Motor vehicle fuel-waste indicator
First Claim
1. The use of an electro-mechanical vibrator to signal the driver of a motor vehicle, said vehicle having an internal battery, a driver-operated gas pedal, and an internal combustion engine which produces a manifold-vacuum in the intake manifold, as to the state of said vacuum being above or below a pre-selected level, by mechanically coupling said vibrator to the gas pedal under the driver'"'"'s foot, coupling a sensing assembly to said vacuum, said sensing assembly providing means for connecting a suitable voltage from said battery to said vibrator when said vacuum is below said pre-selected level thereby actuating said vibrator, and for disconnecting said voltage when said vacuum is above said pre-selected level, thereby de-energizing said vibrator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and electro-mechanical device, for use on motor vehicles, which signals the driver to ease up on the gas pedal whenever he is applying excessive pedal pressure which causes fuel waste. The device utilizes a vacuum-operated electric switch that detects any drop in engine intake-manifold-vacuum below a pre-selected level, caused by excess foot-pressure on the gas pedal, and applies voltage to an electric vibrator which is coupled to the gas pedal. On feeling the gas pedal vibrating, the driver reduces his pedal pressure sufficiently to allow engine vacuum to rise above the pre-selected level, thereby causing the vacuum-switch to cut off electric current to the pedal vibrator. This cessation of vibration serves as a feed-back signal to the driver that his pedal pressure, and hence vehicle performance, is restored to an economical level.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. The use of an electro-mechanical vibrator to signal the driver of a motor vehicle, said vehicle having an internal battery, a driver-operated gas pedal, and an internal combustion engine which produces a manifold-vacuum in the intake manifold, as to the state of said vacuum being above or below a pre-selected level, by mechanically coupling said vibrator to the gas pedal under the driver'"'"'s foot, coupling a sensing assembly to said vacuum, said sensing assembly providing means for connecting a suitable voltage from said battery to said vibrator when said vacuum is below said pre-selected level thereby actuating said vibrator, and for disconnecting said voltage when said vacuum is above said pre-selected level, thereby de-energizing said vibrator.
- 2. An electro-mechanical device in combination with a motor vehicle having an internal battery, a driver-operated gas pedal, an internal combustion engine which produces a manifold-vacuum in the intake manifold that varies in direct relation to relative engine efficiency and vehicle gas mileage, and access means on said engine to enable coupling of said vacuum to said device, said device comprising (1) an electro-mechanical vibrator which when electrically powered produces a mechanical vibration that is coupled to said gas pedal, causing said gas pedal to vibrate, and (2) a sensing assembly coupled to and actuated by said vacuum and connected to said battery, said assembly including an electrical switch arrangement to connect a suitable voltage from said battery to said vibrator when said vacuum is below a pre-selected level, thereby causing said gas pedal to vibrate under the driver'"'"'s foot as a signal to the driver that said vacuum is below said level, and to disconnect said voltage to said vibrator when said vacuum is above said level thereby causing said gas pedal to stop vibrating, as a signal to the driver that said vacuum is above said level.
Specification