TWI897273B - Bicycle headlight system - Google Patents

Abstract

A bicycle headlamp system includes a headlamp and two fill lights. The headlamp maintains illumination when the bicycle headlamp system is activated. The two fill lights are independently controlled, with the headlamp serving as a reference axis and projecting light toward either side of the reference axis. Each of the two fill lights is activated based on a turn signal trigger signal received by the bicycle headlamp system via a wired or wireless method. The bicycle headlamp system further includes an oncoming vehicle sensor that forcibly deactivates the two fill lights upon detecting an oncoming vehicle.

Description

Bicycle headlight system

The present invention relates to a bicycle headlight system, and more particularly to a bicycle headlight system that uses a turn signal trigger to drive a fill light.

According to research, existing bicycle fill-in lighting mechanisms can be primarily categorized into two types. The first, such as those described in TW I774279B, TW M626668U, and DE 102019123312B, drives the lights to rotate as the vehicle turns. This type of fill-in lighting mechanism doesn't include a separate fill light on the fixture. Instead, it uses a gyroscope to determine the vehicle's tilt and then rotates the main lights in that direction.

Another approach involves adding additional fill lights to the headlights, as described in CN 116552369A, TW 201600374A, TW 201734362A, and TW I564203B. This type of system also uses a gyroscope to determine whether the bicycle headlights are being used for fill light. The additional fill lights are activated based on the gyroscope's determination of the vehicle's tilt, providing fill light in that direction.

As can be seen from the above, current bicycle fill-light mechanisms use a gyroscope as the primary determinant of fill-light activation. However, in actual cycling, the tilt of the bicycle body may be caused by turning, or it may be caused by the rider's pedaling, which causes the bicycle body to sway and tilt. In this case, the gyroscope will determine that the bicycle body is tilted and incorrectly activate the fill-light function.

The main purpose of the present invention is to solve the problems arising from the conventional use of a gyroscope as a judgment mechanism for the fill light of a bicycle headlight.

To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a bicycle headlamp system comprising a headlamp and two fill lights. The headlamp maintains its illumination when the bicycle headlamp system is activated. The two fill lights are independently controlled, with the headlamp serving as a reference axis. The two fill lights project light toward either side of the reference axis. Each of the two fill lights is activated based on a trigger signal from a turn signal.

In one embodiment, the turn signal triggering signal source is a turn signal controller or an intelligent electronic terminal device.

In one embodiment, the bicycle headlight system obtains the turn signal trigger signal in a wired or wireless manner.

In one embodiment, the bicycle headlight system has an oncoming vehicle sensor, which forces the two fill lights to be deactivated when sensing an oncoming vehicle.

In one embodiment, the bicycle headlamp system has a control module, which is used to control the headlamp and the two fill lights.

In one embodiment, the bicycle headlamp system has a lamp housing, and the headlamp and the two fill-in lamps are disposed in the lamp housing.

As disclosed above, compared to conventional bicycle technology, the present invention has the following features: The two fill lights of the present invention are no longer based on the tilt direction of the bicycle as a fill light determination mechanism, but are activated based on the trigger signal of the turn signal, thereby improving the shortcomings of the fill light mechanism of conventional bicycles.

The detailed description and technical content of this invention are as follows with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 , the present invention provides a bicycle headlight system 20 , which is mounted on a bicycle 30 . The bicycle headlight system 20 includes a headlight 21 and two fill lights 22 . The headlight 21 continuously projects light when the bicycle headlight system 20 is activated to illuminate the road ahead of the bicycle 30 . The two fill lights 22 provide fill lighting in the bicycle headlamp system 20. The two fill lights 22 are controlled separately. The two fill lights 22 use the headlamp 21 as a reference axis 211 and, when activated, project light toward both sides of the reference axis 211. It should be noted that the illumination range of the two fill lights 22 does not completely overlap with the illumination range of the headlamp 21, thereby filling the blind spot of the headlamp 21 when illuminating. Furthermore, each of the two fill lights 22 is activated based on a turn signal trigger signal 31. Specifically, the turn signal trigger signal 31 is used to drive a turn signal 32 on the bicycle 30 to generate a turn direction prompt. The two fill lights 22 each emit light in response to the turn signal 32 generating a turn direction prompt. For example, when the headlight 21 is activated, the fill light 22 located on the left side of the headlight 21 is activated once the turn signal trigger signal 31 triggers the turn signal 32 to turn left. As shown in FIG. 4 , On the contrary, when the turn signal 31 triggers the right turn prompt of the turn signal 32, the two filler lights 22 located on the right side of the headlight 21 are activated to fill the right side of the headlight 21, as shown in FIG5.

As can be seen from the foregoing, the two fill lights 22 of the present invention do not use a gyroscope as a fill light determination method, but are instead implemented using the turn signal trigger signal 31. This improves the situation in which the fill light function is mistakenly activated due to a tilt of the vehicle body that is not caused by turning during the previous riding process.

