Vehicle door stop safety system

• US 6,362,735 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rosario G. Sicuranza
• Original Assignee: Rosario G. Sicuranza
• Inventors: Sicuranza, Rosario G.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh
• Application Number:
  US09/737,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20010009395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 340/556, 340/555, 340/557, 340/545.3, 340/686.6, 340/573.1, 340/551, 340/565, 340/540, 340/545.1, 359/708, 250/221, 250/222.1
• US Class Current: 340/556
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/36 Locks for passenger or like doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/00 Devices for holding wings open; Devices for limiting opening of wings or for holding wings open by a movable member extending between frame and wing; Braking devices, stops or buffers, combined therewith combined with hinges E05D11/00; combined with operating apparatus for wings E05F; other braking devices, stops, buffers E05F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/56 by magnetic or electromagnetic attraction or operated by electric or electromagnetic means for closed wings E05C19/16; operation of locks or fasteners by electric or magnetic means E05B47/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/435 by interruption of the beam
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards

Abstract

A vehicle door stop safety system for preventing closing of a door of a vehicle when an object moves between the open door and the body of the vehicle. The vehicle door stop safety system includes a field producing assembly for producing a field adjacent to the latch end of the door. The field producing assembly is mountable on the latch end of the door, and the field producing assembly is adapted for operatively connecting to the switch of the vehicle such that the field producing assembly produces the field when the switch is actuated by opening of the door. A sensing assembly produces a block signal when an interruption of the field is sensed. The sensing assembly is mountable on the latch end of the door of the vehicle. A blocking assembly is provided for blocking closure of the door when the sensing assembly detects an interruption of the field produced by the field producing assembly. The blocking assembly is mountable on the body of the vehicle adjacent to the door opening. A controller assembly is provided for actuating the blocking assembly upon sensing by the sensing assembly of an interruption of the field produced by the field producing assembly. The controller assembly is connected to the sensing assembly and the blocking assembly.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring whether an object is positioned so as to obstruct the closure of a door of a vehicle, the vehicle being of the type having a body with a door opening formed therein and a door hingedly mounted adjacent to the door opening such that the door is movable between a closed position in the door opening and an open position away from the door opening, the door having a hinge end and a latch end, the door opening of the body having a door post portion for abutting the latch end of the door, the vehicle further having a switch that is actuated when the door of the vehicle is moved out of the closed position, the system comprising:

field producing means for producing a field adjacent to the latch end of the door, the field producing means being mountable on the latch end of the door, the field producing means being adapted for operatively connecting to the switch of the vehicle such that the field producing means produces the field when the switch is actuated by opening of the door;

sensing means for sensing an interruption of the field produced by the field producing means, the sensing means producing a block signal when an interruption of the field is sensed, the sensing means being mountable on the latch end of the door of the vehicle;

blocking means for blocking closure of the door when the sensing means detects an interruption of the field produced by the field producing means, the blocking means being mountable on the body of the vehicle adjacent to the door opening; and

controller means for actuating the blocking means upon sensing by the sensing means of an interruption of the field produced by the field producing means, the controller means being connected to the sensing means and the blocking means.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the field producing means generates a field of light.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the field producing means comprises a light source for producing a coherent laser light beam.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the field producing means comprises a lens assembly for transmitting the beam of light therethrough.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the lens assembly is adapted such that the field of light comprises a sheet of light created from light beam emitted by the light source, the sheet of light being substantially fan-shaped and radiating outwardly from the lens assembly substantially in a plane.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the lens assembly includes an aperture adapted to divide the light beam from the light source into a plurality of light beams forming the fan-shaped sheet of light.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the lens assembly is mountable on an upper location of the latch end of the door so as to project the substantially fan-shaped sheet of light in a downward direction toward a lower location on the door.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the sensing means comprises a plurality of light sensors for mounting on the latch end of the door for detecting light produced by the field producing means.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the sensing means comprises a substantially continuous sensor strip mountable on the latch end of the door of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein the blocking means comprises a solenoid for mounting on a door post portion of the body of the vehicle, the solenoid having a doorstop member selectively extendable from the solenoid, the doorstop member having an extended position wherein the doorstop member is extended so as to prevent the door of the vehicle from moving into the closed position in the door opening, the doorstop member having a retracted position wherein the doorstop member does not obstruct the door from moving into the closed position.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller means comprises a relay/power feed controller being connected to the solenoid for selectively energizing the solenoid to move the doorstop member into the extended position.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the field producing means generates a field of light;

wherein the field producing means comprises a light source for producing a coherent laser light beam;

wherein the field producing means comprises a lens assembly for transmitting the beam of light therethrough;

wherein the lens assembly is adapted such that the field of light comprises a sheet of light created from light beam emitted by the light source, the sheet of light being substantially fan-shaped and radiating outwardly from the lens assembly substantially in a plane;

wherein the lens assembly includes an aperture adapted to divide the light beam from the light source into a plurality of light beams forming the fan-shaped sheet of light;

wherein the lens assembly is mountable on an upper location of the latch end of the door so as to project the substantially fan-shaped sheet of light in a downward direction toward a lower location on the door;

wherein the sensing means comprises a plurality of light sensors for mounting on the latch end of the door for detecting light produced by the field producing means;

wherein the blocking means comprises a solenoid for mounting on a door post portion of the body of the vehicle, the solenoid having a doorstop member selectively extendable from the solenoid, the doorstop member having an extended position wherein the doorstop member is extended so as to prevent the door of the vehicle from moving into the closed position in the door opening, the doorstop member having a retracted position wherein the doorstop member does not obstruct the door from moving into the closed position; and

wherein the controller means comprises a relay/power feed controller being connected to the solenoid for selectively energizing the solenoid to move the doorstop member into the extended position.

13. An apparatus for monitoring and preventing injury caused by a closing automobile door comprising:

a contact switch for supplying a signal when the door is opened;

a signal producing laser light transmitter including a lens transparent to laser light and a laser light emitting diode at a focal point of the lens, wherein a surface of the lens produces a fan-shaped sheet of laser light from said laser light emitting diode;

at least one signal sensing means mounted on adjacent to the inside edge of the door from the top incrementally to the bottom to receive light from said laser light transmitter;

a relay/power feed controller wherein when said relay/power feed controller is energized it energizes a solenoid that deploys a doorstop out of a corresponding doorpost to prevent the door from closing completely.

14. An apparatus to prevent an automobile door from closing comprising:

a contact switch for supplying a signal when the door is opened;

one signal producing laser light transmitter directed toward at least one signal sensing means;

at least one refractory lens positioned on an inside edge of the door to change a direction of a light beam from said signal producing laser light transmitter to follow approximately parallel along the shape of the door and ultimately direct said light beam toward the at least one signal sensing mean;

said at least one laser light transmitter being mounted on one end of an inside edge of the door adjacent to the edge of the door which swings closed against the stanchion to which it locks;

said at least one refractory lens mounted to follow the edge of the door with the beam of light which will be ultimately directed toward said signal sensing means which is mounted on the opposite edge of the door when said beams of laser light are broken will trigger a relay/power feed controller to energize a solenoid that deploys a doorstop out of the door post to prevent the door from closing completely.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

control circuitry connected to an open door switch for energizing the laser light in response to an indication of an open door.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein, said at least one signal sensing means includes a matrix of detector devices arranged electrically in series circuit and mechanically in a matrix having at least one row and at least one column.