Vehicle alarm system

摘要

A vehicle alarm system 10 includes a control unit 12, a number of door contacts or switches 13, 14, 15 connected as inputs to the control unit 12, the switches including a spare wheel sensor 14 and a battery sensor 15, and a spare wheel locking mechanism 16 connected to the control unit 12 as an output amongst others. The locking mechanism 16 has an actuator in the form of an electric motor 36 which is configured slideably to displace a locking pin 37 between an open position and a closed position in which the pin 37 engages a spare wheel hoist 26 of the vehicle hence preventing unauthorized lowering/removal of the spare wheel. If the alarm is armed, the sensor 14 will detect when an attempt is made to loosen the wheel and in response thereto a siren 19 will be sounded and the locking mechanism 16 locked.

主权项

1. A vehicle alarm system which includes:
an electronic control unit; a spare wheel locking mechanism which is operatively mounted to a vehicle and which is communicatively linked to the control unit, the locking mechanism including a locking member which is configured to lock a spare wheel mounted to the vehicle in place hence preventing unauthorised removal of the spare wheel; and a spare wheel sensor which is communicatively linked to the control unit, the sensor being configured to detect when the spare wheel mounted to the vehicle is disengaged from the vehicle and to communicate this to the control unit, in response to which the control unit is configured to trigger an alarm and/or engage the locking member in order to lock the spare wheel in place, if need be; wherein the spare wheel locking mechanism further includes an actuator which is communicatively linked to the control unit and drivingly connected to the locking member, the locking member being movable between an open position in which the spare wheel is permitted to be removed from the vehicle and a dosed or locked position in which the locking member prevents removal of the spare wheel from the vehicle, wherein the actuator is configured to move the locking member between its open and closed positions in response to receipt of a control signal from the control unit.