VEHICLE POWER INHIBITER
A method and system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party. The system includes a mode-indicating, an authenticator coupled to the mode-indicating device, and a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle. Here, the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by an authenticated driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the authenticated driver, and the authenticator is adapted to restrict the activation and the deactivation of the mode-indicating device unless the driver has been authenticated by the authenticator.
1 . A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:
a system controller;
a mode-indicating device coupled to the system controller;
an authenticator coupled to the system controller; and
a power inhibiting device coupled to the system controller and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle,
wherein the system controller is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to mechanically inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by an authenticated driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the authenticated driver, and
wherein the system controller is further adapted to restrict the activation and the deactivation of the mode-indicating device unless the driver has been authenticated by the authenticator.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:
a rotating cam plate fitted below an accelerator pedal of the vehicle and adapted to operate through a slot in a floor pan of the vehicle; and
a motor adapted to selectively drive the rotating cam plate to a first position to block a travel of the accelerator pedal to a first power level and a second position to unblock the travel of the accelerator pedal.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the motor is further adapted to selectively drive the rotating cam plate to a third position to block a travel of the accelerator pedal to a second power level, and
wherein the second power level is higher in power than the first power level and lower in power than a full power level.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:
a first stop pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the first stop pin being adapted to block the rotating cam plate from moving toward the second position from the first position; and
a second stop pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the second stop pin being adapted to block the rotating cam plate from moving toward the second position from the third position.
5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises a stop pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the stop pin being adapted to block the rotating cam plate from moving toward the second position from the first position.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:
an inhibiting pin;
a split collet adapted to hold the inhibiting pin; and
a motor fitted to an underside of a floor pan of the vehicle and adapted to raise the inhibiting pin with the split collet through a hole in the floor pan of the vehicle to selectively block a travel of the accelerator pedal.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the split collet is adapted to be disconnected from the inhibiting pin to unblock the travel of the accelerator pedal upon the deactivation of the mode-indicating device.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the split collet comprises a solenoid actuated split threaded collet.
9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the inhibiting pin has a multi-start thread.
10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the inhibiting pin has a square thread.
11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the inhibiting pin has a multi-start-square thread.
12 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the motor is adapted to turn the inhibiting pin to control a position of rise of the inhibiting pin and a power level of the vehicle.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:
a lever extended from a throttle arm and adapted to selectively limit a rotary travel of the throttle arm to limit an air supply to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle; and
a retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the retractable pin being adapted to limit a rotary travel of the lever.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the power inhibiting device further comprises an overload protection device coupled between the throttle arm and an actuator cable adapted to drive the throttle arm.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the overload protection device comprises an overload protection spring.
16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:
a lever extended from a throttle arm and adapted to selectively limit a rotary travel of the throttle arm to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle;
a first retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the first retractable pin being adapted to limit a rotary travel of the lever to a first lever position to limit the rotary travel of the throttle arm to a first throttle arm position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a first power level; and
a second retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the second retractable pin being adapted to limit the rotary travel of the lever to a second lever position to limit the rotary travel of the throttle arm to a second throttle arm position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a second power level.
17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the second power level is higher in power than the first power level and lower in power than a full power level.
18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:
a control arm coupled to a linear lever of a fuel injection pump and adapted to selectively limit a travel of the linear lever to limit a fuel supply to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle; and
a retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the retractable pin being adapted to limit a travel of the control arm.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the fuel injection pump is adapted to provide fuel to a diesel engine.
20 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the power inhibiting device comprises:
a control arm coupled to a linear lever of a fuel injection pump and adapted to selectively limit a travel of the linear lever to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle;
a first retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the first retractable pin being adapted to limit a travel of the control arm to a first arm position to limit the travel of the linear lever to a first lever position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a first power level; and
a second retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the second retractable pin being adapted to limit the travel of the control arm to a second arm position to limit the travel of the linear lever to a second lever position to limit the demand to increase the power of the vehicle to a second power level.
21 . A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:
a mode-indicating device; and
a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle, the power inhibiting devices comprising:
a rotating cam plate fitted below an accelerator pedal of the vehicle and adapted to operate through a slot in a floor pan of the vehicle; and
a motor adapted to selectively drive the rotating cam plate to a first position to block a travel of the accelerator pedal to a first power level and a second position to unblock the travel of the accelerator pedal,
wherein the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by a driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the driver.
22 . A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:
a mode-indicating device; and
a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle, the power inhibiting devices comprising:
an inhibiting pin;
a split collet adapted to hold the inhibiting pin; and
a motor fitted to an underside of a floor pan of the vehicle and adapted to raise the inhibiting pin with the split collet through a hole in the floor pan of the vehicle to selectively block a travel of the accelerator pedal,
wherein the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by a driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the driver.
23 . A system for inhibiting power of a vehicle given to a third party, the system comprising:
a mode-indicating device coupled to the system controller; and
a power inhibiting device coupled to the mode-indicating device and adapted to selectively inhibit the power of the vehicle, the power inhibiting device comprising:
a lever extended from a throttle arm and adapted to selectively limit a rotary travel of the throttle arm to limit an air supply to limit a demand to increase the power of the vehicle; and
a retractable pin adapted to selectively move between a stopping position and a release position, the stopping position of the retractable pin being adapted to limit a rotary travel of the lever,
wherein the mode-indicating device is adapted to communicate a power restriction signal to the power inhibiting device to inhibit the power of the vehicle upon an activation of the mode-indicating device by a driver and until a deactivation of the mode-indicating device by the driver.