Vehicle roll-over protection device

• US 3,882,957 A
• Filed: 06/20/1974
• Issued: 05/13/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roper Industries Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Charles H. Fritz
• Inventors: Fritz, Charles H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth M.
• Application Number:
  US05/481,340
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 180/104,103 200/61.45,61.47,61.52 307/1R,1BP 335/268 340/52H
• US Class Current: 180/284
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle engine cutoff means for cutting off the primary electric power source and for fuel supply thus preventing the engine from running and thus damaging itself should the vehicle overturn or tilt more than a certain amount. A module is provided for containing a tilt switch, pilot relay, and terminal connection components of the cutoff means. The cutoff means may be mounted within the engine compartment adjacent the battery in the battery ground connection. A main solenoid when energized provides completion of the battery ground connection; the pilot relay controls operation of the main solenoid. Of two opposed coils in the pilot relay, one is actuated by the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'tilt'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' switch, while the other is energized by movement of a 3-position springbiased operating switch to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position. The battery ground connection can be broken by moving the operating switch to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position. Other engine cutoffs may be used instead of or in addition to the battery ground connection cutout.

Claims

1. An assembly for stopping and preventing a vehicle having an engine compartment and an engine therein from running in the event of vehicle tilt or roll-over, said assembly comprising a. a system essential for engine operation, b. a means for selectively interrupting and completing said essential system to thereby respectively stop said vehicle engine operation and allow said vehicle engine operation, said means including (i) a movable member selectively movable into and out of engagement with means within said essential System for respectively completing and interrupting said system, said member normally biased out of engagement with said means within said essential system, (ii) a main solenoid operatively associated with said member for moving said member into and out of engagement with said essential system means (iii) a module, said module comprising a unitary assembly of a pilot relay operatively associated with said main solenoid, said pilot relay including an armature operatively connected to relay contact, and first and second solenoids acting in opposition on said armature to move said armature into either a first or a second position respectively, said armature remaining latched in the position to which it is moved until acted upon by the other solenoid, a tilt switch operatively associated with said second solenoid for providing energization of said second solenoid when said vehicle is tilted more than a predetermined amount, said tilt switch always connected to a source of electircal power, and a plurality of terminals for facilitating electrical connection between said pilot relay and said tilt switch, and between said pilot relay and tilt switch and of the components of said means for selectively interrupting and completing said essential system, and (iv) a 3-position operating switch having '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"', '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"', and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' positions, said operating switch having a contact thereof connected to a source of electrical power, said switch in the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position thereof supplying no current from said source to said relay contact, said switch in the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position thereof supplying current from said source to said relay contact, and said switch in the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position thereof supplying current from said source to said first solenoid.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for biasing said operating switch from said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position to said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position to prevent said switch from remaining in said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position after an operating force for moving said switch into said position has been removed.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said module further comprises a printed circuit board for mounting said terminals, pilot relay, and tilt switch, and means are provided for encapsulating said printed circuit board and means mounted thereon, only portions of said terminals extending through said encapsulating means.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said encapsulating means comprises an epoxy potting compound.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 3 further comprising means for mounting said module at any convenient location in said vehicle either closely adjacent to or remote from the rest of said means for selectively interrupting and completing said essential system.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising an indicating means for indicating whether or not said main solenoid is energized.

7. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said system essential for engine operation is an electrical circuit of said vehicle, and wherein said movable member is a movable bridging contact and said means within said essential system for cooperating with said bridging contact includes two spaced contacts at a break in said electrical circuit.

8. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said system essential for engine operation is a fuel supply system for said engine.

9. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said system essential for engine operation is a battery ground connection of said vehicle engine, and wherein said movable member includes a movable bridging contact, and wherein said means within said essential system includes a break in said battery ground connection, having two spaced terminals.

10. An aassembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said tilt switch is a mercury switch having a damping means associated therewith.

11. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said module and said main solenoid are mounted in a housing and said operating switch is mounted on said housing, said housing being mounted within the engine compartment of said vehicle.