US 5,008,782 discloses bicycle handlebars with a number of lamps integrated in the handlebars, where the lamps are connected in parallel and powered from an external power supply through cables passed through the material of the handlebars. The han- dlebars may be made of transparent material which the lamp light can penetrate. In order to obtain sufficient strength, the handlebars may include mechanical reinforce- ment.

This invention is unsuitable in that an external power supply is to be used. This power supply will be exposed to both vandalism and theft if the power supply is left on a bicycle when it is parked. If incandescent lamps are used, the energy consumption becomes very great, and frequent battery shifts will be necessary.

US 4,319,307 discloses handlebars with integrated light, where external handlebars contains an internal light source in the shape of a fluorescent tube. The external han- dlebars are designed with apertures through which light can penetrate for shining for- wards and simultaneously illuminating the cyclist. Supply of power is provided with cables connected to an external source.

The use of fluorescent tubes is disadvantageous in that the tubes demand AC current at a relatively high voltage in order to be lit. Therefore, a converter is to be used between batteries and fluorescent tube. No converter can operate without loss, why the total energy consumption is very great, and only a small part of the light produced is util- ised. Also, a fluorescent tube will be very easily damaged if the bicycle e. g. overturns while parked. The longitudinal slots of the handlebars may reduce the mechanical strength of the handlebars, so that risk of material breakage during operation is pres- ent.

It is the object of the invention to provide a steering member, which contains an effi- cient and reliable light source for an open vehicle, where theft, vandalism and weather do not have any influence on the function of the light source.

The object may be reached by the light source being formed by at least one forwardly shining light-emitting diode, where the light-emitting diode is disposed in an aperture in the steering member, where the steering member may contain at least one power source for supplying the light-emitting diode, and where the steering member also contains means for switching at least one light-emitting diode on and off.

Hereby may be achieved that the light source with associated supply circuit may be disposed inside the steering member, where the individual elements are protected against most external influences, including penetration of water. For the user of the vehicle, the light source will always be carried and functioning. Therefore, the built-in light source will be used to a far greater extent than prior art light sources, and thereby increase the traffic safety for the user.

The steering member may advantageously contain at least one group of light-emitting diodes, where each group may consist of at least one light-emitting diode. Hereby, a higher light intensity can be attained, and the different light-emitting diodes can radi- ate light in different directions and thereby ensure that an open vehicle can be visible from a wide angle.

Advantageously, different light-emitting diodes can have different spreading of light, where a first type of light-emitting diodes spreads light in a wide angle, whereas a sec- ond type of light-emitting diodes concentrate emitted light in a more narrow angle.

Hereby, a concentrated illumination can be achieved directly in the direction of driv- ing, whereas the vehicle becomes visible from a wide angel due to light-emitting di- odes with large spreading angle.

The light-emitting diodes can advantageously radiate light pulsatingly with an invisi- ble flash frequency. Hereby, the power consumption of the light-emitting diodes can

be reduced without substantial reduction of light intensity. Service life of batteries may thereby be increased considerably.

If light-emitting diodes flash with a visible flash frequency, it may be achieved that the light-emitting diodes become visible over greater distances, and maybe from a wider angle of view. At the same time, the power consumption is reduced, and battery life is prolonged.

Light-emitting diodes may be mounted on printed circuit boards, where the printed circuit boards can include means of electric control of current and voltage for supply- ing light-emitting diodes. Printed circuit boards may hereby form a mechanical and electric fastening simultaneously with printed circuit boards containing a number of electric components needed for energy optimised adjustment of current and voltage for the light-emitting diodes.

The invention can be made with a power source consisting of high energy batteries.

Use of a completely new battery types may imply that battery lifetime becomes so high that change of batteries will not be necessary for many users throughout the entire life- time of the open vehicle.

As alternative, the power source can consist of environment friendly, rechargeable batteries, where the batteries can be recharged by being connected to an external power supply. An almost unlimited lifetime for the light source of the steering mem- ber may hereby be attained, and recharging will only be necessary few times a year.

