Autostop safety system

• US 9,604,539 B1
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lourens Blignaut
• Original Assignee: Lourens Blignaut
• Inventors: Blignaut, Lourens
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US14/794,816
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof

Abstract

An apparatus designed to be used in vehicles with automatic transmissions, to cause the engines to stall or cut-off if the driver leaves the vehicle while it is in drive or reverse. The apparatus features a sensor in a driver'"'"'s seat and a sensor along a brake pedal, both connected to the vehicle'"'"'s computer system and working in parallel for improving safety of a motorist. When the seat sensor indicates the seat has been vacated, and the brake sensor indicates the driver has removed his or her foot from the brake pedal while the vehicle is in D or R, a signal will be transmitted via the computer system to cut off the engine for improving safety of the motorist by preventing a possible accident.

Claims

1. An autostop safety system for use in combination with a computer system of a motor vehicle comprising:

a driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly comprising;

a circuit network, said circuit network comprising at least one circuit sensor; and

a plurality of circuit wires, said plurality of circuit wires structured and arranged to communicate a driver'"'"'s seat weight sensing-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle;

a brake pedal engagement detection-assembly comprising;

at least one brake pedal engagement detector;

at least one brake pedal engagement detector-mount; and

at least one brake pedal engagement detector cable, said at least one brake pedal engagement detector cable structured and arranged to communicate a brake pedal disengagement-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle; and

a steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly comprising;

at least one steering wheel pressure monitor;

at least one steering wheel pressure monitor-mount; and

at least one steering wheel pressure monitor cord, said at least one steering wheel pressure monitor cord structured and arranged to communicate a steering wheel pressure-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle;

wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly, said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly, said steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly comprises in functional combination said autostop safety system;

wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly is integrally installed within a driver'"'"'s seat of said motor vehicle;

wherein said at least one circuit sensor of said circuit network is able to sense a presence of weight on said driver'"'"'s seat of said motor vehicle;

wherein said at least one circuit sensor communicates said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensing-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle upon detection of a removal of said presence of said weight;

wherein said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly including said at least one brake pedal engagement detector, said at least one brake pedal engagement detector-mount useful for mounting said at least one brake pedal engagement detector, said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly in functional combination with said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly and said steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly serve to disengage said motor vehicle to enhance safety of an operator by preventing said motor vehicle from operating in drive and alternatively reverse by preventing said motor from running in a compromised condition wherein said operator is not present to perform safe driving maneuvers.

2. The autostop safety system of claim 1 wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly is automatically disabled when said motor vehicle exceeds a speed of fifteen miles per hour.

3. The autostop safety system of claim 2 wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly is automatically disabled when said steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly detects the weight of at least one hand of said user.

4. The autostop safety system of claim 3 wherein said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly communicates a brake pedal disengagement-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle upon detection of a removal of a foot of said user when said motor vehicle is in a gear comprising drive.

5. The autostop safety system of claim 4 wherein said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly communicates a brake pedal disengagement-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle upon detection of a removal of said foot of said user when said motor vehicle is in a gear comprising reverse.

6. The autostop safety system of claim 1 wherein said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly comprises said circuit network.

7. The autostop safety system of claim 6 wherein said at least one brake pedal engagement detector comprises said at least one circuit sensor.

8. The autostop safety system of claim 1 wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly comprises a warning light.

9. The autostop safety system of claim 8 wherein said warning light illuminates upon detection of a malfunction within said autostop safety system.

10. The autostop safety system of claim 9 wherein said warning light comprises a time stamp.

11. The autostop safety system of claim 10 wherein said timestamp of said warning light records an exact time and date of a first malfunction warning.

12. The autostop safety system of claim 11 wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly, said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly, and said steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly is installed within said motor vehicle at a time after being released from a manufacturing facility.

13. The autostop safety system of claim 11 wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly and said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly work in parallel to each other to provide said autostop safety system to said motor vehicle.

14. The autostop safety system of claim 13 wherein a transmission of said motor vehicle comprises an automatic transmission.

15. The autostop safety system of claim 13 wherein a transmission of said motor vehicle comprises a non-automatic transmission.

16. The autostop safety system of claim 1 further comprising a speaker and alarm unit.

17. The autostop safety system of claim 16 wherein said speaker and alarm unit is structured and arranged to emit an audible alarm upon detection of a malfunction of said autostop safety system.

18. An autostop safety system for use in combination with a computer system of a motor vehicle comprising:

a driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly comprising;

a circuit network, said circuit network comprising at least one circuit sensor; and

a plurality of circuit wires, said plurality of circuit wires structured and arranged to communicate a driver'"'"'s seat weight sensing-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle;

a brake pedal engagement detection-assembly comprising;

at least one brake pedal engagement detector;

at least one brake pedal engagement detector-mount; and

at least one brake pedal engagement detector cable, said at least one brake pedal engagement detector cable structured and arranged to communicate a brake pedal disengagement-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle; and

a steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly comprising;

at least one steering wheel pressure monitor;

at least one steering wheel pressure monitor-mount; and

at least one steering wheel pressure monitor cord, said at least one steering wheel pressure monitor cord structured and arranged to communicate a steering wheel pressure-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle;

wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly, said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly, said steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly comprises in functional combination said autostop safety system;

wherein said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly is integrally installed within a driver'"'"'s seat of said motor vehicle;

wherein said at least one circuit sensor of said circuit network is able to sense a presence of weight on said driver'"'"'s seat of said motor vehicle;

wherein said at least one circuit sensor communicates said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensing-signal to said computer system of said motor vehicle upon detection of a removal of said presence of said weight;

wherein said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly including said at least one brake pedal engagement detector, said at least one brake pedal engagement detector-mount useful for mounting said at least one brake pedal engagement detector, said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly in functional combination with said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly and said steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly serve to disengage said motor vehicle to enhance safety of an operator by preventing said motor vehicle from operating in drive and alternatively reverse by preventing said motor from running in a compromised condition wherein said operator is not present to perform safe driving maneuvers.

19. The autostop safety system of claim 18 further comprising a kit including:

said driver'"'"'s seat weight sensor-assembly;

said brake pedal engagement detection-assembly;

said steering wheel hand pressure monitor-assembly; and

a set of user instructions.