Abstract:
A back-up safety apparatus and method that enables the driver of a large vehicle with inherent rear blind spots to receive signals, to proceed or stop, based on changing safe or unsafe conditions. A spotter who monitors the vehicle&#39;s progress from a safe and remote vantage point in the rear, uses a hand held wireless transmitter to signal the driver. The transmitter also provides a deadman style safety switch for the benefit of the spotter that will automatically signal the driver to stop if the spotter becomes disabled, falls or drops the transmitter.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable  
       FEDERALLY SPONSERED RESEARCH  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of Endeavor  
         [0005]     The present invention relates generally to backing large vehicles that are characterized by blind spots in the rear and, more particularly, to spotters who often assist drivers by watching the rear, standing ready to communicate a signal to stop.  
         [0006]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0007]     Large vehicles in enormous numbers such as trucks of all shapes and sizes routinely deliver goods and services to our society each day. Fire engines, recreational vehicles and other types of big rigs populate our roadways as well. All drivers of such vehicles in the normal course of operation must back them up. In the case of delivery trucks and fire engines for example, they must backed numerous times in the course of a normal day.  
         [0008]     Unlike an automobile&#39;s center cab mounted rear view mirror, many large vehicles are characterized by trailers or high storage boxes that obstruct a direct rearward view through a back window. Instead, drivers of large vehicles such as these must rely on side mounted mirrors, which by nature provide only a limited view of the rear.  
         [0009]     Backing large vehicles with inherent blind spots is difficult and dangerous to the extent that often, when available, a spotter in the rear is used to assist the driver in safely backing to a desired position. The spotter generally watches from a rear vantage point monitoring changing conditions and stands ready to communicate a signal to stop.  
         [0010]     The all important signal to stop has been accomplished traditionally through a hand signal visualized in one of the drivers side mount mirrors. Other methods to signal a driver include such things as shouts to stop, whistles, waved red flags and blinking flashlights, to cite a few. These methods are effective only to the extent that the driver can see the spotter in one of the mirrors, or hear over the noise of the engine and surrounding conditions. Backing at night, in inclement weather, heavy rain, fog, shadows and glare from the sun can severely hamper the drivers ability to see a signal to stop from a spotter. In addition, as the spotter walks backward behind the backing vehicle he routinely drifts in and out of the drivers sight in the mirrors. These situations and conditions can critically affect or delay an emergency signal to stop.  
         [0011]     In recent years, remote camera systems have been developed to assist drivers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,231 discloses a device for parking or maneuvering vehicles using a rear facing video camera and a graphic display in the cab. In addition, beeping sensors mounted on vehicle bumpers have been developed to assist the driver in the absence of a spotter, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,873,250 and 6,268,803. These systems have proven to be helpful to a point, but are considered “passive” in the sense that a driver must still look in his mirrors and be responsible for knowing what is behind him as he backs. Further, these types of systems are not fool proof.  
         [0012]     Camera systems for example, fail to provide a driver with depth perception and peripheral vision. Because of this, the manufacturers of such devices generally recommend that the rear view mirrors continue as the primary focus of the driver when backing. A driver who is advised by a camera system manufacturer not to back while looking at the camera monitor, cannot therefore visualize in such a system, changing conditions in the rear blind spot. Rear sensor systems suffer similarly from the fact that they generally cannot distinguish between normally occurring objects and those that would pose a threat of collision. This tends to generate false signals to stop and creates a situation where the driver can become de-sensitized to the system.  
         [0013]     Intercom systems using voice communication between the driver and a spotter are another approach to the problem of backing. On the surface this would appear to be a good solution, but factors such as exterior noise can cover a voice command. Common back-up beepers, which are in use widely by large vehicles have a tendency, for example, to overshadow intercom voice communications. Wireless versions of intercom systems can suffer from broken signals, static and radio signal interference.  
         [0014]     Fire departments, for many years, had members stand on the fire engine&#39;s tailboard facing the rear to act as a safety spotter while the rig backed up. The firefighter on the tailboard would use a button mounted on the back of the fire engine that actuated a bell in the cab signaling the driver. One ring meant stop now. Two rings meant its ok to pull forward, and three rings meant its ok to back-up. This simple and very effective system of using a spotter on the tailboard with a direct and positive ability to communicate an emergency stop signal has contributed enormously to overall safety while backing fire engines down through the years. While difficult to quantify, there is no doubt that thousands of accidents were avoided by using this method.  
         [0015]     In August of 2004 the fire service thinking on this subject was shaken to the core. A tragic backing accident took the life of Jamie Foster, a young probationary fire fighter working for the City of Los Angeles. Jamie and the other members of her Engine Company had just battled a structure fire, and were preparing to return to quarters. Jamie was on the tailboard acting as a spotter, helping the driver slowly back down a residential street. Suddenly, she lost consciousness and collapsed unable to push the button to signal the driver to stop. She fell off the tailboard and into the path of the apparatus rear wheels. The driver had no way of knowing what had happened and continued to back-up, crushing her to death. This terrible incident inspired the development of the current invention described within this application.  
         [0016]     Government agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Association, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Fire Protection Association, have published documents addressing the issue of spotters riding on a fire engine&#39;s tailboard. In concert, they now recommend that no person stand or ride on any fire apparatus tailboard while the vehicle is in motion. This of course has placed the fire fighter spotter back on the ground, using hand signals to communicate. What is troublesome is that this new ruling did not effectively solve the problem. In fact, the spotter, though not on the fire engine tailboard, is still operating in close proximity to the backing fire engine. It has been argued that the spotter may now be in even greater danger. Nevertheless, the majority of fire departments in this country today routinely utilize a spotter walking backwards in the rear and hand signals to back their apparatus.  
         [0017]     Accidents, injuries and deaths have occurred in very large numbers from incidents involving backing such vehicles. Using a spotter greatly enhances a drivers ability to back safely, however a spotter generally does so in harms way of the backing vehicle. What is tantamount is providing a spotter the ability to instantly and positively signal a driver to stop, while at the same time establishing a way to protect him should he fall or become disabled while standing in or near the path of the backing apparatus.  
         [0018]     The spotting and signaling methods heretofore known, as described above, and common to most large trucks and vehicles during backing, suffer from a number of disadvantages: 
        (a) Visual signals watched for in a drivers mirror can easily be missed or critically delayed due to adverse conditions, noise, weather and or other hindrances.     (b) A driver looking back and forth between his two side mirrors, as is normal while backing, can result in delayed or missed signals to stop, greatly increasing the possibility of an accident.     (c) In the event that a spotter is suddenly disabled, falls, or suffers a sudden loss of consciousness, the driver may be left unaware and continue backing, greatly increasing the possibility of serious injury or accident.     (d) For hand signals be seen by the driver, the spotter must stay in relatively close proximity to the backing vehicle increasing the danger of being struck or run over.     (e) Usually, a visual hand signal alone is used to communicate with the driver stimulating only one of his physical senses.     (f) Noise from the engine and other surrounding conditions may cover a shout or a whistle to stop, increasing the possibility of an accident.        
 
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION  
       [0000]    
       
         
           
              (a) The new remote signaling apparatus provides spotters with a positive, clear and instantaneous method of communicating signals to the driver of a large vehicle.  
              (b) It eliminates the need for the driver to continually visualize the spotter in a rear view mirror.  
              (c) It greatly reduces the possibility of delayed or missed signals.  
              (d) It will protect the spotter in case he becomes disabled in any way through the use of an automatic and instantaneous deadman style safety button.  
              (e) In vehicles not equipped with back-up beepers, the spotter will now know when the vehicle is in the reverse gear through the enunciation of the signal device or devices in the rear  
              (f) It allows the spotter to monitor the backing vehicle from a much greater distance, back and out of its general path, enhancing safety.  
              (g) It can signal using audible buzzers, visual lights and or vibrating devices simultaneously to stimulate up to three different physical senses, thereby improving the driver&#39;s perception/reaction time.  
              (h) It is designed to fail with a signal to stop, in the event of a battery or other system malfunction.  
              (i) It can be de-activated if the driver must back without the aid of a spotter.  
           
         
       
     
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]     The apparatus of the invention is characterized by a two button handheld wireless transmitter used by a safety spotter to signal a driver who is backing. Audible buzzers and visual lights in the cabin and on the back of the vehicle are responsive to the transmitter through its relationship to a receiver mounted on board the vehicle.  
         [0035]     The first button on the transmitter acts momentarily to activate the buzzers and lights as a signal to the driver. The spotter signals the driver with a simple predetermined code system. One signal means stop immediately. Two signals means its ok to go forward. Three signals indicates its ok to back-up.  
         [0036]     The second button acts oppositely in relation to the first. When the vehicle is engaged in its reverse gear, the lights and buzzers are activated in constant mode until the second button, a deadman style safety button is depressed, canceling the constant signal. It must be continually held down by the spotter during backing operations or else, upon its release, the driver receives an automatic and immediate signal to stop. This protects the spotter should he fall, become disabled or drop the transmitter.  
         [0037]     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0038]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a large vehicle and a spotter in the rear assisting the driver to safely back up;  
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is a perspective of the battery powered, hand-held, two function, wireless remote controller; the antenna shown may be internal or external;  
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is a top, cutaway, view of a large vehicle and the mounted components of the wireless signal apparatus embodying the present invention; and  
         [0041]      FIG. 4  is an electrical schematic of the components embodying the present invention, with the exception of the hand-held transmitter. 
     
