Telescopic Bicycle Beacon for High-Visibility Warning Light
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cyclists are often difficult to spot by road users, particularly lorry drivers, due to their small size and low visibility, especially when turning into or out of junctions, leading to increased collision risks.
Innovation Solution
A beacon with a telescopically extendable light emitter that can be mounted to a bicycle, featuring translucent or fluorescent orange/yellow sections to increase visibility, which can be extended to emit light above the bicycle and collapse for storage, addressing the visibility issues by providing a clear warning light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a fixed-length light emitter is used on a bicycle, then visibility is improved, but storage and portability are worsened due to the need for a long emitter to be seen above lorries
Solution Approach 1:
The light emitter is designed with telescopic sections that can extend and retract, transforming from a static fixed-length structure to a dynamic adjustable-length structure. This allows the emitter to be extended to a long length (e.g., 1 meter) when needed for visibility above lorries, and retracted to a short length for easy storage and portability when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic light emitter employs a nested structure where multiple tubular sections are inserted within each other. The inner sections can slide within outer sections, allowing the emitter to collapse into a compact form for storage while maintaining the capability to extend to a long length for optimal visibility when required.
2Illumination intensity
If a long light emitter is used to increase visibility above lorries, then visibility is improved, but ease of storage and portability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic mechanism enables the light emitter to dynamically change its length between extended and retracted states. When extended, it reaches the necessary length to position the light source above lorry height for maximum visibility. When retracted, it collapses to a compact size that is easy to store on or with the bicycle, resolving the contradiction between visibility requirement and storage ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The light emitter is divided into multiple telescopic sections or segments that can independently slide relative to each other. This segmentation allows the emitter to be collapsed into a compact form for storage while maintaining the capability to extend to a long length for optimal visibility when required.
3Illumination intensity
If transparent or translucent sections are used in the light emitter, then visibility and light transmission are improved, but structural strength is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic light emitter employs composite construction where transparent or translucent sections (such as plastic or acrylic tubes) are combined with metallic reinforcement elements. The translucent sections allow light transmission for visibility, while embedded metal ribs, hoops, or reinforcing structures provide the necessary mechanical strength to withstand handling, installation, and environmental conditions, resolving the contradiction between light transmission and structural strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The beacon significantly enhances the visibility of cyclists to road users, particularly lorry drivers, by emitting a clear warning light above the bicycle, reducing collision risks through improved visibility and ease of storage.
Implementation Method 1
a light source positioned to transmit light from said first end into said light emitter
Implementation Method 2
In one version of the invention the telescoping sections can be a fluorescent orange or yellow colour, to make them stand out even more
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A beacon comprising a base and a telescopically extendable light emitter mounted to a first end thereof, in which said light emitter comprises a plurality of telescoping sections, at least one of which is transparent or translucent, in which said base comprises a light source positioned to transmit light from said first end into said light emitter, and in which said beacon comprises a mounting for affixing said beacon to an article to be detected with said base arranged with its first end uppermost.