Vehicle

Details Vehicle Vehicle

1999-08-02

2001-03-27

Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Door or window with specified vehicle feature

C296S068100, C232S009000, C180S273000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206452

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to vehicles and in particular to a vehicle having a door securing system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known to provide a vehicle with means to releasably secure one or more doors of the vehicle in a closed position and means in the form of interior and exterior door handles to allow the doors to be released from said closed position to permit entry or egress from the vehicle.
It is further known to provide a blocking means to secure at least the rear doors of the vehicle in a semi-locked state so that actuation of the interior door handle will not release the door from its closed position. Such blocking means are often referred to as “child locks”, as they are frequently used to prevent children from opening the rear doors while the vehicle is in motion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved vehicle.
According to the invention there is provided a vehicle having a body defining a passenger compartment with at least one passenger door, a passenger seating means, and a door securing system, the door securing system comprising a control means which is arranged in use to receive and send signals, an occupancy sensing means to make a finding regarding a weight of a passenger who may be seated upon said seating means and to send a signal indicative of that finding to said control means, an internal door release means associated with said door, a latch means for said door to selectively secure said door in a closed position and being operable to release said door from said closed position when said internal door release means is operated, wherein, when said occupancy sensing means makes a finding that said weight is below a predetermined weight limit, said control means is arranged to disable said internal door release means in such a manner that said door cannot be released from said closed position by operation of said internal door release means. Said seating means may be positioned substantially adjacent to said passenger door.
Said seating means may include a base part upon which a said passenger sits when using said vehicle and said occupancy sensing means may comprise a weight sensor which is located in said base part. Said weight sensor may comprise a load sensor, pressure pad or pressure sensor, which may be connected to said control means.
Said vehicle may further comprise a power supply to said latch means, which power supply is associated with said internal door release means in such a manner that said internal door release means can be disabled by interruption of said power supply.
Said control means may be arranged to selectively send a door release signal to said latch means such that said internal door release means can be disabled by prevention of a sending of said door release signal.
Said door may have an electrically controlled door locking means to selectively secure said door in said closed position irrespective of an operation of said internal door release means.
Said vehicle may further comprise a user operable control which can be used to disable operation of weight sensitive latching of said door.
Said vehicle may further comprise a user operable control which can be used to change said predetermined weight limit. The change may only be temporary.
Said door securing system may further comprise an external door release means, wherein said latch means is operable to release said door from said closed position when said external door release means is operated, even if said internal door release means has been disabled.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4805723 (1989-02-01), Aoki et al.
patent: 5092638 (1992-03-01), Mizuki
patent: 5232243 (1993-08-01), Blackburh et al.
patent: 5474327 (1995-12-01), Schousek
patent: 5618056 (1997-04-01), Schoos et al.
patent: 5780397 (1998-07-01), Kong
patent: 5864295 (1999-01-01), Jarocha
patent: 6020812 (2000-02-01), Thompson et al.
patent: 6024378 (2000-02-01), Fu
patent: 6040532 (2000-03-01), Munch
patent: 6056079 (2000-05-01), Cech et al.
patent: 6058341 (2000-05-01), Myers et al.
patent: 6069325 (2000-05-01), Aoki
patent: 6081757 (2000-06-01), Breed et al.
patent: 6087598 (2000-07-01), Munch et al.
patent: 2 260 361 (1993-04-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2472879