    
       [0042]     REFERENCE NUMERALS are briefly described as:  
         [0043]      11  spotter;  
         [0044]      12  vehicle;  
         [0045]      13  driver;  
         [0046]      21  signal button;  
         [0047]      22  safety button;  
         [0048]      23  wireless transmitter;  
         [0049]      30  wireless receiver;  
         [0050]      31  left-side mirror;  
         [0051]      32  right-side mirror;  
         [0052]      33  left-side cab light;  
         [0053]      34  right-side cab light;  
         [0054]      35  cab buzzer;  
         [0055]      36  rear light;  
         [0056]      37  rear buzzer;  
         [0057]      38  reverse transmission switch;  
         [0058]      39  de-activation switch;  
         [0059]      41  relay (for signal button  21 );  
         [0060]      42  relay (for safety button  22 );  
         [0061]      43  vehicle battery; and  
         [0062]      44  diode.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0063]     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is partially illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  wherein a safety member, spotter  11 , uses the invention to assist in the process of backing a large vehicle, greatly reducing the possibility of an accident. In  FIG. 3 , a top view of the invention is shown to be an apparatus of electrical components mounted on vehicle  12  and controlled remotely by transmitter  23 ,  FIG. 2 . It is used by spotter  11 , who in  FIG. 1  is positioned in the rear, ready to signal driver  13  shown in  FIG. 3 , to stop, pull forward or back-up.  
         [0064]     Signaling components, concurrently activated, comprising buzzers and lights, mounted in the cab as well as on the rear of vehicle  12 , are responsive momentarily to signal button  21  shown in  FIG. 2 . The audible buzz and visual light signals are enunciated in the cab for the attention and appropriate response of driver  13 . The invention eliminates the need to visualize spotter  11  in order to receive a signal to stop. In the rear, the light and buzzer enunciates feedback to spotter  11 , indicating to him that the system is indeed receiving the desired wireless signals.  
         [0065]     In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , momentarily activating signal button  21 , and using a simple predetermined code language such as: 
        1. one signal means to immediately stop;     2. two signals means ok to pull forward;     3. three signals means ok to back-up; 
 
 spotter  11  thereby communicates with driver  13 , as changing conditions warrant. The signals are sufficiently loud and bright, employing audible and visual senses at the same time, thereby decreasing the possibility of a missed signal. 
       
