Vehicle Auxiliary Lighting System Side Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle lighting systems lack visibility from the side, posing a safety risk as they do not effectively indicate the vehicle's status to pedestrians and other drivers approaching from the side, leading to potential accidents.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle auxiliary lighting system (VALS) with side light enclosures attached to the front and rear brakes, visible through wheel spokes, which illuminate in synchrony with existing vehicle lights to provide additional safety indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional front and rear lights are used, then the vehicle lighting system provides adequate safety when viewed from the front or rear, but the lights are difficult to see when viewing the vehicle from either side
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces side lights mounted on the vehicle's sides (attached to wheel wells or side panels) to provide illumination in the lateral dimension. This complements the existing front and rear lighting systems, creating a three-dimensional lighting distribution that ensures visibility from all directions - front, rear, and sides - thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining front/rear safety and improving side visibility
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is segmented into multiple independent light sources positioned at different locations on the vehicle (front lights, rear lights, and side lights). Each segment serves a specific directional purpose, allowing the system to provide adequate illumination for front and rear views while simultaneously adding visible indicators for side views without compromising the original front/rear lighting functionality
2Illumination intensity
If side lights are added to improve visibility from the sides, then pedestrians and drivers can see vehicle actions from the side, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side lights are designed to be controlled by the existing vehicle lighting control system, allowing them to perform multiple functions: they can illuminate alongside front and rear lights during normal operation, flash during turn signals, and activate during hazard conditions. This multi-functionality is achieved through integration with the existing control circuitry, minimizing the increase in device complexity while maximizing the benefit of improved side visibility
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
Enhances safety by providing visible side indicators that alert pedestrians and other motorists to a vehicle's actions, such as braking or changing direction, thereby reducing the risk of accidents.
Implementation Method 1
The LEDs are mounted in substantial coincidence with the shape of the lamp reflector, to provide an area of light source concentration larger than the projected area of the lamp
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle auxiliary lighting system (VALS 10) having attached to the side of a vehicle a set of side lights that automatically illuminate in synchrony with a corresponding set of vehicle lights are activated by a vehicle driver. The side lights are attached to four moisture-resistant enclosures namely: a left front light enclosure (12), a right front light enclosure (28), a left rear light enclosure (38) and a right rear light enclosure (54). The enclosures, which are attached to a structure adjacent a set of disk brakes and a set of drum brakes, are viewed through openings on a set of spoked vehicle wheels. The side lights, which correspond to the vehicle's front facing lights, produce an amber light; the side lights that correspond to the vehicle's rear facing lights produce a red light; and the side light that corresponds to a vehicle's reverse light produces a white light. By utilizing the VALS (10) the margin of safety for both pedestrians and other motorists is increased.