MOTOR VEHICLE TEST APPARATUS HAVING FACILITIES FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY TESTING THE DRIVING CAPABILITY OF A VEHICLE OPERATOR

• US 3,879,705 A
• Filed: 11/16/1972
• Issued: 04/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hans Binder, Helmut Luthe
• Original Assignee: Hans Binder, Helmut Luthe
• Inventors: Binder, Hans, Luthe, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/307,041
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52R,53,223,63,64,279,27R 317/134,139 307/1R,1AT 180/99,82,114 290/114,37R,38R
• US Class Current: 180/272
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles

Abstract

A driver'"'"''"'"'s alertness and a vehicle'"'"''"'"'s accessories are tested by successive switches that operate various lamps, wiper blades, and other electrical devices on the vehicle. The switches are connected so that each switch, when operated, enables a succeeding switch. Thus all the switches can be operated only in a given sequence. The last switch enables the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s starter. A series timer disables the first switch if the switches are all not operated within a given time and sequence after a starting key has been used. A second timer disables the system for about 30 minutes after three unsuccessful attempts to operate the switches in sequence during the given period. An override enabling switch enables the starter for 10 minutes after the vehicle has stalled in traffic to allow restarting. An alternative embodiment sets off an alarm instead of disabling the starter if the switches are not operated in sequence within the given period.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle provided with (a) a normally disabled activating means, (b) an interlock system for selectively enabling the activating means wherein the interlock system includes N normally unoperated first switching means (N>

1) each having an enabling input together with means for connecting all the first switching means in tandem to complete an enabling path to the activating means only when the tandem-connected first switching means have been operated in a prescribed sequence, the operation of each first switching means being effective to condition the succeeding first switching means for operation so that said succeeding first switching means may be operated upon the excitation of its enabling input, and (c) normally unoperated second switching means coupled to the input one of the tandemconnected first switching means and operable in response to an initiating pulse for conditioning the first switching means for operation, the improvement wherein;

the vehicle further comprises, in combination, at least N standard, manually operated electrical accessory switches distributed in the vehicle in accessible relation to an operator of the vehicle for controlling a corresponding number of standard accessories, and means for individually coupling N of the accessory switches to the enabling inputs of the first switching means in a selected pattern so that the manual actuation of each accessory switch by the operator is effective to operate the associated first switching means when the latter is conditioned for operation; and

the second switching means includes first timing means rendered effective by the initiating pulse for disabling the conditioned input one of the first switching means after a predetermined time, whereby the interlock system is prevented for enabling the activating means until the satisfactory and simultaneous completion of both a sequential testing procedure for the N accessories and the completion by the operator of N sequential manual tasks as represented by one of the above-mentioned manual switch operations.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising an electric starter, said electric starter being responsive to said activating means.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising an engine having an electric starter, said means activating being connected to said starter for operating said starter.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, in which at least a portion of said accessory switches are knobs, said knobs being remotely distributed from each other.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said accessories include illuminating means.

6. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes a dashboard and a steering wheel and wherein a portion of said accessory switches comprise operating knobs distributed on said dashboard and said steering wheel.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising counting means coupled to the first timing means for generating a trigger signal when a predetermined number of initiating pulses have been applied to the first timing means, and second timing means coupled to said counting means and rendered effective by the trigger signal for disabling the enabling path to the activating means for a predetermined time.

8. Apparatus as in claim 1, in which each first switching means comprises hold-in means rendered effective when said first switching means is operated to maintain said first switching means in an operated condition, whereby the associated accessory switch may immediately be released by the operator to decouple the associated accessory from the interlock system as soon as the actuation of said accessory switch is complete.

9. In a motor vehicle;

at least N standard manually operated electrical accessory switches (N>

1) distributed in the vehicle in accessible relation to an operator of the vehicle for controlling a corresponding number of standard accessories;

vehicle starting control means;

circuit means coupled to said control means for energizing said control means, said circuit means including N sequentially arranged switching means each having an actuating input, said circuit means energizing said control means only when all the switching means are operated in a predetermined sequence by the energizing of their enabling inputs in a corresponding sequence;

means for individually coupling at least N of the accessory switches to the enabling inputs of the switching means in a selected pattern such that the manual actuation of each accessory switch is effective to operate the associated switching means;

first timing means coupled to said switching means and responsive to an initiating pulse for enabling an input one of said switching means and for disabling said enabled input one of said switching means after a predetermined time;

counting means coupled to said first timing means for generating a trigger pulse when a predetermined number of initiating pulses have been applied to said first timing means and;

second timing means coupled to said counting means and to said first timing means and rendered effective by the trigger pulse for disabling said first timing means to deenergize said control means.

