Patent ID: 6362735
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: E05B,E05C,E05F,E05Y

Abstract:
A system for monitoring whether an object is positioned so as to obstruct the closure of a door of a vehicle, the vehicle being of the type having a body with a door opening formed therein and a door hingedly mounted adjacent to the door opening such that the door is movable between a closed position in the door opening and an open position away from the door opening, the door having a hinge end and a latch end, the door opening of the body having a door post portion for abutting the latch end of the door, the vehicle further having a switch that is actuated when the door of the vehicle is moved out of the closed position, the system comprising:field producing means for producing a field adjacent to the latch end of the door, the field producing means being mountable on the latch end of the door, the field producing means being adapted for operatively connecting to the switch of the vehicle such that the field producing means produces the field when the switch is actuated by opening of the door; sensing means for sensing an interruption of the field produced by the field producing means, the sensing means producing a block signal when an interruption of the field is sensed, the sensing means being mountable on the latch end of the door of the vehicle; blocking means for blocking closure of the door when the sensing means detects an interruption of the field produced by the field producing means, the blocking means being mountable on the body of the vehicle adjacent to the door opening; and controller means for actuating the blocking means upon sensing by the sensing means of an interruption of the field produced by the field producing means, the controller means being connected to the sensing means and the blocking means.