Headlight Glare Blocking Apparatus and Method

Inventor:

Mr. Robert Fleming 3300 South 2220 East #35 Salt Lake City, Utah 84109

Assignee:

None

Entity: Small

Attorney for Applicant(s):

Marcus G. Theodore, Esq. Marcus G. Theodore, P. C. 466 South 500 East

Salt Lake City, Utah Tel: (801) 359-8622 Fax: (801) 359-8995

Attorney Docket Number:

Headlight Glare Blocking Apparatus and Method

Background of the Invention

Field. This invention pertains to methods and apparatuses related to blocking headlight glare from on approaching vehicles at night. In particular it pertains to a light interference system and method for generating and projecting a diffused red light onto a vehicle windshield to interfere with and reduce the intensity of the headlight glare. State of the Art. Various devices to reduce headlight glare from oncoming vehicles at night on known. Ward, United States Patent Pub. No. 2002/0171256 dated November 21, 2002 discloses a dash mounted glare filter. Lansinger, U.S. Patent No. 5,316,359 issued May 31, 1994 discloses an instrument panel for a motor vehicle, which has a shelf formed with a multiplicity of parallel grooves and ridges to minimize reflected images and glare from the windshield. Smith, U.S. Patent No. 5,335,099 issued August 2, 1994 discloses a zero-degree mirror reflection hologram embedded into a vehicle windshield to reduce veiling glare. Trumbull, U.S. Patent No. 4,105, 246 issued August 8, 1978 discloses an attachment for the dashboard of a motor vehicle including a rectangular panel pivotally movable between positions to help reduce oncoming glare from a vehicle's headlights at night. Bickford, U.S. Patent No. 5,002,327 issued March 26, 1991 discloses another dashboard mounted glare shield to be positioned within the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. McNelis, U.S. Des. 468, 245 issued January 7, 2003 discloses a design for a glare shield.

The invention described below outlines a device and method to reduce the glare from oncoming vehicles and other sources without the need for cumbersome glare shields and elaborate holographic mirrors and lenses.

Summary of the Invention

The invention comprises to a headlight glare reducer method and apparatus mounted on the dashboard of a vehicle for generating a counter red, green, or blue light diffused beam onto the windshield to counteract the oncoming glare from headlights. Light waves have wavelengths between about 400 and 700 nanometers (4,000 and 7,000 A). Our eyes perceive different wavelengths of light as the rainbow hues of colors. Red light has relatively long waves, around 700 run (10 ^'9 meters) long and is the preferred counter light. Blue and purple light have short waves, around 400 nm. Shorter waves vibrate at higher frequencies and have higher energies. Red light has a frequency around 430 terahertz, while blue light has a frequency closer to 750 terahertz. Red photons carry about 1.8 electron volts (eV) of energy, while each blue photon transmits about 3.1 eV. The counter red, green, or blue light interacts with the oncoming glare of headlights, streetlights, and shopping center lights to reduce their intensity and brightness when viewed by the driver. The intensity of the counter red light source in one preferred embodiment is therefore preferably selected and/or adjusted to reduce the glare of oncoming lights to suit the preference of a driver via selective controls.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a counter red, green, or blue light source, such as an LED light bar, mounted on the dashboard which is structured to direct the counter red, green, or blue light onto the segment of the interior of the windshield through which a driver views oncoming traffic. This device may include a convex reflective mirror mounted behind the light source to focus and direct the entire light generated onto the windshield. This counter red, green, or blue light source may be manually or automatically activated by the headlight glare of an approaching vehicle. The counter red, green, or blue light source is then generated onto the convex reflective mirror and diffused back against the oncoming headlight glare to interact with and partially cancel the headlight glare to reduce its visual impact on the driver.

In another embodiment, the counter red, green, or blue light may be diffused through a convex lens against the oncoming headlight glare. This embodiment preferably would also include a reflective shield behind the counter red, green, or blue light source to reduce red light from entering the cabin of the vehicle.

The invention is preferably permanently mounted on the dashboard of a vehicle in front of the driver and activated at night. It thus maintains clear visibility during the day. The counter red, green, or blue light intensity may be automatically generated and increased dependent upon the strength of the high beams to be countered via a photovoltaic detector circuit and rheostat.

The counter red, green, or blue light source is preferably powered by the vehicle electrical system, typically at 12 volts, but other independent power sources may be employed if required to generate more intense red, green, or blue light.

The type of reflector may be a simple convex mirror, or a Fresnel lens, or a concave lens and is selected and positioned such that the counter red, green, or blue light generated is diffused against the driver's side of the windshield of a vehicle at night to reduce and block the glare of oncoming headlights. It thus shines upon the inside of the windshield to offset and reduce the headlight glare. This minimizes driver eyestrain by minimizing blinding from oncoming headlights. As the driver's vision is not as impaired by headlight glare, the driver is better able to spot obstructions on the roadway, and can better react to avoid serious accidents. The device also reduces driver stress and strain from night time driving.

In summary, the invention provides an apparatus and method of generating a diffused counter red, green, or blue light at night, and directing it against the windshield of a vehicle to offset and reduce the glare of headlights from an oncoming vehicle. The invention thus provides a safety device and method to enhance the night vision of the driver via the employment of a diffused red light beam to offset and block the glare of headlights. Although counter red, green, or blue lights are specifically mentioned, other counter lights of differing frequencies, and polarization phases may be used, which also offset and reduce the glare of headlights from an oncoming vehicle, which shall be collectively referred to hereafter as "counter lights".

Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 2 mounted on a dashboard.

Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of a driver using the embodiment of Fig. 2.

Description of the Illustrated Embodiments

Fig. 1 is a preferred embodiment of the counter red light bar invention 10. It comprises: a base 12 with mounting structure 14 for mounting to a dash board. The mounting structure 14 shown comprises a pair of suction cups to removable secure to the dash board. The top of the base 12 has a longitudinal red lens 18 structured to direct red light onto the interior of a windshield when mounted on the dash. Mounted within the base 12 is a light tube 16 surrounded by a reflecting mirror 20 to focus the light through the red lens 18. The reflecting mirror 18 is a convex reflective mirror to capture and focus all of the light emitted by the light tube 16. The counter red light bar 10 is associated with the vehicles power circuit and is activated by a photo sensor switch (not shown). When activated, the red light bar 10 generates a red light which is dififiisedly directed against the windshield of the vehicle to counter the headlight glare of an oncoming vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the invention, where the counter light source comprises a series of LED lights generating a frequency (not shown), which is diffusedly directed by a transparent longitudinal lens 18 against the windshield of the vehicle to counter the headlight glare of an oncoming vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment of Fig. 2 showing the suction cups 14. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 2 mounted on the dash board with the red light activated. Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of a driver using the embodiment of Fig. 2 to minimize the glare from oncoming headlights.

The apparatus thus provides a method of generating a diffused counter light at night, and directing it against the windshield of a vehicle to offset and reduce the oncoming glare of headlights and other bright lights.

The above description and specification should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. The claims themselves recite those features deemed essential to the invention.