Anti-theft vehicle system

• US 6,037,869 A
• Filed: 08/24/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Lace, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US09/138,931
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.5, 340/539, 340/426, 340/933, 340/935, 280/33.994, 188/111, 188/162, 180/167, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6, 70/226, 70/228, 455/345
• US Class Current: 340/568.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/09 by restraining wheel rotation, e.g. wheel clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0423 braking or blocking when leaving a particular area

Abstract

An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle wheel having a rotational axis includes at least one inhibitor disposed within the vehicle wheel to selectively engage the vehicle wheel to prevent the vehicle wheel from rotating about its rotational axis. The anti-theft vehicle system also includes rotatable means disposed within the vehicle wheel and cooperating with the inhibitor for moving the inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position with the vehicle wheel.

Claims

1. An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

a wheel for connection to a vehicle;

an actuating mechanism operatively associated with said wheel for rotating and moving between an engaged position and a disengaged position with said wheel; and

an electrical circuit disposed within said wheel for selectively activating said actuating mechanism in response to an electrical signal.

2. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 1 including at least one inhibitor to selectively engage and disengage said wheel to resist and allow rotational movement of said wheel.

3. An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

a wheel for connection to a vehicle;

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with said wheel to engage and disengage said wheel to resist and allow rotational movement of said wheel;

an actuating mechanism operatively associated with said wheel and having rotatable components for moving said at least one inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position with said wheel;

an electrical circuit operatively associated with said wheel for selectively activating said actuating mechanism; and

an antenna operatively connected to said electrical circuit.

4. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said actuating mechanism includes a motor operatively connected to said electrical circuit.

5. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 3 including a rotation sensor operatively connected to said electrical circuit.

6. An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle wheel;

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with said vehicle wheel to selectively engage and disengage said vehicle wheel to resist and allow rotational movement of said vehicle wheel;

an actuating mechanism operatively associated with said vehicle wheel and cooperating with said at least one inhibitor for moving said at least one inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position with said vehicle wheel;

an electrical circuit operatively associated with said vehicle wheel for selectively activating said actuating mechanism;

an antenna connected to said electrical circuit to receive a predetermined signal;

said actuating mechanism including a motor connected to said electrical circuit; and

a rotation sensor connected to said electrical circuit for sensing rotation of said vehicle wheel.

7. An anti-theft system for a shopping cart comprising:

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with the shopping cart to resist and allow movement of the shopping cart; and

a receiver operatively associated with the shopping cart to receive a predetermined signal having a frequency of at least sixty hertz and less than 1 kilohertz to activate said at least one inhibitor to resist movement of the shopping cart.

8. An anti-theft system for a shopping cart comprising:

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with the shopping cart to resist and allow movement of the shopping cart; and

a receiver operatively associated with the shopping cart to receive a predetermined square wave signal to activate said at least one inhibitor to resist movement of the shopping cart.