DK201900106U3 - Safety system to avoid leaving a child in a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The provision relates to a safety system (1000) to avoid leaving a child in a motor vehicle comprising: - a device (150) which can be mounted on a car seat (100) or on a seat belt or shoulder strap including a presence sensor (155) configured to detect whether the car seat (100) is occupied and a radio transmitter configured to transmit a radio signal within a predefined transmit range and functionally connected to the presence sensor (155) to transmit therefrom receive a signal whether the car seat is occupied (100) and to enter presence information into the radio signal; and - one or more warning receivers (250, 250b, 270) configured and adapted to record the radio signal within a predefined transmit range; and configured to extract presence information from the radio signal; and which includes a warning transmitter. In the system of the generation, the presence sensor (155) is a capacitive sensor and each of the one or more warning receivers (250, 250b, 270) is configured to activate the warning transmitter when: - it initially extracted the presence information; and - it has then detected an interruption of the radio signal.

Description

Safety system to avoid leaving a child in a motor vehicle

The present invention relates to a safety system to avoid leaving a child in a motor vehicle.

State of the art

As you know, the number of children who have died from overheating because they have been forgotten in vehicles is not low, and there is general agreement that even a single case is unacceptable.

The guidance issued by the Department of Health to prevent cases of children being forgotten in vehicles shows that on average, 36 children die per year due to overheating because they are left alone in the car of their parents, with a total of 468 deaths over the past 12 years. In France, the Consumer Safety Commission has also estimated that there were 24 cases between 2007 and 2009. Further information can be found on the website of the Italian Ministry of Health www.salute.gov.it.

There are many causes of parental distraction that are the cause of the tragedy of forgotten children: nervousness, stress related to important tasks and numerous daily commitments that capture parents' attention and divert it to other topics or activities, but we should not overlook a possible lack of attention per se that does not depend on parental involvement.

Research in the field has highlighted the fact that vigilant attention is often due to routine actions, triggering an internal alarm in the event of non-compliance, but these routine (and thus learned) actions can, if compressed into many obligations, even for the same children, change in memory. In a situation of severe stress, our brain mechanism, in order to optimize the use of resources, can form incomplete memories or even make us remember episodes that have never occurred, e.g. having followed the child in daycare or to the babysitter.

There is no need to explain the tragedy represented by the deaths it can cause - and in some cases actually happen - as a result of such memory failures, also because they happen to parents who are engaged on multiple fronts in giving their children the best opportunities.

Nor is it necessary to dwell on the fact that the social aim is to prevent such tragedies from occurring, or at least to make them extremely rare.

Various technical solutions are known to the above-mentioned problem, with varying effect. The use of the parents' mobile phone to signal that the child remains in the car seat is a common element in some of these solutions. In this case, presence sensors (weight) built into the car seats are used.

However, these solutions are not economically available to everyone, especially in developing countries and among the underprivileged classes. And even in the case of a limited introduction, they are impractical and not entirely effective, which unfortunately discourages parents who greatly underestimate the risk of death.

Therefore, there is still a need for a solution of the type described above that is efficient, practical, economical and easy to use for the general population, and which can easily comply with the constantly changing rules for car seats.

Purpose and object of production

The object of the present invention is to provide a safety system to avoid leaving a child in a motor vehicle which is easier to manufacture and has greater ease of use.

A further object of the invention is that the security system can be manufactured at substantially moderate costs, both in terms of production costs and in terms of administrative costs.

Not least, the purpose of the production is to propose a signaling system that is simple, secure and reliable.

The object of the present invention is a system according to the accompanying claims which forms an integral part of the present disclosure.

Detailed description of the embodiments of the invention

List of figures

The invention is now described for purposes of illustration, but not limiting, with particular reference to the drawings in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a car seat for a motor vehicle in which a child is described sitting on a device which detects and announces presence according to one embodiment, in the form of a pillow;

Figure 2 shows an example of a possible exterior shape of the pad of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows an example of a safety system according to the invention, in which the device according to the invention is used;

Figure 4 shows a possible and preferred presence sensor construction according to an embodiment of the present description, in an inactive state;

Figure 5 shows the sensor structure according to Figure 4, in a position where a person sits on it;

Figure 6 shows schematically that the sensor structure of figures 4 and 5 is suitable for operation as soon as the child is brought close to the car seat to be placed in it;

Figure 7 shows a mixed block and flow diagram for one embodiment of the security system of the invention; and

Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the device for detecting and announcing presence according to the production.