Continuing with the above, in one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 and 2 , the bicycle headlight system 20 obtains the turn signal trigger signal 31 via a wired or wireless method. More specifically, the turn signal trigger signal 31 originates from a turn signal controller 33 or an intelligent electronic terminal device (not shown). The turn signal controller 33 or the intelligent electronic terminal device is used to control the turn signal 32. Specifically, when the turn signal controller 33 or the intelligent electronic terminal device is operated, it sends the turn signal trigger signal 31 to the turn signal 32, thereby driving the turn signal 32 to generate a turn direction prompt. The two fill lights 22 are then activated based on the turn signal trigger signal 31. In this embodiment, the turn signal controller 33 can be a controller that integrates the control function of the turn signal 32, such as a bicycle computer, or a controller that independently has the control function of the turn signal 32. The smart electronic terminal device can be a smart phone, etc. In one embodiment, the controller can be configured to simultaneously trigger the two fill lights 22, so that the two fill lights 22 are activated simultaneously to serve as a warning flash or prompt flash. The aforementioned mechanism for simultaneously triggering the two fill lights 22 is not limited to capturing the turn signal trigger signal 31. In one embodiment, a forced activation signal can be sent to the two fill lights 22 to force the two fill lights 22 to be activated simultaneously. The forced activation signal can be generated by triggering an independent button on the controller.

Referring again to Figures 1 to 3 , the bicycle headlamp system 20 of the present invention can utilize the two fill-in lamps 22 as detectors of the turn signal trigger signal 31, meaning the two fill-in lamps 22 themselves possess control functions. Alternatively, the bicycle headlamp system 20 can include a control module 23 , independent of the two fill-in lamps 22 and electrically connected to the two fill-in lamps 22 and the headlamp 21 . The control module 23 controls the light projection of the headlamp 21 and detects the turn signal trigger signal 31 to control the two fill-in lamps 22 . In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , the bicycle headlamp system 20 of the present invention includes a lamp housing 24 . The headlamp 21 and the two fill lights 22 are disposed within the lamp housing 24 . In one embodiment, the control module 23 is also integrated into the same lamp housing 24 . It should be noted that the structure of the bicycle headlamp system 20 of FIG. 3 is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention.

On the other hand, referring again to FIG. 6 , to prevent the fill light function from interfering with the movement of an oncoming vehicle 40, in one embodiment, the bicycle headlight system 20 includes an oncoming vehicle sensor 25. The oncoming vehicle sensor 25 must be positioned to meet the basic conditions for sensing the oncoming vehicle 40. Upon sensing an oncoming vehicle, the oncoming vehicle sensor 25 forcibly deactivates the two fill lights 22. The oncoming vehicle sensor 25 can be a radar, an infrared sensor, or a photodetector. If the oncoming vehicle sensor 25 is a photodetector, the timing for deactivating the two fill lights 22 is when the current generated by the photodetector when receiving light exceeds a threshold.

20: Bicycle headlight system 21: Headlight 211: Base axle 22: Fill light 23: Control module 24: Lamp housing 25: Oncoming vehicle sensor 30: Bicycle 31: Turn signal trigger 32: Turn signal 33: Turn signal controller 40: Oncoming vehicle

Figure 1, a schematic diagram of a unit of an embodiment of the present invention (I). Figure 2, a schematic diagram of a unit of an embodiment of the present invention (II). Figure 3, a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4, a schematic diagram of an implementation of an embodiment of the present invention (I). Figure 5, a schematic diagram of an implementation of an embodiment of the present invention (II). Figure 6, a schematic diagram of an implementation of an embodiment of the present invention (III).

20: Bicycle headlight system

21: Headlights

22: Fill light

23: Control Module

31: Turn signal

33: Turn signal controller

Claims (5)

A bicycle headlamp system comprises: a headlamp that maintains illumination when the bicycle headlamp system is activated; and two fill lights, each controlled separately. The two fill lights use the headlamp as a reference axis and project light toward either side of the reference axis. Each of the two fill lights is activated based on a turn signal trigger signal received by the bicycle headlamp system via a wired or wireless method. The activation of the two fill lights is not limited to the capture of the turn signal trigger signal. The two fill lights can be controlled by the same controller and, when triggered simultaneously by the controller, flash, thereby providing a warning or prompt. The bicycle headlight system further includes an oncoming vehicle sensor, which is a light sensor. When the oncoming vehicle sensor senses an oncoming vehicle, the two fill lights are forced to be deactivated. The timing when the oncoming vehicle sensor controls the two fill lights to be deactivated is when a current generated by the light sensor when receiving light is greater than a threshold. The bicycle headlight system as described in claim 1, wherein the turn signal triggering signal source is a turn signal controller or an intelligent electronic terminal device. A bicycle headlamp system as described in claim 1, wherein the bicycle headlamp system has a control module, and the control module is used to control the headlamp and the two fill lights. A bicycle headlamp system as described in claim 3, wherein the bicycle headlamp system has a lamp housing, and the headlamp and the two fill lights are disposed in the lamp housing. A bicycle headlamp system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the bicycle headlamp system has a lamp housing, and the headlamp and the two fill lights are arranged in the lamp housing.