Patents by Inventor Michael J. Flannagan

Michael J. Flannagan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4791399
    Abstract: The amount of time required to produce a luminant output signal at the rear of a vehicle in response to the application of a brake is reduced by preheating the filament of the brake lamp and applying an overvoltage thereto when a brake switch is closed in response to the application of the brake. In accordance with the invention, preheating of the filament is achieved by switching a transistor in series with the filament at a fairly high frequency. The duty cycle of the switching operation can be adjusted to conduct a preheat signal through the lamp which results in little or no radiation of light from the filament. This corresponds to a filament temperature of approximately 2000.degree. K., and an increase in temperature of only approximately 800.degree.0 K., is required to produce a normal steady state rated illumination for the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: The University of Michigan
    Inventors: Michael J. Flannagan, Michael Sivak