 
         [0069]     In  FIG. 1  spotter  11  is shown holding wireless transmitter  23  which remotely communicates signals to components of the invention mounted on vehicle  12 . Rear buzzer  37  and rear light  36  are shown on the back of vehicle  12  and comprise a portion of the components. As the spotter depresses buttons on controller  23  he can visualize rear light  36  and hear rear buzzer  37  responding to his activation. They provide thereby an indication of a properly working system to spotter  11 , in that they are wired to respond simultaneously to the other signal devices mounted inside the cab of vehicle  12 .  
         [0070]     In  FIG. 1 , spotter  11  is also shown in typical position well back and off to the side of the path of backing vehicle  12 , thereby maintaining a safer distance from which to monitor its progress than has been common in the past. Spotter  11  in this position can observe the blind spots suffered by the driver of vehicle  12 , and can immediately signal him using controller  23 , should changing conditions call for the vehicle to be stopped. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that Spotter  11  need not be visible to the driver in his mirrors to communicate signals. Spotter  11 , through the invention, adds his full depth perception, peripheral vision and judgement to driver  13  shown in  FIG. 1 , who is essentially blind with respect to his rearward direction of travel while backing.  
         [0071]      FIG. 2  is a close up view of two function, hand-held, wireless transmitter  23 . It is of typical size to fit comfortably in the palm of one&#39;s hand enabling the thumb to be used to activate buttons  21  and  22 . Buttons  21  and  22  perform separate and distinct signal functions, communicating wirelessly with receiver  30  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Relays  41  and  42  of receiver  30  shown in  FIG. 4 , correspond respectfully to Buttons  21  and  22  shown in  FIG. 2 , thus completing the wireless link between transmitter  23  and receiver  30 .  
         [0072]      FIG. 3  is a top cutaway view of the invention&#39;s components installed in various locations of vehicle  11 . Cab lights  33  and  34 , shown on each side of the dashboard of vehicle  11 , are intended for placement within the driver&#39;s field of vision respective to mirrors  31  and  32 . They provide the important and very effective visual aspect of the signal system as the driver gazes into his mirrors while backing. Their location is therefore specific and critical in relation to mirrors  31  and  32  and the drivers field of vision. Cab buzzer  35  is the audible aspect of the invention&#39;s signal system. It is shown on the dashboard intended to be within range of the driver&#39;s hearing. Cab buzzer  35  is further intended to be as loud as common devices used in vehicles to sound other types of warning alarms such as, for example, low air pressure warning devices, which are also used to signal a stop.  
         [0073]     In  FIG. 3 , whenever driver  13  places the transmission gear selector into reverse, reverse transmission switch  38  activates power to the portion of the circuit that functions as deadman safety button  22 , shown in  FIG. 2 . The activation of reverse transmission switch  38  in turn activates all buzzers and lights in the system until safety button  22  is depressed and held by spotter  11 . New and reliable protection for spotter  11  is realized by this important feature of the invention.  
         [0074]     Conversely, de-activation switch  39  is used by driver  13  to cancel the function of safety button  22  in the absence of a spotter. This prevents the lights and buzzers from sounding when vehicle  12  is in reverse and no spotter is available to depress safety button  22 . Driver  13  is, in this case, backing alone and it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that annoying lights and buzzers are muted.  
         [0075]      FIG. 4  shows an electrical schematic of the present invention and demonstrates how to make the apparatus and connect it to a vehicle. Albeit interconnected, there are two distinct functions to the circuitry. One relates to signal button  21 , which activates the basic signaling devices. Conversely, the other relates to safety button  22 , which interrupts the signaling devices and as such becomes the deadman function while depressed by spotter  11 ,  FIG. 1 .  
         [0076]     In regard to signal button  21 ;  FIG. 4  shows power from battery  43  connected to relay switch  41  inside of wireless receiver  30  and is interrupted. Relay  41  is responsive to signal button  21  on transmitter  23 ,  FIG. 2 . Depressing signal button  21 , which is momentary in design, causes relay  41  to switch power to light  33 , light  34 , buzzer  35 , light  36 , and buzzer  37 , initiating simultaneous activation. Releasing button  21  cancels the momentary activation of lights and buzzers.  
         [0077]     In regard to safety button  22 ; power from reverse transmission switch  38  is connected to relay  42  inside receiver  30 . Relay  42  is responsive to safety button  22  on transmitter  23 ,  FIG. 2 . Power is activated to relay  42  when the reverse gear of the transmission is selected by driver  13 ,  FIG. 3 . Power in this case travels through relay  42  uninterrupted, continues through diode  44  and activates light  33 , light  34 , buzzer  35 , light  36  and buzzer  37  constant and continuous. Depressing and holding safety button  22 , which is momentary in design, cancels the activation of lights and buzzers as long as it is held down thereby creating the deadman safety function. Diode  44  prevents a back flow of electricity if signal button  21  is depressed while the vehicle is in reverse.  
         [0078]     Transmitter  23  and receiver  30  are key components of the invention and are made in compliance with industrial standards of quality, having resistance to the effects of wet weather, dust and the elements. Transmitter  23  is further capable of sustaining normal wear and tear associated with the stated application of the invention.  
         [0079]     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that transmitter  23  and receiver  30  are capable of tens of thousands of independent and easily programmable codes, making it completely feasible for a plurality of vehicles to operate in close proximity to one another with no interference.  
       OPERATION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0080]     The apparatus of the present invention is used in method as follows: 
        (a) driver  13  stops vehicle  12  in preparation to back to a desired position, and waits for spotter  11  to obtain transmitter  23 ;     (b) spotter  11  obtains transmitter  23  and positions himself in the rear of waiting vehicle  12 , similar to what is depicted in  FIG. 1  or as conditions dictate;     (c) spotter  11  visualizes a clear path for vehicle  12  and signals driver  13  that it is ok to back-up (three momentary signals). As spotter  11  signals driver  13  he listens for buzzer  37  and looks for light  36  to enunciate his own signals on the rear of vehicle  12  as feedback to confirm a properly working system;     (d) driver  13  having received the signal to back, places the transmission in reverse, watches for lights  33 ,  34  and buzzer  35  to enunciate in a constant fashion;     (e) with vehicle  12  in reverse and the devices fore and aft enunciating, spotter  11  depresses safety button  22  and holds it down, canceling the signal to stop and clearing driver  13  to back-up. Spotter  11  has further confirmation of a properly working system at this point;     (f) driver  13  backs to the desired position while enjoying the benefit of spotter  11  monitoring vehicle  12 &#39;s progress, signaling a perceived need to stop by simply letting go of safety button  22 ;     (g) if spotter  11  stumbles, falls, drops transmitter  23  and or is disabled in any way driver  13  will receive an immediate and automatic signal to stop as button  22  is naturally released;     (h) if the power supply or switching mechanism inside of transmitter  23  fails, relay  42  will return to it&#39;s normally closed position, and driver  13  will receive an immediate signal to stop; and     (i) if driver  13  must back the vehicle without the aid of spotter  11 , he can disable power to relay  42  using deactivation switch  39 , and thereby silence the automatic enunciation of signal devices that occurs when he selects the reverse gear of the transmission.