US3739185A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Circuit system for switches of an automobile
Assignee: Tokai Rika Co Ltd
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Filing: 1971-06-30
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Granted: 1973-06-12
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Expires: 1991-06-30
Abstract
Abstract A circuit system for switches of an automobile in which passive elements are respectively connected between contacts of the switches and a grounding, each of the switches or each group of the switches is connected to a signal detecting circuit through one signal line and said signal line is grounded through a contact corresponding to an operative position of the switch or the group of switches and the passive element, thereby to transmit a signal corresponding to said operative position of the switch or the group of switches for energizing a load corresponding to said signal. With such a circuit system, the switches can be made much small-sized and the signal line is prevented from being bulky. A possible trouble in a conventional switch system, such as a melting of a contact or a burning of a signal line can be well prevented.
Inventors
- 👤 T Shimizu
- 👤 Y Hotta
- 👤 T Yoshida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 03:11
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q11/00; B60Q11/005; B60Q11/007; B60R; B60R16/00; B60R16/02; B60R16/03; B60R16/0315
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A circuit system for controlling energization of loads by actuation of switches in an automotive vehicle, comprising in combination: a switching section provided adjacent to the vehicle driver''s position and including switch means having a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable contact engageable therewith, said switching section further including passive elements having different values, said passive elements being connected between said fixed contacts and ground; a detecting circuit provided adjacent to the loads and apart from said switching section, said detecting circuit including control signal generating circuit means connected to said movable contact of said switching section through a single signal line for generating a load controlling signal according to the position of said movable contact in cooperation with said passive elements of said switching section, said detecting circuit further including discriminating circuit means for discriminating the operative position of said switch means of the switching section by a further signal from said control signal generating circuit means and drive circuit means operable upon receiving a still further signal from said discriminating circuit means for driving the one of said loads corresponding to the operative position of said switch means of the switching section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A circuit system for controlling energization of loads by actuation of switches in an automotive vehicle, comprising in combination: a switching section provided adjacent to the vehicle driver''s position and including switch means having a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable contact engageable therewith, said switching section further including passive elements having different values, said passive elements being connected between said fixed contacts and ground; a detecting circuit provided adjacent to the loads and apart from said switching section, said detecting circuit including control signal generating circuit means connected to said movable contact of said switching section through a single signal line for generating a load controlling signal according to the position of said movable contact in cooperation with said passive elements of said switching section, said detecting circuit further including discriminating circuit means for discriminating the operative position of said switch means of the switching section by a further signal from said control signal generating circuit means and drive circuit means operable upon receiving a still further signal from said discriminating circuit means for driving the one of said loads corresponding to the operative position of said switch means of the switching section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises first and second switches each having a movable contact and a plurality of fixed contacts, said passive elements being connected between corresponding ones of said fixed contacts of said first and second switches and ground.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said passive elements are resistors of different values, said switching section including a resistance dividing resistor for applying current through said first and second switches aNd said first mentioned resistors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 7, in which said discriminating circuit means includes a plurality of OR gates, each having an output for actuating a respective one of said loads and inputs each corresponding to selection of a corresponding fixed contact of said switching section alone or in combination with selection of other fixed contacts of said switching section associated with others of said loads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
113 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 2, in which said control signal generating circuit means comprises a unijunction transistor having a control electrode, said movable contacts of said first and second switches being connected together through said single line to said control electrode, said passive elements comprising capacitors, said first and second switches being associated with different groups of loads on said vehicle, the capacitors associated with each of said switches being associated with different loads of the corresponding group, said capacitors being of different values for each load causing, when connected through a corresponding movable contact, said unijunction to produce a pulse train of repetition rate associated with the corresponding load.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
87 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 2, in which said control signal generating circuit means includes a transistor oscillator, the movable contacts of said first and second switches being connected by a common single line to electrodes of said transistor oscillator, said passive elements being capacitors connectible by the corresponding movable contact of the corresponding switch to said transistor oscillator for determining an output frequency thereof corresponding to the one of said loads associated with the one of said capacitors selected by said corresponding movable contact.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises a first and a second switch and first and second auxiliary switches respectively associated with said first and second switches, said passive elements being resistors of different values, said first switch and said first auxiliary switch having movable contacts connected with each other, said first auxiliary switch being connected to a movable contact of said second auxiliary switch and said movable contacts of said first switch and first auxiliary switch being further connected to a movable contact of the second switch, said switching section including a resistance dividing resistor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
169 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 1, in which said switching section includes first and second switches each having a movable contact and fixed contacts and including a constant voltage supply circuit and further passive elements driven thereby and connected to corresponding ones of said movable elements, said control signal generating circuit means including a portion connected to the movable contact of at least one of said first and second switches and having a transistor changeable in state upon selection of one of said fixed contacts of said one switch by said movable contact thereof, said discriminating circuit means including second and third transistors and diode logic means interconnecting same with said first transistor for alternatively causing change in state of said second and third transistors dependent upon the fixed contact of said one switch selected by said movable contact thereof, said drive circuit means including relays driven by said second and third transistors for actuating loads associated respectively with the several fixed contacts of said one switch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said control signal generating means and discriminating circuit means further include additional transistors and means connecting same to the movable contact of the other of said first and second switches and said drive circuit means includes a further relay driven by said additional transistors and connected to further ones of said loads associated with said other switch.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A circuit systEm as claimed in claim 1, wherein said passive elements are diodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
143 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said control signal generating circuit means includes a constant voltage supply and means including a control electrode and a main current carrying electrode of a semiconductor device connecting same to said movable contact of said switching section so that the voltage level of said main current carrying electrode is a function of the one of said fixed contacts to which said movable contact is connected, said discriminating means including circuitry governing conduction or nonconduction of said semiconductor device in response to said voltage on said main current carrying electrode and said drive circuit means including at least one relay in series with another main current carrying electrode of said semiconductor device and having contact means for energizing the one of said loads associated with the fixed contact with which said movable contact is connected.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A circuit system as claimed in claim 2, in which first and second switches are a turn signal switch and a headlamp dimmer switch, respectively, and the loads associated therewith are turn signal lamps and headlamps, respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-11 | 1976-12-11 | 1977-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-11 | 1980-12-11 | 1981-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-11 | 1984-12-11 | 1985-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |