WO1994019218A1

WO1994019218A1 - Circuit arrangement of a safety system

Info

Publication number: WO1994019218A1
Application number: PCT/CZ1994/000009
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan Zikl
Original assignee: Jan Zikl
Priority date: 1993-02-16
Filing date: 1994-02-16
Publication date: 1994-09-01
Also published as: AU6035594A

Abstract

The circuit of a central locking system in a motor vehicle is provided with means to protect the vehicle driver in the event of criminal attack by a person already inside the vehicle. In normal use, the locking system is activated by the operation of a door switch (5, 6), e.g. key operated, or by remote control (21, 22). This operates the door and boot lock actuators (14-18). However, if the central locking system is inactive, the lock actuators (14-18) can be activated by the driver from inside the vehicle. A safety switch (4) is provided to initiate this action, operation of said switch causing the door and boot lock actuators (15-18) to be activated (locked). However, the driver's door (14) remains unlocked to allow the driver to escape, after which said door lock (14) is also activated. By this means any potential assailant will be locked in the vehicle. An engine immobilisation device (20) and an alarm signal (19) are also activated. Concealed switches (2, 3) are provided to deactivate the safety circuit.

Description

Circuit arrangement of a safety system

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement of a safety system, in particular for protection of the driver of a motor vehicle.

Background of the invention

In the motor vehicles, the known safety systems are directed in particular to increase the difficulty of a theft of the vehicle. A concealed switch is usually switched-on or off upon an unauthorized entering into the car and a correspon¬ ding signalling member is activated, for example a siren. The said systems do not offer a protection of the driver driving or sitting in the car, when he or she is exposed to a violen¬ ce with a risk of health impair and sometimes even with dan¬ ger of life.

Summary of the invention

The cited drawbacks are to a considerable extent removed by a circuit arrangement of a safety system, in particular for a protection of a driver of a motor vehicle, in which signa¬ ling and action members are coupled via switches with a di¬ rect current voltage supply, characterized according to the invention in that to the output of the supply source there is coupled on the one hand, by means of a first position relay, at least one door switch, in an optional parallel combination thereof, the output of which is coupled via a second relay with current action members and via a third relay, connected to the output of a second relay, with a predetermined action member; wherein further there is provided a safety switch, having its input coupled with the the supply source and its output coupled with the first position relay, wherein the one output of the said first position relay is coupled with the current action members, and the another output of the first position relay is coupled via an emergency door switch with a fourth relay, connected with the third relay, with a first relay and via a second position relay with a signalling mem¬ ber and with an interruption block, wherein the first relay is further coupled with a second relay and with the second position relay and wherein via a parallel combination of an inner and outer switches the said first relay is also coupled with the supply source; and wherein the first position relay is coupled with the second position relay.

Under the term "position relay" there is to be under¬ stood a relay which remains in the position to which it has been transferred by the input electric current. On the other hand, the other relays in the circuit arrangement according to the invention are relays which are switched to an active position only during the period in which they are electrical¬ ly connected with the corresponding electric current input, whereupon they return again to their rest position.

Under the term predetermined action member there is to be understood the first action member actuatable via the emergency switch, for example at the door of the driver. Un¬ der the term current action members there are to be under¬ stood the other action members directly connected to the out¬ put of the first position relay, referred to in the subse- guent text as its safety output in its safety position.

