Golf car limiting system

• US 5,319,368 A
• Filed: 04/30/1992
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ernest M. Poholek
• Original Assignee: Ernest M. Poholek
• Inventors: Poholek, Ernest M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US07/876,368
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/437, 340/439, 340/988, 340/933, 340/541, 340/901, 364/460, 364/424.01, 273/32 B, 273/32 H, 273/32 R, 280/DIG. 5, 180/271, 180/274, 180/277, 180/279, 318/587
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/404 Golf articles, e.g. golfbags
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0423 braking or blocking when leaving a particular area
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/05 Motorized golf carts

Abstract

A limiting system having a sensor probe extending from the bottom, which makes contact to the traveled surface beneath a golf car, under which the device is mounted. The golf car control device has the capacity to differentiate between a golf car path, or if grass, audibly notifies as such. If path recognition by the golf car path control device is not differentiated when a first preset time interval expires, then operator of the golf car will be warned and after a second preset time interval the operation of the golf car may be terminated. The same limiting system has an internal capacity to recognize a preset impact force originating from an angle at a horizontal plane; responding more sensitively to that force from the front or rear of a vehicle versus from the side, and if the preset force is exceeded, thence terminating operation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A limiting system warning when a golf car is improperly driven comprising:

a housing;

sensor probe means, located on said housing, mounted under said golf car for producing contact signals dependent upon the frequency and vertical impact of a contact point along the horizontal movement therealong;

first amplifier filter means, located in said housing, for producing selected electrical frequency signals in response to said contact signals for reducing improper signal pickup from said sensor probe;

signal detecting means, located in said housing, responsive to said selected electrical frequency signals producing a first electrical signal when said golf car is stationary, producing a second electrical signal when said golf car is traveling on the grass, and a third electrical signal when said golf car is traveling on the car path;

time constant means, located in said housing, for producing a delayed first electrical signal and a delayed second electrical signal, producing said delayed first electrical signal responsive to said first and said second electrical signal, producing said delayed second electrical signal responsive to said third electrical signal;

delayed control means, located in said housing, for producing a delayed third electrical signal responsive to either said second or said third electrical signal indicating when said golf car beings traveling, said delayed control means being further adapted for indicating when said golf car is stationary by producing a delayed fourth electrical signal responsive to said first electrical signal;

memory means, located in said housing, for producing a fourth and fifth electrical signal responsive to said delayed first and said delayed second electrical signal respectively for memory of the last surface said golf car has traveled on;

clamp means, clamping said delayed first and said delayed second electrical signals to a level which does not allow said memory means to respond to a level change until said delayed control means produces said delayed third electrical signal;

timing means, located in said housing, for counting a first predetermined time period and a second predetermined time period after counting said first predetermined time period, said <

the>

timing means further being adapted for counting a third predetermined time period after said second predetermined time period has expired;

alarm means for sounding an alarm when said fourth electrical signal occurs and said first predetermined time period is counted by said timing means, said alarm means being further adapted for a silencing of said alarm when said fifth <

sixth>

electrical signal occurs;

deactivating means for ending operation of said golf car after said second predetermined time period is counted by said timing means;

switching means for manually resetting said deactivating means and silencing said alarm, allowing use of said golf car with assistance of said limiting system, said switching means also for manually bypassing said limiting system allowing use of said golf car without assistance of said limiting system.

2. The limiting system according to claim 1, wherein said delayed control means is responsive to a first auxiliary trigger produced by depressing a gas pedal <

switch>

on said golf car producing said second or said third electrical signal, indicating that said golf car is traveling, said delayed control means is further responsive to a second auxiliary trigger produced by releasing said gas pedal on said golf car producing said first electrical signal, indicating that said golf car is stationary.

3. The limiting system according to claim 1, wherein said switching means is a switch moveable between a first switch position and a second switch position, said first switch position triggering a latching relay control circuit which moves a latching relay to a first contact position, said second switch position triggering said latching relay control circuit which moves said latching relay to a second contact position.

4. The limiting system according to claim 3, wherein said switching means includes transmitting a uniquely coded signal from a hand held transmitter, within close proximity receiving said uniquely coded signal in a receiver, triggering said latching relay control circuit, which latches said latching relay and maintains contact between said first contact position, retransmitting said uniquely coded signal which latches said latching relay and maintains contact between said second contact position, each transmission of said uniquely coded signal latches said latching relay which maintains contact between said first contact or said second contact position.

5. The limiting system according to claim 3, wherein said switching means includes a digital touch pad responding to a numbered sequence to replace said switching means.

6. The limiting system according to claim 1, wherein said deactivating means is responsive to a <

second>

amplifier filter control means triggering a latching relay control circuit which moves a latching relay contact to a first contact position.

7. The limiting system acording to claim 3, wherein said switching means includes reactivating means by switching momentarily said switch to said second switch position then switching back to said first switch position.

8. The limiting system according to claim 1, wherein said alarm means sounds an audible signal alerting that the golf car driver has been driving said golf car on the grass for an excessive time period.

9. The limiting system according to claim 1, wherein said timing means includes setting means for adjustably setting said first and second predetermined time periods.

10. The limiting system according to claim 1, further comprising sounding said alarm for a limited time, and silencing said alarm after said third predetermined time period has expired since said deactivating means has ended operation of said golf car.

11. The limiting system according to claim 1, wherein said timing means includes a means of subtracting accumulated time from said first predetermined time period when said fifth electrical signal is occurring, and if said first predetermined time period is zero, said timing means begins counting said first predetermined time period when actuated.

12. The limiting system according to claim 1, further comprising indicting means for visual indication of the golf car operational status, said indicating means is responsive to said deactivating means and said switching means wherein the indicator is a light emitting diode.