It is stated here that the elements of embodiments may be combined to provide further embodiments without limitation as to the concepts of production which would be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the teachings described.

The present disclosure also refers to the prior art for its implementation with respect to non-described detailed properties, such as minor elements, which are typically used in the prior art in solutions of the same type.

When an element is introduced, it is always intended that at least one / one or one / one or more is meant.

Where elements or properties are mentioned in the present specification, it is understood that the production comprises or alternatively is composed of such elements.

embodiments

Referring to FIG. 1, the device 150 according to the invention is preferably used as it rests on the seat of a car seat 100 for a vehicle. Technically, it can also be used on the seat of a vehicle or other seat surface. It can be attached but more generally mounted, ie. in a way attached to the car seat or other seat or even to the harness or shoulder strap of a seat (see below for this embodiment).

Although FIG. 1 shows a car seat with backrest, it is understood that the device according to the invention can be used with any car seat or any other seat which has a seat part, therefore also with ordinary seat cushions without backrest.

In the case of a car seat 100 with a backrest, there will be dedicated straps 110 that go up and down and are usually coupled to a single safety element 120 that blocks movement of the child's torso 130.

Referring to FIG. 2, a possible embodiment of the shape of the device according to the invention is provided. It is in the form of a cushion 150 with removable cover along one or more sides via a zipper 151, 153. Advantageously, a hole is formed which is properly formed so that the above safety element 120 can be inserted. If the safety element is not present, this shaped hole will not be necessary (although it can still be retained for a variety of reasons, eg for aesthetic reasons).

Although the representation of FIG. 2 shows a cushion having a specific thickness and which is included in use in the seat area of a car seat, this description also includes a cushion or device which, in addition to occupying part of the seat, also occupies other parts of the surface of the car seat, for example. an elastic cover for the entire car seat.

This allows the device according to the production to be retrofitted to existing car seats, making a device with such a high social impact accessible to everyone. In addition, it allows one not to change the manufacturing process of car seats, which avoids very large investments for companies in the industry and makes the device even more widespread and cheap.

Referring to FIG. 3, the safety system 200 according to one of the embodiments of the present invention is mounted in a vehicle 210 with the car seat 100 mounted on a rear seat (but it can also be mounted on a front seat according to the applicable regulations). The child 130 is placed in the device 150 according to the invention, and the parent 220 is in possession of the mobile telephone 250 which is ready to issue a warning in the provided ways, e.g. as shown below.

Referring to FIG. 4-6, the device 150 according to the invention preferably uses a capacitive sensor 155, but may also use a weight sensor or other type of presence sensor combined with the capacitive sensor. In any case, the use of a capacitive sensor makes the device particularly effective in preventing false positives, not only detecting any body of a specific weight, but a static human body or approaching (or removing) when the sensor is calibrated correctly.

In fact, the capacitive sensor bases its function on the electric capacitor, which describes how the electrical charges are placed on two conductive bodies located at a certain distance between each other. In this case, when the child is approaching (or removing), even before contact (see Fig. 6), a change in capacitance occurs, and therefore there is a presence signal.

In addition to the capacitance meter, a deformation sensor can also be used optionally. It is still advantageous a capacitive sensor (with elastically deformable elements) which is in fact activated by a deformation, and therefore is in fact a deformation sensor. This combination is a particularly convenient embodiment, as it still uses capacitance for two very different and complementary measurements, greatly increasing the reliability of the overall presence sensor.

In this case, the location of the registration capacitors, in addition to the scope, contributes to the production of the system.

The presence sensor 155 comprises a first capacitor plate 151a and a second capacitor plate 154, between which is located a soft and / or flexible material 156, the first 151a and the second 154 plate having a common distance equal to di> 0 when the car seat 100 is not occupied while having a distance of d \ with 0 <d'i <di when the car seat 100 is occupied or the child 130 is seated on it.

