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Vehicle safety systemVehicle safety system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070146125, Vehicle safety system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
Cross Reference to Related Applications [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/252,942, filed Sep. 23, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to vehicle safety systems and, more particularly, to safety systems for automobiles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Automobiles have a brake light system typically equipped with a pair of rear brake lights and a third brake light. These lights are activated (i.e., turned on) in response to the depression of an associated brake pedal by a driver. While these lights are adapted to signal the activation of the brake system to other drivers, they do not indicate the extent to which the brake pedal is depressed. In such circumstances, there is a need for a brake light system adapted to indicate the extent to which an associated brake system is actuated or engaged. [0004] Automobiles also have turn signal systems typically equipped with a pair of front turn signal lights, and a pair of rear turn signal lights. These lights are typically activated (i.e., turned on) in response to the actuation of a lever-type switch by a driver. While these lights are adapted to indicate to other drivers and onlookers that the driver intends to commence a turn, they are not always advantageously positioned such that all other nearby drivers and onlookers are provided with adequate advance knowledge of the turn. Accordingly, there is a need for a turn signal system capable of indicating impending vehicle turns to those drivers and other onlookers with respect to which conventional front and rear turn signal lights are not advantageously positioned. [0005] Still other potentially hazardous roadway traffic situations give rise to the need for additional vehicle safety systems. For example, although many vehicles include indicators which signal to the driver of a vehicle the fact that one or more of the doors of the vehicle have become ajar, the drivers of other vehicles are not typically notified. Especially at night, or at twilight, other drivers may not be readily able to perceive, for example, that a front or rear door of a stopped car they are passing (e.g., a car stopped on a narrow highway "shoulder") is opened towards traffic. As such, there is a need for a door-ajar indication system for providing drivers of other vehicles with this important information. [0006] For another example, when approaching, entering, and/or attempting to cross a busy, narrow, and/or congested roadway, a driver of a vehicle may find, to his or her frustration, that a direct view of part of that roadway, or even of most of that roadway, is blocked by one or more obstructions (e.g., parked cars or trucks, hedges, signs, etc.), or for some reason the driver's view of approaching vehicles is inadequate. In such situations, the driver may not learn of the presence of an approaching vehicle until it is too late to avoid a traffic mishap. Accordingly, vehicle safety systems are needed which are capable of providing a driver with one or more suitable alternative vantage points (e.g., an indirect vantage point) and/or methods of observing and/or perceiving approaching vehicles not readily or directly viewable by the driver. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a new and improved brake light system for a vehicle. More particularly, the brake light system includes an indicating member movable between a first position and a second position, which is different from the first position. The indicating member is movable from its first position to its second position in response to the actuation of a brake system of the vehicle. In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the indicating member is movable pneumatically from its first position to its second position. The indicating member is movably mounted in an opening of a base member. The opening is sized and shaped so as to be pressurized in response to the actuation of the brake system such that the indicating member is movable to any one of an infinite number of positions between its first position and its second position in response to the pressurization of the opening so as to indicate the extent of engagement of the brake system. The indicating member is positioned in the opening when it is in its first position and extends outwardly from the base member when it is in its second position. The brake light system also includes a pressurized gas source for supplying pressurized gas to the opening of the base member. [0008] The present invention overcomes other disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a new and improved turn indication system for a vehicle. More particularly, the turn indication system includes an indicating member movable between a first position and a second position, which is different from the first position. The indicating member is movable from its first position toward its second position in response to the actuation of a turn signal switch in order to indicate a change to a direction of movement of the vehicle. [0009] The present invention overcomes further disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a new and improved door-ajar indication system for a vehicle. More particularly, the door-ajar indication system includes an indicating member movable between a first position and a second position, which is different from the first position. The indicating member is movable from its first position toward its second position in response to the actuation of a switch so as to indicate an ajar condition of a vehicle door. [0010] The present invention overcomes still further disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a new and improved traffic observation system for a vehicle. More particularly, the traffic observation system includes a wave receiving member configured for mounting to a vehicle such that the wave receiving member is oriented along a line of sight from an object approaching the vehicle from a lateral direction generally perpendicular to a path of motion of the vehicle. In accordance with the inventive traffic observation system, the vehicle's driver is permitted to perceive the object via a wave received by the wave receiving member from the approaching object along the line of sight. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0012] FIG. 1 is a simplified view of an automobile equipped with a brake light system constructed in accordance with the present invention; [0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a brake light system shown in FIG. 1, a brake pedal of the automobile being in a non-depressed state; [0014] FIG. 3 is a view identical to FIG. 2, except that the brake pedal is in a partially depressed state; [0015] FIG. 4 is a view identical to FIG. 2, except that the brake pedal is in a fully depressed state; [0016] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a telescoping signal unit of the brake light system shown in FIG. 2; [0017] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line VI-VI and looking in the direction of the arrows, of the telescoping signal unit of the brake light system shown in FIG. 5; [0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the telescoping signal unit of the brake light system shown in FIG. 4; [0019] FIG. 8 is a is a simplified view of an automobile equipped with a traffic observation system constructed in accordance with the present invention; Continue reading about Vehicle safety system... Full patent description for Vehicle safety system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Vehicle safety system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Vehicle safety system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Radio tag-mounting member for use in tire, pneumatic tire, and assembly composed of pneumatic tire and rim Next Patent Application: Lighting control with occupancy detection Industry Class: Communications: electrical ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Vehicle safety system patent info. 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