Snow removal vehicles with colored EL lighting

Abstract

A safety sign and methods are shown with advantages such as being more visible in poor conditions such as snow, dust, fog, low light, etc. Safety signs as shown can be seen from farther away than conventional signs. Safety signs as shown eliminate problems associated with point source lighting.

1 . A snowplow, comprising: a cab; a trailer; a scraper; and EL lighting wherein the EL lighting is attached to the cab.  
     
     
         2 . The snowplow of  claim 1  wherein the EL lighting is attached to one or more doors on the cab.  
     
     
         3 . The snowplow of  claim 1  wherein the EL lighting is attached to a front portion of the cab.  
     
     
         4 . The snowplow of  claim 1  wherein the EL lighting is attached to an upper portion of the cab.  
     
     
         5 . The snowplow of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more mudflaps attached to one or more of the cab and trailer.  
     
     
         6 . The snowplow of  claim 5  wherein the EL lighting is on one or more mudflaps.  
     
     
         7 . The snowplow of  claim 1  wherein the EL lighting emits a blinking display.  
     
     
         8 . The snowplow of  claim 1  wherein the EL lighting includes indicia.  
     
     
         9 . The snowplow of  claim 8  wherein the indicia imparts a message conveying safety or caution.  
     
     
         10 . The snowplow of  claim 1  wherein the EL lighting includes more than one color.  
     
     
         11 . The snowplow of  claim 10  wherein the EL lighting color is orange or yellow.  
     
     
         12 . A method for improving driver safety in a snowplow, comprising: obtaining a snowplow that includes safety indicia illuminated by one or more EL lighting surfaces; and driving the snowplow under conditions that include darkness, storms, fog, and other conditions of adverse visibility.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the safety indicia illuminated by one or more EL lighting surfaces includes a surface on a mud flap attached to the snowplow.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the safety indicia illuminated by one or more EL lighting surfaces includes a surface on a cab of the snowplow.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the safety indicia illuminated by one or more EL lighting surfaces includes a surface on the rear of the snowplow.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the safety indicia illuminated by one or more EL lighting surfaces includes a surface on one or more rear view mirrors of the snowplow.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the safety indicia illuminated by one or more EL lighting surfaces includes a surface on the top of the snowplow.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the snowplow is driven adjacent to another snowplow that also includes the safety indicia illuminated by one or more EL lighting surfaces.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the snowplows are driven in a snowstorm.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the EL lighting surfaces blink.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 7  wherein one or more of the EL lighting surfaces of one or more of the snowplows blinks.  
     
     
         22 . A method for making a snowplow, comprising: obtaining a snowplow and attaching to the snowplow one or more El lighting devices, the EL lighting devices effective for signaling a safety signal to other drivers on a highway.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the safety signal is a color.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the EL lighting device is attached to the front of the snowplow.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the EL lighting device is attached to the rear of the snowplow.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein at least one EL lighting device is attached to at least one mud guard attached to the snowplow.