Accessory for a vehicle for monitoring its operation and that of its drive means

• US 4,093,939 A
• Filed: 02/16/1977
• Issued: 06/06/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Transputer Limited
• Original Assignee: Transputer Limited
• Inventors: Mitchell, Neville Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/769,272
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 F, 340/52 D, 340/53, 340/62, 340/262, 340/263, 340/264, 346/33 D, 346/16, 346/18, 346/17, 180/98, 180/105 E, 180/105 R, 180/106
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/54 for indicating speed outside of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/122 Speed recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/165 for measuring angular accelerations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0875 using magnetic data carriers

Abstract

The invention provides an accessory for a vehicle, the accessory having a sensor for sensing the acceleration of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle or the operating speed of an engine of the vehicle, a first recorder for recording when any of these parameters is excessive, detectors for detecting whether the vehicle is in motion or the engine is in operation and a second recorder for recording the amount of time the vehicle is in motion or the engine is in operation. The accessory is electrically operable, the speed of the vehicle and of the engine being sensed by electro-magnetic devices in co-operation with magnetized elements whose speed of rotation is proportional to the speed of the vehicle or its engine. Conveniently, the acceleration of the vehicle is determined by differentiating a signal representative of the vehicle'"'"'s speed. The accessory further includes a visual or aural alarm for warning a driver of the vehicle that an abuse condition has occurred or is about to occur.

Claims

1. An accessory for a vehicle having a drive means, the accessory including

a vehicle speed sensing means for sensing the travelling speed of the vehicle and for providing a vehicle speed signal;

a differentiating means for differentiating the vehicle speed signal with respect to time to provide an acceleration signal representative of the linear acceleration of the vehicle;

a vehicle overspeed recording means responsive to the vehicle speed sensing means for recording the amount of time that the vehicle is driven at a speed greater than a predetermined speed;

a vehicle excessive acceleration recording means responsive to the differentiating means for recording the amount of time that the vehicle is accelerated at an acceleration greater than a predetermined value;

a vehicle operating time recording means responsive to the vehicle speed sensing means for recording the amount of time the vehicle is in motion;

a drive means operating speed sensing means for sensing the operating speed of the drive means and for providing a drive means speed signal;

a drive means overspeed recording means responsive to the drive means speed sensing means for recording the amount of time that the drive means is operated at a speed greater than a predetermined speed; and

a drive means operating time recording means responsive to the drive means speed sensing means for recording the amount of time the drive means is in operation.

2. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 which includes a vehicle overspeed indicating means responsive to the vehicle speed sensing means for indicating to an operator of the vehicle that the vehicle is being driven at a speed greater than a second predetermined speed, which is less than the said predetermined vehicle speed.

3. An accessory as claimed in claim 1, which includes a vehicle excessive acceleration indicating means responsive to the differentiating means for indicating to an operator of the vehicle that the vehicle is being accelerated at an acceleration greater than the predetermined value.

4. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 which includes a drive means overspeed indicating means responsive to the drive means speed sensing means for indicating to an operator of the vehicle that the drive means is being operated at a speed greater than a second predetermined speed, which is less than the said predetermined drive means speed.

5. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 in which the vehicle speed sensing means provides and electrical output signal and the differentiating means is electrically operable.

6. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 in which the vehicle overspeed recording means, the vehicle excessive acceleration recording means, the vehicle operating time recording means, the drive means overspeed recording means and the drive means operating time recording means are all electrically operable.

7. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 in which the vehicle overspeed recording means, the vehicle excessive acceleration recording means and the drive means overspeed recording means are digitally operable.