Tether system for providing power from a vehicle to a garment

• US 10,596,986 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bombardier Recreational Products Incorporated (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Recreational Products Incorporated (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lecointre, Alexandre, Demers, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew J
• Application Number:
  US16/304,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20190299882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0051 Heated garments heated divers' suits B63C11/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/00 Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles fittings for preventing or indicating use or theft of vehicles in general B60R; general features of locks E05B
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 27/00 Safety equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 33/00 Arrangements for warming riders specially adapted for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 27/02 power driven
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/036 Heaters specially adapted for garment heating

Abstract

A tether system for providing power from a vehicle to a garment is presented. The system includes a tether having a first end and a second end, at least one electrical conductor operatively between the first and second ends, and an electrical contact at the second end, the tether being adapted for connecting to the garment at the first end; and a base adapted for mounting to the vehicle, the second end of the tether being selectively connected to the base, the base being adapted for selectively receiving the electrical contact and for providing power to the at least one electrical conductor of the tether via the electrical contact, the base, when mounted to the vehicle, being operative to stop propulsion of the vehicle when the tether is disconnected from the base.

Claims

1. A tether system for providing power from a vehicle to a garment, comprising:

a tether including;

a first end and a second end,

at least one electrical conductor operatively connected between the first and second ends, and

an electrical contact at the second end,

the tether being adapted for connecting to the garment at the first end; and

a base adapted for mounting to the vehicle, the second end of the tether being selectively connected to the base, the base being adapted for selectively receiving the electrical contact and for providing power to the at least one electrical conductor of the tether via the electrical contact,

the base, when mounted to the vehicle, being operative to stop propulsion of the vehicle when the tether is disconnected from the base.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the base includes a base connector;

the tether includes a cap at the second end; and

the cap is selectively connected to the base connector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the cap includes a resilient portion, the resilient portion being deflected during connection of the cap to the base connector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the tether further includes a magnet at the second end; and

the base further includes a switch operative to stop propulsion of the vehicle when the switch is open, the switch being closed responsive to the presence of the magnet when the tether is connected to the base.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the tether further includes an electronic storage device for storing an identification code at the second end; and

the base further includes a code receiver operative to receive the identification code when the tether is connected to the base, the base being adapted to prevent the vehicle from starting when the code receiver has not received the identification code.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the tether further comprises a radio frequency (RF) transponder, the RF transponder including the electronic storage device; and

the code receiver is an RF receiver, the code receiver being adapted for wirelessly receiving the identification code from the RF transponder.

7. The system of claim 1, the tether further including a tether cord between the first and second ends.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the base includes a base terminal; and

the electrical contact of the tether is adapted to electrically connect to the base terminal.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the electrical contact of the tether is integral with the cap; and

the base connector is adapted to electrically connect to the electrical contact of the tether.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the electrical contact of the tether is provided external to the cap.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

a propulsion system connected to the vehicle body;

a base connected to the vehicle body; and

a tether having a first end and a second end, the tether being connectable to a garment at the first end, the tether including an electrical contact at the second end, the second end of the tether being removably connected to the base,

the base being adapted to provide power to the tether via the electrical contact, the base being operative to stop propulsion of the vehicle when the tether is disconnected from the base.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein:

the base includes a base connector;

the tether includes a cap at the second end; and

the cap is adapted for connecting to the base connector.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the cap includes a resilient portion, the resilient portion being deflected during connection of the cap to the base connector.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein:

the tether further includes a magnet at the second end; and

the base further includes a switch operative to stop propulsion of the vehicle when the switch is open, the switch being closed responsive to the presence of the magnet when the tether is connected to the base.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein:

the tether further includes an electronic storage device for storing an identification code at the second end; and

the base further includes a code receiver operative to receive the identification code when the tether is connected to the base, the base being adapted to prevent the vehicle from starting when the code receiver has not received the identification code.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein:

the tether further comprises a radio frequency (RF) transponder, the RF transponder including the electronic storage device; and

the code receiver is an RF receiver, the code receiver being adapted for wirelessly receiving the identification code from the RF transponder.

17. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein:

the base includes a base terminal; and

the electrical contact of the tether is adapted to electrically connect to the base terminal.

18. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein:

the electrical contact of the tether is integral with the cap; and

the base connector is adapted to electrically connect to the electrical contact of the tether.

19. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electrical contact of the tether is provided external to the cap.

20. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein:

the vehicle is a snowmobile;

the vehicle body includes a frame;

the propulsion system includes a motor operatively connected to the frame; and

the vehicle further comprises;

a straddle seat connected to the frame and configured to accommodate at least a driver of the snowmobile; and

an endless track operatively connected to the motor.