STEERING WHEEL COVER DRIVER SAFETY SYSTEM

• US 20140300458A1
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Bennett
• Original Assignee: William Bennett
• Inventors: BENNETT, WILLIAM
• Granted Patent: US 9,024,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1125 Grasping motions of hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2087 Rim grips and covers

Abstract

A steering wheel cover that houses the sensor, indicator, power and communication elements of a driver safety system is disclosed. The objective is to discourage texting, eating, primping one'"'"'s self and cell phone use that distract drivers and causes accidents. The steering wheel cover is light, easy to install and lock in place but strong and difficult to forcibly remove. The driver safety system senses the positions of the driver'"'"'s hands on the wheel rewarding safe habits. When the system senses bad habits the driver is warned, incidence is recorded for third party information in addition to alerting and annoying dis-rewards are given.

Claims

1. A steering wheel cover driver safety system, comprising:

two or more cover sections, covering a front, back and periphery of the rim of the steering wheel and for supporting the driver safety apparatus;

two or more connecting members for immovably securing the two or more cover sections to the steering wheel;

wherein at least one of the two or more connecting members prevents unauthorized removal of the two or more cover sections from the outer periphery of the steering wheel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the two or more connecting members includes one or more or combinations from the list of;

i. a hinge;

ii. a draw latch;

iii. a resilient element;

a lock and key.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

two or more sensors of one or more designs or technologies for detecting a hands of a driver.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the two or more sensors detect the positions of the hands of the driver for determining whether the hands are in a safe or unsafe position for driving.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the two or more sensors detect occasional movement of the hands for determining if sensing of the true position of the hands is being circumvented.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a battery mounting for powering at least a portion of the safety system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the battery mount accommodates a watch battery or coin cell.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a short range wireless transmitter for communication with one or more external devices.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein :

a signal from the one or more external devices is the only means for turning the sensors, indicators and wireless transmitter on and off.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a signal from the one or more external devices continues to activate the bad driving habit alert for a period after hand contact has been reestablished to prevent a period of intermittent hand contact in between periods of indulging in un-safe driving habits.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

the short range wireless transmitter draws no power during electrically quiescent periods of the driver safety system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

at least one of the two or more cover sections comprises two or more layers.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

at least one of the two or more layers comprise at least one from the list of;

i. a ridged layer for preventing unauthorized removal of the steering wheel cover by distortion of the two or more cover sections;

ii. one or more strong tensile layers with low creep coefficients for pulling the two or more cover sections into intimate contact with the steering wheel;

iii. one or more compressible layers for gripping and conforming with a size variation or a shape variation of the steering wheel;

iv. a flexible circuit board for electrically connecting an electrical driver safety system elements;

v. an easy to clean layer;

vi. a low thermal mass or low thermal conductivity layer for comfort under high temperature conditions;

vii. a compressible or conformable layer for hand comfort during long trip driving;

viii. manufactured from sustainable materials or using sustainable power.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

an auxiliary electrical power source taken from the list of;

i. solar;

ii. electro-thermal;

iii. driver hand motion or pressure;

iv. steering wheel turning motion iv. electrical cell between two sensors bridged by the drivers hands;

or v. non-contact connection to an external power source.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the outer surface of one or more of the two or more cover sections wraps around the rim of the steering wheel by more than 180 degrees for hand comfort.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

sensor operation requires driver to wear electrically conductive gloves.