Collision avoidance system for cars

• US 6,191,686 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edwin Z. Gabriel
• Original Assignee: Edwin Z. Gabriel
• Inventors: Gabriel, Edwin Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/406,409
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/903, 340/904, 340/436, 340/825.69, 340/825.92, 180/89.12, 180/169, 180/271, 293/131, 293/118, 293/102, 280/736, 280/735, 280/734, 280/730.1, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles

Abstract

This application of a law in physics discloses relatively uncomplicated techniques for reducing the impact of auto collisions on our highways by providing aid to the motorist in slowing down his vehicle in time to avoid a hard collision, if such is to occur. The vehicle slows down from the blasts of high pressure air emitted from air valves in the auto'"'"'s front end, producing a reaction of slowing down the vehicle. The blasts of air also aid in pushing the other vehicle out of the way so that the impact if any, would be less severe. The air valves in the auto'"'"'s front end can be remotely swivable, servo driven, enabling the motorist to direct the air blasts in the direction of the menacing vehicle. The air blasts can be produced automatically from a simple calculation, providing the time in seconds for a collision to occur. If the time is less than a predetermined set value, then the air blasts are automatically turned on. In a similar manner, blasts of air at the auto'"'"'s rear end can slow down the vehicle coming from behind to reduce the severity of the impact, if any. The high pressure of the blasts of air may last only a few seconds, enough time to produce the result of either reducing the impact of the collision or avoiding it altogether. A horn in the auto'"'"'s rear also can warn and awaken the driver of the oncoming vehicle to slow down.

Claims

1. A vehicle-collision prevention system wherein a first vehicle has four sides, including front and rear sides, with one or more of its sides provided with solenoid-operated air valves with inlet and outlet ports, compressed air tanks and a manually-operated switch, a circuit also including a voltage supply, each of said air valves being connected to a compressed air tank with piping, with all solenoids being connected in parallel with the same, single voltage supply, and in series with said switch, preferably having said air valves mounted on said front side;

when said switch being closed, all air valves are opened to blast high pressure air out of said front side of said vehicle to provide a cushion behind another second vehicle traveling along the road ahead, with which said first vehicle may collide;

a sufficient number and size of air valves with sufficient air pressure being provided to offer the needed air cushion to avoid a hard collision;

the air blasts from said valves both causing said-first vehicle to slow down and pushing said second vehicle ahead and out of the way.

2. A vehicle-collision prevention system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a vehicle speed calculator and a distance between vehicles sensor measuring calculator are provided to enable the system to operate automatically in order to avoid an impending collision, said speed calculator being a radar speed sensor with a voltage supply and said distance senor measuring calculator being an ultrasonic distance sensor;

a voltage equivalent to the distance measured between two vehicles being divided by a voltage equivalent to the relative speed between the two vehicles for obtaining the time required for the first vehicle to overtake the second vehicle, then if the voltage equivalent to the calculated time is the same or below a predetermined value, an electrically-connected relay closing the circuit to the solenoids of the solenoid-operated air valves, allowing high pressure air from said tank to blast air through at the front side of said first vehicle, slowing it down.

3. A vehicle-collision prevention system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a horn and additional said solenoid-operated air valves are mounted on the rear side of said first vehicle, with compressed air tanks connected to their inlet ports with piping;

a voltage supply being electrically connected to both said horn mounted on its rear side and the solenoids of said air valves, via two switches, so that either the rear horn may blow to warn a vehicle behind, or both the horn blowing and the air blasts occurring to both slow down the vehicle behind and push said first vehicle forward, one of said two switches closing the circuit for said rear horn to blow, the second of said two switches closing the circuits to said solenoid-operated air valves mounted on said rear side, to allow high pressure air to blast out their outlet ports.

4. A vehicle-collision prevention system in accordance with claim 1 and wherein said air valves are swivable about pivots and wherein remotely-controlled means being provided for rotating said valves within prescribed limits about said pivots, said means being an electromechanical serve positioning system comprising an input potentiometer, a resistor summing network, providing an error signal, applied to a voltage amplifier, then to a power amplifier, a dc electric motor, a gear speed reducer with an output shaft, connected both to the and to the shaft of a second potentiometer whose output voltage being fed back to said resistor summing network, to provide said error signal, thus enabling the driver of said vehicle to have air valve outlets pointing toward an oncoming menacing vehicle.

5. A vehicle-collision prevention system in accordance with claim 2, wherein a potentiometer being added in an input excitation circuit of said electrically-connected relay, one which normally closes a solenoid circuit with insufficient voltage, with said potentiometer set for minimum resistance in said input excitation circuit, to allow the time for impact between said first and second vehicles to be for higher speed, as more output voltage from a divider circuit being available to keep said relay circuit open;

with said potentiometer set for maximum resistance in a input circuit, to allow the time for impact between said first and second vehicles to be for a lower speed, as more output voltage from said divider circuit being available, thus enabling said solenoid circuit to close at the same time as for said higher speed.