Other

Fontaine Brake Company

Fail Safe Brake Corporation

Sleep Safe, Limited

William G Fontaine

Vernon D Beard

Willes W Reeder

A compression activated switch includes an electrically conductive contact layer pair formed of a conductive first contact layer for electrically connecting to a power source, and a conductive second contact layer spaced from the first contact layer for connecting to an application, and a resilient layer sandwiched between said first and second contact layers and having at least one resilient layer port; so that weight placed on the switch compresses the resilient layer and thereby advances said first contact layer toward said second contact layer until the first and second contact layers make electrically conductive contact through the at least one resilient layer port, closing the switch. A switch assembly includes multiple compression activated switches arrayed either horizontally or vertically and separated by insulating structures.

Seat switch assembly controlling one or multiple devices applicable within a vehicle seat

A unitary switch assembly comprising a seat switch component with a normally-open seat switch that closes under the weight of a person in the driver's seat of a vehicle, and a thermistor component with a thermistor having a permanent electrical connection to the seat switch, enabling the seat switch and thermistor components to be handled as a unit.

Unitary seat switch assembly

A general purpose time delay weight activated switch is disclosed. A foam seat cushion contains wire mesh electrical switch closing contacts. Sitting or rising from the cushion opens and closes the switch. A solid state adjustable timer is also imbedded in the cushion, or adjacent to the cushion. Its purpose is to delay the opening of the switch several seconds. An ideal application for the device is to automaticlly lock an emergency brake in a delivery van. The driver leaving the parked vehicle automatically locks the parking brake or vehicle brakes when leaving the vehicle when the present invention is combined with a parking brake or vehicle brake locking means. The invention's delay circuit allows the driver to bounce up and down on a bumpy road without setting off the switch. Other uses for this special purpose seat cushion include railroad, farm equipment, industrial and power boat safety systems.

Seat cushion switch with delay circuit

Automotive vehicle protection system which includes a brake actuator, that is responsive to brake-activating and brake-deactivating signals generated by protective circuits in the vehicle. These circuits include a keypad for deactivating the brakes when a proper number is keyed into the keypad, a card reader for entering a proper number by means of a card, theft alarm circuits, engine monitor circuits and other miscellaneous circuits as may be found to be beneficial for protecting the vehicle.

Automotive protection system with a telescoping protective sleeve

A vehicle creep control system which has: a speed transducer arrangement coupled to the vehicle's speedometer cable or the like, which provides an active output whenever the vehicle stops; an accelerator switch connected to the accelerator pedal, which has an active output whenever the driver's foot depresses the accelerator pedal; a latching circuit with a set input connected to the speed transducer arrangement and a clear input connected to the accelerator switch; a first delay circuit connected to the output of the latching circuit, such that when the latching circuit is set due to the vehicle slowing down to the given low speed value, a first set signal is connected to the delay circuit, which in turn produces a delayed output, after a given first delay time, so that the brakes are actuated and hold the vehicle. There is further provided a switch which may be a seat switch which goes active if the driver leaves his seat, and sets a second delay circuit; the latter goes active after a two-second delay has elapsed. The second delay bridges any bouncing of the driver in his seat, and serves also to stop the vehicle in case the driver should be thrown from his seat for any reason.

Vehicle creep control

A vehicle brake system, with the usual arrangement of a power booster axially aligned with the brake master cylinder piston and engaged between it and the brake pedal, has a fluid pressure differential-operated actuator offset from the conjoint axis of the power booster and the master cylinder piston. The actuator is coupled to the master cylinder piston through a mechanical linkage which provides a substantial mechanical advantage. The actuator causes the brakes to be applied independent of the brake pedal in response to any of several sensed conditions which dictate that the vehicle should not be moving.

Vehicle brake system

An automatic brake actuator for motor vehicles which operates to activate the vehicle brakes at a predetermined rate and at a predetermined amount of force in predetermined conditions. In a particular embodiment, the brake actuator is controlled by an electrical control system which includes a switch in the driver's seat that automatically senses the weight of the driver when seated. The brake actuator may be connected to the vehicle's vacuum brake system and may be combined therewith by means of a unique electrically operated air control valve that is inserted in the vacuum brake air path. An additional electrically operated constraining air valve may be provided which insures that the brake actuator is activated gradually at (a predetermined rate) in order to avoid sudden hazardous stopping of the vehicle. The brake actuator control may include access to other vehicle functions such as theft alarm, etc. to prevent unwanted operation of the vehicle. The control circuit includes provision for maintaining the brakes activated after the driver re-enters the vehicle and until he operates the accelerator pedal or corrects the problems activating the system (low oil pressure, engine overheating, anti-theft or other conditions) that would allow the vehicle to move forward or backwards again.

Automatic brake actuator with controlled release

The invention provides a parking brake system for automotive or delivery type vehicles, golf carts, etc. that applies the emergency or parking brake automatically after the engine is turned off or if other pre-determined conditions are met, such as, but not limited to, the driver leaving the seat or hydraulic brake failure. Several other pre-determined conditions can be integrated into the system to stop or retard the release of the parking brake such as door not properly closed, seat belt not properly in use, etc. An electronic time delay pack can be incorporated with a seat switch to allow for driver bounce on rough terrain. A one-way check valve is connected between the intake manifold and the actuator. This check valve opens fully when the engine is running and allows the vacuum to compress the actuator and release the parking brake. The check valve closes when the engine is turned off and the check valve retards the sudden return of atmospheric pressure to the actuator, thus preventing lock-up at speed. After a time delay caused by the check valve and actuator leakage, atmospheric pressure returns to the actuator allowing a safe controlled application of the parking brake.

Automatic vehicle braking system

This intrusion alarm apparatus has a housing suspended from a metal doorknob such that the housing is tilted when the doorknob is turned. A 100 kHz. oscillator is synchronized with a single shot which produces narrower pulses than the oscillator. An exclusive OR circuit subtracts the single shot pulses from the oscillator pulses. When the door is of wood or other electrically non-conductive material, the body capacitance of a person touching the doorknob increases the width of the pulses produced by the single shot and this change is reflected through the exclusive OR circuit, an integrator, a level detector and a flip-flop to turn on an audible alarm device. When the door itself is metallic, a selector switch can disable the alarm device from responding to the body capacitance of a person touching the doorknob, in which case the tilt switch in the housing will turn on the alarm device when the doorknob is turned. The alarm apparatus also contains a thermostatic switch and a smoke detector for turning on the alarm device in case of fire.

Growing community of inventors

Pompano Beach, FL, United States of America

William G Fontaine