Vehicle multicondition recording system

• US 4,212,016 A
• Filed: 09/29/1977
• Issued: 07/08/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herman Ruhl
• Original Assignee: Herman Ruhl
• Inventors: Ruhl, Herman
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Jr., George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/837,503
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 346/34, 346/62, 346/33 D, 346/64, 346/121, 346/123
• US Class Current: 346/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/32 there being a common recording element for two or more variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/125 with recording discs
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/12 in graphical form

Abstract

The specification describes a recording system for the recording of a multiplicity of vehicle operating conditions on a chart. The system includes: recording means for inscribing on the chart; servocontrolled positioning means for positioning and moving the recording means to recording position; and control means which selectively directs different control signals to the servocontrolled positioning means.

Claims

1. Vehicle recording system for recording a multiplicity of operating conditions in a chart characterized by the combination of recording means for inscribing on the chart at essentially right angles to its direction of movement, servocontrolled positioning means for positioning and moving said recording means to recording positions in response to control signals which are the result of two separate input signals combined with one another to provide said control signals, one of said input signals identifying a particular operating condition, the other of said input signals identifying the value of that particular operating condition for simultaneous appropriate positioning of the recording means on the chart and recording of the value of each identified operating condition, control means to selectively direct different control signals for the multiplicity of operating conditions to the servocontrolled positioning means.

2. Recording system as claimed in claim 1 for recording of operator selectable operating conditions.

3. Recording means as claimed in claim 1 including switching means for selectively directing signals associated with different operating conditions to the positioning means, and signal pattern generating means interlocked with said switching means and superimposing a characteristic identifying signal pattern on each signal.

4. Recording system as defined in claim 1 wherein said servocontrolled positioning means are responsive to control signals of different frequencies and wherein the control signal is characterized by its frequency which is related to one of the various operating conditions.

5. Recording system as defined in claim 1 for recording simultaneous and quick sequence events including corresponding signals for each event, latching means for each signal, control signal pattern generating means generating a different signal pattern for each signal, timing means, and scanning means for scanning the latching means and for connecting the control signal pattern generating means with the servocontrolled positioning means, the arrangement being such that when said scanning means detects a signal the control signal pattern generating means directs a corresponding signal pattern to the servocontrolled positioning means, thereafter the timing means interrupts the scan of the scanning means which resumes its scan after a preset time of recording and opens the latching means and disconnects the signal pattern of the corresponding control signal from the servocontrolled positioning means.

6. Recording system as claimed in claim 1 for recording of automatically sensed operating conditions wherein said control means comprises at least two signal input channels for the multiplicity of operating conditions and switching means for alternatively connecting the positioning means to the different signal input channels.

7. Recording system as defined in claim 6 wherein said signal inputs are voltage level inputs relating to the various operating conditions.

8. Recording system as defined in claim 7 for continuous analogue recording of one and two quantity conditions including input signals providing counting pulses proportionate in number to the quantities to be recorded, and a ramp for converting these pulses to a cyclical proportionately stepped output voltage which rises and reaches a maximum at a predetermined number of pulses and thereafter reverses and reaches a minimum at a predetermined number of pulses.

9. Recording system as claimed in claim 1 including control signal generating means generating one or more control signals and means to selectively direct one of the control signals or a signal from one or more automatically sensed conditions to said servocontrolled positioning means.

10. Recording system as claimed in claim 9 for virtually simultaneous recording of two or more conditions including deactivating means for deactivating said recording means co-ordinating control means for said signal generating means and said deactivating means allowing selection of one or more recording patterns of the control signal, the co-ordinating control means causing the deactivating means to operate when the recording means travels outside of the selected recording pattern of the control signal.

11. Recording system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said deactivating means comprises lifting means for lifting said recording means from the inscribing position.

12. Recording system as claimed in claim 9 for continuous virtually simultaneous analogue recording of the momentary value of two conditions including two corresponding signals wherein said switching means automatically alternatively connects the servocontrolled positioning means to either signal thereby causing the recording means to move between positions corresponding to the signals.

13. Recording system as claimed in claim 9 including a plurality of sensor signal sending means and scanning means for scanning the level of the sensor signals, the arrangement being such that when any one of the sensor signal sending means shows a predetermined sensor signal level and/or the scanning means interacts with the control means and a signal predetermined output signal of the signal generating duration means relating to the one sensor signal sending means is transmitted to the servocontrol positioning means.

14. Recording system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the sensor signal sending means are selected from the group consisting of vehicle mounted sensors and hand actuated switches.

15. Recording system as claimed in claim 13 including on/off signal storage means responsive to and storing on/off signal levels of predetermined duration from the sensor signal sending means, the scanning means scanning the signal storage means and connecting the appropriate output from the signal generating means with the servocontrolled positioning means and resetting the signal storage means after the recording of the condition by the servocontrolled positioning means for a predetermined time span.