Alarm system for use with cigarette lighter receptacle of vehicle

• US 3,953,831 A
• Filed: 07/09/1973
• Issued: 04/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard J. Estrada
• Original Assignee: Richard J. Estrada
• Inventors: Estrada, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/377,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 R, 340/53, 340/279, 180/96, 180/99, 339/10, 307/10 R
• US Class Current: 340/575
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/14 adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot

Abstract

A system for actuating an alarm and for stopping the engine of a vehicle when the vehicle driver starts to doze or fall asleep. The system includes a mercury switch attachable to the head of the driver, such as on a pair of eyeglasses, and the switch is coupled to a cable having a plug for insertion into the conventional cigarette lighter receptacle on the dashboard of the vehicle. A light flasher, a relay coil, and a buzzer are electrically coupled to the receptacle and energized simultaneously when the mercury switch closes upon movement of the head. The flasher and buzzer provide visual and audible alarms while the relay coil operates a normally closed switch for opening the ignition circuit of the vehicle to stop the engine.

Claims

1. An alarm system for a vehicle having a battery and a dashboard provided with a cigarette lighter receptacle, the combination with said battery and said receptacle of:

a pair of eyeglasses having a temple;

a switch having means for removably mounting the same on the temple and adapted to be actuated in response to a predetermined head movement when the eyeglasses are worn;

cable means coupled to said switch and including a plug removably receivable in said receptacle for placing the switch in electrically coupled relationship to the receptacle, a number of alarm devices; and

means connecting each alarm device in a respective electrical circuit with the receptacle and the battery common to each circuit, whereby actuation of each device will occur when the switch is actuated and when the plug is in the receptacle.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said switch includes a mercury switch having a pair of spaced hooks for releasable attachment to said temple.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said devices include a light flasher coupled to the head and taillights of the vehicle, a relay having a normally closed switch, and a buzzer mounted in the vehicle to warn an occupant of the vehicle, the switch of the relay adapted to be coupled to the ignition circuit of the vehicle.