Drive defect detector

• US 4,458,535 A
• Filed: 04/06/1983
• Issued: 07/10/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack W. Juergens
• Original Assignee: Jack W. Juergens
• Inventors: Juergens, Jack W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gill, James J.
• Application Number:
  US06/482,529
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 73/651, 73/654, 73/514, 200/61.51, 200/61.49, 340/52 R, 340/52 A, 340/65
• US Class Current: 73/651
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions

Abstract

This invention is an on-board electro-mechanical system designed to detect and indicate abnormal or defective conditions in any or all wheels of a car while it is in motion at highway speed.

Each wheel of the car has a vibration sensor to detect abnormal vibration and send a signal to a defect indicator panel. The defect indicator panel of four lights visible to the driver is that unit of the system which warns the driver that a potentially hazardous condition exists, thus minimizing the liklihood of an accident resulting from the condition if the warning is heeded.

Claims

1. A Drive Defect Detector system comprising:

a. four vibration sensors, FIG. 1, one for each of a car'"'"'s four wheels;

(1) each vibration sensor having a water-tight cylindrical enclosure and fitted with a metal mounting bracket;

(2) the enclosure being made of electrical conducting metal and bolted securely to the center axis of the suspension and close to each wheel;

(3) the diameter of said enclosure being from 0.5 to 0.75 inch and housing a flexible wire center probe;

(4) said enclosure being insulated with a plastic substance from said flexible center probe at its base;

(5) said insulation covering an extent of 0.63 to 0.66 inch along the inboard base of said center probe;

(6) said center probe being from 2.5 to 2.9 inches in overall length, with that portion not imbedded in insulation being from 1.87 to 2.29 inches in length;

(7) said uninsulated portion of center probe thus being free to vibrate within the metallic enclosure and capable of making electrical contact with said enclosure;

(8) electrical contact with said enclosure thus completing an electrical circuit through the metal mounting bracket or clamp to the car chassis, this being ground;

b. one defect indicator to be located on or near the car'"'"'s instrument panel, FIG. 2;

(1) said defect indicator to be pressed or moulded from metal or durable, heat-resistant plastic;

(2) said indicator'"'"'s physical dimensions being approximately three inches long, two inches wide, and 0.75 inch deep or other modular dimensions permitting integration with other indicators on the instrument panel;

(3) said indicator to have four small apertures in its top cover with a small light bulb mounted behind each opening;

(4) said apertures and corresponding lights to be arranged in a rectangular configuration representing graphically the four wheels of the car;

(5) said apertures to be marked individually to represent the left front, the right front, the left rear, and the right rear wheels of the car;

(6) said markings serve to identify the four wheels, and the electrical connections capable of energizing the four lights to be wired to the vibration sensors located at the corresponding wheels;

(7) electical connections to activate the Drive Defect Detector system are from the accessory terminal on the fuse panel to the Positive side of all four warning lights, thus rendering the system operative whenever the car ignition switch is turned ON;

(8) electrical wiring is so arranged that intense vibration an any wheel will actuate the vibration sensor at that location, thus making contact to ground and causing the light behind the corresponding aperture on the defect indicator to flicker or glow;

(9) said electrical wiring may include in the defect indicator an in-line manual switch enabling the operator of the car to turn the system off when driving on rough roads.