Abstract:
A remote vehicle safety system for use with a child-operated riding vehicle ( 100 ) employs a portable remote control ( 50 ) operated by a user, having a transmitter ( 57 ) for transmitting a signal to a receiver ( 107 ) on the vehicle ( 100 ). The receiver recognizes the signal from the transmitter ( 57 ). The receiver ( 107 ) then operates an actuator ( 211 ) causing a modification circuit ( 109 ) to modify power being provided to a motor ( 103 ) on vehicle ( 100 ). It may slow or stop the vehicle ( 100 ) preventing a child rider from getting into a dangerous situation.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This patent application claims priority from US. Provisional Patent Application 60/707,130 filed Aug. 9, 2005.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a safety device which controls riding vehicles from a remote location.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of Related Art  
         [0005]     Riding vehicles, such as electric toy cars and motorized scooters intended to be used by children and adolescents are rapidly advancing in technology. With the advent of new battery technology and high efficiency electric motors, these vehicles may outpace a running parent. Since the children riding these vehicles do not have a great appreciation for danger, it is possible that they may wander into the path of an oncoming car or drive off an embankment.  
         [0006]     There have been attempts to provide safety devices to protect children against these dangers and similar problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,291 describes a monitoring device that notifies a parent when a child moves beyond a predetermined distance from the device. It then sends an audible alert to the parents/guardians. This is designed to warn of danger, but unfortunately does not to stop the potential injury from occurring.  
         [0007]     There have been other attempts to remotely disable motorboats; however these were designed only to stop a gasoline-powered engine. This invention does not operate as well on electric-powered vehicles.  
         [0008]     Other devices are known which stop the vehicle motor in the event that the vehicle is out of control. These are operated locally by the rider and cannot be operated remotely. These have obvious problems since the parent or guardian cannot activate the device from a remote location.  
         [0009]     Currently, there is a need for a safety system to remotely control a child&#39;s vehicle from a remote location to prevent injury, which does not diminish the functionality of the vehicle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     One embodiment of the present invention is A remote safety system ( 1 ) for use with a riding vehicle ( 100 ) having a battery ( 101 ) for providing power to a motor ( 103 ), said system having: 
        a) at least one transmitter ( 57 ) for transmitting a signal, the transmitter ( 57 ) being part of a portable remote control ( 50 );     b) a receiver ( 107 ) for receiving and recognizing the signal from the transmitter ( 57 ),     c) A modification circuit ( 109 ) capable of modifying power being provided from the battery ( 101 ) to the motor ( 103 ), thereby affecting said vehicle&#39;s ( 100 ) operation;     d) An actuator ( 211 ), responsive to the receiver ( 107 ), for causing the modification circuit ( 109 ) to modify power being provided to motor ( 103 ) when the receiver ( 107 ) receives a modification signal.         The invention also may be considered a method of protecting a rider on a riding vehicle ( 100 ) having a battery ( 101 ) powering a motor ( 103 ) through a switch ( 105 ) comprising the steps of: 
        a) providing a modification circuit ( 109 ) capable of restricting power supplied from said battery ( 101 ) to said motor ( 103 );     b) providing a receiver ( 107 ) capable of receiving and recognizing at least one transmitted signal, and capable of operating said modification circuit ( 109 ) causing the modification circuit ( 109 ) to modify the amount of power supplied to said motor ( 103 ) when the modification signal is received; and     c) operating a remote transmitter ( 57 ) to transmit a modification signal to the receiver ( 107 ) causing receiver ( 107 ) to operate modification circuit ( 109 ) thereby modifying the power provided to motor ( 103 ).    
        The present invention may also be embodied as a method of retrofitting a riding vehicle ( 100 ) having a battery ( 101 ) powering a motor ( 103 ) through a switch ( 105 ) for protecting a rider comprising the steps of: 
        a) adding a modification circuit ( 109 ) to said riding vehicle ( 100 ) capable of restricting power supplied from said battery ( 101 ) to said motor ( 103 );     b) adding a receiver ( 107 ) to said riding vehicle ( 100 ) capable of receiving and recognizing at least one transmitted signal, and capable of operating said modification circuit ( 109 ) causing the modification circuit ( 109 ) to modify the amount of power supplied to said motor ( 103 ) when the modification signal is received; and     c) operating a remote transmitter ( 57 ) to transmit a modification signal to the receiver ( 107 ) causing receiver ( 107 ) to operate modification circuit ( 109 ) thereby modifying the power provided to motor ( 103 ).    
       
 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for remotely stopping a child&#39;s vehicle to prevent injury.  
