Vehicle rollover safety device

• US 9,869,286 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2015
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl M. Clark
• Original Assignee: Carl M. Clark
• Inventors: Clark, Carl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monahon, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US14/944,818
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/026 Car
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/32 Latching movable parts mechanically

Abstract

A vehicle safety rollover device, that upon detection of a vehicle rollover, automatically shuts-off power to an ignition system of said vehicle and shuts down an electrical system of said vehicle. Power flows through a first latching relay switch to an ignition starter, and a second latching relay switch disconnects the electrical shutoff signal from the power input. When a sensor is activated, power flows from the power input to the set pins of the latching relay switches, causing the relay switches to switch positions from the first output position to the second output position. This causes power to the ignition starter to be disconnected, and power to flow to the electrical shutoff signal via the second latching relay switch, thereby causing the electrical system of the vehicle to shut down.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety rollover device, that upon detection of a vehicle rollover, automatically shuts-off power to an ignition system of said vehicle and shuts down an electrical system of said vehicle, said device comprising:

a. at least one power input;

b. a ground input operatively connected to a vehicle common ground;

c. at least two latching relay switches, each comprising;

i. an input;

ii. two output positions;

iii. a set pin; and

iv. at least one reset pin;

wherein an initial position of the latching relay switches is in the first output position, wherein when power is supplied to the set pin, the position switches to the second output position, wherein the reset pins are connected to the ground input;

d. an ignition start input operatively connected to the input of the first latching relay switch;

e. an ignition start output operatively connected to the first output position of the first latching relay switch;

f. an electrical shut-off signal operatively connected to the second output position of the second latching relay switch, wherein the input of the second latching relay switch is operatively connected to the power input; and

g. at least one sensor configured to supply power to the set pins of the latching relay switches when the sensor is activated;

wherein initially, power flows through the first latching relay switch to an ignition starter of the ignition system, wherein the second latching relay switch disconnects the electrical shutoff signal from the power input, wherein when the sensor is activated, power flows from the power input to the set pins of the latching relay switches, causing the relay switches to switch positions from the first output position to the second output position, whereupon power to the ignition starter is disconnected, whereupon power flows to the electrical shutoff signal via the second latching relay switch, thereby causing the electrical system of the vehicle to shut down.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the power is supplied from a battery power.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the power is supplied from an alternator power.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the power is supplied from an alternator power and a battery power, wherein the alternator power is connected to the sensor, wherein the sensor is connected to the set pin of the first latching relay switch, wherein the battery power is connected to the input of the second latching relay switch.

5. The device of claim 4, where the sensor is a tilt sensor comprising:

a. a conductive tube;

b. a conductive ball bearing disposed within the conductive tube, wherein the ball bearing is in electrical contact with an inner surface of the conductive tube;

c. a top end cap, composed of an insulating material containing a printed circuit board disposed on a top end of the tube;

d. a conductive pin disposed on the top end cap, and operatively connected to the battery power; and

e. a transistor comprising a base pin, a collector pin, and an emitter pin, wherein the base pin is connected to the conductive tube, wherein the collector pin is connected to the alternator power, wherein the emitter pin is connected to the latching relay switches;

wherein the tilt sensor is fixed to the body of the vehicle, wherein when the tilt sensor is upright position relative to gravity, the ball bearing rests on the bottom of the tube, causing the sensor to form an open circuit, wherein when the tilt sensor is tilted at least 90°

relative to gravity, the ball bearing rolls onto the conductive pin to activate the tilt sensor, whereupon the tilt sensor forms a closed circuit such that current can flow through the conductive pin, the ball bearing, and tube, whereupon the current flows to the base pin of the transistor to open an electrical path from the battery power to the set pins of the latching relay switches.

6. The device of claim 1, comprising four latching relay switches, wherein two ignition switch motor-on inputs are connected to the inputs of a third and a fourth latching relay switches, wherein two ignition switch motor-on outputs are connected to the first outputs of the third and fourth latching relay switches, wherein initially, power flows through the third and fourth latching relay switches to the alternator power, wherein when the sensor is activated, power flows from the power input to the set pins of all four latching relay switches, causing the relay switches to switch positions, whereupon power to the ignition motor-on inputs and the ignition starter is disconnected, whereupon power flows to the electrical shutoff signal, thereby causing the electrical system of the vehicle to shut down, disable all accessories, notify an overseeing computer, summon an emergency response and/or depressurize a plurality of fuel lines.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a dual in-line package (DIP) switch having a plurality of DIP switch positions, wherein each latching relay switch has two reset pins, wherein connecting a first reset pin to the ground input causes the respective latching relay switch to switch to the second output position when power is applied to the set pin, wherein connecting a second reset pin causes the respective latching relay switch to switch to the first output position when power is applied to the set pin, wherein the DIP switch positions are connected to the two reset pins of the respective latching relay switches, wherein the final position of the DIP switch bypasses the sensor, wherein the DIP switches are nominally set such that the ground input is connected to the first reset pin and disconnected from the second reset pin, wherein to reset the device, the DIP switch positions are reversed so that the ground input is connected to the second reset pin of each latching relay switch, whereupon when the final DIP switch position is flipped, power is supplied to the latching relay switches, which causes them to switch to the original first output position, whereupon the device is reset and the DIP switch positions is reversed to their original positions, wherein as a result, the DIP switch permits all logic in the device to be tested prior to release.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a water submergence sensor, configured to send a set signal when the vehicle is submerged in water.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is triggered by a panic button on a key chain.

10. The device of claim 5 further comprising two or more tilt sensors, wherein the two tilt or more sensors are connected in parallel, wherein the two tilt or more sensors are oriented at opposite angles, such that when the vehicle tilts in either direction by an angle sufficient to make at least one of the tilt sensors to tilt by more than 90 relative to gravity, one of the tilt sensors is activated.