Impact monitor
First Claim
1. An impact monitoring device for mounting on a lift vehicle having a lift mechanism for monitoring impacts the vehicle incurs, the device comprising:
- an impact sensing element arranged to produce an impact signal in response to an acceleration condition incurred by the vehicle which is outside of a range of acceleration conditions, the impact signal representing the acceleration condition;
a processor connected to the impact sensing element and including;
an alarm activator for activating an alarm state in response to receipt by the processor of an impact signal from the impact sensing element;
an alarm latch for latching the alarm state; and
an alarm release for releasing the alarm in response to receipt by the processor of a disarming signal;
an operator interface mounted on the vehicle, the operator interface being arranged for receiving the disarming signal and transmitting the disarming signal to the alarm release; and
a disabling element for disabling the lift mechanism of the vehicle during the alarm state.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An impact monitoring device is provided for mounting on a vehicle for monitoring any impacts the vehicle incurs. The device includes a main housing to be mounted below the vehicle'"'"'s console. An impact sensing element is mounted on the vehicle remotely from the main housing and includes an accelerometer therein which produces an impact signal representing a magnitude of acceleration. The impact signal is received by a microprocessor mounted within the main housing. An operator interface is mounted on the vehicle'"'"'s console remotely from the main housing. The operator interface receives coded signals from the operator and transmits the coded signals to the microprocessor for programming and instructing the microprocessor on how to process the impact signals. If an impact signal is received by the microprocessor which exceeds a predetermined impact threshold, an alarm state is activated. The alarm state activates an audio alarm and disables the vehicle until a coded disarming signal is received by the operator interface.
91 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An impact monitoring device for mounting on a lift vehicle having a lift mechanism for monitoring impacts the vehicle incurs, the device comprising:
-
an impact sensing element arranged to produce an impact signal in response to an acceleration condition incurred by the vehicle which is outside of a range of acceleration conditions, the impact signal representing the acceleration condition;
a processor connected to the impact sensing element and including;
an alarm activator for activating an alarm state in response to receipt by the processor of an impact signal from the impact sensing element;
an alarm latch for latching the alarm state; and
an alarm release for releasing the alarm in response to receipt by the processor of a disarming signal;
an operator interface mounted on the vehicle, the operator interface being arranged for receiving the disarming signal and transmitting the disarming signal to the alarm release; and
a disabling element for disabling the lift mechanism of the vehicle during the alarm state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An impact monitoring device for mounting on a vehicle for monitoring impacts the vehicle incurs, the device comprising:
-
an impact sensing element arranged to produce an impact signal in response to an acceleration condition incurred by the vehicle which is outside of a range of acceleration conditions, the impact signal representing the acceleration condition;
a processor connected to the impact sensing element and including;
an alarm activator for activating an alarm state in response to receipt by the processor of an impact signal from the impact sensing element;
an alarm latch for latching the alarm state; and
an alarm release for releasing the alarm state in response to receipt by the processor of a disarming signal;
an operator interface mounted on the vehicle, the operator interface being arranged for receiving the disarming signal and transmitting the disarming signal to the alarm release; and
an identification digital storage element having operator identification data stored thereon, the identification digital storage element being arranged to communicate with the processor such that the operator identification data is recorded with the impact signal when an alarm state is activated.
-
-
17. A method of monitoring impacts incurred by a vehicle, said method comprising;
-
providing an impact sensing element mounted on the vehicle, the impact sensing element being arranged to produce an impact signal representing a magnitude of acceleration incurred by the vehicle at a given point in time;
providing microprocessor means for processing a plurality of impact signals;
calculating a sample representative of at least one impact signal;
calculating a hard impact average of at least two consecutive samples;
comparing the hard impact average to a predetermined hard impact value;
activating an alarm state if the hard impact average exceeds the predetermined hard impact value;
calculating a soft impact average of a greater number of consecutive samples than the hard impact average;
comparing the soft impact average to a predetermined soft impact value which is less in magnitude than the hard impact value; and
activating the alarm state if the soft impact average exceeds the predetermined soft impact value. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. An impact monitoring device for mounting on a vehicle for monitoring impacts the vehicle incurs, the device comprising:
-
an impact sensing element arranged to produce an impact signal in response to an acceleration condition incurred by the vehicle which is outside of a range of acceleration conditions, the impact signal representing the acceleration condition;
a processor connected to the impact sensing element and including;
an alarm activator for activating an alarm state in response to receipt by the processor of an impact signal from the impact sensing element;
an alarm latch for latching the alarm state; and
an alarm release for releasing the alarm in response to receipt by the processor of a disarming signal;
an operator interface mounted on the vehicle, the operator interface being arranged for receiving the disarming signal and transmitting the disarming signal to the alarm release;
a disabling element for disabling a function of the vehicle during the alarm state; and
an alarm delaying element for delaying activation of the alarm state for a predetermined amount of time following vehicle start up such that the vehicle is momentarily operable upon start up.
-
Specification