APPARATUS FOR ALERTING VEHICLE DRIVER

• US 3,794,969 A
• Filed: 01/22/1973
• Issued: 02/26/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Floren R. Klopfenstein, Gene J. Duff
• Original Assignee: Floren R. Klopfenstein, Gene J. Duff
• Inventors: Klopfenstein, Floren R., Duff, Gene J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/325,920
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52R,53,279,56
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/00 Steering not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

An apparatus for alerting the driver of a vehicle when the steering wheel is not moved in a normal manner in which a detector is provided which detects movements of the steering wheel as little as 2* when the steering wheel is within normal generally straight ahead driving range with the detector operating time delay means which cause an alarm to emit a signal if the steering wheel is not moved at least about 2* in a certain interval of time.

Claims

1. In apparatus for alerting the operator of a motor vehicle upon failure to actuate the steering wheel of the vehicle in a normal manner;

a detecting device comprising a first element in the form of a series of spaced contacts and a second element in the form of a wiper resting on said first element and adapted to engage said contacts sequentially and individually upon relative movement of said elements as brought about by movement of the steering wheel, one of said elements being mounted on the steering wheel and the other being stationarily supported adjacent the steering wheel, a pair of time delay circuits, electrically operable alarm means actuatable to emit a signal for alerting the vehicle operator, alarm actuating circuit means responsive to continued energization of either of said time delay circuits for a predetermined length of time for actuating said alarm means, a switch having two positions wherein respective ones of said time delay circuits are energized, and switch actuating means under the control of said detecting device for moving said switch into one position thereof when said wiper engages a said contact and into the other position thereof when said wiper is not engaging said contact.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said contacts are so spaced that a movement of the steering wheel of about 2* will effect a change in the position of said switch.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said first element extends over a range of about 120* of steering wheel movement, and control means for making said alarm means ineffective in response to movement of the steering wheel beyond either limit of said range of 120*.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said first element is a board of electrical insulating material having said contacts thereon in the form of a printed circuit.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said first element is a board of electrical insulating material having said contacts thereon in the form of a printed circuit, said contacts being electrically interconnected and connected to ground, said switch actuating means comprising a solenoid having one end connected to said wiper and the other end connected to one side of a source of energy having the other side connected to ground.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3 in which said control means comprises an uninterrupted and grounded conductive region on said first element extending over said range of 120*, a second wiper engaging said uninterrupted conductive region, said alarm actuating circuit means including a connection to ground via said second wiper and being ineffective for actuating said alarm means upon interruption of said ground connection.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said alarm means comprises oscillator means, amplifier means supplied by said oscillator means, and speaker means supplied by said amplifier means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said oscillator means supplies an output at about 400 Herz when first energized with said output increasing in frequency up to about 1000 Herz upon continued energization of said oscillator means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said alarm means includes a transistorized oscillator, an amplifier and a speaker, a source of energy, a first transistor having the collector-emitter path operatively interposed between said source and said oscillator, said amplifier comprising a second transistor having the collector-emitter path operatively interposed between said source and said speaker, the base of said second transistor being connected to said oscillator to receive signals therefrom, and the base of said first transistor being connected to said time delay circuits to receive biasing signals therefrom.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 which includes a switch having one side connected to said source and the other side connected to supply said oscillator and the collector-emitter path of said second transistor, said switch having an actuating coil, a ground connection to one end of said coil and the other end being connected to the collector-emitter path of said first transistor.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 in which said ground connection comprises an uninterrupted conductive region on said first element extending over a range of about 120* of movement of the steering wheel and grounded, and a second wiper connected to said one end of said coil and resting on said uninterrupted conductive region of said first element.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 in which said elements are so disposed that said first mentioned wiper is in about the middle of said series of spaced contacts and said second wiper is in about the middle of the length of said uninterrupted conductive region when the steering wheel is adjusted into position for the vehicle to proceed straight ahead.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said first element extends over a range of 360* of steering wheel movement.