         [0024]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for remotely slowing a child&#39;s vehicle to prevent injury.  
         [0025]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a low-drain safety cut-off switch for electric riding vehicles which may be remotely operated. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]     The advantages of the instant disclosure will become more apparent when read with the specification and the drawings, wherein:  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a child&#39;s vehicle and a transmitter according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a schematic circuit diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the remote vehicle safety device  1  according to the present invention. A vehicle  100 , intended to be ridden by a child or adolescent, is shown. Vehicle  100  is the type which is designed for a child to sit on and operate the pedals to drive the vehicle  100 . Vehicle  100  includes a self-contained battery  101  powering an electric motor  103 . Battery  101  is typically a deep cycle, high-energy rechargeable battery.  
         [0030]     Vehicle  100  includes a switch (accelerator pedal)  105  which is a switch completing a circuit between battery  101  and motor  103 . Pedal  105  may also be a variable resistor or current splitter, causing some degree of current to flow to motor  103 , thereby allowing variable acceleration from a standing stop.  
         [0031]     As a child riding vehicle  100  begins to stray away or begins to approach a dangerous location, a user, which is typically a parent or guardian, presses a button  51  on a remote control  50 . This activates a remote transmitter  57  to send a signal to a receiver  107  located on vehicle  100 .  
         [0032]     Receiver  107  receives the signal and determines (decodes) which of the several possible signals is being received. Receiver  107  then interacts with a modification circuit  109  to modify the maximum power running to motor  103 , thereby slowing, or stopping vehicle  100 , upon a ‘slow’ or ‘stop’ signal being received, respectively.  
         [0033]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the receiver circuit is only powered when accelerator  105  is pressed. Therefore, it does not drain electric energy from battery  101  when the vehicle is not being driven.  
         [0034]     Based upon experiments of a prototype, it was determined that when receiver  107  is in its idle mode (not receiving a signal) it draws approximately 50 MA. When receiver  107  is actively receiving and deciphering a signal, it draws approximately 260 MA. In  FIG. 2 , a relay  209  is used in the modification circuit  109 . It was determined that relay  209  draws approximately 70 MA. Therefore, with both receiver  107  and relay  209  being active, approximately 325 MA of current are drawn from battery  101 . Therefore, this circuit design extends the life of battery  101  as compared with other designs which are active most of the time. Please note that these numbers vary depending upon the actual receiver and relays used.  
         [0035]     Modification circuit  109  employs a toggle switch which continues to modify power delivered to motor  103  until the user presses a reset button  53  which re-activates normal operation of motor  103 .  
         [0036]     Optionally, there may be a distance transmitter  215  attached to vehicle  100  which transmits a signal through an antenna  221 . The signal from distance transmitter  215  is received by a distance receiver  63  in remote control  50 . Distance receiver  63  determines the signal strength coming from distance transmitter  215  and determines if it is within range for receiver  107  to receive signals from transmitter  57 . If so, an indicator light  55  is illuminated on remote control  50 . This indicates when remote control  50  is in range to deactivate vehicle  100 .  
         [0037]     In other optional embodiments, there may be additional controls, such as a ‘slow’ button  61  on remote control  50  which may cause current limitations which will decrease the maximum power sent to motor  103 , thereby reducing the speed of vehicle  100  significantly.  
         [0038]      FIG. 2  is a schematic circuit diagram of the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 . Battery  101  is shown connected to the circuit through switch  105 . Receiver  107  receives a signal through its antenna  219  and operates modification circuit  109 . Modification circuit  109  in this embodiment is comprised of a relay  209  and an actuator  211 . Actuator  211  is responsive to receiver  107  and causes relay  209  to be in the closed (operate) mode when the ‘stop’ signal is received from transmitter  57  (when deactivation button  51  is pressed on remote control  50 ).  
         [0039]     Actuator  211  causes relay  209  to be in an open (do not operate) mode when it receives the ‘stop’ signal. Since this is a latching relay, it is designed to keep its current state upon powering down. There is no change of state when switch (foot pedal)  105  changes position.  
         [0040]     Modification circuit  109  may employ a variable current limiting or voltage limiting device  217  in an alternative embodiment, which will slow vehicle  100  when a ‘slow’ signal is received from transmitter  50 .  
         [0041]     Therefore, the present invention provides a remotely operated safety device which is adapted for use on children&#39;s vehicles, for deactivating the vehicle thereby protecting them from danger, or causing the vehicle to move away from the dangerous situation.  
         [0042]     Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for the purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.  
         [0043]     Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by a Letters Patent is presented in the appended claims.