Apparatus for warning loading excess of vehicle

• US 5,990,787 A
• Filed: 09/17/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Young-Own
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/932,414
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 340/440, 340/666, 340/686.3, 340/691.3, 340/691.4, 340/691.5, 250/222.1, 180/290, 177/136
• US Class Current: 340/440
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/005 Means for preventing overload

Abstract

An apparatus for warning a loading excess of vehicle includes: a motion conversion mechanism which is mounted to a lower arm rotatably mounted in a body of a vehicle, and converts a motion of the lower arm by a drooping body to a rotational motion; a rotation disc which rotates by receiving a torque from the motion conversion mechanism, and has two slit holes whose lengths are different from each other along a circumference; an overload sensing device for sensing an overload through a medium of the slit holes of the rotation disc; and an attention calling device which are operated by selectively receiving a power supply through the overload sensing device, and calls the driver'"'"'s attention to the overload. The apparatus for warning the loading excess of vehicle senses an overload state through the medium of both the disc proportionally rotated according to a vehicle'"'"'s load and the diodes, sequentially calls the driver'"'"'s attention to the overload by using the warning lamp and the warning sound, prevents a component such as a shock absorber from being damaged, lengthens the vehicle'"'"'s lifetime, lets the driver drive more safely, and thus prevents a traffic accident caused by the unreasonable driving under the loading excess state.

Claims

1. An apparatus for warning of an excess loading on vehicle comprising:

a lower arm rotatably mounted on a body of such vehicle;

a motion conversion means which is mounted to the lower arm and converts a motion of said lower arm, in response to drooping of the body, to a rotational motion;

a rotation disc which rotates by receiving a torque from said motion conversion means, and has two slit holes whose lengths are different from each other along a circumference;

an overload sensing means for sensing an overload through a medium of said slit holes of said rotation disc; and

an attention calling means which are operated by selectively receiving a power supply through said overload sensing means, and calls a driver'"'"'s attention to said overload.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said motion conversion means comprises a first link and a second link, and one end of said first link is mounted to a central part in a lengthwise direction of said lower arm, other end of said first link is rotatably connected to one end of said second link with a pin, and other end of said second link is connected to a rotation shaft received in a housing mounted to said body with a bolt and partially projecting out of said housing.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said rotation disc is received in a housing, is connected to a rotation shaft with a bolt and a washer nut, and is thus mounted to said rotation shaft as one body.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein, a starting angular position of said first slit hole is the same as said second slit hole, but an ending annular position of said first slit hole is different from that of said second slit hole.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said overload sensing means comprises two light emitting diodes and two light receiving diodes, and said two light emitting diodes are vertically mounted to be opposite to said two light receiving diodes at a predetermined distance on both inner walls of a housing adjacent to said rotation disc, and said two light emitting diodes and said two light receiving diodes are connected in parallel to each other and in series with a parking contact switch connected to a battery power.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein, said attention calling means includes a warning lamp and a warning device which are respectively connected to said light receiving diodes, thereby being selectively lit or generating a warning sound.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein, in order to set a standard position of said rotation disc when mounting said rotation disc to a housing within a tolerance, a standard hole is formed in said rotation disc so as to let a fixed pin penetrate both said housing and said rotation disc.