Patent US3906441A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3906441A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle safety belt warning circuit
Assignee: Old Carco LLC
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Filing: 1974-09-16
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Granted: 1975-09-16
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Expires: 1994-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A circuit operatively associated with selected occupant seat positions in a vehicle for providing a warning whenever any one of the selected seat positions is occupied and the associated safety belt is not in use. The emitter-collector circuit of a main control transistor operatively couples a warning device such as a lamp and/or buzzer, with the vehicle battery, and the base circuit of the transistor is operatively coupled with each selected seat position by means of an associated input circuit. One input circuit is operatively associated with the driver seat position and includes a normally open safety belt switch which closes when usage of the driver safety belt is indicated to have occurred. Another input circuit is operatively associated with a passenger seat position and includes both a normally open seat switch which closes upon occupancy of the seat position and a normally open safety belt switch which closes when usage of the passenger safety belt is indicated to have occurred. When the vehicle ignition switch is operated by the driver to the run position, the main control transistor will be rendered conductive to energize the warning device unless the driver safety belt is indicated to be in use; and if the passenger seat position is also occupied, the warning device will be similarly actuated unless the passenger safety belt is indicated to be in use. The vehicle starting circuit, which includes a transmission switch, is operatively coupled with the input circuits to the transistor to prevent the main control transistor from being rendered conductive when the vehicle engine is being started. The safety belt switches and seat switch are electrically isolated from the starting circuit so that they do not influence operation of the starting circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Poul H Andersen
- 👤 Robert E Klacza
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 04:41
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R22/00; B60R22/48; B60R2022/4808; B60R2022/4816; B60R2022/4858; B60R2022/4866
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
699 words
In a vehicle having a plurality of seat positions each equipped with a safety belt for use by an occupant thereof and wherein the vehicle includes an engine operatively coupled with wheels via a transmission which is selectiVely operable to drivingly engage and disengage the wheels with the engine and is provided with a transmission switch which is open when the transmission is operated to drivingly engage the engine with the wheels and is closed when the transmission is operated to drivingly disengage the engine with the wheels and an engine start and run circuit including an ignition switch which is selectively operable to start and run positions for selectively coupling a battery via a start contact of said ignition switch to a start circuit including said transmission switch for starting the engine when the wheels are drivingly disengaged therefrom by the transmission and coupling the battery via a run contact of said ignition switch to a run circuit for running the engine, a safety belt warning system for providing a warning signal indicative of non-use of a safety belt by an occupant of any of said plurality of seat positions, said system comprising: an alarm means energizable from the battery to provide said warning signal; a transistor having its emitter-collector circuit coupling said alarm means in circuit with the battery so that when base current flows in the transistor the emitter-collector circuit thereof conducts current from the battery to energize said alarm means; a plurality of input circuits each operatively coupling a corresponding one of said seat positions to the base of said transistor for controlling base current flow in said transistor; one of said input circuits comprising a seat switch which is open when the corresponding seat position is unoccupied and closed when the corresponding seat position is occupied, a safety belt switch which is open when the corresponding safety belt is not in use and closed when the corresponding safety belt is indicated to be in use, a diode, means connecting said diode and said seat switch in series from said ignition switch run contact to the base of said transistor such that with the ignition switch in the run position, current is conducted from the battery through said seat switch and said diode to said transistor to create base current flow therein for causing said alarm means to be energized, and means connecting said safety belt switch in said one input circuit such that when said safety belt switch is closed current flowing into said transistor through said seat switch and said diode is shunted through said safety belt switch from said diode and said transistor to terminate base current flow in said transistor and thereby de-energize said alarm means; another of said input circuits comprising a safety belt switch which is open when the corresponding safety belt is not in use and closed when the corresponding safety belt is indicated to be in use, a diode, means connecting said last-mentioned diode in series from said ignition switch run contact to the base of said transistor such that with the ignition switch in the run position current is conducted from the battery through said last-mentioned diode to said transistor to create base current flow therein for causing said alarm means to be energized, and means connecting said last-mentioned safety belt switch in said another input circuit such that when said last-mentioned safety belt switch is closed current flowing into said transistor through said last-mentioned diode is shunted therefrom by by said last-mentioned safety belt switch to terminate base current flow in said transistor and thereby de-energize said alarm means; and means connecting the start circuit with the ignition switch and said input circuits such that when the transmission switch is closed and the ignition switch is in the run position current flowing through said run contact of said ignition switch is shunted from said input circuits through the transmission switch to prevent base current flow in said transistor and, hence, prevent energization of said alarm means, and such that when the transmission switch is open and the ignition switch is operated to the start position, said input cirCuits are prevented from energizing the starting circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
