Patent Application
20160185317
The present invention relates to a child safety device and more particularly to a child safety device to prevent overheating in a vehicle.
A vehicle which has been turned off and with the windows rolled up may very quickly reach high temperatures especially during the summer time. As a consequence, children may die as a result of being left unattended in a vehicle in one of three ways:
Children are at the great risk for heatstroke because a child's body heats up 3-5 times faster than an adult. When the body's temperature reaches 104 degrees, the internal organs start to shut down. When it reaches 107 degrees, the child can die. Additionally, small children may not be able to open the door to escape the hot conditions.
Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is a condition that occurs when the body isn't able to cool itself quickly enough, and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels.
Since 1998, more than 550 children across the United States have died from being trapped in a hot car. An average of 38 children die every year, and for every child who dies, hundreds more are rescued. It does not have to be hot outside for the car to heat up to a dangerous level. Light pouring through the windows of the cars stays within the car and raises its temperature.
Furthermore, heatstroke is not the only danger of a child left in a vehicle. Children can put a car in gear, wander away from the car or be kidnapped.
A vehicle safety child device to detect a child left unattended in a vehicle may include a circuit to receive a location signal from a satellite; a circuit to receive audio signals from the interior of a vehicle; a circuit to connect to a control circuit of the vehicle; and a cellular circuit to activate a cellular signal to a cellular antenna.
An alarm is activated when the audio signal exceeds a predetermined level.
The alarm may be a light flasher on the vehicle.
The alarm may be a cellular signal to broadcast the location of the vehicle.
The alarm may activate a horn of the vehicle.
The alarm may activate the control circuit to roll down the windows of the vehicle.
A first LED light may be activated when the audio signal does not exceed a predetermined level.
A second LED light may be activated when the audio signal exceeds the predetermined level.
The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
The “Vehicle Child Safety Device” or “VCSD” includes a vehicle sensor unit that will help prevent the death or serious injury to children and infants that become trapped or abandoned inside a vehicle while it is not a being operated.
The functions of the present invention or the “Vehicle Child Safety Device” or “VCSD” may include a plastic housing unit that connects to the vehicle for example the electrical system of the vehicle through one of two ways: On-board diagnostics, an electronics self diagnostic system, typically used in automotive applications OBD2 Port or a 12V Auxiliary Outlet, which will also serve as power for the device. Once connected to the vehicle, the present invention “VCSD” may include a microphone to capture sounds inside the parked vehicle and determine if the sounds reach a predetermined Db level equal to , greater than or corresponding to a child crying. Once the predetermined Db level is reached, the “Vehicle Child Safety Device” will simultaneously activate a series of safety procedures to draw attention to the vehicle and the child and to summon help.
The first safety procedure would be to activate the exterior lights of the vehicle through the vehicles current electrical circuitry, and the exterior lights are activated to start flashing to help draw attention to the vehicle which will help with the early rescue of a child that has become trapped or abandoned. The flashing lights will also serve as an identification signal for rescue services to look for to help locate the vehicle.
The second safety procedure would be to place an emergency call to 911 through a cellular signal. Once the dispatcher receives the call they can dispatch the necessary rescue services. At this point, the call can be triangulated and GPS coordinates can be sent to the dispatcher and Rescue Services. Once the call has been placed to the 911 dispatcher, the third safety procedure can start.
The third safety procedure would be to activate the horn of the vehicle through the vehicles current electrical circuitry and make it start honking. This will aid not only with early rescue but it will also serve as a locating signal for emergency services.
Even though most parents and guardians are more than capable of keeping up with where their children may be at all times we hear all too often that a child has died or suffered severe injury from being trapped or abandoned in a parked vehicle. The “Vehicle Child Safety Device” will help parents and guardians know for sure that if for some reason one of their children do become trapped or forgotten in an overheated vehicle during our hectic schedules, Rescue Services will be dispatched promptly to rescue the children. With three different safety procedures, the possibility of a timely rescue from either bystanders or Emergency Services is greatly enhanced.
The top surface 127 may include a microphone 111 to obtain the level of sounds within the vehicle, a first LED light 107 which may indicate insufficient sounds within the vehicle to activate the alarms, a second LED light 109 to indicate that the sound level has surpassed a predetermined level of sounds to activate the alarms of the present invention, and a reset switch to reset the device. The first LED light and the second LED light may extend out of the back surface 125, and the reset button (switch) may extend out of the side surface 122.
The top surface 227 may include a microphone 111 to obtain the level of sounds within the vehicle, a first LED light 207 which may indicate insufficient sounds within the vehicle to activate the alarms, a second LED light 209 to indicate that the sound level has surpassed a predetermined level of sounds to activate the alarms of the present invention, and a reset switch 205 to reset the device. The first LED light and the second LED light may extend out of the back surface 225, and the reset button (switch) may extend out of the side surface 222.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62054998 | Sep 2014 | US |
