Vehicle locator device

• US 6,246,314 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2000
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Djaïd, Omeur
• Original Assignee: Djaïd, Omeur
• Inventors: Djaïd, Omeur
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US09/542,913
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/993, 340/988, 340/539, 340/825.59, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/471-472, 340/487, 362/479, 362/493, 362/527, 405/92, 406/10, 406/01
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2657 mounted on a shaft, e.g. telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/482 for locating vehicle in parking lot

Abstract

The present invention concerns a vehicle locator device with a deployable arm that is protected from bad weather conditions, and that can be secured to an existing vehicle'"'"'s roof luggage fixture or directly secured onto a vehicle'"'"'s roof. Upon a single activation of a remote control, a localization arm is deployed in a vertical position (or retracted in an horizontal position) and one or more light sources mounted on the arm as well as, preferably, an audible signal are activated (or deactivated) to help in visually locating the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle locator device comprising:

a remote transmitting unit including a transmitter and a first power source;

an activation switch mounted on said remote unit and connected to said transmitter, said transmitting unit generates and emits a signal via said transmitter upon activation of said activation switch;

a receiving unit generally mounted on a vehicle and including a control circuit and a receiver, both being connectable to a second power source, said receiving unit being adapted to receive said signal emitted from said transmitting unit;

an arm support structure including a base section adapted to be secured onto a roof of said vehicle, and an arm section pivotally mounted onto said base section via an actuator device between an activated deployed position and a non-activated retracted position;

one or more light sources mounted onto said arm section of said support structure, said actuator device and one or more light sources being connected to said receiving unit, both said one or more light sources and actuator device being energized by said second power source via said control circuit and disposed to either be turned on and deploy said arm section respectively as said receiving unit receives a first of said signal from said transmitting unit, or be turned off and retract said arm section respectively as said receiving unit receives a second of said signal from said transmitting unit.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a first and second limit switches connected to said control circuit and detecting said retracted and deployed positions of said arm section respectively, said second limit switch being used to disconnect said actuator device deploying said arm section from said second power source and connect said light sources to said second power source, said first limit switch being used to disconnect said actuator device retracting said arm section from said second power source.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said base section is substantially horizontally secured onto said roof and said arm section is always positioned between said retracted and deployed positions being substantially horizontal and vertical respectively.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said support structure is adapted to be secured to an existing transverse roof luggage fixture.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said support structure is generally elongated in shape and transversely positioned to a direction of displacement of said vehicle.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said one or more light sources and actuator device are protected against bad weather conditions by both said base and arm sections when the latter is into said non-activated retracted position.

7. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said arm section includes a first end pivotally mounted onto said base section, a second end adapted to receive said one or more light sources and a substantially mid-section adapted to pivotally engage a first extremity of a support bar, said support bar having a second extremity pivotally secured to a block slidably mounted onto said base section, said block being linearly displaced along said base section by said actuator device between said two limit switches.

8. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein said actuator device includes a reversible electrical motor activated in a first operating and a second reversible operating modes to deploy and retract said arm section respectively, and said second power source being a direct current supply of said vehicle.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, wherein said actuator device further includes an endless screw rotatably supported into said base section and rotatably engaging a nut fixedly secured to said block.

10. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said arm section includes a lower and upper members, said lower member includes a bottom end pivotally mounted onto said base section, a substantially mid-section adapted to pivotally engage a first extremity of a support bar, said support bar having a second extremity pivotally secured to a block slidably mounted onto said base section, said block being linearly displaced along said base section by said actuator device between a first and a second limit positions corresponding to said retracted and deployed positions respectively, said lower member being adapted to slidably receive said upper member between a lower folded and a upper unfolded positions using a second actuator device energized by said second power source via said control circuit and mounted onto said lower member, said upper member being adapted to receive said one or more light sources at an upper extremity.

11. A device as defined in claim 10, further comprising a first and second limit switches connected to said control circuit and detecting said retracted and deployed positions of said arm section respectively, a third and fourth limit switches connected to said control circuit and detecting said unfolded and folded positions of said upper member of said arm section respectively, said second limit switch being used to disconnect said first actuator device deploying said arm section from said second power source and connecting said second actuator device unfolding said upper member to said second power source, said fourth limit switch being used to disconnect said second actuator device unfolding said upper member from and connect said light sources to said second power source, said third limit switch being used to disconnect said second actuator device folding said upper member from and connect said first actuator device retracting said arm section to said second power source, said first limit switch being used to disconnect said first actuator device retracting said arm section from said second power source.

12. A device as defined in claim 11, wherein said first actuator device includes a reversible electrical motor activated in a first operating and a second reversible operating modes to deploy and retract said arm section respectively, said second actuator device includes a second reversible electrical motor activated in a first operating and a second reverse operating modes to unfold and fold said upper member of said arm section respectively, said second power source being a direct current supply of said vehicle.

13. A device as defined in claim 12, wherein said first actuator device further includes a first endless screw rotatably supported into said base section and rotatably engaging a first nut fixedly secured to said block, and said second actuator device further includes a second endless screw rotatably supported into said lower member of said arm section and rotatably engaging a second nut fixedly secured to a lower extremity of said upper member of said arm section.

14. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said control circuit of said receiving unit including two relays interconnected and connected to said first and second limit switches, said second power source and said actuator device.

15. A device as defined in claim 11, wherein said control circuit of said receiving unit including two relays interconnected and connected to said first, second, third and fourth limit switches, said second power source and said first and second actuator devices.

16. A device as defined in claim 14, wherein said relays being double position double contact type relays.

17. A device as defined in claim 15, wherein said relays being double position double contact type relays.