According to the invention, the second capacitor plate 154 consists of several parts which are also not directly connected, at least one part having a normal projection in the region of the first plate 151a and at least one other part having a normal projection outside the region of the first plate 151a. With this arrangement, the parts outside the area of the first plate are not significantly affected by the deformation and can function better as a capacitive sensor.

In one embodiment, a third plate 151b is advantageously placed in front of the first plate 151a, so that the second plate 154 in the absence of a deformation signal is the same distance from the first plate 151a, and the third plate 151b, also having a soft and / or flexible material 156 between the second plate 154 and the third plate 151b.

Advantageously, the soft and / or flexible material 156 is a sponge-like material.

The presence sensor 155 will, of course, comprise or be connected to a power supply which is known per se.

FIG. 5 shows how the structure 155 is deformed under the weight of a child, moving from the central distance di to the reduced central distance d i, which changes the capacitance of the system. This sensor thus functions as a deformation sensor that simulates a weight sensor.

The aggregation of the information coming from the two sensors (deformation and pure capacitive) allows the presence of the child's body to be recorded more accurately than in the prior art.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the sensor 155 may also comprise the first plate 151a and the second plate 154 without the third plate 151b and the foam between the second and third plates. The second plate 154 may also be optionally omitted as the human body acts as the second plate.

Generally, the presence sensor 155 and the radio transmitter are included in a housing which is at least partially comprised of a cushion or a mat or a seat cover which can be removed by the car seat 100.

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, with reference to FIG. 8, the presence sensor 155 and the radio transmitter are included in a clamp which can be attached either to the seat belt or to a shoulder strap in connection with a seat. An exemplary embodiment of the clamp is given as a whole at 400. The clamp 400 has a housing 410 with an elastic patch 415. The clamp 400 also advantageously comprises a second housing 420 which is connected from below by inserting it into the housing. first housing 410. The first housing 410 has two side openings 418 into which two side fins 425 on the second housing 420 are clicked into. This allows easy access to the sensor and transmitter located in the second housing 420. terminal 400, e.g. in a single piece, are also possible.

FIG. 7 shows in greater detail the operation of the safety system according to the invention. The pad 150 has remote connection (e.g. via Bluetooth) 260, 264 with one or more smartphones (generally mobile devices, preferably via the appropriate app) 250, 250b or physical connection 263 with some other equipment 270 (represented by a Bluetooth device in the form of a plug for the cigarette lighter or even an ODB dongle with Bluetooth or a black box). Generally speaking, alarm receivers are spoken.

Presence sensor 155 records the presence of the child and transmits, via a radio transmitter, this information to the equipment (one or more) 250, 250b, 270, which extracts this information and emits a warning when:

- Initially, they have extracted the attendance information; and

- They have then detected an interruption of the radio signal.

These two conditions indicate a danger of forgetting the child in the car. Various conditions indicating the danger are also included in the present invention.

All of the equipment located outside of the pad 150 may be in connection 261, 262, 265 with a central data processing unit 300, preferably containing one or more databases 310, and which may alert third parties 350 of the presence of the child in the vehicle when the parents have left the vehicle without responding to the direct warning (even one of the parents or guardians, the warning being sent by a warning transmitter), ie:

- at least one of the one or more associated warning receivers 250, 250b, 270 has sent the warning;

- each of the one or more associated warning receivers 250, 250b, 270 is outside a predefined transmission range for the presence information after a predefined time interval from the activation of the warning transmitter.

Alternatively, the warning management server 300 is configured to send a warning signal to the third party unit 350 if the following two conditions are met:

- The alert management server 300 has received the presence information from one or more of the associated alert recipients 250, 250b, 270;

- The communication between the alert management server 300 and at least one of the associated alarm receivers 250, 250b, 270 has been interrupted within a predefined time interval.

The warning receivers 250, 250b, 270 can be configured and used to communicate the respective GPS position to the warning management server 300 for cross-revision or an independent calculation of the distance from the car seat. The server 300 can independently warn third parties 350 on this basis.

The warnings can be differentiated to warn of both the unguarded presence of the child and any errors in the system.

The warnings may be: a call, a text message, a visual signal, an audible signal or a combination of these. It is also possible to view a photo of the child through a camera mounted in the vehicle. In general, the warnings are transmitted by means of a warning transmitter, e.g. a buzzer, screen, shaker, etc.