According to the invention, to the output of the supply source there is coupled: a locking section, comprising the first position relay, switched in a first, locking position, and at least one door switch the output of which is coupled by means of the second relay with the action members, actuatable between two end po¬ sitions, to activate them into a locked end position and into a unlocked end position; and a safety section comprising the safety switch, connected in its switched-on position with the first position relay, switched in a second, safety position, while the locking sec¬ tion is cut-off, a safety ouput of which first position relay being directly coupled with the action members to activate them into the locked end position, with exception of the first predetermined action member, which is coupled with the first position relay in its safety position via the emergency door switch and via the fourth relay and via the third relay, while the fourth relay is at the same time coupled with the second position relay switched in its safety position in which the signalling member and/or the interruption block are activated, wherein upon switching-on the emergency door switch the predetermined action member is actuated via the fourth relay and the third relay to a state for locking the door; and wherein to another output of the supply source there is further coupled a cancelling section comprising selectively closable inner and outer switches, coupled by their outputs with the first relay and further coupled by means of the se¬ cond relay with the current action members, while the said current action members are switched by the closed cancelling section into their unlocked end positions, and wherein the cancelling section is further connected via the fourth relay and via the third relay to the predetermined action member, which is also switched into the unlocked end position, and wherein a further branch from the first relay is in the can¬ celling section coupled with the second position relay and further with the first position relay, which are thereby re¬ turned o their locked positions; wherein the said at least one door switch is a switch with two switched-on positions, i.e. a first position for locking and a second position for unlocking, and with a switched-off position, in which the locking section is switched-off, wherein to each of the said switches there is associated for its every switched-on position one predetermined end position of the action members, i.e: the locked end position of all the action members to the at least one door switch in its first switched-on position for locking and the unlocked end position of all the action mem¬ bers to the at least one door switch in its second switched-on position for unlocking, the locked end position of all the current action members with exception of the predetermined first action member to the safety switch, a locked end position of the predetermined first action mem¬ ber to the emergency switch, and the unlocked end position of all the action members to the inner and outer switch, and wherein all the said switches are adapted so as to be au¬ tomatically switched-off after the predetermined end position associated thereto has been reached.

If there are more than one door switches, the switches are coupled in parallel. Owing to the fact that the switches are automatically released, for example upon withdrawal of the key from the lock, or even already when the key occupies its neutral position allowing to be extracted from the lock, to their switched-off position, the parallel connection al¬ lows to actuate any door switch so as to activate the action members of all the doors in the desired way, and to carry out an opposite actuation if necessary by means of another door switch. In both events the current will be allowed to flow along the locking section as long as the door switch is held by the key in the corresponding position for locking or un¬ locking.

Under the term "end position" of the action menbers there is to be understood a position at the ends of their displacement path, controlled by the circuit arrangement. It is defined for example by a pair of end switches and cor- reponds to a pretermined state, i.e. to a locking or un¬ locking state. Under the term "cancelling" in connection with the can¬ celling mode there is to be understood both the cancelling of the actuation of the safety setting mode and the release of the door locks which has been blocked up by the previous ac¬ tuation of the safety switch in the safety setting mode.

The number of the door switches is not critical for the present invention. In the minimal equipment there is provided one door switch, in this case as a rule on the driver's door. In a current embodiment there will be two door switches pro¬ vided, for example on the doors of the driver and of the fellow-driver or alternatively for example diagonally opposi¬ te to the driver's door, if the driver is to be allowed for example put a baby on the back seat at first. Regardless of the number of the door switches the driver activates by switching-on any one them the action members of all the doors to their locking or unlocking end position.

The advantage of the claimed circuit arrangement is on the one hand a possibility of a central locking of all the doors by the driver and in the case of danger the possibility for the driver to escape from the car in blocking simulta¬ neously the doors so as the assailants might not follow him or her.

In the locking section there can be further provided a time relay in series with a remote control sensor. In this way a remote control of the locked motor vehicle is possible.

Downstream of the second relay, i.e. on the side of the second relay towards the action members, it is possible to couple at least one additional action member for controlling a further protected path. This allows to lock and unlock by the present circuit arrangement further access or accesses to the car additional to the current four doors, for example a back door. Brief description of the drawings

The invention is explained to greater details in the follo¬ wing description on an example of embodiment illustrating a block diagram of an preferred embodiment of the present in¬ vention.

