Child occupancy detection system

• US 7,378,979 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Victor H. Rams Jr
• Original Assignee: Victor H. Rams Jr
• Inventors: Rams, Victor H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/146,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20060273917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 340/667
• US Class Current: 340/667
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

The invention is directed to a system for detecting the presence of a child in a car, when the driver exits the vehicle. A sensor is connected to the seat belt of the baby'"'"'s car seat or to the rear seat belts. Once the seat belt is inserted into the belt buckle, an alarm circuit is activated. When the driver enters the vehicle and sits down, the system detects the presence of the driver and de-activates the alarm circuit. When the driver exits, the alarm circuit is then re-activated. The system includes a delay timer that gives the driver time to enter and exit the vehicle without setting off the alarm circuit. When the alarm circuit is activated, a timer for the time delay begins. At the end of the time delay (e.g., relay is transferred), if the driver has not disabled the alarm circuit by re-entering the vehicle or taking the child out of the vehicle, the alarm circuit will be set off warning signals and will remain energized until disabled.

Claims

1. A vehicle child seat safety system for preventing a child from being left unattended in a vehicle, comprising:

a child safety belt device that senses whether or not a child is secured to a child car seat by a first belt attached to the child car seat;

a driver detecting device that senses when a driver is present or not present inside the vehicle, the driver detecting device being formed as a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the driver seat of the vehicle to detect whether the driver is seated in the vehicle;

an alarm circuit operatively connected to an alarm, the child safety belt device, and the driver detecting device, the alarm circuit including a delay timer that times how long the driver is not present in the vehicle, wherein the alarm circuit sounds the alarm after a predetermined time period set in the delay timer when the child safety belt device senses that the child is present inside the vehicle and the driver detecting device senses that the driver is not present in the vehicle; and

an alarm disabling device operatively connected to the alarm circuit to temporarily disable the delay timer while the driver is accessing the vehicle after the alarm circuit detects that the driver is not in the vehicle.

2. A vehicle child safety system according to claim 1, wherein the child safety belt device that senses when a child is seated inside the vehicle includes a seat belt latch having a sensor that detects when the seat belt latch is connected.

3. A vehicle child safety system according to claim 1, wherein the child safety belt device that senses when a child is seated inside the vehicle includes a car seat having a seat belt device having a sensor that detects when the seat belt latch is connected.

4. A vehicle child safety system according to claim 1, wherein the child safety belt device that senses when a child is seated inside the vehicle includes a rear seat belt having a sensor that detects when the rear seat belt latch is connected.

5. A vehicle child safety system according to claim 1, wherein the driver detecting device that senses when a driver is present or not present inside the vehicle includes the plurality of sensors being incorporated into the driver seat of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle child safety system according to claim 1, wherein the driver detecting device that senses when a driver is present or not present inside the vehicle includes a portable seat cushion having the plurality of sensors incorporated therein.

7. A vehicle child safety system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm disabling device includes a gas cap cover device to sense when the gas cap is open so as to disable the delay timer.

8. A vehicle child safety system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm disabling device includes a trunk lid device to sense when the trunk lid is open so as to disable the alarm circuit.