Time-delayed self-cancelling turn signal

Claim 1

An automatic turn signal mechanism associated with a steering wheel movable from a straight ahead position to a left turning position and to a right turning position, said mechanism comprising: a manually operated signal selector comprising a neutral position, a first operating position displaced from said neutral position and a second operating position displaced from said neutral position; sensor means for detecting said straight ahead position and said left and right turning positions of said steering wheel, said sensor means comprising a first sensor output signal corresponding to said straight ahead position and a second sensor output signal corresponding to said left and right turning positions; a first electronic latch set in a first latched state by movement of said signal selector to either one of said first and second operating positions; a second electronic latch set in a second latched state in response to a combination of said first latched state of said first electronic latch and said second sensor output signal; a timer operatively associated with said sensor means and said second electronic latch, said timer activated to time out a predetermined time period in response to a combination of said second latched state of said second electronic latch and said second sensor output signal, said timer comprising a timer output signal produced after said predetermined time period; and electrically operated return means for returning said signal selector from one of said first and second positions to said neutral position in response to said timer output signal.