13. The limiting system according to claim 1, further comprising disconnecting power means when said third predetermined time period has ended, for disconnecting a power source from said limiting system, and resetting said first and second predetermined time periods to begin counting said first and second predetermined time periods when actuated.

15. The limiting system according to claim 13, further comprising an indicating means for visual indication of said golf car operational status, said indicating means being responsive to said switching means applying power to said limiting system and illuminating said indicating means and said indicating means being responsive to said switching means removing said power from said limiting system and extinguishing said indicating means.

17. The limiting system according to claim 15, wherein said switching means is a switch moveable between a first switch position and a second switch position, said first switch position applies power to said limiting system allowing impact sensing, said first switch position also applies said power to one terminal of a latching relay control circuit, which moves a latching relay contact to a first contact position, said second switch position removes said power from said limiting system by passing said impact sensing means, and deenergizes said latching relay control circuit which moves said latching relay contact to a second contact position.

18. The limiting system acording to claim 17, wherein said switching means includes reactivating means by switching monentarily said switching means to said second switch position which moves said latching relay contact to said second contact position then switching back to said first switch position.

14. A limiting system warning when a golf car is improperly driven comprising:

a housing;

sensor probe means, located on said housing, mounted under said golf car for producing contact signals dependent upon the frequency and vertical impact of a contact point along the horizontal movement therealong;

first amplifier filter means, located in said housing, for producing selected electrical frequency signals in response to said contact signals for reducing improper signal pickup from said sensor probe;

signal detecting means, located in said housing, responsive to said selected electrical frequency signals producing a first electrical signal when said golf car is stationary, producing a second electrical signal when said golf car is traveling on the grass, and a third electrical signal when said golf car is traveling on the car path;

time constant means, located in said housing, for producing a delayed first electrical signal and a delayed second electrical signal, producing said delayed first electrical signal responsive to said first and said second electrical signal, producing said delayed second electrical signal responsive to said third electrical signal;

delayed control means, located in said housing, for producing a delayed third electrical signal responsive to either said second or said third electrical signal, indicating when said golf car beings traveling, said delayed control means being further adapted for indicating when said golf car is stationary by producing a delayed fourth electrical signal responsive to said first electrical signal;

memory means, located in said housing, for producing a fourth and fifth electrical signal responsive to said delayed first and said delayed second electrical signal respectively for memory of the last surface said golf car has traveled on;

clamp means, located in said housing, clamping said delayed first and said delayed second electrical signals to a level which does not allow said memory means to respond to a level change until said delayed control means produces said delayed third electrical signal;

timing means, located in said housing, for counting a first predetermined time period;

alarm means for sounding an alarm after said first predetermined time period is counted, said alarm means being further adapted for silencing of said alarm when said fifth electrical signal occurs;

resetting means, located in said housing, responsive to said memory means, for shutting off said alarm means and resetting said first predetermined time period to begin counting said first predetermined time period when actuated;

and switching means for manually bypassing said limiting system allowing use of said golf car without assistance of said limiting system.

16. A limiting system warning when a golf car is improperly driven comprising:

a housing;

impact sensing means, located in said housing, for producing an electrical signal greater in amplitude to an impact force from either of two angles one hundred and eighty degrees from each other and producing an electrical signal lesser in amplitude to an impact force from the remaining directions, the ratio of said greater in amplitude and said lesser in amplitude being adjustable;

amplifier filtering means, located in said housing, responsive to said electrical signal for producing selected frequency signals from said impact sensing means;

an electronic unit, located in said housing, responsive to said selected frequency signals producing a control signal when a preset threshold voltage level is exceeded;

alarm means for sounding an alarm after said control signal is produced;

deactivating means, for ending operating of said golf car after said control signal is produced;

switching means for manually resetting said deactivating means and silencing said alarm, allowing use of said golf car with assistance of said limiting system, said switching means also for manually bypassing said limiting system allowing use of said golf car without assistance of said limiting system.

19. The limiting system according to claim 16, wherein said switching means includes a digital touch pad responding to a numbered sequence to replace said switching means.

20. A limiting system warning when a golf car is improperly driven comprising:

a housing;

sensor probe means, located on said housing, mounted under said golf car for producing contact signals dependent upon the frequency and vertical impact of a contact point along the horizontal movement therealong;

first amplifier filter means, located in said housing, for producing selected electrical frequency signals in response to said contact signals for reducing improper signal pickup from said sensor probe;

signal detecting means, located in said housing, responsive to said selected electrical frequency signals producing a first electrical signal when said golf car is stationary, producing a second electrical signal when said golf car is traveling on the grass, and a third electrical signal when said golf car is traveling on the car path;

time constant means, located in said housing, for producing a delayed first electrical signal and a delayed second electrical signal, producing said delayed first electrical signal responsive to said first and said second electrical signal, producing said delayed second electrical signal responsive to said third electrical signal;

delayed control means, located in said housing, for producing a delayed third electrical signal responsive to either said second or said third electrical signal, indicating when said golf car begins traveling, said delayed control means being further adapted for indicating when said golf car is stationary by producing a delayed fourth electrical signal responsive to said first electrical signal;

memory means, located in said housing, for producing a fourth and fifth electrical signal responsive to said delayed first and said delayed second electrical signal respectively for memory of the last surface said golf car has traveled on;

clamp means, clamping said delayed first and said delayed second electrical signals to a level which does not allow said memory means to respond to a level change until said delayed control means produces said delayed third electrical signal;

alarm means for sounding an alarm when a fourth electrical signal occurs, said alarm means being further adapted for silencing of said alarm when said fifth electrical signal occurs.