Antitheft system for starting a vehicle
First Claim
1. In combination for use with an energy source, an ignition switch, a motor and gear means for providing a controlled starting of an engine,a pull-in coil for operating the gear means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine,a holding coil for operating the gear means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine,means defining a first normally open switch associated with the pull-in coil and the holding coil for actuating the first switch to the closed position when at least one of the pull-in coil and the holding coil is actuated,control means defining an electrical circuit with the energy source and the ignition switch and responsive to particular closings of this electrical circuit for energizing the pull-in coil and the motor,means responsive to the operation of the first switch in the closed state for maintaining an energizing of the motor,means defining a second normally open switch responsive to energization of the pull-in coil to obtain an operation of the second switch in the closed state, andmeans responsive to the closure of the second switch for energizing the holding coil.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for energizing a motor vehicle engine includes an energy source (e.g. a battery), an ignition switch, a pinion, a motor, a pull-in coil, a holding coil and a magnetizable core movable upon the engerizing of the pull-in coil. The pull-in coil, the holding coil and the core are disposed within a housing. The system also includes first and second switches each disposed within the housing and closed upon the movement of the core. The system further includes a control system disposed within the housing and operable when the ignition switch has been closed in a particular sequence such as that produced by short intervals between first closings and pauses between other closings. When the control system is operated, current flows through the pull-in coil, causing the core to be moved to a position closing the first and second switches and moving the pinion to a position coupling the engine to the motor. The closure of the first switch connects the energy source directly to the motor. The closure of the second switch causes a circuit to be established from the energy source to the holding coil. By including the second switch, the system cannot be circumvented by increasing the voltage on the holding coil in an effort to make the holding coil perform the function of the pull-in coil-namely, moving the core.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. In combination for use with an energy source, an ignition switch, a motor and gear means for providing a controlled starting of an engine,
a pull-in coil for operating the gear means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine, a holding coil for operating the gear means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine, means defining a first normally open switch associated with the pull-in coil and the holding coil for actuating the first switch to the closed position when at least one of the pull-in coil and the holding coil is actuated, control means defining an electrical circuit with the energy source and the ignition switch and responsive to particular closings of this electrical circuit for energizing the pull-in coil and the motor, means responsive to the operation of the first switch in the closed state for maintaining an energizing of the motor, means defining a second normally open switch responsive to energization of the pull-in coil to obtain an operation of the second switch in the closed state, and means responsive to the closure of the second switch for energizing the holding coil.
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4. In combination for use with an energy source, an ignition switch, a motor and a pinion actuatable from a first position to a second position for providing a controlled starting of an engine in accordance with an energizing of the motor,
first means including a first switch defining a continuous electrical circuit upon a closure of the ignition switch for actuating the pinion to the second position to couple the motor to the engine, said first normally open switch becoming closed upon the continuity of said electrical circuit to provide for an energizing of the motor upon such closure, a second normally open switch operable to the closed state only upon closure of said first switch, and second means operative only upon the operation of the second switch in the closed state for maintaining energization of the motor and actuation of the pinion to the second position to couple the motor to the engine.
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9. In combination for actuating an engine in accordance with an actuation of pinion means coupling a motor to the engine,
an energy source, a pull-in coil for operating the pinion means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine, a holding coil for operating the pinion means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine, an ignition switch, a control system coupled in a circuit with the ignition switch and the energy source and energizable in accordance with a particular pattern of continuity through this circuit, means including the energy source, the motor, the pull-in coil, the ignition switch and the control system for energizing the pull-in coil and the motor upon the energizing of the control system, a normally open switch having open and closed states and normally in the opened state and operable in the closed state only upon a flow of current through the pull-in coil, and means including the holding coil and the normally open switch for energizing the holding coil only upon the operation of the normally open switch in the closed state.
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14. In combination for use with an energy source, an ignition switch, a motor and pinion means for providing a controlled starting of an engine,
a pull-in coil for positioning the pinion means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine, a holding coil for maintaining the the positioning of the pinion means, when energized, to couple the motor to the engine, a housing which encloses the pull-in coil and the holding coil, control means disposed within the housing in a circuit with the energy source and the ignition switch and responsive to a particular sequence of continuities through this circuit for applying energy from the energy source to the pull-in coil to obtain the positioning of the pinion means to couple the motor to the engine and for applying energy to the motor, and means disposed within the housing and responsive only to the operation of the pull-in coil in the energized state for applying energy from the energy source to the holding coil to obtain the positioning of the pinion means to couple the motor to the engine.
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18. In combination for use with a battery in starting a motor vehicle engine and for precluding the engine from being started by unauthorized persons, the combination comprising:
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a holding coil, a pull-in coil and a core, the holding coil and the pull-in coil being individually energizable upon a flow of current through such coil, and the core being normally disposed in a first position and being movable to a second position in accordance with the energizing of at least one of the pull-in coil and the holding coil; a housing which encloses the holding coil, the pull-in coil and the movable core; an ignition switch; terminal means for connecting the housing to the battery and the ignition switch; and control means disposed within the housing and connected in a circuit with the battery and the ignition switch and responsive to a predetermined series of continuities through this circuit for selectively applying current to said pull-in coil to energize the pull-in core and for starting the engine only when the continuity has been established through the circuit in the predetermined series; and means for providing for the flow of current through said holding coil to energize the holding coil only after current has been applied to the pull-in coil to energize the pull-in coil. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. In combination for use with a battery in starting a motor vehicle engine and for precluding the engine from being started by unauthorized persons, the combination comprising:
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a holding coil, a pull-in coil and a core, each of the holding coil and the pull-in coil being energized by a flow of current through such coil and the core being normally disposed in a first position and being actuatable to a second position upon an energizing of at least one of the pull-in coil and the holding coil; a housing which encloses the holding coil, the pull-in coil and the movable core; an ignition switch; terminal means for connecting the housing to the battery and ignition switch; control means disposed within the housing and connected in a circuit with the battery and the ignition switch and responsive to a predetermined series of continuities through this circuit for selectively producing a flow of current through the pull-in coil to energize the pull-in coil and for starting the engine only when the continuity has been established in the predetermined series; and means for providing a flow of current through the holding coil to energize the holding coil only when said core is actuated to the second position - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. In combination for use with an energy source, in ignition switch, a motor and a pinion for coupling the motor to an engine to provide a controlled starting of the engine in accordance with the energizing of the motor,
first and second normally open switches, core means normally disposed in a first position and movable to a second position to close the first and second normally open switches and to operate the pinion means for coupling the motor to the engine to start the engine, a pull-in coil for moving the core means to the second position when energized, a holding coil for maintaining, when energized, the position of the core means in the second position of the core means, control means connected in a circuit with the energy source and the ignition switch and responsive to particular continuities through this circuit for obtaining an energizing of the pull-in coil and the motor and a closure of the first and second normally open switches, means responsive to the closure of the second normally open switch for obtaining an energizing of the holding coil, and means responsive to the closure of the first normally open switch for obtaining an energizing of the motor.
Specification