Sleep prevention device while driving

• US 7,126,485 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2004
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony M. Cece, Rose M. Cece
• Original Assignee: Anthony M. Cece, Rose M. Cece
• Inventors: Cece, Anthony M., Cece, Rose M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie Bichngoc
• Application Number:
  US10/840,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/573.1, 340/686.1, 340/686.2, 340/575, 340/576
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A sleep prevention device while driving a vehicle including a housing member having an interior compartment; and the interior compartment includes a movable cord member with a distal end and a proximal end having a first contact member on the cord member. The interior compartment also includes two spaced-apart second contact members for engagement by the first contact member. The sleep prevention device further includes an earpiece assembly having an earpiece housing member with an alarm member therein connected to a speaker member in the earpiece housing. The distal end of the movable cord member is connected to the earpiece assembly. The first contact member moves in either a forward direction or a rearward direction as the driver'"'"'s head moves as the driver starts to doze or fall asleep such that the first contact member moves and engages one of the second contact members in order to activate the alarm member and produce an alarm sound in the driver'"'"'s ear from the speaker member of the alarm member for awakening the driver from his/her dozing or sleeping state.

Claims

1. A sleep prevention device while driving a vehicle, comprising:

a) a housing member having an interior compartment;

b) said interior compartment including a movable cord member with a distal end and a proximal end, said cord member having a first contact member thereon;

c) said interior compartment including two spaced-apart second contact members for engagement by said first contact member;

d) an earpiece assembly including an earpiece housing member having an alarm member therein connected to a speaker member for producing an alarm sound in said earpiece housing member;

e) said distal end of said movable cord member being connected to said earpiece assembly; and

f) said first contact member being movable in either a forward direction or a rearward direction as the driver'"'"'s head moves as the driver starts to doze or fall asleep such that said first contact member engages one of said second contact members in order to activate said alarm member and produce said alarm sound in the driver'"'"'s ear from said speaker member of said alarm member for awakening the driver from his/her dozing or sleeping state.

2. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said earpiece housing member includes an earpiece interior compartment, an earpiece opening for receiving said distal end of said movable cord member, and a plurality of speaker openings therein.

3. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second contact members include two sets of spaced-apart metal guide posts, and power connection means connected to each of said two sets of spaced-apart metal guide posts.

4. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 3, wherein said power connection means includes an electrical connector conduit for connection to a power source.

5. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 3, further including an electrical power adapter connected to each of said two spaced-apart second contact members for supplying power from a cigarette plug receptacle for electrical activation of said sleep prevention device to an operational mode.

6. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 3, further including positive and negative connector tabs connected to each of said two spaced-apart second contact members for connecting to positive and negative connection mounts of said power source, for electrical activation of said prevention device to an operational mode.

7. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said interior compartment of said housing member includes mounting means for mounting a coil member in said housing member, said coil member for receiving said movable cord member.

8. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing member includes means for attaching said housing member on a seat of a vehicle.

9. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing member is made from plastic or metal.

10. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said earpiece housing member includes a holding tab for attachment of said earpiece assembly to an eyeglass frame.

11. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cord member is made from fiber materials, plastic materials or flexible metal wires.

12. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 1, further including a pulley member attached to the driver'"'"'s seat in a vehicle for changing the direction of said cord member at an angle of at least 90°

for more easily accessing said earpiece assembly on the driver'"'"'s ear.

13. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first contact member further includes two spaced-apart contact members.

14. A sleep prevention devise in accordance with claim 1, wherein said movable cord member having a pair of first contact members thereon, and each of said pair of first contact members are made of metal materials.

15. A sleep prevention device while driving a vehicle, comprising:

a) a stationary bar member having a proximal end and a distal end;

b) a movable cord member having a distal end and a proximal end, said cord member being movable with respect to said stationary bar member and having a first contact member thereon;

c) said bar member having two spaced-apart second contact members thereon for engagement by said first contact member on said cord member;

d) an earpiece assembly including an earpiece housing member having an alarm member therein connected to a speaker member for producing an alarm sound in said earpiece housing member;

e) said distal end of said movable cord member being connected to said earpiece assembly; and

f) said first contact member being movable in either a forward direction or a rearward direction as the driver'"'"'s head moves as the driver starts to doze or fall asleep such that said first contact member engages one of said second contact members in order to activate said alarm member and produce said alarm sound in the driver'"'"'s ear from said speaker member of said alarm member for awakening the driver from his/her dozing or sleeping state.

16. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said proximal end of said stationary bar member includes a bracket holding member having an adjustable bracket member, and having a cord tab member with a cord opening therein.

17. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 16, wherein said adjustable bracket member is for detachably holding a coil member thereon.

18. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said earpiece housing member includes an earpiece interior compartment, an earpiece opening for receiving said distal end of said movable cord member, and a plurality of speaker openings therein.

19. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 17, wherein said second contact members include two sets of spaced-apart metal guide posts, and power connection means connected to each of said two sets of spaced-apart metal guide posts.

20. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 19, wherein each of said two sets of spaced-apart metal guide posts on said bar member are L-shaped and are detachably connected to a central location on said bar member.

21. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 20, wherein said two sets of spaced-apart metal guide posts being attached to said central location on said bar member are used for extending and guiding said movable cord member through said cord tab member of said bracket holding member.

22. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said power connection means includes an electrical connector conduit for connection to a power source.

23. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 19, further including positive and negative connector tabs connected to each of said two spaced-apart second contact members for connecting to positive and negative connection mounts of said power source for electrical activation of said prevention device to an operational mode.

24. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 16, wherein said bracket holding member is made from plastic or metal.

25. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said earpiece housing member includes a holding tab for attachment of said earpiece assembly to an eyeglass frame.

26. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said cord member is made from fiber materials, plastic materials or flexible metal wires.

27. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said second contact member is made of metal materials.

28. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said movable cord with said distal end and said proximal end having a pair of first contact members thereon, and each of said pair of first contact members are made of metal materials.

29. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 16, wherein said bracket holding member is housed within a headrest of the vehicles′

seat.

30. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said earpiece housing member includes an alarm member therein connected to said speaker member in said earpiece housing member.

31. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 22, wherein said power source is connected to an alarm member.

32. A sleep prevention device while driving a vehicle, comprising:

a) a housing member having an interior compartment;

b) said interior compartment including a first electronic eye for producing a first stationary sensor beam, a second moving electronic eye for producing a second moving sensor beam, a third electronic eye for producing a third stationary sensor beam, a first sensor beam detector and a second sensor beam detector;

c) said second moving sensor beam of said second moving electronic eye being movable in either a forward direction or a rearward direction in order to indicate when a driver'"'"'s head has moved to a dozing or sleeping state;

d) said interior compartment including an alarm member, a speaker member connected to said alarm member, and a CPU chip;

said CPU chip for activation of said alarm member and movement of said second moving sensor beam;

e) said second moving sensor beam electronically activates said first sensor beam detector and said first stationary beam as the driver'"'"'s head moves in said forward direction in order to activate said alarm member to produce an alarm sound from said alarm member for awakening the dozing or sleeping driver as said alarm sound is generated from said speaker member;

f) said second moving sensor beam electronically activates said second sensor beam detector and said third stationary beam as the driver'"'"'s head moves in said rearward direction in order to activate said alarm member to produce said alarm sound from said alarm member for awakening the dozing or sleeping driver as said alarm sound is generated from said speaker member; and

g) said second moving sensor beam moves back to its original vertical position when the driver'"'"'s head goes back to a vertical position in order to re-arm said sleep prevention device.

33. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 32, wherein said interior compartment includes a battery compartment for receiving one or more batteries therein as a power source.

34. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 33, wherein said one or more batteries are used for providing power to said alarm member, said first, second and third electronic eyes, said first and second sensor beam detectors and said CPU chip.

35. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 32, wherein said sleep prevention device is directly connected to a power source of the vehicle for providing power to said alarm member, said first, second and third electronic eyes, said first and second sensor beam detectors and said CPU chip.

36. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 34, wherein said one or more batteries are electrically connected to an on-off power switch.

37. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 36, wherein said on-off power switch is positioned on a wall of said housing member.

38. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 32, wherein said housing member includes a first wall having a plurality of speaker openings therein for receiving said alarm sounds of said alarm member from said speaker member.

39. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 38, wherein said first wall includes a first wall opening for receiving said first electronic eye thereon, a second wall opening for receiving said second moving electronic eye therein and a third wall opening for receiving said third electronic eye therein.

40. A sleep prevention device in accordance with claim 32, wherein said first, second and third sensor beams are UV sensor beams or IR sensor beams being invisible.

41. A sleeping prevention device in accordance with claim 32, wherein said first and second sensor beam detectors are for activating said alarm member upon contact of said second moving sensor beam of said second moving electronic eye.