Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2001-06-12
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
C340S539230, C340S471000, C340S472000, C340S468000, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246314
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle locator device and more specifically to a remotely activated deployable and retractable visual vehicle locator device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nowadays more and more people own vehicles, and parking lots for example become bigger and bigger. It may become difficult for a person to quickly find his vehicle among many others. The exact location may not be easily remembered. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,267 granted on Jan. 1, 1974 to Thomas and entitled “Extendible vehicle light mount”, a system with a light mounted on an elevating boom already exists. However, this system is intended for emergency vehicles and could also be used when the vehicle is in motion. This invention actually increases the visibility of already existing warning devices. The warning light is by no means small or to be hidden, both in the elevated or in the retracted position, nor is the system hidden in any way while in retracted position. The warning light cannot also be protected against bad weather conditions since it always remains exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,697 granted on Oct. 4, 1977 to Daifotes describes an “Emergency blinker and flag display”. This invention's purpose is to give a warning signal and attract attention in the event of a robbery in a taxi for example. The warning element is a flag mounted on an arm which opens up in a jack-knife fashion once activated. This invention is activated from within the vehicle and therefore cannot be used to localize the vehicle from a remote location when nobody is on board the vehicle. The flag display mechanism needs to be manually folded back to its retracted position, which is time-consuming and not user-friendly. Furthermore, this display has an illuminating light that can serve to attract attention, but this last use is not so effective since the light is positioned inside a half tubular extension member and since it is mainly intended to illuminate the flag, hence not positioned for maximum visibility to localize a vehicle from a remote location and in the dark.
Another example of location device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,758 granted on Jul. 28, 1998 to Bullock and entitled “Vehicle Locator System”. This system has a remotely activated warning light and can also remotely activate the vehicle's horn. This invention however needs to be installed whenever it is to be used, and removed when the vehicle is to be in movement. Those actions can be time consuming, and could even entice the vehicle's owner not to use the system for this troublesome reason. Furthermore, the system is not even partially hidden, hence attracting the attention of every passerby towards the vehicle, even when the system is not in use but installed. The system is not ‘foldable’, nor it is compact, hence will take up useful space in the car when not in use and put away, and could also be qualified as fragile when stored in the car.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a vehicle locator device of the character described which obviates the above noted disadvantages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle locator device that allows for remote activation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle locator device that can be permanently installed on a vehicle and partially hidden when not activated.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle locator device that is protected against bad weather conditions when not activated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle locator device that is easily manufacturable and that can be easily mounted to a large variety of vehicles' roof notwithstanding the other devices already mounted on the vehicle, and even mounted on other devices already mounted on a vehicle's roof, such as a roof luggage fixture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists of a vehicle locator device comprising:
a remote transmitting unit including a transmitter and a first power source;
an activation switch mounted on said remote unit and connected to said transmitter, said transmitting unit generates and emits a signal via said transmitter upon activation of said activation switch;
a receiving unit generally mounted on a vehicle and including a control circuit and a receiver, both being connectable to a second power source, said receiving unit being adapted to receive said signal emitted from said transmitting unit;
an arm support structure including a base section adapted to be secured onto a roof of said vehicle, and an arm section pivotally mounted onto said base section via an actuator device between an activated deployed position and a non-activated retracted position;
one or more light sources mounted onto said arm section of said support structure, said actuator device and one or more light sources being connected to said receiving unit, both said one or more light sources and actuator device being energized by said second power source via said control circuit and disposed to either be turned on and deploy said arm section respectively as said receiving unit receives a first of said signal from said transmitting unit, or be turned off and retract said arm section respectively as said receiving unit receives a second of said signal from said transmitting unit.
Preferably, the vehicle locator device further comprises a first and second limit switches connected to said control circuit and detecting said retracted and deployed positions of said arm section respectively, said second limit switch being used to disconnect said actuator device deploying said arm section from said second power source and connect said light sources to said second power source, said first limit switch being used to disconnect said actuator device retracting said arm section from said second power source.
Preferably, the control circuit of said receiving unit includes two relays interconnected and connected to said first and second limit switches, said second power source and said actuator device.
Preferably, the relays being double position double contact type relays.
Preferably, the base section is substantially horizontally secured onto said roof and said arm section is always positioned between said retracted and deployed positions being substantially horizontal and vertical respectively.
Preferably, the support structure is adapted to be secured to an existing transverse roof luggage fixture.
Preferably, the support structure is generally elongated in shape and transversely positioned to a direction of displacement of said vehicle.
Preferably, the light sources and actuator device are protected against bad weather conditions by both said base and arm sections when the latter is into said non-activated retracted position.
Preferably, the arm section includes a first end pivotally mounted onto said base section, a second end adapted to receive said one or more light sources and a substantially mid-section adapted to pivotally engage a first extremity of a support bar, said support bar having a second extremity pivotally secured to a block slidably mounted onto said base section, said block being linearly displaced along said base section by said actuator device between said two limit switches.
Preferably, the actuator device includes a reversible electrical motor activated in a first operating and a second reversible operating modes to deploy and retract said arm section respectively, and said second power source being a direct current supply of said vehicle.
Preferably, the actuator device further includes an endless screw rotatably supported into said base section and rotatably engaging a nut fixedly secured to said block.
Optionally, the arm section includes a lower and upper members, said lower member includes a bottom end pivotally mounted onto said base section, a substantially mid-section adapted to pivotally engage a first extremity of a support bar, said support bar having a second extremity pivotally secured to a blo
Tang Son
Wu Daniel J.
LandOfFree
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