Warning device for a vehicle

• US 4,222,031 A
• Filed: 10/02/1978
• Issued: 09/09/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ichimura, Masaaki, Okamoto, Michio, Tateishi, Masakazu, Uenoyama, Masaru, Ichikawa, Minoru, Fukumura, Tohru
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/947,763
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 F, 340/502, 340/516, 340/520, 340/521, 340/524, 340/525, 307/10 R
• US Class Current: 340/459
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/225 brake fluid level indicators level indication in general G01F; H01H
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A warning device for a vehicle is capable of checking a disorder in the vehicle in a sequential order through a dialog between the device and an operator. The device first indicates conduction of a test before a starter is turned on and the operator depresses a test switch in compliance with this indication to test whether all indication units and buzzer can operate normally. After finishing this test, any disorder which may exist at various starting check points such as a hydraulic fluid level and a radiator water level is detected by an associated indication unit. After the starting check up has been completed and the starter is turned on, driving check points such as a torque converter oil temperature and a brake air pressure are constantly watched and if there occurs any disorder in such check points, the operator is informed of such disorder by operation of all of the indication units and the buzzer. The operator then operates only the indication unit associated with the check point where the disorder has occurred by manipulation of a check switch.

Claims

1. A warning device for a vehicle comprising:

a starting check unit sensor group including a plurality of sensors respectively provided at a set of predetermined check points in the vehicle for detecting an abnormal state which may exist in any of the check points at a starting check time and thereupon producing an output signal;

a driving check unit sensor group including a plurality of sensors respectively provided at another set of predetermined check points in the vehicle for detecting an abnormal state which may exist in any of said other set of check points during driving of the vehicle and thereupon producing an output signal;

indication means provided in correspondence to each of said sensors;

an alarm buzzer;

designation means for instructing conduction of a test at a specified rotated position of a key switch before a starter is on;

a first control circuit driven by operation of a test switch by an operator upon instruction by said designation means for driving all of the indication means and the alarm buzzer for a test;

a second control circuit for connecting said starting check unit sensor group with only the indication means corresponding thereto after said test thereby to indicate an abnormal state existing in any of the starting check points; and

a third control circuit including a first means for driving all of the indication means and the alarm buzzer in response to the output signal of any sensor of said driving check unit sensor group while the key switch is on and second means for thereafter driving only the indication means corresponding to the check point at which the abnormal state exists.

2. A warning device for a vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said first control circuit comprises a circuit, driven by the closing of said test switch, for supplying a power voltage to all of said indication means and said alarm buzzer.

3. A warning device for a vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said second control circuit comprises a starting drive signal circuit including a flip-flop which is reset by the closing of said test switch and a plurality of AND gates provided between said starting check unit sensor group and said indication means, wherein said AND gates are enabled by the signal of said starting drive signal circuit.

4. A warning device for a vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said third control circuit comprises a plurality of AND gates provided between said driving check unit sensor group and corresponding ones of said indication means and enabled only while the key switch is in the ON position, a normally closed check switch connected to said indication means and a circuit connected to said check switch which transmits the output signal of any sensor of said driving check unit sensor group to all of the indication means and the alarm buzzer via said check switch while said check switch is closed and operates only the indication means corresponding to the sensor producing the output signal while said check switch is opened.

5. A warning device for a vehicles as defined in claim 1 wherein said driving check unit sensor group comprises an engine overrevolution sensor which periodically outputs a signal when an engine revolution number has exceeded a predetermined revolution number, whereby a corresponding one of said indication means is periodically driven during the overrevolution of the engine.

6. A warning device for a vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said driving check unit sensor group comprises a parking brake sensor which produces an output when a parking brake is being applied and a shift lever sensor which produces an output when a shift lever is in a position other than a neutral position whereby corresponding ones of said indication means are driven when the shift lever is in a position other than the neutral position while the parking brake is being applied.

7. A warning device as defined in claim 1 wherein a radiator water level sensor in said starting check unit sensor group detects an abnormal state and thereupon produces an output for driving a corresponding one of said indication means even during driving of the vehicle.

8. A warning device for a vehicle or the like, comprising:

a check unit sensor group including a plurality of sensors for detecting abnormal conditions at a plurality of check points;

a plurality of indicators corresponding to the sensors for indicating abnormal conditions which are detected by said sensors;

a control circuit, connected between the sensors and the indicator, said control circuit including first means for driving all of the indicators when an abnormality is detected by any one of the sensors, and second means for thereafter driving only the indicator which corresponds to the sensor which detected an abnormal condition.

9. The warning device of claim 8 wherein:

said first means includes an OR gate having the output of each sensor as an input and a switch coupling the output of the OR gate to all of the indicators, wherein said first means can be uncoupled from said indicators by opening said switch; and

said second means includes a plurality of control lines, one each connecting a sensor to its respective indicator.

10. A warning device for a vehicle or the like comprising:

a starting check sensor group including a first plurality of sensors for detecting abnormalities at a first plurality of check points in the vehicle;

a driving check sensor group including a second plurality of sensors for detecting abnormalities at a second plurality of check points in the vehicle;

a first and second plurality of indicators coupled to said first and second sensors respectively;

a first control circuit connected to the first plurality of sensors for initially driving all of the indicators to check their operation and to subsequently drive only those indicators which are coupled to the first plurality of sensors which have detected an abnormality; and

a second control circuit, connected to the driving check sensor group, for initially driving all of the indicators when any of the second group of sensors detects an abnormality and subsequently driving only the indicators which are coupled to the second plurality of sensors which have detected an abnormality.

11. The warning device of claim 10 wherein said second control circuit includes a switch having one terminal coupled to all of the sensors of the driving check sensor group and having the other terminal coupled to all of the indicators, whereby when the switch is closed an abnormality which is detected by any of the driving check sensors will cause all of the indicators to be driven.

12. The warning device of claim 10 wherein said switch is manually operable.