GB2328709A

GB2328709A - Vehicle door dual locking system

Info

Publication number: GB2328709A
Application number: GB9818204A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jevon Thorpe
Original assignee: LTI Ltd
Current assignee: LTI Ltd
Priority date: 1997-08-22
Filing date: 1998-08-20
Publication date: 1999-03-03
Also published as: GB9818204D0; GB9717784D0

Abstract

A vehicle, such as a taxi (10), has a separate driver's compartment (12) and passenger compartment (14), each of which has its own doors (16,18). A dual door locking apparatus is provided in order to allow the driver's compartment door locks to be operated independently of the passenger compartment door locks in order to improve driver security eg fig 2.

Description

VEHICLE DOOR DUAL LOCKING SYSTEM Technical Field The present invention relates to locking systems for vehicle doors, and is particularly concerned with locking systems for the doors of taxi vehicles.

Background of the Invention It is usual for many vehicles, particularly private cars to be fitted with a central locking system where all the vehicle's doors, including where appropriate a tail gate or boot lid, are locked simultaneously by means of electrically powered locks controlled by a single switch.

In taxi vehicles, in which the driver's compartment may be separated from a passenger compartment, provision may be made for locking the doors of at least the passenger compartment to ensure that such doors cannot be opened from the inside while the vehicle is in motion.

Normally, there is provided a motion sensor which operates when a vehicle is travelling in excess of a predetermined, very slow speed to provide a signal which may activate a bolt that positively holds the door closed, for example as in GB 750705, or which may activate means for disabling a mechanism by means of which the door catch can be released, as in GB 2129044.

This prior art provides for the safety of passengers in that it prevents the passenger doors being opened from the inside while the taxi is in motion. However, until this invention, the security of the taxi driver has not been optimised by allowing independent control of the locks to the driver's compartment from the locks of the doors of the passenger compartment. It will be appreciated that being able to independently control the driver's door locks, such that they remain locked from the outside while the passenger doors may be opened from the outside, confers the distinct advantage of improving the driver's security.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a vehicle comprising a driver's compartment and a separate passenger compartment each compartment having at least one door and each door having a lock; a first electricaliy operated locking circuit which controls the locks of a first set of doors and a second electrically operated locking circuit which controls the locks of a second set of doors; both locking circuits being controlled from within the driver's compartment.

The advantage of this invention is that two separate control circuits provides independent control over designated sets of doors. The first set of doors may comprise the doors of both compartments while the second set comprises the door or doors of the driver's compartment. Alternatively the first set may comprise the passenger doors only.

This invention utilises electrically powered solenoids for controlling the door locks. The advantage of using electrically powered solenoids is that it provides an easy, economic and reliable means for control of the locks, as compared with mechanical alternatives.

Preferably the first control circuit uses an infra-red signal to allow control of the first set of locks.

This invention may be used in conjunction with existing technology where the locks of the passenger compartment doors may also be controlled by a motion sensor device.

Such a motion sensor may prevent operation of the locks when the vehicle is in motion.

The advantage of this feature is that it provides greater passenger safety by only allowing doors to be opened when the vehicle is stationary.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be weli understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a taxi cab equipped with a dual door locking system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram showing one form of control circuit schematically; and Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an alternative form of control circuit schematically.

Description of Preferred Embodiments p A taxi 10 as illustrated in Figure 1 typically comprises a forward compartment 12 for the driver and a rearward compartment 14 for the passengers. The two compartments are separated by an internal bulkhead (not shown) . The forward compartment 12 is provided with respective doors 16 on opposite sides of the vehicle, and the rearward compartment 14 is likewise provided with respective doors 18 on opposite sides of the vehicle. Additionally, a rear door (not shown) may be provided to give access to a luggage compartment.

Each of the doors has a handle 20, 22 to operate an associated latch mechanism to enable the door to be opened, and each of the latch mechanisms has associated therewith a respective electrically powered locking device D1-D5 or lock which may operate on the latch mechanism, in order to positively hold a latch element thereof in a projected condition, or, alternatively, may control a separate bolt element which secures the respective door in its closed position.

As illustrated in Figure 2, solenoids S1, S2 are respectively associated with the locking devices D1, D2 of the doors 16 to the driver's compartment 12 and are both controlled by a switch SW1 in the driver's compartment. Solenoids S3, 34 are associated with the locking devices D3, D4 of the doors 18 to the passenger compartment 14 and are controlled by a further switch SW2 also in the driver's compartment 12. Optionally an additional solenoid S5 may be associated with a luggage compartment door locking device D5 and connected in circuit with switch SW2. In this way, the door locks D1, D2 of the driver's compartment 12 are operated independently of the door locks D3, D4 of the passenger compartment 14.

In the alternative arrangement as illustrated in Figure 3, the arrangement is similar to that of Figure 2 except that additional solenoids S6, S7 are provided in association with the door locks D1, D2 of the driver's compartment 12 and are under the control of switch SW2.

Solenoids S1, S2 can still be operated independently by means of switch SW1. The arrangement may be such that solenoids S1 and S6 for example operate separate bolts, both of which must be released to enable the respective door to be opened, or both such solenoids may require to be operated to actuate a single bolt associated with the respective door. In a further alternative the locking means Dl, D2 may be released by either of the associated solenoids so that the doors of the driver's compartment may be opened while the passenger doors remain locked, which is the result achieved with the Figure 2 embodiment.

It will be appreciated that the sets of doors controlled by the independent control circuits may be selected in various ways

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A vehicle comprising a driver's compartment (12) and a separate passenger compartment (14) each compartment having at least one door (16, 18) and each door having a lock; a first electrically operated locking circuit which controls the locks of a first set of doors and a second electrIcally operated locking circuit which controls the locks of a second set of doors; both locking circuits being controlled from within the driver's compartment (12).
2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically operated locking circuits comprise an electrically powered solenoid associated with each lock.
3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first set of doors comprises the door or doors of the driver' s compartment, and the second set comprises the door or doors of the passenger compartment.
4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first set of doors comprises the doors of the driver's compartment and the passenger compartment, and the second set comprises the door or doors of the passenger compartment.
5. A vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrically controlled locks of at least one set of doors is also controlled by a motion sensor device to prevent opening of the doors when the vehicle is in motion.
6. A vehicle with dual door locking apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or 3 of the accompanying drawings.