Motor vehicle tail light assembly with dimmer controller

Abstract

A rear mounted, brake light assembly which includes, inter alia, brake lights, back-up lights, turn signals and a signal for indicating that a following vehicle has its high beam or bright lights on.

We claim: . .1. A light assembly for rear mounted, eye level use with motor vehicles, comprising, 
       housing means 
       a plurality of light emitting devices mounted in said housing means, 
       1ens cover means mounted at said housing means and comprising a plurality of sections having different colors whereby a selected color indication is produced when at least one of said plurality of light emitting devices is selectively activated, 
       said color indication having a recognized conventional safety characteristic to motorists, 
       reflector means disposed in said housing means adjacent to said light emitting devices for reflecting light from said light devices outwardly through said lens cover means, 
       control means for selectively activating said plurality of light emitting devices, 
       said control means includes switch means for selectively activating at least one of said light emitting devices to signal to the driver of a following motor vehicle that the headlights thereof are on high beam, 
       sensor means mounted at said housing means and connected to said control means, 
       said sensor means operative to activated said switch when the headlights of a following motor vehicle are on high beams, and 
       indicator means passing through said housing means whereby activation of one of more of said light emitting devices can be detected from the back said housing means..!.. .2. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein, 
       said light emitting devices comprise incandescent light bulbs..!.. .3. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein, 
       said control means includes means for selectively activating said light emitting devices in a flashing operation..!.. .4. The assembly recited in claim 3 wherein, 
       said control means includes a gear selector of said motor vehicle which selectively activates some of said light emitting devices to indicate operation of said motor vehicle in the reverse direction..!.. .5. The assembly recited in claim 3 wherein, 
       said control means includes a brake pedal of said motor vehicle which selectively activates some of said light emitting devices to indicate operation of said brake pedal..!.. .6. The assembly recited in claim 3 wherein, 
       said control means includes the turn signal controller of said motor vehicle which selectively activates some of said light emitting devices to indicate operation of said turn signal controller..!..Iadd.7. A light assembly for rear mounted, eye level use with motor vehicles, comprising: 
       housing means; 
       a plurality of light emitting devices mounted in said housing means; 
       1ens cover means mounted at said housing means and comprising a plurality of sections having different colors whereby a selected color indication is produced when at least one said plurality of light emitting devices is selectively activated; 
       said color indication having a recognized conventional safety characteristic to motorists; 
       said recognized conventional safety characteristic being primarily color-based; 
       control means for selectively activating said plurality of light emitting devices; 
       said control means includes switch means for selectively activating at least one of said light emitting devices as a high beam indicator to signal to the driver of a following motor vehicle that the headlights thereof are on high beam, said activation of said high beam indicator comprising a plurality of operational states, and said signal being primarily color-based; and 
       sensor means mounted to said housing means and connected to said control means; 
       said sensor means being operative to activate said switch means when the headlights of the following motor vehicle are on high beam..Iaddend..Iadd.8. A light assembly for rear mounted, eye level use with motor vehicles, comprising: 
       housing means; 
       a plurality of light emitting devices mounted in said housing means; 
       1ens cover means mounted at said housing means and comprising a plurality of sections having different colors whereby a selected color indication is produced when at least one said plurality of light emitting devices is selectively activated; 
       said color indication having a recognized conventional safety characteristic to motorists; 
       said recognized conventional safety characteristic being primarily color-based; 
       control means for selectively activating said plurality of light emitting devices; 
       said control means includes switch means for selectively activating at least one of said light emitting devices as a high bean indicator to signal to the driver of a following motor vehicle that the headlight thereof are on high beam, said activation of said high beam indicator being operative to switch said light emitting devices between dim and bright conditions; and 
       sensor means mounted to said housing means and connected to said control means; 
       said sensor means being operative to activate said switch means when the headlights of the following motor vehicle are on high beam..Iaddend..Iadd.9. A light assembly for rear mounted level use with motor vehicles, comprising, 
       a housing means, 
       a plurality of light emitting devices mounted in said housing means, 
       1ens cover means mounted at said housing means and comprising a plurality of sections having different colors whereby a selected color indication is produced when at least one of said plurality of light emitting devices is selectively activated, 
       said color indication having a recognized conventional safety characteristic to motorists, 
       said recognized conventional safety characteristic being primarily color-based, 
       control means for selectively activating said plurality of light emitting devices, 
       said control means includes switch means for selectively activating at least one of said light emitting devices as a high beam indicator to signal the driver of a following motor vehicle that the headlights thereof are on high beam, said activation of said high beam indicator being operative to switch said light emitting devices between low brightness and high brightness conditions, and 
       sensor means coupled to said control means, 
       said sensor means selectively operative to activate said switch means when the headlights of a following motor vehicle are on high beam..Iaddend..Iadd.10. A light assembly for rear mounted level use with motor vehicles, comprising, 
       a housing means, 
       a plurality of light emitting devices mounted in said housing means, 
       1ens cover means mounted at said housing means and comprising a plurality of sections having different colors whereby a selected color indication is produced when at least one of said plurality of light emitting devices is selectively activated, 
       said color indication having a recognized conventional safety characteristic to motorists, 
       said recognized conventional safety characteristic being primarily color-based, 
       control means for selectively activating said plurality of light emitting devices, 
       said control means includes switch means for selectively activating at least one of said light emitting devices as a high beam indicator to signal the driver of a following motor vehicle that the headlights thereof are on high beam, said activation of said high beam indicator being operative to switch said light emitting devices between low brightness and high brightness conditions, and 
       sensor means mounted to said housing means and connected to said control means; 
       said sensor means being operative to activate said switch when the headlights of the following motor vehicle are on high beam. .Iaddend.