Description of the preferred embodiment

In the circuit arrangement the block diagram of which is il¬ lustrated in the drawing, there is coupled to the output of the supply source l , by means of a first position relay 8_., a parallel combination of a first and second door switches 5 , 6_ the outputs of which are coupled via a second relay __! with a second, wih a third and with a fourth action members λl≥r 2__l, 12 and via a third relay Yλ_, connected to the output of a second relay 11_., with a predetermined action member 14. In the circuit arrangement there is further is provided a sa¬ fety switch 4., having its input coupled with the the supply source 1 and its output coupled with the first position relay 8., wherein the one output, i.e. the safety output, of the said first position relay 8_. is coupled with the current mem¬ bers 35, 16_.,17_. and another output of the first position relay 8. is coupled via an emergency door switch 1_ with a fourth re¬ lay 3.J3, connected with the third relay ______ with a first relay

10 and via a second position relay 9_. with a signalling member 19 and with an interruption block __g_. The first relay ___l is further coupled with the second relay _____ and with the second position relay 9_. and via a parallel combination of an inner switch 2 and an outer switches 3_. the said first relay __0_ is also coupled with the supply source 1 , wherein the first po¬ sition relay 8_ is coupled with the second position relay 9_.

With respect to a description of the individual sections of the illustrated circuit arrangement, the is coupled to the output of the supply source 1 a locking section, comprising the first position relay 8_., switched in a first, locking po- sition, and the parallel combination of the door switches 5_., 6_., the output of which is coupled by means of the second re¬ lay !_! with the action members 14-17, actuatable between two end positions, to activate them into a locked end position and into a unlocked end position according to the type of switched-on position of the actuated door switch 5_,j5, as ex¬ plained below. Furthermore, there is coupled to the input 1 of the supply source 1 a safety section comprising the safety switch 4., connected in its switched-on position with the first position relay 8_, switched in a second, safety posi¬ tion, while the locking section is cut-off. The safety ouput of the first position relay 8_ is directly coupled with the current action members J5,16..iZ to activate them into the locked end position, with exception of the first predetermi¬ ned action member 14_.. The said action member 14_ is coupled with the first position relay 8. in its safety position via the emergency door switch 1_ and via the fourth relay 13_. and via the third relay _V__, while the fourth relay __2_ is at the same time coupled with second position relay 9_. switched in its safety position in which the signalling member _.1 and the interruption block _____ are activated, wherein upon switching on the emergency door switch 1_ the predetermined action mem¬ ber _____ is actuated via the fourth relay .1 and the third re¬ lay 1 to a state for locking the door.

To another output of the supply source 3L there is fur¬ ther coupled a cancelling section comprising selectively clo- sable inner and outer switches 2 , 3_.. coupled by their outputs with the first relay ) and further coupled by means of the second relay 13. with the current action members _.15, __§_, 17, while the said current action members ___ ,__§., . are switched by the closed cancelling section into their unlocked end po¬ sitions. The cancelling section is further connected via the fourth relay _____ and via the third relay _____ to the predetermi¬ ned action member \___ , which is also switched into the unlo¬ cked end position, and wherein a further branch from the first relay 1___ is in the cancelling section coupled with the second position relay 9_. and further with the first position relay 8_, which are thereby returned to their locking posi¬ tion.

The door switches 5, 6_. are three-position switches with two switching-on positions, i.e. a a first position for lo¬ cking and a second position for unlocking, and with a switching-off position, in which the locking section is switched-off. To each of the switches 2.,2,4.,5_.,.6 and 2 there is associated for its every switched-on position one prede¬ termined end position of the action members 14_.,15.,16.,r7. To the door switches 5_, β_ there is associated in their first switched-on position for locking the locked end position of all the action members 14_.,15_,16_.,17_. and in their second switched-on position for unlocking the unlocked end position.

To the safety switch 4_. in is switched-on position there is associated the locked end position of all the current ac¬ tion members 15-17 with exception of the predetermined first action member JL4_.. To the emergency switch 1_ in its switched-on position there is associated the locked end po¬ sition of the predetermined first action member _.14_. and final¬ ly to the inner and outer switches 2 ,3_ in their switched-on position there is associated the unlocked end position of all the action members 14-17.

All the said switches 2.,2.4._f,.6 and 1_ are adapted in such a way that after the end position of the action members associated thereto has been reached, they will be automa¬ tically switched-off into an open state. In the switches 5-, §_ this is obtained for example by a spring means which re¬ turns the switches to an open position after the key has been withdrawn from the lock. In the switches 2 , ___, __ a 1_ this is obtained again for example by an elastic bias to the open condition by a spring means which provides switching-off af- ter the pressure exerted on the switch button has been re¬ lieved, respectively after the impulse from the first posi¬ tion relay 2 has been supplied.

