Automobile hood safety switch

Details Automobile hood safety switch Automobile hood safety switch

2001-11-14

2003-04-15

Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Land vehicle alarms or indicators

C340S568100, C340S571000, C340S471000, C340S473000, C307S010300, C307S010100, C307S010600, C362S459000, C362S487000, C362S496000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06549123

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a hood safety switch for a vehicle and to a system for alerting a road vehicle operator of an unlatched hood of the vehicle so that the operator can latch the hood prior to driving the vehicle.
A hood of a road vehicle such as an automobile or a truck usually is positioned in one of three positions: an open position, a locked position and a safety position where the hood can be moved only a short distance such as about 2 inches or less. When the hood is in a safety position, an operator can open the hood by releasing a latch located under the hood by hand. The safety position for the hood is designed to provide a restraint for the hood should the vehicle be driven accidently when the hood is not in the locked position thereby to prevent the hood from being raised to a point where it contacts the windshield or obstructs the operator's view.
However, even when the hood is in the safety position, it is possible that when the vehicle is operated at a high speed, the force of air moving under the hood will exceed the force provided by the hand releasable latch and the hood will raise to a position where it will dangerously obscure the drivers view or will break the windshield.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and a system which alerts a vehicle operator to the hood of a vehicle being in the unlocked or safety position. In addition, it would be desirable to provide such an apparatus or system which prevents the vehicle from being started. Such an apparatus and system would prevent the hood from opening while the vehicle is being driven.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus and system for alerting a vehicle operator to an unlocked hood or the vehicle either by activating a warning indicia or preventing the start-up of the vehicle. A switch is positioned either open or closed in response to a position of the vehicle hood. When the hood is locked, the switch is in a “closed” position in an electrical circuit so that a conventional vehicle ignition can be activated by a conventional vehicle starter and a warning indicia is inactivated. When the hood is either open or in a safety position (unlocked) the switch is in an “open” position so that the vehicle ignition cannot be activated from an inactivated state while a warning indicia is inactivated. By operating in this manner, the vehicle engine cannot be started while the warning indicia is activated or the warning indicia is activated if the engine is running. In either event, the vehicle operator is alerted to the fact that the hood is unlocked so that the operator can lock the hood.


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