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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
HAND-MOUNTED MIRROR AND INDICATOR
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2016/128703
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The invention is a safety device for cyclists. It consists of a combined mirror (1) and LED indicator (5) which can be worn on the back of the hand with a strap (3), the LED indicator is activated by a reed switch (7) in conjunction with a separately mounted magnet, the device needs to be in the proximity of the magnet in order to switch the indicator on and the same procedure to switch it off.

Inventors:
TOLLEY PAUL S (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2016/000026
Publication Date:
August 18, 2016
Filing Date:
February 08, 2016
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
TOLLEY PAUL S (GB)
International Classes:
A41D19/00; A45D42/06
Foreign References:
KR20130048875A2013-05-13
US20090034102A12009-02-05
US20110235310A12011-09-29
US20110258753A12011-10-27
GB2509141A2014-06-25
US20110078842A12011-04-07
Other References:
None
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A safety mirror and indicator which can be worn on the back of the hand and adjusted by the user to ensure clear vision to the rear in order to safely maneuver and ensure that other people are aware of the intention by the wearer to make such a maneuver safely.

2. A mirror and indicator without the normal restrictions of a fixed mirror which are prone to blind spots, the indicator can be viewed from both behind and oncoming traffic.

3. The mirror can be moved to any angle by simply moving the hand which gives the user far more flexibility than a fixed mirror and a larger area of vision.

4.

The mirror is mounted on a base which incorporates a reed switch and controller chip, the mirror is activated by waving it in front of an externally mounted magnet (on handlebar, helmet or clothing) to turn the indicator on and repeat the procedure to turn it off, this gives ease of use to the user with no adjustments necessary and reduces the chance of mechanical failure as it is a contactless system in a sealed unit. This particular aspect is not restricted to a reed switch and magnet as other methods can be used based on the proximity principle of the design and functionality.

Description:
HAND-MOUNTED MIRROR AND INDICATOR

Description

This invention relates to a device for safely viewing objects to the rear of the individual and indicating a maneuver if necessary to ensure safety for the user and a signal of intention/warning to other individuals notifying them of the intentions of the user,

When a cyclist is travelling on a road they must turn their head to see if any traffic is coming up behind them and signal with their arm their intention to turn which can make the bike unstable especially in the case of children and older people who may have problems with their back or neck and are not as agile on the approach to a junction or when they wish to make a right hand turn this can often be dangerous as the cyclist takes their eyes off the road ahead and can often be startled if at the point of turning their head a car is very close or overtaking it is also very difficult to gauge when to make a maneuver when a stream of traffic is behind you and even then it is difficult to keep turning round and judge the best time to make your maneuver. The ability to plan ahead and indicate clearly is a lot less stressful and an awful lot safer for everyone on the road.

The use of a conventional mirror can lead to a number of difficulties not least that the cyclist travels nearest to the kerb where pot holes and grids are more prevalent which in turn subjects a mirror mounted on the handlebar to vibration and distortion (this does not exist to the same degree on the back of the hand). All fixed mirrors have a blind spot, our device eliminates all blind spots associated with a fixed mirror and on top of this has the added bonus of an indication facility.

Fixed mirrors can also be awkward when it comes to storing and transporting the bike on conventional car bike racks. To overcome these problems, the present invention proposes a combined mirror and indicator that a user wears on the back of their hand, it can be worn with or without gloves as it is attached by a strap with a simple adjustment band which does not impede on the palm of the hand (as this grips the handlebar).

The simplicity of this invention is that when the mirror is worn there are no buttons or moving parts, the unique features are:

• There is no on/off switch, the LED's are turned on and off by a reed switch or similar proximity detector embedded within the device. When the device is within in the proximity of the supplied magnet or recognised on/off receptor then the indication aspect of the invention is turned on/off, this is a contactless procedure.

• The device assembly contains a reed switch and electronic controller chip (this combination is not restricted to these specific components as other electronic components can be used to obtain the same result) combination which work together in order to enable the 'indicator' functionality.

• The indicator is turned on by passing the device in front of a magnet or receptor and off by passing back across the magnet or receptor thus making the operation contactless with no moving parts to wear out.

A bicycle unlike all other vehicles on the road is not fitted with mirrors as standard and is the most vulnerable! Figure (4) shows how the invention would be worn in everyday use. Figure (5) shows the actual view as seen by the cyclist.

In figure 1, the illustration shows how the mirror locks on the back of the hand.

In figure 2, the mirror and combined indicator can be seen together with the strap from below.

In figure 3, this exploded view is from a different angle.

In figure 4, the device can be seen attached to the back of the hand giving an idea of the dimension.

In figure 5, you are able to see the practicality of the invention giving an unheeded view to the rear thus helping the cyclist to judge when they can safely maneuver.