Luggage door unlocking device

• US 4,580,136 A
• Filed: 10/03/1983
• Issued: 04/01/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Akita, Shigeyuki, Kitagawa, Junji, Kitamura, Sotoo
• Primary Examiner(s): YUSKO, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US06/538,576
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.31, 340/566, 340/573, 340/654, 340/644, 340/696, 340/572, 340/539, 455/95, 455/100, 361/189
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0096 Electronic keys comprising a non-biometric sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A luggage door unlocking device for a vehicle by which a luggage door of vehicle can be unlocked without using an unlocking key is disclosed. The device includes a portable transmitter for generating an unlocking signal, a receiver which is mounted on a vehicle for receiving and discriminating the unlocking signal when the transmitter approaches the receiver and a luggage door unlocking mechanism for operating an unlocking mechanism of the vehicle when the receiver receives the unlocking signal. The transmitter has a walk detector for detecting the periodical vibrations when the person carrying the transmitter is walking which generates a walk detecting signal. Also, a switch turns on or off upon receiving the walk detecting signal from the walk detector. In the luggage door unlocking device, the transmitter having the switch which is turned off upon receiving the walk detecting signal, the transmitter begins to generate the unlocking signal just after the person carrying the transmitter stops walking so that the luggage door is automatically unlocked just after he stops walking.

Claims

1. A luggage door unlocking device for a vehicle, comprising:

a portable transmitter comprising;

(a) an electric source,

(b) walk detecting means for detecting periodic vibrations caused by the walking of a person carrying said transmitter and generating a walk detecting signal indicative thereof,

(c) an electric source switch which changes state upon receiving the walk detecting signal, and

(d) transmitting means, responsive to said source through said switch, for generating an unlocking signal in response to said state change of state of said source switch;

said portable transmitter having a limited transmission range;

receiving means mounted on the vehicle for receiving the unlocking signal when said receiving means is within said range of said transmitter; and

unlocking means for operating an unlocking mechanism of a luggage door of the vehicle when said receiving means receives the unlocking signal.

2. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein:

said transmitting means includes an electromagnetic coil for generating a magnetic unlocking signal; and

said receiving means includes a magnetic sensor for receiving the magnetic unlocking signal generated by said transmitting means.

3. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein:

said electric source switch is turned on upon receiving the walk detecting signal; and

said transmitter further comprises

a timer which initiates a timing sequence when said walk detecting means stops generating the walk detecting signal and keeps said electric source switch on until a predetermined time expires.

4. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein:

the walk detecting signal generated by said walk detecting means is a signal which is periodically on and off and of which the state changes simultaneously with the periodic vibrations due to the walk of the person carrying said transmitter.

5. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 4, wherein:

said walk detecting means comprises;

a pendulum which rocks due to the periodic vibrations caused by the walk of the person carrying said transmitter; and

switching means for generating the periodic signal corresponding to the rocking movement of said pendulum.

6. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 5, wherein:

said switching means comprises a first switch contact provided in said pendulum, and a second switch contact provided in the path of said pendulum to be in contact with said first switch at a point in the path of the pendulum.

7. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 5, wherein:

said switching means comprises a permanent magnet provided in said pendulum, and a lead switch provided along the path of said pendulum and which changes state when said pendulum is positioned at a predetermined rocking position.

8. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 5, wherein:

said switching means comprises a first electrode provided in said pendulum, a second electrode which is provided along the path of said pendulum opposed to said first electrode, a RC (Resistor-Capacitor) oscillating circuit connected to said first and second electrodes for generating an output signal having an oscillation frequency which changes due to the capacitance change of a capacitor formed by said first and second electrodes, said capacitance change being caused by the rocking movement of said pendulum, and a transistor which conducts when the oscillation frequency of said oscillating circuit is within a range of predetermined frequencies.

9. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 3, wherein:

the walk detecting signal generated by said walk detecting means is a signal which is periodically on and off and of which the state changes simultaneously with the periodic vibrations due to the walk of the person carrying said transmitter;

the set time of said timer is longer than the period of said vibrations; and

said timer is reset upon receiving the walk detecting signal.

10. A luggage door unlocking device according to claim 4, wherein:

said electric source switch is turned off upon receiving the walk detecting signal; and

said transmitter further comprises

a timer for forming a continuous signal based on the walking detecting signal, said timer being, reset in every vibratory period of said walk detecting signal and said timer keeping said electric source switch off until the set time which is longer than the period of vibrations expires.

11. A device as in claim 1 wherein said electric source is a battery.

12. An automatic door unlocking device, comprising:

a portable transmitter including;

(a) pendulum means for oscillating in response to movement of a person;

(b) means for detecting said movement of said pendulum means;

(c) transmitter means for transmitting a signal; and

(d) power source means for applying power to said transmitter means when said movement is detected by said means for detecting;

receiver means for receiving said signal and producing a signal indicative thereof;

unlocking means electrically coupled to said receiver means for unlocking said door when based on said indicative signal from said receiver means.