Vehicle operation inhibitor control system

Claim 2

Apparatus for preventing operation of a motor vehicle by an incapacitated person comprising control means for either inhibiting or permitting operation of the vehicle, at least first and second rotatable members, means rotatably supporting said members and including gear means coupling said members one to the other to produce rotation of one member in response to rotation of the other member, each of said members being provided with at least one opening therein for receiving an appropriate switch actuating device, means fOr rotating one of said members to reorient the relative positions of said openings in said members, first switch means actuable in response to rotation of said one of said members, second switch means associated with each opening in said first and second members and actuable in response to insertion of said actuating device, logic means energizable in response to actuation of said first switch means and responsive to actuation of said second switch means in a predetermined sequence and within a predetermined time interval for conditioning said control means to permit operation of said vehicle.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said first switch means includes detent means providing a plurality of releasable stop positions and contact means momentarily engagable in response to movement of said one of said members between said stop positions.

Claim 4

A motor vehicle operation inhibitor comprising control means for inhibiting or permitting operation of said vehicle, at least first and second rotatable members, means rotatably supporting said members and including gear means coupling said members one to the other to produce rotation of one member in response to rotation of the other member, means for rotating one of said members, each of said members being provided with at least one opening therein for receiving an appropriate switch actuating device, switch means actuable in response to insertion of said actuating device, momentary contact means actuable in response to rotation of said one of said members, logic means responsive to actuation of said switch means in a predetermined sequence and within a predetermined time interval for conditioning said control means to permit operation of said vehicle.

Claim 5

A motor vehicle operation inhibitor comprising control means for inhibiting or permitting operation of said vehicle, at least first and second rotatable members, means rotatably supporting said members and including gear means coupling said members one to the other to produce rotation of one member in response to rotation of the other member, means for rotating one of said members, each of said members being provided with at least one opening therein for receiving an appropriate switch actuating device, switch means actuable in response to insertion of said actuating device, momentary contact means actuable in response to rotation of said one of said members, logic means responsive to actuation of said switch means in a predetermined sequence and within a predetermined time interval for conditioning said control means to permit operation of said vehicle.

Claim 6

A motor vehicle operation inhibitor comprising control means for normally inhibiting operation of said vehicle but energizable to permit operation of said vehicle, a member provided with a plurality of openings therein for receiving a switch actuating device, means rotatably supporting said member, means for rotating said member to any of a plurality of detented positions to thereby reorient the openings in said member, first switch means actuable during rotation of said member between said detented positions, second switch means actuable in response to insertion of said actuating device into any one of said plurality of openings in said member, logic means energizable in response to actuation of said first switch means and responsive to sequential actuation of said second switch means in a predetermined sequence and within a predetermined time interval for energizing said control means.

Claim 7

A motor vehicle operation inhibitor comprising control means for normally inhibiting operation of said vehicle but energizable to permit operation of said vehicle, a member provided with a plurality of openings therein for receiving a switch actuating device, means rotatably supporting said member, means for rotating said member to any of a plurality of detented positions to thereby reorient the openings in said member, first switch means actuable during rotation of said member between said detented positions, second switch means actuable in response to insertion of said actuating device into any one of said plurality of openings in said member, logic means energizable in response to actuation of said first switch means and responsive to sequential actuation of said second switch means in a predetermined sequence and within a predetermined time interval for energizing said control means.

Claim 8

A motor vehicle operation inhibitor comprising control means normally inhibiting operation of said vehicle but energizable to permit operation of said vehicle, a manually operable switch mechanism including a housing of substantially cylindrical shape having an axis, inner and outer rotatably supported concentrically mounted plate members forming a closure for one end of said housing, gear means coupling said inner and outer plate members to produce counterclockwise rotation of said outer member in response to clockwise rotation of said inner member, said inner member being provided with a centrally located flap, said inner and outer members being provided with additional slots located at different distances from and along different radii extending from said centrally located slot, a stationary switch plate means mounted within said housing, a plurality of movable concentric contact rings positioned adjacent respective ones of said additional slots and adapted to complete an electrical path with said stationary switch plate means in response to insertion of a suitable switch actuating means in said additional slots, rotary switch means including a plurality of detented open circuited positions and intermediate circuit closing positions and actuable by said inner member to momentarily close a circuit during rotation of said inner member between said detented positions, logic means responsive to momentary closure of said circuit and to actuation of said plurality of movable contact means in a predetermined sequence and within a predetermined time duration thereafter to energize said control means.

Claim 9

A motor vehicle operation inhibitor comprising control means normally inhibiting operation of said vehicle but energizable to permit operation of said vehicle, a manually operable switch mechanism including a housing of substantially cylindrical shape having an axis, inner and outer rotatably supported concentrically mounted plate members forming a closure for one end of said housing, gear means coupling said inner and outer plate members to produce counterclockwise rotation of said outer member in response to clockwise rotation of said inner member, said inner member being provided with a centrally located flap, said inner and outer members being provided with additional slots located at different distances from and along different radii extending from said centrally located slot, a stationary switch plate means mounted within said housing, a plurality of movable concentric contact rings positioned adjacent respective ones of said additional slots and adapted to complete an electrical path with said stationary switch plate means in response to insertion of a suitable switch actuating means in said additional slots, rotary switch means including a plurality of detented open circuited positions and intermediate circuit closing positions and actuable by said inner member to momentarily close a circuit during rotation of said inner member between said detented positions, logic means responsive to momentary closure of said circuit and to actuation of said plurality of movable contact means in a predetermined sequence and within a predetermined time duration thereafter to energize said control means.