Abstract:
A safety interlock system for hand operated vehicle accelerator control systems is disclosed which permits a hand operated accelerator control system to be immobilized so that it cannot be activated unintentionally or accidentally by an individual operator who is not familiar with a vehicle so equipped. The safety interlock system may be selectively activated by the vehicle operator manually directly by mechanical means or remotely by means of a switch-controlled hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical activator. An indicator system is provided which indicates the status of the safety interlock system to the vehicle operator.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/995,129, filed Sep. 25, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to hand operated vehicle accelerator control devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to safety interlock systems for hand operated vehicle accelerator control devices which are designed to prevent unintentional activation of a hand controlled accelerator by an individual who is not familiar a vehicle so equipped. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various control systems have been installed on pedal-equipped and controlled motor vehicles which permit operation thereof by disabled individuals who have lost the use of one or both of their legs. Typically, such control systems employ lever or handle-actuated pivoting elements which are mounted beneath the steering column or on the floor of the vehicle and which are readily accessible for hand operation by a disabled driver. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,946 issued to Masters et al., Apr. 14, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,944, issued to Grindle, Sep. 29, 1998; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,535, issued to Spinnato, Jun. 15, 2004. The majority of these systems transmit the operator&#39;s hand motions applied to a lever or handle through a series of linkages to the vehicle accelerator system. 
     Situations arise where a vehicle equipped with a hand operated control system must be operated by a non-disabled individual. By way of example, vehicles in for repair and or routine servicing are operated by mechanics and garage personnel. In urban environments, often patrons at restaurants, theaters and other social events valet park their vehicles. Most commonly, if another family member requires the use of such a vehicle, he or she may not be familiar with the hand operated control system. All of these situations result in operation of a hand operated vehicle by persons who are accustomed to foot pedal controls and who are completely unfamiliar with the hand control mechanism. Numerous incidents of property damage, personal injury and even death have been reported which are attributable directly to inadvertent activation of a hand operated accelerator control by an able bodied operator, and no systems are presently available commercially which incorporate an accelerator interlock which prevents activation of the hand operated accelerator by a non-handicapped vehicle operator. 
     Accordingly, a need exists for a safety interlock system for a hand operated vehicle accelerator control device which will prevent inadvertent operation of the hand controls by an able bodied vehicle operator. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A safety interlock system for a hand operated accelerator control is provided which includes a locking member having first and second end portions and a generally elongate body portion disposed intermediate the end portions and being selectively movable along a longitudinal axis. An activating device is attached to one end portion for moving and positioning the locking member to be in locking engagement with an element of the accelerator control linkage mechanism. 
     In particular and by way of example only, according to an embodiment, a safety interlock system is provided which is manually activated by the vehicle operator by manipulation of a knob or handle affixed to one end of the locking member. A biasing member is provided to urge the locking member into locking engagement with the accelerator control apparatus unless otherwise intentionally positioned by the operator. 
     In another embodiment, a safety interlock system is provided which is selectively activated by means of a solenoid. 
     In yet another embodiment, a safety interlock system is provided which is selectively activated by means of a hydraulic actuator. 
     In still another embodiment, a safety interlock system is provided which is selectively activated by means of a pneumatic activator. 
     In another embodiment, a safety interlock system is provided which includes means for indicating to a vehicle operator the status of the safety interlock system. 
