Multi-function car door closure warning system

• US 5,121,098 A
• Filed: 04/29/1991
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liang-Tsai Chen
• Original Assignee: Liang-Tsai Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Liang-Tsai
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/692,920
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457, 340/321, 340/693, 340/545-547, 340/471-474, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 340/457
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A multi-function car door closure warning sensor includes a main module secured to a car door adjacent to an edge thereof, and an auxiliary module secured to the car body and adjacent with the main module, when the car door is in a closed position. A battery, a first soft magnetic pole piece with an attached normally closed magnetic switch, a buzzer, two sets of L.E.D.'"'"'s, and an L.E.D. control circuit are disposed within the main module. A permanent magnet with an atached second soft magnetic pole piece are disposed within the auxiliary module. Whereby, when the door is properly closed, the first and second soft magnetic pole pieces are aligned and separated by a small gap. The permanent magnet induces a magnetic field in the first pole piece which causes the magnetic switch to open. When the car door is not properly closed, no magnetic field is induced in the first pole piece causing the magnetic switch to close, activating the buzzer and L.E.D. control circuit, which causes the two sets of L.E.D.'"'"'s to flash on and off intermittently in see-saw fashion.

Claims

1. A car door closure warning system comprising a main module mounted on the exterior of a car door adjacent to an edge thereof, and an auxiliary module mounted on a car body adjacent with said main module, wherein:

a first soft magnetic pole piece is disposed within said main module, protruding from a side thereof;

a second soft magnetic pole piece is disposed within said auxiliary module, protruding from a side thereof, with said second soft magnetic pole piece being adjacent to and aligned with said first magnetic pole piece, when said car door is in a properly closed position;

a permanent magnet is disposed on said second soft magnetic pole piece within said auxiliary module;

a magnetically activated, normally closed, switch is disposed on said first pole piece within said main module;

at least one battery is disposed within said main module;

a buzzer and more than one electrically powered light sources, powered by said battery through said magnetically activated switch, are disposed within said main module;

said light sources being adjacent to at least one light transmitting aperture formed on the housing of said main module;

whereby, when said car door is properly closed, said permanent magnet in said auxiliary module induces a magnetic field in said first soft magnetic pole piece in said main module, causing said magnetically activated switch to open, with said buzzer and said light sources in an inactive state;

when said car door is improperly closed, being ajar, said first soft magnetic pole piece is disaligned with said second soft magnetic pole piece, with the cessation of the magnetic field in said first soft magnetic pole piece, said magnetically activated switch returns to a closed state activating said buzzer and said light sources, providing a visible and audible warning to a user.

2. A car door closure warning system according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing of said main module and said auxiliary module are made from a resilient, impact resistant material;

whereby, said auxiliary module, mounted on said car door, can provide protection to the edge of said car door against impact damage.

3. A car door closure warning system according to claim 2, wherein said main module and said auxiliary module are mounted to respective said car door and said car body by means of an adhesive layer attached to the rear surfaces of respective said main module and said auxiliary module;

whereby, said main module can be manually removed and reattached to any part of the car body, being separated from said auxiliary module said main module automatically and continuously activates said buzzer and said light sources, acting as a nocturnal signal light and siren in emergency situations;

when a car is driven past an object in close proximity to said door, upon the occurence of a glancing collision said auxiliary module and said main module would shear off under the impact, with the concomitant sound alerting the driver to an imminent collision with the actual said car body, and with no damage incurred by the violent dislodging of said main module or said auxiliary module.

4. A car door closure warning system according to claim 3, wherein said main module and said auxiliary module are mounted to respective said car door and said car body by means of a permanent magnet attached to the rear surfaces of respective said main module and said auxiliary module, providing the same functions according to the above claim.

5. A car door closure warning system according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises at least one set of light emitting diodes.

6. A car door closure warning system according to claim 5, wherein:

said light source comprises a first and second sets of light emitting diodes;

said first and second sets of light emitting diodes are controlled by an electronic controlling means,

said controlling means includes a pair of switching transistors, with each said switching transistor being controlled by a respective resistor and capacitor pair, both said pairs of resistors and capacitors having an equal time constant;

whereby, when activiated said electronic controlling means causes said first and second sets of light emitting diodes to emit light intermittently in a see-saw fashion, with said first set of light emitting diodes emitting light while said second set of light emitting diodes remain inactive, and vice-versa, said first and second sets of light emitting diodes having active states of equal duration and of a pre-determined time period.