In the locking section there is further provided a time relay .21_. in series with a remote control sensor ______ Down¬ stream of the second relay ϋ there is coupled at least one additional action member 33_.. With respect to its control, there applies everything what has been said for the control of the current action members 5, _____ and 17.

The circuit arrangement according to the invention ope¬ rates in three modes, i.e. in a mode of central locking, in a mode of setting of the safety system and in a cancelling mode.

In describing the operation of the circuit arrangement according to the invention it is to be understood under the term that the electric current flows to or through a particu¬ lar section that the electric current flows along the whole section, i.e. down to the corresponding action members via the respective relays, arranged downstream of the closed switch controlling said section in response to its switched-on state.

In the first of the said modes, i.e. in the mode of cen¬ tral locking of the vehicle door, the illustrated circuit ar¬ rangement is put under electric current but the safety system for the protection of the driver is not switched-on. The sa¬ fety switch 4_. is not closed so that the current flows from the supply source 1 via the first position relay __, switched in its locked position, along the locking section. The cir¬ cuit is closed in consequence of the fact that the door switch 5_, 6_ has been switched-on to its position for locking by the central locking of the car and the current flows to the locking section with a pole orientation for an actuation of the action members 14-18 into their locked end position. The current is further led via the first relay ϋ to the ac¬ tion members 15-18 and via the second relay 12 to the prede¬ termined first action member .14_., and the action members fed in this way by the current applied through the safety section provide the locking of the corresponding first to fifth doors. This is obtained by a corresponding actuation of their servomotor mechanism which cause a mechanical latching of the corresponding vehicle doors.

In turning the key of the door lock back to the neutral position allowing to pull it out, the door switch 5_. returns automatically to the switched-off position. The locking sec¬ tion is opened again and no current flows through it. Howe¬ ver, the action members 14-18 are blocked in the locked posi¬ tion, for example by means of a device comprising a transmis¬ sion gear mechanism between the locking part of the action member and the motor of the action member which makes it im¬ possible to move the locking part of the action member in the other direction unless the locking section is supplied with electric current with a reversed polarity on the input termi¬ nals in response to switching over the door switch 5 to the switched-on position for unlocking. The door is thus reliably secured against any violent entering from outside.

The circuit in this mode normally reacts on switching over the locking section, i.e. unlocking the doors by swit¬ ching the door lock 5_ in consequence of turning the door key to the other switched-on position of the switch, i.e. the po¬ sition for unlocking. In consequence of a suitable structure of the door switches 5_._ 6_ adapted to this end, an opposite polarity is obtained on the input terminals of all the action members when the door-switch is closed in its position for unlocking. The servomotor mechanisms of the action members 14-18 are thus operated in an opposite direction and the ac¬ tion members will be transferred to the other end position in which the doors are unlocked. By a repeated switching of the door switch to the position for locking, the current of re¬ versed polariry will bring the action member 14-18 back to the locked end position. If there is a plurality of door switches, this can be done from any one of the switches, i.e. in the given case from the second door switch 6_. inclu¬ ding the possibility of actuatimg the time relay _____ by a re¬ mote control 2 sensor which acts on the action members in the analogous fashion.

After having unlocked the vehicle and turned the key in¬ to a neutral position from which it is subequently withdrawn, the unlocking closure (i.e. switching-on) of the respective door switch 5_, §_ is suppressed by a spring mechanism. The door switch adopts its third, switched-off position. None of the door switches 5_, S_ or the time relay 21 is switched-on and the central locking system is consequently inactive.

In explaining the mode of safety setting of the system, let us assume that the car rides or stands and the doors are clapped shut, if necessary with subsequent mechanical la¬ tching by a latching means, as it is current in a normal ope¬ ration of a car. The central locking system is not active owing to the opened state of the door switches 5 , 6_. and __! of the locking section, the safety switch 4_. is also opened and since neither the special purpose switches 2.. 2 ^are switched-on, no current flows through the circuit arrange¬ ment. The action members 14 to 18 are not actuated and the doors can be normally mechanically opened.

