Remote lock operation apparatus for light vehicle

• US 6,768,219 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Konno, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr., Gregory J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIOS CUEVAS, ROBERTO JOSE
• Application Number:
  US10/076,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.2, 343/711, 343/712, 343/713
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/306 Motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/02 operating on the steering mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/005 acting on the stand

Abstract

A remote locking apparatus for a cabinless, light vehicle is disclosed having an infrared receiver. Even if only one infrared receiver is used for the vehicle in order to reduce the burden to a battery, a desirable range of directivity of the infrared receiver is maintained without being influenced by a vehicle seat or other portions of a vehicle body. A single infrared receiver (R) is disposed at an uppermost portion of a vehicle body in a preferred embodiment.

Claims

1. A remote locking system for a cabinless, light vehicle having a vehicle body, said apparatus comprising:

a portable infrared transmitter;

an infrared receiver being capable of receiving an infrared signal emitted from said infrared transmitter, wherein said infrared receiver consists of a single infrared receiver disposed above a handle of the vehicle body and along an uppermost portion of the vehicle body, wherein said uppermost portion of said vehicle body is a windshield plate extending from a front portion of said vehicle body or a mirror, and said single infrared receiver is disposed alone an upper edge of said windshield plate or said mirror;

a lock actuator being capable of locking and unlocking at least one lock mechanism being incorporated in the vehicle body; and

a control apparatus for controlling an operation of said lock actuator based on the infrared signal received by said infrared receiver.

2. The remote locking system according to claim 1, said windshield plate extending upwardly from a handle cover.

3. The remote locking system according to claim 1, said single infrared receiver being disposed along the upper edge of said windshield plate.

4. The remote locking system according to claim 1, wherein said uppermost portion of said vehicle body is a mirror.

5. The remote locking system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one lock mechanism includes a handle lock mechanism for controlling a pivotal motion of a handle when parking the vehicle, a stand lock mechanism for locking a main stand, and a seat lock mechanism provided on the vehicle body.

9. The remote locking system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of operation wires extending from the locking mechanisms; and

said lock actuator consisting of a single electrically driven lock actuator for locking and unlocking said locking mechanisms and connected to said operation wires.

11. The remote locking system according to claim 5, said transmitter including an operation switch operable for inputting locking or unlocking signals, and a signal transmission section capable of transmitting an infrared signal corresponding to a particular ID code in response to an operation input for the switch.

6. A remote locking system for a cabinless, light vehicle having a vehicle body, said apparatus comprising:

a portable infrared transmitter;

an infrared receiver being capable of receiving an infrared signal emitted from said infrared transmitter, said infrared receiver disposed along an uppermost portion of the vehicle body, wherein said vehicle body includes a transparent windshield plate extending upwardly at a front end portion of an upper face of a handle cover for a steering shaft;

a lock actuator being capable of locking and unlocking at least one lock mechanism being incorporated in the vehicle body; and

a control apparatus for controlling an operation of said lock actuator based on the infrared signal received by said infrared receiver, said infrared receiver being connected to said control apparatus through a wiring cable extending along a peripheral edge of the windshield plate.

7. The remote locking system according to claim 6, wherein said control apparatus includes an electronic control circuit.

8. The remote locking system according to claim 6, wherein said at least one lock mechanism includes a handle lock mechanism for controlling a pivotal motion of a handle when parking the vehicle, a stand lock mechanism for locking a main stand, and a seat lock mechanism provided on the vehicle body.

10. The remote locking system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a plurality of operation wires extending from the locking mechanisms; and

said lock actuator consisting of a single electrically driven lock actuator for locking and unlocking said locking mechanisms and connected to said operation wires.

12. The remote locking system according to claim 6, said transmitter including an operation switch operable for inputting locking or unlocking signals, and a signal transmission section capable of transmitting an infrared signal corresponding to a particular ID code in response to an operation input for the switch.

13. The remote locking system according to claim 7, said electronic control circuit including a signal discrimination section having a CPU and a memory.

14. The remote locking system according to claim 13, said transmitter including an operation switch operable for inputting locking or unlocking signals, and a signal transmission section capable of transmitting an infrared signal corresponding to a particular ID code in response to an operation input for the switch.

15. The remote locking system of claim 14, wherein the signal discrimination section includes an ID verification section for verifying and discriminating if an infrared signal received by the infrared receiver is valid by verifying that the particular ID code of the received signal coincides with a particular ID code stored in advance in the ID verification section.

16. The remote locking system of claim 15, further comprising a first energization circuit for supplying power for a battery to the electronic control circuit and a relay circuit having a main switch and a main relay connected to the electronic control circuit, wherein the relay circuit opens or closes a second energization circuit.

17. The remote locking system according to claim 6, wherein said infrared receiver consists of a single infrared receiver.