Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – For school bus
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-07-10
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
For school bus
C340S425500, C340S438000, C307S010600, C307S009100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259358
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
It is known that there is a tendency for children to fall asleep on school busses, and that school bus drivers should make a thorough inspection of the entire length of the bus after concluding each route. Only by a visual examination, made by walking the entire length of the school bus, can it be determined that no children have fallen asleep in any of the seats. Only by strict adherence to a program requiring the driver to walk to the back of the bus after the conclusion of every route can such a visual examination be made.
The problem with such a program of visual examination is that the school bus driver will frequently fail to carry out the inspection. The failure may stem from forgetfulness, laziness or a strong but possibly erroneous feeling that no children are still on the bus.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for school bus safety device that can prevent sleeping children from being left on the school bus. Such a safety device must require the school bus driver to walk to the very end of the bus each time that the engine is turned off, thereby providing the driver with every opportunity to see any child left on the bus. The school bus safety device must operate automatically, in a manner that does not depend on the bus driver's memory, school policy or other factor. The school bus safety device must allow engine operation in an emergency, without requiring the driver to walk to the end of the bus.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel school bus safety device is disclosed that includes an edge-triggered logic device which detects the falling voltage associated with turning off the bus engine. Upon detection of such a signal, the logic device turns on a buzzer. A key switch, located at the back of the bus requires that the driver go to the rear of the bus, confirming that no children are on the bus. Activation of the key switch resets the logic device and turns off the buzzer.
The school bus safety device of the present invention provides some or all of the following structures.
(A) An engine status line is wired to a voltage detection location in the bus electrical system. The voltage detection location is selected so that high voltage, i.e. approximately 12 volts, is present when the ignition key is not in the off position, and low voltage, i.e. ground, is present when the ignition key is in the off position. The engine status line is therefore high when the engine is on and low when the engine is off.
(B) The clock pulse input of an edge-triggered logic device, such as a flip-flop, is attached to the engine status line. The falling edge (i.e. the change from high voltage to low voltage) of the engine status line triggers the logic device to turn on an output, i.e. to send the output to a high voltage state. Therefore, when the engine turns off, the output of the logic device turns on.
(C) A buzzer is attached to the output of the logic device. When the falling edge of the engine status line is detected, the output is turned on, thereby turning on the buzzer.
As a result, when the engine is turned off, the buzzer is turned on.
(D) A key switch requires an individual key for operation. The key switch is located in the rear of the bus, thereby requiring the bus driver to walk to the rear of the bus, thereby providing every opportunity to see any sleeping child who has failed to exit the bus. The key switch, when activated, applies a clear signal to the logic device resulting in the output turning off. As a result, when the key switch is operated, the buzzer turns off.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel school bus safety device that electronically requires the bus driver to walk from the front of the bus to the back of the bus to turn off an alarm which turns on automatically when the bus engine is turned off. By walking from the front of the bus to the rear of the bus, and back again, the bus driver has every opportunity to see any child who has fallen asleep and failed to exit the bus.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel school bus safety device that reinforces policies and procedures which requires bus drivers to examine the bus before leaving the bus after completion of the route.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel school bus safety device that is inexpensive to manufacture and install, difficult to override or defeat, and which prevents a driver from leaving the bus without checking for sleeping children.
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Pham Toan
Thompson David S.
Wu Daniel J.
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