The steering member may include a solar panel mounted at the upper side of the steer- ing member, where the solar panel is connected with the rechargeable batteries through an electric control circuit. Hereby may be achieved that batteries will be con- stantly charged if the vehicle, either during operation or during standstill, is provided the opportunity of irradiation by daylight. Optimal recharging will naturally be achieved in direct sun, where a total recharging may be achieved after few hours, but even inside a room with modest lighting, solar cells may contribute with sufficient power for daily operation of the light source for a shorter period of time. With a well

dimensioned rechargeable battery capacity, energy can be stored from summer to win- ter. The use of solar cells can be combined with recharging from external energy source, whereby the reliability becomes optimal.

As alternative, the rechargeable batteries of the steering member can be supplied from an electric generator which can be driven by the movement of the vehicle. Hereby, recharging is ensured every time the vehicle is used, and if the light source of the steering member is switched on, the energy supply may completely or partly come from the electric generator, whereby the requirement to the rechargeable batteries is reduced. Complete omission of batteries will be unfavourable, since in that case the light source would turn off as soon as the vehicle stands still.

The electric generator and its electric connections can be integrated in the vehicle.

External wires, which are often cause of functional failure, may hereby be completely avoided. On a bicycle, the generator may be built into the front wheel hub, and electric wires may run inside a front fork of a bicycle.

The steering member can include means for automatic switching on and off of the light source, where an electronic logic circuit, on condition of detected wheel move- ment and measurement of light intensity, switches on at least one light-emitting diode, and where the logic circuit, on the condition of missing wheel movement, after a time delay switches off at least one light-emitting diode. Hereby can be achieved that the light source will be lit every time there is need for light, and the light source will switch off automatically when the vehicle is parked.

If the vehicle is equipped with an electric generator, wheel movement can be detected by determining energy production from the electric generator.

In an alternative embodiment, the steering member includes a display for showing the operating data of the vehicle, where the display is supplied with energy from the en- ergy supply of the steering member, where the display is provided with data from the electronic unit of the printed circuit board, which, on the basis of electric signals from an energy producing unit emitting signal synchronously with the wheel movement of

the vehicle, calculates the speed data of the vehicle, which are shown on the display, where the display shifts between different data by actuating a switch. Hereby, existing components, such as wheel movement detector or generator, may be utilised for sup- plying a bicycle computer which may be powered from the existing energy source of the control means. Besides displaying known bicycle computer data, the display can be used for showing e. g. battery charge.

The steering member may contain at least two light-emitting diode groups, where in- dividual light-emitting diode groups are powered form their own energy supply, where light-emitting diodes and energy supply are mounted from the ends of the steering member. Hereby may be achieved optimal reliability as functional failure for both units at the same time is very improbable. Mounting from the ends may imply that changing the batteries can be effected by dismounting an end plug connected to the batteries.

The steering member may contain at least one end plug with connection to the batter- ies, where the end plugs contain at least one light-emitting diode that emits light in direction deviating at least 90° from the direction of driving of the vehicle. A position light directed towards the side, or directed rearwards where the diode colour can be red, may hereby be achieved. An active light source being visible from the side may increase traffic safety for e. g. cyclists.

The end plugs of the steering member may contain at least one forwardly shining light-emitting diode. The real width of a vehicle may thereby be visible for an oncom- ing vehicle. The traffic safety for cyclists will be increased hereby.

The steering member may be designed with asymmetric light where at least one of the light-emitting diodes of the steering member disposed close to a roadside illuminates relatively far ahead, whereas at least one light-emitting diode close to an opposite di- rection of driving illuminates a relatively shorter distance ahead of the vehicle. The total cone of light hereby becomes asymmetrical, and the roadside may be illuminated in the driving direction without blinding oncoming traffic.

