VARIABLE LOUDNESS HORN DEVICE FOR VEHICLE, AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• Main Authors: MCGINNIS PETER JOSEPH, TARANOWSKI MICHAEL GEORGE, HUBBELL RUTH ELLEN, HUMMELT EDWARD JOHN, AREENE MARIE KRUM, ALBERT YUAN CHANG, GOHDE LEWIS JOHN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.11.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ACOUSTICS; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ALARM SYSTEMS; ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING ORSUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES INGENERAL; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING,NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; SIGNALLING; SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and simply change the sound level with an operation by a driver by strongly pushing an input device with manual operation by a user so as to change a resistance, and electrically detecting this change so as to modulate a sound level of an acoustic transformer. SOLUTION: In this device 10, a switch actuator 12 senses the force applied by a hand or a finger of a driver. An element 14 is a force sensitive resistance type switch, and when pressure of the actuator 12 is increased, electrical resistance is reduced. A variable capacity type, in which capacitance is increased with an increase in the input of the force, is used. An output line 18 of the element 14 is connected to an amplifier 38 through each structural equipment of an integrated circuit U1, and pulse 42, 44 from the amplifier 38 is input to a power drive means 46 through a line 40. A modulation driving signal passing through this output 48 is supplied to a speaker or an acoustic transformer 50, which is electromagnetically operated. Sound level of a horn for a vehicle can be controlled by a driver.