The safety setting of the safety system is put in opera¬ tion by switching-on the safety switch 4_., by which a sort of trap can be formed in the case of immediate danger for the driver from the side of the assailants sitting in the car. In this event the driver switches-on a concealed inner safety switch 4_., for example a mechanical pedal-switch or a sensor switch. The safety section of the circuit arrangement is thus actuated, with a simultaneous switching-over of the first po¬ sition relay 8 into its safety position and cutti g-off the locking section. The current is now supplied to the first po¬ sition relay through the closed safety switch 8_ and owing to the switching of the said relay to its safety position the current is allowed to pass from its safety otput directly to the current action members 15-18. The said action members are thus actuated in such a way that they are transferred in their locking and position and lock the corresponding three side doors and the back door. At the same time, in view of the switching of the first position relay 2 to its safety po¬ sition, the current is also output to the emergency door lock 2-

When the current flows from the first position relay in its safety position to the emergency door lock 1_, the said emergency door lock is switched-on by the opening of the door, and the electric current immediately actuates the cor¬ responding first action member 14_. which blocks up the door lock so that it can be no longer operated after subsequent closure of the door and the door clapped shut remains in a locked condition. Simultaneously with switching-on the emergency door lock 1_, the second position relay 9_. is swi¬ tched, via the fourth relay 12 to an active state. Consequen¬ tly, the signalling block 19_., for example in the form of an alarm siren, and an interruption block 22, which cuts-off the input to the ignition coil of the car from the supply source 1, are actuated. When the driver escapes from the door and shuts it, the assailants are thus locked in the car owing to the actuation of all the action members 14-18 into their lo¬ cking end position as in a trap. The actuation of the inter¬ ruption block 0_. prevents that they drive away and at the sa¬ me time the alarm siren 2 directs the attention to the si¬ tuation which occured. The cancelling mode of the safety system operates as follows. After the concealed safety switch 4_. has been switched-on and when this occured for example unintentionally or because the drive has badly evaluated the situation, or if he wants just to cancel the emergency state of the emergency door switch 1_ for other reason, he can cancel the actuation of the safety system by switching-on the cancelling section, comprising an inner switch 2 located for example at the front door on the driver's side. The electric current flows now from the supply source via an inner switch 2 to the first relay , further to the second relay H, from where is is led to the action members 12 to 12- Further it flows from the first relay 1 to the fourth relay 2 and from there via the third relay 1 to the first action member 14_.. Owing to the structure of the inner switch 2 adapted to this purpose, a reversed polarity on the current inputs to all the action members 14_. to 12 and to all the relays to 12 is obtained in consequence of switching-on the said inner switch 2. In the action members _____ to 12, it causes their transfer to the un¬ locked end position and consequently unblocking of the doors, while in the position relays 2 and 9_ this brings about their return to the basic position, i.e.the locking position of the locking mode.

The cancelling section comprises further an outer switch 2 located at a concealed place of the vehicle. It is used in a situation in which the driver is out of the vehicle and the door locks are blocked. The driver, which knows its position, unblocks the system by inserting and turning a key in the ou¬ ter switch 2- The outer lock works in the same way as it has been explained for the function of the inner switch 2 . Now it is possible to use the system again for the safety setting mode or for the system of central locking with the locking mode. Without the actuation of the corresponding switches, i.e. the switches 4_. and __,__ respectively, the sys¬ tem does not work. An inadvertent switching-on of the outer lock would only confirm the readiness for one of the above mentioned actuations.

The circuit arrangement of the safety system according to the invention can be used in particular for a protection of the drivers of motor vehicles against attack, especially of the taxi drivers.

Claims

C L A I M S .

