Stay-awake alarm

• US 3,903,514 A
• Filed: 10/03/1973
• Issued: 09/02/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Mazzola
• Original Assignee: Joseph Mazzola
• Inventors: Mazzola, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US05/403,010
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 340/279,278,63,213R 280/15B,15R 180/82R,102,101,82.7,99
• US Class Current: 340/575
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

An alarm for detecting deviations in body movements of a driver of a vehicle from a predetermined upright driving position includes a generally U-shaped yoke adapted to be mounted on a headrest or the upper portion of a seat proximate to the driver'"'"''"'"'s body in a normal upright driving position thereof. Normally open lateral switches are mounted on the yoke on each side of the driver'"'"''"'"'s head in the normal position thereof. A normally opened switch is mounted on the yoke in back of the driver'"'"''"'"'s head. The actuators on the normally open switches are positioned to contact the driver'"'"''"'"'s head when the same deviates dangerously to one side or rearwardly. To detect excessive frontal movements of the driver'"'"''"'"'s head or his body, a pivotally mounted plate is supported on the yoke which cooperates with a normally closed switch when the plate is resiliently biassed to its normal forward position. The normally open switches close an alarm circuit when the actuators thereof contact the driver'"'"''"'"'s head. On the other hand, the normal position of the driver depresses the pivotally mounted plate and opens the normally closed switch, the latter switch closing only in response to excessive frontal movement of the driver.

Claims

1. An alarm for detecting deviations in body movements of an operator of a vehicle from a normal predetermined upright sitting position while sitting on a seat of the vehicle, the alarm comprising support means adapted to be rested on a portion of a vehicle seat proximate and behind the back of an operator;

a plurality of switch means mounted on said support means for sensing dangerous deviations of the operator'"'"''"'"'s body from said predetermined upright sitting position, the operator'"'"''"'"'s body normally connecting only one of said switch means during operation of the vehicle, said one switch means being actuated only when the driver'"'"''"'"'s back ceases to make contact with the same, and the other of said switch means being distributed about the operator'"'"''"'"'s head and being actuated only when contact is made between the same and the operator'"'"''"'"'s head;

a manually operable switch connected in series with said one switch means; and

alarm indicating means connected to said switch means for generating an alarm signal when said manually operable switch is closed and any one of said switch means is actuated to detect a dangerous deviation of the driver'"'"''"'"'s body.

2. An alarm as defined in claim 1, wherein said support means comprises a yoke configurated to receive an upper portion of a seat of a vehicle proximate to the driver'"'"''"'"'s shoulders.

3. An alarm as defined in claim 1, wherein a head rest is provided on the vehicle seat and wherein said support means comprises a yoke configurated to receive a portion of the head-rest mounted on a seat of a vehicle.

4. An alarm as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises a plurality of micro switches spaced from each other and variously positioned around the driver for engagement with the driver'"'"''"'"'s body when the same dangerously deviates from said predetermined upright driving position.

5. An alarm as defined in claim 4, wherein said alarm circuit means comprises a series connected closed circuit including electrical energy supply means and alarm signal generating means, three of said switches comprising normally open switches connected in parallel to each other and each connected in series with said closed circuit, one of said normally open switches being disposed on each side of the driver'"'"''"'"'s head and one of said normally open switches being disposed in back of the driver'"'"''"'"'s head, whereby excessive sideward or rearward movement of the driver'"'"''"'"'s head closes one of said normally open switches to thereby close said series connected circuit and energize said alarm signal generating means.

6. An alarm as defined in claim 4, wherein said support means includes a pivotally mounted plate facing the driver and disposed behind the driver'"'"''"'"'s back, biassing means urging at least a portion of said plate towards the driver to an alarm position when said support means is in an operative position mounted on a seat of the vehicle;

and normally closed switch means mounted on said support means actuatable to an open condition in response to depression of said plate portion by the driver when sitting in said predetermined upright driving position said normally closed switch means closing in response to forward movement of the back of the driver and in response to biassing means urging said plate portion to said alarm position, whereby said normally closed switch means energizes said alarm circuit means in response to dangerous frontward deviations of the driver'"'"''"'"'s body which permit said biassing means to move said plate portion to said alarm position.

7. An alarm as defined in claim 1, wherein said manually operable switch comprises a single-pole, single-throw swItch connected in series with said one switch means, whereby the action of said normally closed switch means may be inhibited by the opening of said single-pole, single-throw switch.

8. An alarm as defined in claim 1, wherein said alarm circuit means includes an audible indicating device.