Safety management system for a motor vehicle

• US 5,780,937 A
• Filed: 02/10/1997
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yu Wei Kong
• Original Assignee: Yu Wei Kong
• Inventors: Kong, Yu Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganjian, Peter
• Application Number:
  US08/796,781
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 307/91.1, 307/10.1-10.6, 280/268, 280/271, 280/272, 280/273, 280/281, 280/287, 364/423.098, 364/424.045, 364/424.055, 364/424.059, 340/825.31, 340/825.36, 318/568.1, 73/546, 200/6 C, 200/456, 297/198, 297/268
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/46 Electric switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2173 the module or part thereof being movably mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/208 by automatic or remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/016 comprising means for shuttering the windscreen or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001

Abstract

A driver'"'"'s seat sensor switch has contacts that are operable to generate a driver present signal in response to a driver'"'"'s seat of a motor vehicle being occupied. A passenger'"'"'s seat sensor switch has contacts that are operable to generate a passenger present signal in response to a passenger'"'"'s seat of the vehicle being occupied. The driver present signal is applied to a driver seat belt switch that opens when the driver'"'"'s seat belt is not properly fastened. When the driver'"'"'s seat belt is not properly fastened, the driver present signal is applied through the seat belt switch to a light, whereby the driver present signal conditions illumination of the light as an indication that the driver'"'"'s seat belt is not properly fastened. In a similar manner, an indication is provided when the passenger'"'"'s seat belt is not properly fastened. The passenger present signal additionally conditions a passenger air bag for deployment in response to the vehicle being in an accident. Contacts of the sensor switches are connected to generate a vehicle empty security signal when the vehicle is not occupied. Windows of the vehicle close and doors of the vehicle lock in response to the vehicle empty security signal. When the driver present signal is generated, an anti-theft device is conditioned for activation by momentarily moving an arm of a switch. The anti-theft device is activated by a driver absent security signal that is generated by the driver sensor switch.

Claims

1. A safety system for a motor vehicle with an electrically operated window and a door that has an electric door lock, comprising:

security means for generating a vehicle empty security signal in response to seats of said vehicle being unoccupied;

means for causing said window to close in response to said vehicle empty security signal;

driver present means for generating a driver present signal in response to a driver'"'"'s seat of said vehicle being occupied; and

a double pole double throw latching relay that is connected to said door lock, said security means and said driver present means, said latching relay being conditioned by said driver present signal to provide a pulse to said door lock in response to said vehicle empty security signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for generating said driver present signal includes a driver sensor switch with normally open contacts that close in response to said driver'"'"'s seat being occupied, said driver sensor switch being installed within a driver'"'"'s seat of said vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said driver sensor switch additionally has a pair of normally closed contacts that open in response to said driver'"'"'s seat being occupied, said means for generating said vehicle empty signal comprising a passenger sensor switch installed within a passenger seat of said vehicle, said passenger sensor switch having normally closed contacts that open in response to said passenger'"'"'s seat being occupied by a mass having a weight greater than a minimum weight, said normally closed contacts of said driver and passenger sensor switches being connected in series.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a normally closed contact of said driver sensor switch generates a driver absent security signal, apparatus for activating an anti-theft device of said vehicle comprising:

a single pole single throw latching relay connected to said driver sensor switch and to said anti-theft device, said driver absent security signal being applied to a contact of said relay; and

means for alternatively causing said driver present signal to be applied across a coil of said relay and said driver absent security signal to be applied to said anti-theft device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said driver'"'"'s seat belt indicating means comprises:

a single pole single throw driver'"'"'s seat belt switch that opens in response to said driver'"'"'s seat belt being properly fastened, said driver'"'"'s seat belt switch being connected to said driver sensor switch; and

a light connected to said driver'"'"'s seat belt switch that is illuminated in concurrent response to said driver present signal and said driver'"'"'s seat belt switch not being closed.

6. The system of claim 5 additionally comprising an air bag deployment unit connected to said passenger sensor switch, deployment of an air bag associated with said unit being in concurrent response to said vehicle being in an accident and said passenger present signal.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said means for alternatively causing is a switch.

8. The system of claim 3 wherein said vehicle has a driver'"'"'s seat belt and a passenger'"'"'s seat belt, additionally comprising:

means for indicating when said driver'"'"'s seat belt is not properly fastened; and

means for indicating when said passenger'"'"'s seat belt is not properly fastened.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said passenger sensor switch includes a pair of normally open contacts that provide a passenger present signal in response to said passenger seat being occupied by said minimum weight mass, said passenger seat belt indicating means comprising:

a single pole single throw passenger'"'"'s seat belt switch that opens in response to said passenger'"'"'s seat belt being properly fastened, said passenger'"'"'s seat belt switch being connected to said passenger sensor switch; and

a light connected to said passenger'"'"'s seat belt switch that lights in concurrent response to said passenger present signal and said passenger'"'"'s seat belt switch being closed.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein said driver sensor switch comprises:

top and bottom end panels having opposed surfaces where said normally open contacts are respectively connected;

accordion-like foldable sides connected to said panels to form an interior of said driver sensor switch, one of said normally closed contacts being connected to said bottom panel on the exterior of said sensor switch;

a J bar having one end connected to the other normally closed contact, said J Bar passing through a hole in said bottom panel to said interior for connection of the other end of said J bar to said top panel where the other end of said J bar is fixedly connected;

a coil spring that is connected to said panels within said interior, said normally open contacts being separated and said normally closed contacts being in an abutting relationship when said spring is not compressed, said normally open contacts being in an abutting relationship and said normally closed contacts being separated when said spring is compressed; and

means for making electrical connections to said normally open and closed contacts on the exterior of said driver sensor switch.

11. The system of claim 3 wherein said driver sensor switch comprises:

upper and lower arcuate leaf springs that are similar to each other, said springs having their ends connected together to form an open ended enclosure with a generally oval cross-section wherein said normally open contacts are respectively connected to said springs, said normally open contacts being in an abutting relationship in response to said springs being compressed;

a first rod that has one end connected to one of the connected ends of said springs and the other end connected to one of said normally closed contacts;

a second rod that has one end connected to the other of the connected ends of said springs and the other end connected to the other of said normally closed contacts, said normally closed contacts being in an abutting relationship when said springs are not compressed and separated in response to said springs being compressed; and

means for making electrical connections to said normally open and normally closed contacts.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said latching relay comprises:

a set switch having a set contact where said driver present signal voltage is applied, a set pole, a set coil and a set switch arm, said set coil and said set switch arm being connected to said set pole; and

a reset switch having a reset contact where said vehicle empty security signal is applied, a reset pole that is connected to said to said door lock, a reset coil and a reset switch arm, said reset coil and said reset switch arm being connected to said reset pole, when said set switch arm has been moved to said set switch contact, said driver present signal causes said reset switch arm to move to said reset contact and said set switch arm to move away from said set contact whereby said latching relay is conditioned, said reset switch arm being moved away from said reset contact in concurrent response to said latching relay being conditioned and said vehicle empty security signal.