Definitions : By an open vehicle is understood in particular bicycles with at least one wheel, where bicycles may be with or without auxiliary motor. Scooters, wheel chairs and walking aids are also included.

By steering member is understood handlebars on a bicycle, walking aid, moped or scooter.

By light-emitting diode is understood each single component, which include one or more individually radiating light-emitting diodes, which can be built together on a common base plate with a common cover. The term light-emitting diode thus also comprises a"light chip".

The invention will be explained below from drawings, where: Fig. 1 show a possible embodiment of a steering member, and Fig. 2 shows an exploded view through a part of a possible embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a steering member 1 with handles 2, where the handles contain end plugs 3. The steering member 1 contains a first light-emitting diode group 4 consisting of three light-emitting diodes which can be activated with switch means 6. In the steering member 1 there is also shown a second light-emitting diode group 5, which can be activated by a switch means 7. The steering member contains at least one power source 27,28 (Fig. 2) for supplying the light-emitting diodes.

With light diode groups 4,5 mounted in the steering member, a permanent light is achieved on an open vehicle, e. g. a bicycle. A light diode group 4,5 is switched on and off by activating one of the switch means 6,7. The two light diode groups 4,5 may be provided in the steering member with a small vertical angular deviation for achieving asymmetrical light on the area ahead. Also, the individual light-emitting diode in the light-emitting diode groups 4,5 may be designed with different spreading

angle, whereby individual light-emitting diodes become visible in a very wide angle ahead, whereas other light-emitting diodes concentrate light in a narrow angle and thereby become visible over relatively longer distance.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of a possible embodiment of the steering member, of which a detail of a sectioned steering member 10 is shown, where the steering member has apertures 11 for accommodating light-emitting diodes 32, where the steering member has a second aperture 12 for receiving a switch device 37,38. The steering member 10 is terminated with an end plug 13 which may contain a cylindrical section 14 interacting with the internal surface of the steering member 10. The cylindrical sec- tion 14 is designed with slots 17. The end plug 13 may also contain a screw 15 with an external head 16. By means of the screw 15, the end plug 13 is connected with a bat- tery holder 18 having a conical end 19, which interact with slots 17 formed in the cy- lindrical section 14. The battery holder also contains a hole 20 with an internal thread, which can interact with the bolt 15 of the end plug 13. The battery holder 18 has a first electric terminal 21 mounted in the battery magazine 23 of the battery holder. A sec- ond electric terminal is shaped as a helical spring 22, which is fastened to a cover 24 having a thread 26, which interacts with a thread 25 on the battery holder 18. The bat- tery holder 18 may contain batteries 27,28. Electric conductors 29,30 from the battery holder cover 24 form connections to a printed circuit board 31 on which light-emitting diodes 32 are fastened. The light diodes 32 are provided in a spacer 33, where the points of the light-emitting diodes interact with holes 11 in the steering member 10.

The printed circuit board 31 also contains an electronic unit 34 which performs regula- tion of current and voltage to the light-emitting diodes. The printed circuit board 31 also contains a contact surface 35 interacting with a switch 36, which interacts with a switch member 38 mounted in a guide 37. The switch member 38 is activated with a flexible cover 39.

As shown on Fig. 2, by the invention it is possible to completely integrate a light source 32 and its required accessories internally in a steering member 10. The battery holder 18 is fastened to the end plug 13 because the cone 19 of the battery holder in- teracts with the cylindrical section 14 of the end plug 13 which is assembled with the battery holder 18 by means of the bolt 15, distending the cylindrical section 14 so that

it is forced out against the inner surface of the steering member 10. The batteries are thereby held fixed in relation to the steering member. The cover 24 may be fastened to the inner surface of the steering member by either bonding or welding, where the bat- tery holder can be screwed tight with its thread 25 interacting with the thread 26 of the cover. The printed circuit board 31 may be secured together with the light-emitting diodes 32 by gluing, where the light-emitting diodes 32 are glued in the apertures 11.