If the presence sensor detects the child's presence but is not connected to a mobile phone, it can optionally emit a sound to alert parents or guardians that their cell phones are not connected and that the child is seated. It can also send a signal of non-connection to a server.

Benefits of production

With the device according to the invention, the use of alarms for the presence of a child in the car seat becomes accessible, convenient to use retrofitted and more efficient.

In the case of a deformable capacitive sensor, the dual capacitance sensing and capacitor deformation capability allows for an extension of the normal function of a capacitive sensor as well as a higher reliability (fewer false positives) for the presence sensor and thus for the device.

In the foregoing, the preferred embodiments have been described and variants of the present invention have been proposed, but it is intended that those skilled in the art will be able to make changes without departing from the relative scope of protection as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (14)

A safety system (1000) to avoid leaving a child in a motor vehicle comprising: - a device (150) that can be mounted on a car seat (100) or on a seat belt or seat belt in the vehicle, including: o a presence sensor (155) configured to detect whether the car seat (100) is occupied; o a radio transmitter: • configured to transmit a radio signal within a predefined transmission range; • which are functionally connected to the presence sensor (155) to receive from there a signal that the car seat (100) is occupied and to enter presence information into the radio signal; and - one or more warning signal receivers (250, 250b, 270): o configured and adapted to detect the radio signal within a predefined transmission range; o configured to extract presence information from the radio signal; and o comprising a warning transmitter; the system being characterized in that: the presence sensor (155) is a capacitive sensor; - each of the one or more warning signal receivers (250, 250b, 270) is configured to activate the warning transmitter when: o it initially extracted the attendance information; and o it has then detected an interruption of the radio signal. The system of claim 1, wherein the device (150) is a housing that forms at least in part a cushion or mattress or mat or seat cover that can be removed by the car seat (100). The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the presence sensor (155) comprises a capacitive sensor and / or a deformation sensor, generating presence information when there is a correct recording signal from the capacitive sensor and / or from the deformation sensor, respectively. The system of claim 3, wherein the deformation sensor is provided by one or more elastically deformable capacitors (151a, 154). The system of claim 4, wherein the presence sensor (155) comprises a first capacitor plate (151a) and a second capacitor plate (154), between which is located a soft and / or flexible material (156), wherein the first (151a) and the second (154) capacitor plate has a common distance equal to di> 0 when the car seat (100) is not occupied, while having a distance of d'i with 0 <d'i <di when the car seat (100) ) is busy. The system of claim 5, wherein the second capacitor plate (154) consists of several portions, at least one portion having a normal projection in the region of the first plate (151a) and at least one other portion having a normal projection outside the region of the first plate (151a). The system of claim 5 or 6, comprising a third plate (151b) positioned in front of the first capacitor plate 151a, so that the second capacitor plate (154) in the absence of a deformation signal has the same distance from the first (151a) and the third (151b) capacitor plate, also providing a soft and / or flexible material (156) between the second (154) and the third (151b) capacitor plate. System according to one or more of claims 5 to 7, wherein the soft and / or flexible material (156) is a sponge-like material. A system according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, wherein the device (150) comprises a hole configured for a safety element (120) of the car seat (100) to pass through it. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more associated warning receivers (250, 250b, 270) are configured and adapted to communicate with a warning management server (300). The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more associated warning receivers (250, 250b, 270) are configured and adapted to transmit the respective GPS position to the warning management server (300). The system of claim 10 or 11, wherein the warning management server (300) is configured to send a warning signal to at least a third device (350) if the following two conditions are met: - at least one of the one or more associated warning receivers (250, 250b, 270) has activated the warning transmitter; - each of the one or more associated warning transmitters (250, 250b, 270) is outside the predefined transmission range after a predefined time interval from the activation of the warning transmitter. System according to one or more of claims 10 to 12, wherein the warning management server (300) is configured to send a warning signal to at least a third device (350) if the following two conditions are met: - the alert management server (300) has received the presence information from one or more of the associated alert recipients (250, 250b, 270); - communication between the alert management server (300) and at least one of the associated alarm receivers (250, 250b, 270) has been interrupted within at least one predefined time interval. System according to one or more of claims 1 to 13, wherein the device (150) is a clamp (400) which can be attached to the seat belt or to a shoulder strap in connection with a seat.