1. A circuit arrangement of a safety system, in particu¬ lar for a protection of a driver of a motor vehicle, in which signaling and action members are coupled via switches with a dirrect current voltage supply, characterized in that to the output of the supply source (1) there is coupled on the one hand, by means of a first position relay (8), at least one door switch (5, 6) , in an optional parallel combination thereof, the output of which at least one door switch (5, 6) being coupled via a second relay (11) with current action members (15, 16) and via a third relay (12), connected to the output of the second relay (11), with a predetermined action member (14); wherein further there is provided a safety switch (4) , having its input coupled with the the supply source (1) and its output coupled with the first position re¬ lay (8), wherein the one output of the said first position relay (8) is coupled with the current action members (15, 16) , and another output of the first position relay (8) is coupled via an emergency door switch (7) with a fourth relay (13), connected with a third relay (12), with a first relay

(10) and via a second position relay (9) with a signalling member (19) and with an interruption block (20), wherein the first relay (10) is further coupled with the second relay

(11) and with the second position relay (9) and wherein via a parallel combination of an inner and outer switches (2, 3) the said first relay (10) is also coupled with the supply source (1); and wherein the first position relay (8) is cou¬ pled with the second position relay (9).

2. The circuit arrangement of a safety system according to claim 1, characterized in that to the output of the supply source (1) there is coupled: a locking section, comprising the first position relay (8), switched in a first, locking position, and at least one door switch (5,6) the output of which is coupled by means of the second relay (11) with the action members (14-17), actuatable between two end positions, to activate them into a locked end position and into an unlocked end position; and a safety section comprising the safety switch (4), con¬ nected in its switched-on position with the first position relay (8), switched in a second, safety position, while the locking section is cut-off, a safety ouput of which first po¬ sition relay (8) being directly coupled with the current ac¬ tion members (15,16,17) to activate them into the locked end position, with exception of the first predetermined action member (14), which is coupled with the first position relay

(8) in its safety position via the emergency door switch (7) and via the fourth relay (13) and via the third relay (12), while the fourth relay (13) is simultaneously coupled with the second position relay (9) switched in its safety position in which the signalling member (19) and/or the interruption block (20) are activated, wherein upon switching-on the emer¬ gency door switch (7) the predetermined action member (14) is actuated via the fourth relay (13) and the third relay (12) to a state for locking the door; and wherein to another output of the supply source (1) there is further coupled a cancelling section comprising selective¬ ly closable inner and outer switches (2, 3), having their outputs coupled with the first relay (10) and further coupled by means of the second relay (11) with the current action members (15,16,17) while the said current action members (15,16,17) are switched by the closed cancelling section into their unlocked end positions, and wherein the cancelling sec¬ tion is further connected via the fourth relay (13) and via the third relay (12) to the predetermined action member (14), which is also switched into the unlocked end position, and wherein a further branch from the first relay (10) is in the cancelling section coupled with the second position relay

(9) and further with the first position relay (8), which are thereby returned to their locking position; wherein the said at least one door switch (5, 6) is a switch with two switching-on positions, i.e. a first switched-on po¬ sition for locking and a second switched-on position for un¬ locking, and with a switching-off position, in which the lo¬ cking section is switched-off, wherein to each of the switches (2,3,4,5,6,7) there is asso¬ ciated for its every switching-on position one predetermined end position of the action members (14,15,16,17), i.e: the locked end position of all the action members (14,15,16,17) to the at least one door switch (5,6) in its first position for locking and the unlocked end position of all the action members (14,15,16,17) to the at least one door switch (5, 6) in its second position for unlocking, the locked end position of all the current action members (15-17) with exception of the predetermined first action mem¬ ber (14) to the safety switch (4), a locked end position of the predetermined first action mem¬ ber (14) to the emergency switch (7), and the unlocked end position of all the action members (14-17) to the inner and outer switch (2,3) , and wherein all the said switches (2,3,4,5,6,7) are adapted so as to be automatically switched-off after the predetermi¬ ned end position associated thereto has been reached.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 2 charac¬ terized in that in the locking section there is further pro¬ vided a time relay (21) in series with a remote control sen¬ sor (22).

4. The circuit arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that downstream of the second relay (11) there is coupled at least one additional action member (18) for controlling a further protected path.