Emergeney automobile exit system

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The instant invention pertains to the field of motor vehicle safety devices. The invention was conceived in an attempt to address the need for an emergency means to exit a motor vehicle which has had its electrical system disabled and wherein time (to exit the motor vehicle) is of the essence (for example, in a situation where a vehicle is submerged in water). This invention will operate to open electrical windows, and unlock doors, in a motor vehicle even when the motor vehicle has lost use of its electrical system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention is a device which would allow the occupants of a motor vehicle a means to exit a vehicle which has had its electrical system disabled by means of pushing a button and/or pulling a lever and having the system unlock the vehicle's door locks and open the vehicle's electric windows without the need of the vehicle's own electrical system. The advantages of the invention would be to occupants of motor vehicles who are in need of an emergency exit of said motor vehicle and wherein the vehicle's own electric system has failed and therefore unable to open the vehicle's window and door locks. This invention would be especially useful in the situation wherein a vehicle is submerged in water (after, for example, having been driven off of a bridge) and the doors are too heavy (given water pressure) to open and the electrical windows are rendered inoperable due to the failure of the vehicle's electrical system. Additional uses would include situations involving fire, children trapped in the vehicle, automobile accidents, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A—Schematic of electrical system

Drawing FIG. 1A illustrates the installation of the electrical system installed within a vehicle's door. The figure illustrates the wiring from the system's 12 volt batter, the battery charger, the limit charger, the switch (used to activate the system) and the wiring to the window's electric motor and electric power lock.

FIG. 2A—Schematic of pneumatic system

Drawing FIG. 2A illustrates the installation of the pneumatic system installed within a vehicle's door. The figure illustrates the lever (installed on the interior side of the vehicle's door) attached to the CO2 cartridge (contained in a housing installed inside the door) with the attached air hoses leading to pistons positioned to 1) release the window from its track (and therefore release the window) and more the door lock into the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The instant invention is a product that will allow for an emergency window and door exit from a vehicle by virtue of the automatic and immediate opening of electrical windows, and the unlocking of electrical door locks, with the push of a single button and/or lever without the need or use of the motor vehicle's own electric system.

The invention would be used by owners, drivers and occupants of automobiles with electric door locks and electric windows. Of special use and interest would be persons who regularly travel by, near, or over bodies of water where the possibility (however remote or unlikely) may exist that the motor vehicle may (by any form of automobile accident or mishap) enter the water and wherein the occupants would be in need of an emergency escape that would otherwise be difficult or unavailable without the use of the invention. Additional usage would be any situation wherein the occupants of the motor vehicle are entrapped in the vehicle and in need of an emergency exit through the windows and/or doors and are otherwise unable to electronically unlock the doors and/or open the electrical windows to exit the motor vehicle.

The instant invention is a system which provides for the emergency exit of a motor vehicle by opening the electric windows and unlocking the electric door locks by means of an independent electric and pneumatic system.

The electrical system contains the following component parts:

• • a button-type switch which provides for one touch activation (component part used: Autozone Model R13-28A);
  • one twelve volt rechargeable battery (component part used: Black and Decker Model HPV12);
  • one twelve volt battery charger (component part used: Radio Shack Model Number 2300333);
  • one battery box used to house the twelve volt battery (component part used: Radio Shack Model 270-1801);
  • eighteen gauge stranded electrical wire (12 volt) (component part used: Radio Shack Model Number 2781226); and
  • electrical wire connectors (locking male and female type) for eight wires and two wires (component parts used: Radio Shack Model Number 2740239 (9 wire connectors) and Radio Shack Model Number 2740151 (2 wire connectors).

The pneumatic system contains the following component parts:

• • ⅜ inch air hoses (capable of withstanding up to 300 pounds of pressure per square inch)(component part used: Parflex Model Number ¼×0.040″);
  • ⅜ inch air hose connectors including butt connectors and “T” connectors (component parts used: Parker PrestoLock ¼× 10/32 and ⅜TH INCH-T'S ¼×3″);
  • Air Pistons (300 pounds per square inch capability and ⅜ inch in size) (component part used: SMC Model Number CDJ2BIO-30-B;
  • CO2 cartridge (12 grams) (component part used: Eagle Air Model Number 141190000);
  • aluminum housing used to house the CO2 cartridge; and
  • Lever.

The electrical system, using the above-described parts, uses a twelve volt rechargeable battery, housed within one of the motor vehicle's doors, to power the vehicle's own electric window motors and power door locks in the event of the vehicle's own power failure. The independent twelve volt battery is housed in a battery box, installed within one of the vehicle's door panels and continuously charged with the vehicle's own battery (up to the moment of the vehicle's power failure). A limit charger is used to reduce overcharging of the independent 12 volt battery. In the event of a power failure on the part of the vehicle's electrical system, a single button will activate the system to power, by use of the system's independent battery, the vehicle's power window motors and power door locks—thus opening the windows and unlocking the doors to allow for occupant exit.

The pneumatic system, using the above-described parts, uses a CO2 cartridge to trigger two pistons. A CO2 cartridge is housed in an aluminum housing which is installed inside one of the vehicles door panels. On the exposed and interior side of the door, a lever is installed. The lever is installed in such as way as to activate the release of the CO2 from the cartridge with the activation of the lever. The CO2 is channeled to an air hose. The hose route is split by use of a “t” connector. One hose then goes to a piston which is installed in such a way as to knock the window off of its track when activated. The other piston is positioned in such a way as to push up the lock mechanism (and thus unlock the door) when activated. The system, once activated, would have to be re-energized by installing a charged CO2 cartridge. With a single movement of the lever, the windows are released (and therefore able to be opened manually by pulling the window down) and the door locks are opened, thus allowing the occupants to exit the vehicle.

The electrical and pneumatic systems may be used together or separately. Neither system causes any permanent damage to the vehicle (either to its windows, window tracks or door lock system).