699 words
In a vehicle having a plurality of seat positions each equipped with a safety belt for use by an occupant thereof and wherein the vehicle includes an engine operatively coupled with wheels via a transmission which is selectiVely operable to drivingly engage and disengage the wheels with the engine and is provided with a transmission switch which is open when the transmission is operated to drivingly engage the engine with the wheels and is closed when the transmission is operated to drivingly disengage the engine with the wheels and an engine start and run circuit including an ignition switch which is selectively operable to start and run positions for selectively coupling a battery via a start contact of said ignition switch to a start circuit including said transmission switch for starting the engine when the wheels are drivingly disengaged therefrom by the transmission and coupling the battery via a run contact of said ignition switch to a run circuit for running the engine, a safety belt warning system for providing a warning signal indicative of non-use of a safety belt by an occupant of any of said plurality of seat positions, said system comprising: an alarm means energizable from the battery to provide said warning signal; a transistor having its emitter-collector circuit coupling said alarm means in circuit with the battery so that when base current flows in the transistor the emitter-collector circuit thereof conducts current from the battery to energize said alarm means; a plurality of input circuits each operatively coupling a corresponding one of said seat positions to the base of said transistor for controlling base current flow in said transistor; one of said input circuits comprising a seat switch which is open when the corresponding seat position is unoccupied and closed when the corresponding seat position is occupied, a safety belt switch which is open when the corresponding safety belt is not in use and closed when the corresponding safety belt is indicated to be in use, a diode, means connecting said diode and said seat switch in series from said ignition switch run contact to the base of said transistor such that with the ignition switch in the run position, current is conducted from the battery through said seat switch and said diode to said transistor to create base current flow therein for causing said alarm means to be energized, and means connecting said safety belt switch in said one input circuit such that when said safety belt switch is closed current flowing into said transistor through said seat switch and said diode is shunted through said safety belt switch from said diode and said transistor to terminate base current flow in said transistor and thereby de-energize said alarm means; another of said input circuits comprising a safety belt switch which is open when the corresponding safety belt is not in use and closed when the corresponding safety belt is indicated to be in use, a diode, means connecting said last-mentioned diode in series from said ignition switch run contact to the base of said transistor such that with the ignition switch in the run position current is conducted from the battery through said last-mentioned diode to said transistor to create base current flow therein for causing said alarm means to be energized, and means connecting said last-mentioned safety belt switch in said another input circuit such that when said last-mentioned safety belt switch is closed current flowing into said transistor through said last-mentioned diode is shunted therefrom by by said last-mentioned safety belt switch to terminate base current flow in said transistor and thereby de-energize said alarm means; and means connecting the start circuit with the ignition switch and said input circuits such that when the transmission switch is closed and the ignition switch is in the run position current flowing through said run contact of said ignition switch is shunted from said input circuits through the transmission switch to prevent base current flow in said transistor and, hence, prevent energization of said alarm means, and such that when the transmission switch is open and the ignition switch is operated to the start position, said input cirCuits are prevented from energizing the starting circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
Safety belt warning system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said another input circuit additionally includes an additional seat switch which is open when the corresponding seat position is occupied, said additional seat switch being operatively connected in said means connecting said last-mentioned diode in series from said ignition switch run contact to the base of said transistor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
Safety belt warning system as claimed in claim 1 wherein resistance means is provided for preventing said input circuits from energizing the starting circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
Safety belt warning system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said safety belt switch is directly connected to one terminal of said first-mentioned diode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3757293A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-15 | 1979-03-17 | 1979-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-15 | 1983-03-17 | 1983-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-15 | 1987-03-17 | 1987-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |