Importance

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Abstract

A vehicle overturn monitor includes an input/display device that enables vehicle load information to be entered by positioning a left side and a right side critical angle display, cursor, or other indicator at a point on the display representative of a calculated critical angle .beta. for each side of the vehicle, the critical angle display enabling a maximum safe speed to be determined based on posted curve radius and bank information using a chart of maximum speeds as a function of the curve radius, with the control device for each indicator turning a potentiometer that controls both the critical angle display and an input to a comparator that triggers an alarm, the second input to the comparator being provided by circuitry having as input a plurality of force or acceleration sensors that monitor the actual forces on the vehicle and control illumination of a second set of LEDs to provide a visual indication of the net force vector. The input/display device of the vehicle overturn monitor thus provides a continuous indication of how close the force vector on the vehicle is to the critical angle and a visual/audible warning of imminent danger, as well as an indication of the speed at which the curve may safely be entered, all based on the turning of a knob that moves a critical angle indicator to a point selected by inputting the location of the load into a simple mathematical formula.

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First Claim