     Further objects, features, and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a safety interlock system in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a hand operated accelerator control mechanism and a safety interlock system in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another hand operated accelerator control mechanism and a safety interlock system according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of yet another embodiment of the safety interlock system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Before proceeding with the detailed description, it should be noted that the present teaching is by way of example and not by limitation. The concepts presented herein are not limited to use or application with one specific type of safety interlock system or hand operated accelerator control device. Thus, although the instrumentalities described herein are for the convenience of explanation, shown and described with respect to exemplary embodiments, the principles herein may be equally applied to other types of hand operated accelerator control system. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a safety interlock system for a hand operated vehicle acceleration control device or apparatus is illustrated generally at  100 . The safety interlock system includes a locking member  102  having an elongate body portion  104  extending and being selectively movable along axis  106 . The body portion includes a first end  108  which is adapted to be positioned locking engagement with the hand operated acceleration control device  110 , as will be described in greater detail below and a second end (not shown) to which an activating device  112  is secured for moving and positioning the locking member along the axis  106 . In the embodiment shown, the activating device is in the form of a knurled knob or handle adapted to be moved between a retracted or released position in which the acceleration control device is movable and an engaged position in which the accelerator control device is immobilized. It is releasably retained in either the retracted or the engaged position by suitable securing means such as a spring-biased detent, a cam or another one of a number of suitable retaining mechanisms, as are known in the art. For safety reasons, is preferably urged into locking engagement with the acceleration control apparatus by suitable biasing means, by way of example, a compression spring (not shown). However, it is to be understood that other suitable biasing means may be employed for this purpose without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The hand operated accelerator control device  110  includes a rotating member or shaft  114  operatively connected to a lever ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) for manual manipulation by a vehicle operator. The rotating member is supported by a bearing block  116  and is rotatable about axis  118  in response to the vehicle operator&#39;s hand movements. In the embodiment shown, axis  118  is generally perpendicular to axis  106 ; however, it is to be understood that other angular relationships between the two axes may be configured without departing from the scope hereof. The rotational movement of shaft  114  is translated into movement of the accelerator control mechanism, as is known in the art. The shaft contains an aperture  119 , which, in the embodiment shown, is in the form of a slot extending longitudinally along the length of the shaft and adapted to receive first end  108  of the locking member  102 . The system may also include an indicating device, by way of example an electrical or a vacuum sensing device, to indicate to the vehicle operator the status of the safety interlock system, i.e. whether or not the locking member  102  is in locking engagement with the rotating member  114  or in the released position. The safety interlock system is secured to bearing block  116  by mounting plate  120  and suitable fastening means, by way of example, threaded fasteners, screws, bolts and the like, which extend through mounting holes  122 . An aperture  121  is formed in bearing block  116  and is adapted to receive body portion  104  of locking member  102 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the safety interlock system  100  of the present invention is shown coupled to the hand operated accelerator control apparatus  110  in greater detail. The hand operated control device includes a handle  124  mounted on a lever  126  which is coupled to shaft  114 . The handle is used by a disabled operator of the vehicle to control the vehicle acceleration and speed, which would otherwise be controlled by means of conventional foot pedals. The handle is connected to the vehicle acceleration system by linkage  128  and to the vehicle breaking system by linkage  130 . As described above, the safety interlock system is engaged to immobilize the hand operated accelerator control by moving the locking member  102  along axis  106  into aperture  121  until the end portion  108  is releasably engaged with aperture or slot  119 . To disengage the safety interlock system, the vehicle operator simply reverses the process by manipulating the activating device  112  to extract the end portion from the aperture  119 , thereby allowing free rotational movement of the shaft  114 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates yet another embodiment of the safety interlock system  100  of the instant invention. As hereinabove described with respect to the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the safety interlock system is operatively connected to the vehicle acceleration control apparatus shown generally at  130  and to the vehicle braking system shown generally at  132 . The hand operated accelerator control mechanism may be immobilized by a vehicle operator by manipulating the activating device  112  to move the locking member  102  into locking engagement with the aperture or slot  119  formed in the rotating member  114 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure as shown in  FIG. 4 , the safety interlock system  100  includes non-manual activating devices which may be in the form of an electrical solenoid, a hydraulic activator or a pneumatic activator  136 . In this embodiment, the activator is structured and arranged so as to selectively bias the body portion  104  of the locking member  102  into locking engagement with the rotating member  114 , thereby preventing accidental and inadvertent activation of the hand operated accelerator controls. To engage the hand operated system, the vehicle operator must consciously activate the locking member  104  to the disengaged position via an activation means such as a switch, thereby freeing up the shaft  114  for rotational movement. 
     Changes may be made in the above methods, devices and structures without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description and/or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as statements of the scope of the present method, device and structure, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.