10. In a motor vehicle:

at least N standard manually operated electrical accessory switches (N>

1) distributed in the vehicle in accessible relation to an operator of the vehicle for controlling a corresponding number of standard accessories;

vehicle starting control means;

circuit means coupled to said control means for energizing said control means, said circuit means including N sequentially arranged switching means each having an actuating input, said circuit means energizing said control means only when all the switching means are operated in a predetermined sequence, by the energizing of their enabling inputs in a corresponding sequence, said switching means being divided into a first group of successive switching means and a second group of successive switching means, the first group of switching means being sequentially earlier than the second group of switching means;

means for individually coupling N of the accessory switches to the enabling inputs of the switching means in a selected pattern such that the manual actuation of each accessory switch is effective to operate the associated switching means;

voltage-forming means; and

locking means coupled between the voltage-forming means and the junction between the first and second groups of switching means, said locking means including means coupled to the input one of the switching means in the first group for permitting enablement of said last-mentioned input switching means when the voltage relationship between said junction and said voltage forming means is in one range and for preventing enablement of said input switching means when the voltage relationship between said junction and said voltageforming means is in another range, whereby operation of said switching means in the second group before completion of operation of said switching means in the first group causes said locking means to prevent enablement of said input switching means.

11. A vehicle as in claim 10, wherein one of said switching means in the second group is connected to the vehicle starting control means.

12. In a motor vehicle:

at least N standard manually operated electrical accessory switches (N>

1) distributed in the vehicle in accessible relation to an operator of the vehicle for controlling a corresponding number of standard accessories;

vehicle starting control means;

circuit means coupled to said control means for energizing said control means, said circuit means including N sequentially arranged switching means each having an actuating input, said circuit means energizing said control means only when all the switching means are operated in a predetermined sequence by the energizing of their enabling inputs in a corresponding sequence, said switching means being divided into a first group of successive switching means and a second group of successive switching means, the first group of switching means being sequentially earlier than the second group of switching means;

means for individually coupling at least N of the accessory switches to the enabling inputs of the switching means in a selected pattern such that the manual actuation of each accessory switch is effective to operate the associated switching means;

first timing means coupled to said switching means and responsive to an initiating pulse for enabling an input one of said switching means and for disabling said enabled input one of said switching means after a predetermined time;

counting means coupled to said first timing means for generating a trigger pulse when a predetermined number of initiating pulses have been applied to said first timing means;

second timing means coupled to said counting means and to said first timing means and rendered effective by the trigger pulse for disabling said first timing means to deenergize said control means;

voltage-forming means; and

locking means coupled between the voltage forming means and the junction between the first and second group of switching means, said locking means being associated with said first timing means and rendered effective when the voltage relationship between said junction and said voltage-forming means lies within a predetermined range for disabling said first timing means, said predetermined range being exhibiteD upon the operation of said switching means in the second group, before the completion of operation of said switching means in the first group.

13. In a motor vehicle:

at least N standard manually operated electrical accessory switches (N>

1) distributed in the vehicle in accessible relation to an operator of the vehicle for controlling a corresponding number of standard accessories;

vehicle starting control means operable for effecting the start of said engine when a control input of said control means is enabled;

normally disabled circuit means including N sequentially arranged switching means each having an actuating input, said circuit means providing first output indication when all the switching means are operated in a predetermined sequence by the energizing of their enabling inputs in a corresponding sequence;

means for individually coupling N of the accessory switches to the enabling inputs of the switching means in a selected pattern such that the manual actuation of each accessory switch is effective to operate the associated switching means;

means for coupling the last switching means in said circuit means to the control input of said control means for applying the first output indication of said control input;

bypass means coupled to said control means and rendered effective upon the enabling of said control input for generating a second output indication; and

timing means coupled to said control input and responsive to the second putout indication for maintaining said control input enabled for a predetermined time.