INSTALLATION FOR INDICATING THE CLOSING CONDITION OF VEHICLE DOORS, ESPECIALLY OF MOTOR VEHICLE DOORS

• US 3,697,943 A
• Filed: 12/11/1969
• Issued: 10/10/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rudolf Andres
• Original Assignee: Rudolf Andres
• Inventors: Andres, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US04/884,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52D,274 180/111
• US Class Current: 340/457
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/00 Vehicle locks characterised by special functions or purposes locks specially adapted for bicycles E05B71/00; locking arrangements for non-fixed vehicle roofs B60J7/185
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/52 Pneumatic or hydraulic circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/50
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/70 the wing position

Abstract

An installation for indicating the closing condition of vehicle doors, especially of motor vehicle doors, in which lines are provided that are connected to a vacuum source and terminate within the area of the doors; the lines are in communication with the atmosphere in case a door is not completely closed but are closed with respect to the atmosphere in case all doors are completely closed; a warning device is provided which in turn is actuated by the pressure in the lines.

Claims

1. An installation for indicating the closing condition of vehicle doors, characterized in that line means are provided which are connected to a vacuum source and which terminate within the area of the doors, in that said line means are in communication with the atmosphere with a non-completely closed door and are closed off with respect to the atmosphere with completely closed doors, and in that a warning means is provided actuated in dependence on the pressure in said line means, and wherein said line means are provided with at least one throttle valve means in series with at least one check valve means disposed between said vacuum source and said doors.

2. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said line means terminate within the area of motor vehicle doors.

3. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the suction pipe of an internal combustion engine serves as a vacuum source.

4. An installation according to claim 3, further comprising a vacuum-responsive switch operating against the force of a spring and responsive to the vacuum in said line means for actuating said warning means.

5. An installation according to claim 4, further comprising rubber seal means against which the ends of the line means terminate at the location where the end of the door-side closes.

6. An installation according to claim 1, further comprising a vacuum responsive switch operating against the force of a spring and responsive to the vacuum in said line means for actuating said warning means.

7. An installation with a rotating machinery producing electric power according to claim 6, characterized in that said electric switch is in a circuit directly connected to said rotating machinery.

8. An installation according to claim 1, further comprising rubber seal means against which the ends of the line means terminate at the location where the end of the door-side closes.

9. An apparatus for indicating the closing condition of vehicle doors, comprising:

first means having a passage therethrough for conducting a fluid therethrough;

second means disposed at each respective location where each door is normally closed, for preventing the entry of fluid from the atmosphere into said first means when each respective door is closed;

third means, connected to said first means for imparting thereto a pressure negative with respect to the atmosphere external to said door; and

fourth means, coupled to said first means and responsive to the pressure therein for generating a warning signal representative of the incomplete closure of one of said doors, and wherein said first means comprises a fluid conducting line connected with each door and wherein said second means comprises a rubber seal installed at each door at the location where the fluid line terminates with respect to each door to close the ends of the line when the door is closed.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said fourth means comprises an electric switch, an indicator and a source of power for energizing said indicator connected in series, said switch further including vacuum-responsive switch means and spring mechanism for normally maintaining said switch open in response to the pressure in said lines corresponding to the closure in each of said doors.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said third means comprises a check valve and throttle valve connected in series between the suction pipe of an internal combustion engine and said conducting line.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the fluid conductive line for each respective door is connected in parallel to said vacuum-responsive switch means.