Positive seat belt indicator system

• US 3,875,556 A
• Filed: 01/09/1974
• Issued: 04/01/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jesse B. Beaird
• Original Assignee: Jesse B. Beaird
• Inventors: Beaird, Jesse B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/432,114
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52E,53,278 307/1SB 180/82C
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4858 for sensing pressure on seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4866 Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4875 on vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A vehicle operator dials into an internal and external visual indicator system the total number of occupants of the vehicle, then by operating each of the individual seat position switches, corresponding to each of the respective seat positions in the vehicle, the vehicle operator designates, by visual indicator, both internally and externally, the respective seat positions that are occupied by a passenger; after which each individual passenger, and the vehicle operator, by coupling their individual seat belt, opens their respective circuit and thereby extinguishes the individual visual indicator, both interiorly and exteriorly, related to their respective seat position, showing compliance or exposing noncompliance of each of the seat position occupants in the vehicle with regard to governmental seat belt coupling requirements.

Claims

1. In a display system for visually displaying externally of an automotive vehicle the state of the vehicle seat belts at seat positions corresponding to the vehicle occupants, including;

a two section seat belt at each vehicle occupant seat position and first switch means operatively associated with said seat belt sections and responsive to seat belt coupling, and a non-occupant viewable electrical indicator provided on the vehicle exterior for indicating coupling or uncoupling at each occupant seat position, the improvement comprising;

second switch means operable by the vehicle driver for each occupied seat position, and third switch means operable by said driver and movable to a position representing the total number of occupants within the vehicle, and wherein said external indicator includes indicator means responsive to operation of said first, second and third switch means to indicate the total number of occupants within the vehicle and the failure of a given occupant to couple his seat belt sections and the seat position of said given occupant.

2. The indicator system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said automotive vehicle includes a console within the vehicle passenger compartment, adjacent the vehicle driver and said second switch means comprises a set of normally open switches carried by said console corresponding to vehicle seat positions and connected to said first switch means, and said console further includes lights corresponding respectively to said seat positions and being connected to said second switch means and responsive to operation of said first switch means and said second switch means to indicate to the driver in the manner of the exterior indicator, the failure of said given occupant to couple his seat belt sections.

3. The indicator system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first switch means comprises normally closed switches and being open in response to seat belt coupling, said second switch means comprises normally open switches for selective closure by said vehicle driver and said lights carried by said console corresponding to said seat positions are series coupled respectively to said normally open switches carried by said console such that said lights are de-energized in response to said driver operating respective second switch means corresponding to occupied seat positions and the occupant operating said first switch means by coupling of said seat belt sections.

4. The indicator system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said external indicator comprises a control signal light assembly including a panel supporting individual lights corresponding to respective seat positions, and said external individual lights are coupled in parallel with respective console lights.

5. The indicator system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said external indicator comprises a control signal light assembly including a panel supporting individual lights corresponding to respective seat positions, and said external individual lights are coupled in parallel with respective console lights.

6. The indicator system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said seat position lights of both said console and control signal light assembly are correspondingly color coded.

7. The indicator system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said seat position lights of both said console and control signal light assembly are correspondingly color coded.

8. The indicator system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said seat position lights of both said console and control signal light assembly are correspondingly color coded.

9. The indicator system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said vehicle comprises a six passenger vehicle having a front and rear seat and said sEat position indicator lights of said control light signal light assembly are color coded from left to right and from front to rear in order;

red, white, blue, amber, green and purple.

10. The indicator system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said vehicle comprises a six passenger vehicle having a front and rear seat and said lights within said console and said control signal light assembly are color coded correspondingly to seat positions from left to right and from front to rear in order;

red, white, blue, amber, green and purple.

11. The indicator system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said external indicator comprises a series of lights corresponding to vehicle seat positions, said first switch means comprises single pole, single throw, normally closed switches, said second switch means comprises normally open, single pole, single throw switches, said third switch means comprises a rotary selector switch having a single movable contact and a series of fixed contacts corresponding to said vehicle seat positions, said indicator means comprises different colored lights illuminating a common area and individually connected to respective fixed contacts of said rotary switch, said normally closed switch operatively associated with said seat belt sections and said normally open switches of said second switch means are connected in series and said rotary contact of said rotary selector switch is connected in common with all of said normally open switches of said second switch means and to an electrical source.

12. The indicator system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said normally open switches are mounted within a console within the passenger compartment of said vehicle adjacent the driver'"'"''"'"'s seat position and said console further includes individual lights in series with said normally open switches and responsive to closure thereof and indicating the absence of coupling of the seat belts at seat belt locations corresponding thereto.

13. The indicator system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said external indicator comprises a series of lights corresponding to vehicle seat positions, said first switch means comprises single pole, single throw, normally closed switches, said second switch means comprises normally open, single pole, single throw switches, said third switch means comprises a rotary selector switch having a single movable contact and a series of fixed contacts corresponding to said vehicle seat positions, said indicator means comprises different colored lights illuminating a common area and individually connected to respective fixed contacts of said rotary switch, said normally closed switch operatively associated with said seat belt sections and said normally open switches of said second switch means are connected in series and said rotary contact of said rotary selector switch is connected in common with all of said normally open switches of said second switch means and to an electrical source.

14. The indicator system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said normally open switches are mounted within a console within the passenger compartment of said vehicle adjacent the driver'"'"''"'"'s seat position and said console further includes individual lights in series with said normally open switches and responsive to closure thereof and indicating the absence of coupling of the seat belts at seat belt locations corresponding thereto.

15. The indicator system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said external indicator comprises a series of lights corresponding to vehicle seat positions, said first switch means comprises single pole, single throw, normally closed switches, said second switch means comprises normally open, single pole, single throw switches, said third switch means comprises a rotary selector switch having a single movable contact and a series of fixed contacts corresponding to said vehicle seat positions, said indicator means comprises different colored lights illuminating a common area and individually connected to respective fixed contacts of said rotary switch, said normally closed switch operatively associated with said seat belt sections and said normally open switches of said second switch means are connected in series and said rotary contact of said rotary selector switch is connected in common with all of said normally open switches of said second switch means and to an electrical source.

16. The indicator system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said normally open switches are mounted within a console within the passenger compartment of said vehicle adjacent the driver'"'"''"'"'s seat position and said console further includes individual lights in series with said normally open switches and responsive to closure thereof and indicating the absence of coupling of the seat belts at seat belt locations corresponding thereto.