초록 ▼

The device of the invention comprises an attachment to a conventional traffic light and is connected to its side wall for visually indicating the duration of the time remaining till switching of the current green, yellow, or red light in proportion to the dimension of the illuminated portion of the

The device of the invention comprises an attachment to a conventional traffic light and is connected to its side wall for visually indicating the duration of the time remaining till switching of the current green, yellow, or red light in proportion to the dimension of the illuminated portion of the indicator. In accordance with one embodiment, the device is made in the form of a housing with a rotating drum which is divided into three sections by nontransparent partitions, each containing an individual lamp. The cylindrical surface which defines the periphery of each section of the drum has a transparent portion in the form of a wedge. When the drum rotates, the lit sector is shown in the window of the device so that during rotation of the drum, the dimensions of the lit portion of the drum shown through the window decrease proportionally to the remaining part of the current traffic light signal. Other embodiments have visual displays in the form of a plurality of gas-discharge lamps arranged side by side and switched on and off in a predetermine sequence, in the form of serpentine lamps of triangular configuration, in the form of vertical rectangular stripes of variable width, etc.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An attachment to a traffic light apparatus for visual indication of current traffic light signal duration comprising:a stationary housing which contains display means for reproducing a visual image with the surface area being reduced substantially in proportion with the t

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An attachment to a traffic light apparatus for visual indication of current traffic light signal duration comprising:a stationary housing which contains display means for reproducing a visual image with the surface area being reduced substantially in proportion with the time remaining till switching of said current traffic light signal to another traffic light signal;wherein said housing has a window seen simultaneously with said current traffic light signal, and wherein said display means comprises:a drum having a hub portion, a cylindrical peripheral surface, and radial nontransparent partitions which divide the interior of said drum at least into two angular sectors;means for rotatingly supporting said drum in said stationary housing;illumination means attached to a stationary part of said stationary housing so that said illumination means remains stationary as said drum rotates;said angular sectors having peripheral surfaces formed by portions of said cylindrical peripheral surface, said peripheral surfaces of said angular sectors having transparent portions of different colors corresponding to the colors of said traffic light signals, said visual image being formed by said transparent portions and is illuminated by said illumination means; andmeans for rotating said drum so that said visual image is seen through said window with the surface area gradually decreasing substantially in proportion with the time remaining till switching of said current traffic light signal to the next traffic light signal, so that at the moment of switching of said current traffic light signal said surface area of said visual image becomes equal to zero while the visual image of a color corresponding to the next traffic signal appears in said window in its full size.