members each mounted on said portion of said housing and each having an axis extending obliquely with respect to said major axis when said housing is mounted on said taxicab, the warning light produced by said warning light producing means being projected through each of said tubular members as one of said beams; and means for actuating said warning light producing means unobtrusively from within said taxicab.

Claim 21

A signal light system for a taxicab, said system comprising: a housing mountable on said taxicab and including a portion laterally visible 360 degrees about said taxicab when mounted thereon; a plurality of signal light producing means mounted within said housing and including a first signal light producing means for selectably indicating that said taxicab is available for hire, and a second signal light producing means for selectably indicating that said taxicab is off duty; means for preventing simultaneous activation of said first and said second light producing means; warning light producing means mounted within said portion of said housing for producing warning light; optical means for projecting light produced by said warning light producing means as a plurality of beams each of which is oblique with respect to the major axis of the taxicab, said optical means comprising a plurality of elongate tubular members each mounted on said portion of said housing and each having an axis extending obliquely with respect to said major axis when said housing is mounted on said taxicab, the warning light produced by said warning light producing means being projected through each of said tubular members as one of said beams; and means for actuating said warning light producing means unobtrusively from within said taxicab.

Claim 22

A system according to claim 18, further comprising power supply means; and wherein said preventing means comprises switching means operable to enable and disable connection of said first signal light producing means to said power supply when said second signal light producing means is respectively deactivated and activated.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 19, wherein said switching means comprises: a relay having a coil and a normally closed switch member operatively coupled to said coil that when closed forms a circuit connecting said first signal light producing means between said power supply means and ground to activate said first signal light producing means; and a switch having a switch member that when closed forms a circuit connecting both said second signal light producing means and said coil of said relay between said power supply means and ground to activate said second signal light producing means and to cause said coil to open said relay switch member to open the circuit formed thereby and disable said first signal light producing means.

Claim 24

A system according to claim 18, wherein said first signal light producing means produces white light.

Claim 25

A system according to claim 18, wherein said first signal light producing means produces green light.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 18, wherein said second signal light producing means produces red light.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of signal light producing means comprises a third signal light producing means for indicating that said taxicab is on radio call.

Claim 28

A system according to claim 24, wherein said third signal light producing means produces blue light.

Claim 29

A system according to claim 18, wherein said optical means comprises a collimator lens.

Claim 30

A system according to claim 18, wherein said optical means further comprises a plurality of collimator lenses each mounted between said warning light producing means and an end of one said tubular member remote from said warning light producing means.