VEHICLE POWER INHIBITER

• US 20080228365A1
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Roger F. Wells, Steven C. White
• Original Assignee: Roger F. Wells, Steven C. White
• Inventors: White, Steven C., Wells, Roger F.
• Application Number:
  US11/696,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228365A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/005 of foot actuated control means rods connecting pedals and steering wheels B60R25/0221
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 Eye recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data

Abstract

A method and system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party. The system includes a mode-indicating, an authenticator coupled to the mode-indicating device, and a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle. Here, the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by an authenticated driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the authenticated driver, and the authenticator is adapted to restrict the activation and the deactivation of the mode-indicating device unless the driver has been authenticated by the authenticator.

Claims

1. A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:

a system controller;

a mode-indicating device coupled to the system controller;

an authenticator coupled to the system controller; and

a power inhibiting device coupled to the system controller and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle,

wherein the system controller is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to mechanically inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by an authenticated driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the authenticated driver, and

wherein the system controller is further adapted to restrict the activation and the deactivation of the mode-indicating device unless the driver has been authenticated by the authenticator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:

a rotating cam plate fitted below an accelerator pedal of the vehicle and adapted to operate through a slot in a floor pan of the vehicle; and

a motor adapted to selectively drive the rotating cam plate to a first position to block a travel of the accelerator pedal to a first power level and a second position to unblock the travel of the accelerator pedal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the motor is further adapted to selectively drive the rotating cam plate to a third position to block a travel of the accelerator pedal to a second power level, and

wherein the second power level is higher in power than the first power level and lower in power than a full power level.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:

a first stop pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the first stop pin being adapted to block the rotating cam plate from moving toward the second position from the first position; and

a second stop pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the second stop pin being adapted to block the rotating cam plate from moving toward the second position from the third position.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises a stop pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the stop pin being adapted to block the rotating cam plate from moving toward the second position from the first position.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:

an inhibiting pin;

a split collet adapted to hold the inhibiting pin; and

a motor fitted to an underside of a floor pan of the vehicle and adapted to raise the inhibiting pin with the split collet through a hole in the floor pan of the vehicle to selectively block a travel of the accelerator pedal.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the split collet is adapted to be disconnected from the inhibiting pin to unblock the travel of the accelerator pedal upon the deactivation of the mode-indicating device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the split collet comprises a solenoid actuated split threaded collet.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the inhibiting pin has a multi-start thread.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the inhibiting pin has a square thread.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the inhibiting pin has a multi-start-square thread.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the motor is adapted to turn the inhibiting pin to control a position of rise of the inhibiting pin and a power level of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:

a lever extended from a throttle arm and adapted to selectively limit a rotary travel of the throttle arm to limit an air supply to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle; and

a retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the retractable pin being adapted to limit a rotary travel of the lever.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the power inhibiting device further comprises an overload protection device coupled between the throttle arm and an actuator cable adapted to drive the throttle arm.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the overload protection device comprises an overload protection spring.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:

a lever extended from a throttle arm and adapted to selectively limit a rotary travel of the throttle arm to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle;

a first retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the first retractable pin being adapted to limit a rotary travel of the lever to a first lever position to limit the rotary travel of the throttle arm to a first throttle arm position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a first power level; and

a second retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the second retractable pin being adapted to limit the rotary travel of the lever to a second lever position to limit the rotary travel of the throttle arm to a second throttle arm position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a second power level.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the second power level is higher in power than the first power level and lower in power than a full power level.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:

a control arm coupled to a linear lever of a fuel injection pump and adapted to selectively limit a travel of the linear lever to limit a fuel supply to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle; and

a retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the retractable pin being adapted to limit a travel of the control arm.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the fuel injection pump is adapted to provide fuel to a diesel engine.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:

a control arm coupled to a linear lever of a fuel injection pump and adapted to selectively limit a travel of the linear lever to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle;

a first retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the first retractable pin being adapted to limit a travel of the control arm to a first arm position to limit the travel of the linear lever to a first lever position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a first power level; and

a second retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the second retractable pin being adapted to limit the travel of the control arm to a second arm position to limit the travel of the linear lever to a second lever position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a second power level.

21. A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:

a mode-indicating device; and

a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle, the power inhibiting devices comprising;

a rotating cam plate fitted below an accelerator pedal of the vehicle and adapted to operate through a slot in a floor pan of the vehicle; and

a motor adapted to selectively drive the rotating cam plate to a first position to block a travel of the accelerator pedal to a first power level and a second position to unblock the travel of the accelerator pedal,

wherein the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by a driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the driver.

22. A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:

a mode-indicating device; and

a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle, the power inhibiting devices comprising;

an inhibiting pin;

a split collet adapted to hold the inhibiting pin; and

a motor fitted to an underside of a floor pan of the vehicle and adapted to raise the inhibiting pin with the split collet through a hole in the floor pan of the vehicle to selectively block a travel of the accelerator pedal,

wherein the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by a driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the driver.

23. A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:

a mode-indicating device coupled to the system controller; and

a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle, the power inhibiting device comprising;

a lever extended from a throttle arm and adapted to selectively limit a rotary travel of the throttle arm to limit an air supply to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle; and

a retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the retractable pin being adapted to limit a rotary travel of the lever,

wherein the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by a driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the driver.