US3668626A

US3668626A - Portable parking indicator

Info

Publication number: US3668626A
Application number: US119269A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold W Follett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-02-26
Filing date: 1971-02-26
Publication date: 1972-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-06

Abstract

A portable parking indicator is provided which signals the driver of a vehicle that he has reached a predetermined parking position in a garage or other regularly assigned parking space. The signaling means can be a light bulb, whose source of power can be either a battery or line voltage, which is actuated by the vehicle bumper depressing a contact plate mounted pivotably upright on a vertically adjustable lever and closing an electrical contact positioned between the contact plate and the lever. The lever is mounted pivotably upright on a movable base and is connected to tension means which holds the lever in an upright position.

Description

June 6, 1972 United States Patent Follett [54] PQRTABLE PARKING INDIQATOR Primary Examiner-John W. Caldwell [72] Inventor. Harold W. Follett, 100 Reamer Ave., Assistant Examiner Kenneth N. Leimer Wllmmgton 19804 Attorney-Robert W. Black Feb. 26, 1971 ABSTRACT [22] Filed:

A portable parking indicator is provided which signals the ched a predetermined [21] Appl. No.:

parkdriver of a vehicle that he has rea ing position in a garage or other regularly assigned parking space. The signaling means can be a light bulb, whose source 0 Am 1 62 Wb O8 20 m. 4

[51] lnt.Cl.................

[58] Field ofSearch .................200/61.41, 61.42; 340/51, 61

of power can be either a battery or line voltage, which is actuated by the vehicle bumper depressing a contact plate References Cited mounted pivotably upright on a vertically adjustable lever and closing an electrical contact positioned between the contact UNITED STATES PATENTS plate and the lever. The lever is mounted pivotably upright on a movable base and is connected to tension means which holds the lever in an upright position.

1 mm 0 w 4 2,454,896 11/1948 Traub Williams........

"340/61 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJuu 6 m2 SHEET 10F 4 INVENTOR ,HAROLD w. FOLLETT ATTORNEY PATENTEDJ H 61912 SHEET 2 OF 4 INVENTOR HAROLD w. EOLLETT ATTORNEY PATENTEDJUN 6 @972 SHEET 4 0F 4 INVENTOR RELAY FIG-5 HAROLD W. FOLLETT ATTORNEY PORTABLE PARKING INDICATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to portable parking indicators and more particularly to portable parking indicators for vehicles which are adapted to signal drivers of the vehicles that the vehicles have reached their predetermined parking positions.

2. Description of Prior Art When a vehicle is driven into a garage or any other regularly assigned parking space, the vehicle is maneuvered into a precise position to obviate striking objects around the parking space or to prevent the vehicle from interfering with the opening or closing of garage doors. A number of parking indicators have been shown in prior art, but these have been inconvenient in that they must be built into the garage. Such indicators are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,658,967 to Matschke, 2,731,934 to I-Iausmann et al., 2,879,350 to Howell, 3,219,972 to Williams and 3,395,387 to Durant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a portable parking indicator device which is placed in a vehicle parking space comprising: (1) a base which is placed at a desired position in the parking space, (2) a vertically adjustable lever mounted pivotably upright on the base, (3) a pressure contact plate mounted pivotably upright on the lever and adjusted in height to come in contact with the most forward point of the vehicle, (4) an electrical contact positioned between the contact plate and the lever, (5) first tension means between the lever and contact plate to hold the face of the contact plate in an upright position and to keep the electrical contact open except when the forward point of the vehicle moves the contact plate to close the electrical contact, (6) second tension means mounted to exert tension on the lever to hold it in an upright position, (7) signaling means connected to an electrical source, and (8) an electrical circuit connecting the contact points and the signaling means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portable parking indicator device of the extendible lever type and low-voltage signal light unit;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portable parking indicator device of the movable slide type and line voltage operation signal light;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the spring base of FIGS. 1 and 3 for holding the lever in an upright position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the portable parking indicator shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 consists basically of a pressure contact plate 10 mounted pivotally upright on bolt 11 on the extendible upper portion 12A of lever 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) or on a separate detachable sliding unit 13 which in turn slides up or down on the lever 12 to the desired height (FIGS. 3 and 4); the lower part of the lever in turn being mounted pivotally upright on bolt 14 mounted on base 15. Both lever 12A and slide 13 are mounted and adjusted on lever 12 by

bolts

56 and 56, respectively, inserted through holes located at various vertical positions along lever 12, lever 12A and slide 13. Contact plate 10 is retained upright against stop 16 in FIGS. 1 and 2 by action of light coil spring 17 positioned around pivot 11 to keep

switch contact points

50 and 51 open at all times except when closed by the vehicle bumper moving the contact plate. Contact 50 affixed to plate 10 on insulating material 52 is an insulated contact, whereas the second contact point 51 in juxtaposition thereto afi'rxed to the top of lever 12A is a grounded contact.

Lever 12 is held in upright position against stop 19 by action of heavy main spring 20 except when vehicle advances too far forward. Main spring 20 is attached to lever 12 by hook 21 and to through-bolt 22 on spring base 23 of a spring-base as sembly 53 which slides on spring sub-base 24 to provide proper spring tension. Alternatively, or in addition to spring 20, a heavy coil spring 25 encircling lever pivot bolt 14 in lever base 15 may be used with or substituted for spring 20, spring-base assembly 53 and sub-base 24 to apply forward pressure against lever 12 at point 26 when spring 25 is anchored at hole 27 in base 15. Use of coil spring 25 requires lever base 15 to be slightly wider to make room for the spring beside the lever around the pivot bolt.

Lever base 15 and spring sub-base 24 are mounted on a wood or metal base 55 and in use the base can be weighted down with two small lead bars or with two bricks to retain it in the desired spot and stabilize the entire apparatus for heavier than normal bumps.

The portable parking indicator built with the

extension lever

12 and 12A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is simple, cheap to manufacture, and it will work satisfactorily with most automobile bumpers but extensibility is limited to a few inches.

The portable parking indicator with the bumper contact plate built onto the movable slide 13 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has more versatility as the movable slide 13 with the controls is self contained and it may be mounted at any height on a lever of any desired length.

Both types of portable parking indicators can be used with either a low-voltage stoplight unit powered by flashlight batteries or a commercially available line voltage switch operating an electric stoplight (or bell or buzzer) system powered by a relay utilizing low voltage current through the line voltage switch on the actuator unit.

The low-voltage stoplight unit is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is operated simply by the closing and opening of contact points 50 and 51 (which also act as a stop for contact plate 10 against lever 12A) when the wire 49 on connector 29 is attached to the lever by bolt 30 with clamp 35 and connected electrically to contact

points

50 and 51 as shown in FIG. I and when connector 29 is plugged into female connector 31 of a 3- volt portable stoplight unit 48. Hole 33 in upper lever 12A is used when a line voltage switch, as discussed later, is used.

Stoplight unit 48 consists of a parking stoplight 32 which is mounted on the front of a battery box 47 of sufficient size to hold a standard 3-volt flashlight bulb 46 and two size AA pen- Iight batteries 45. The back plate 44 of the box 47 has an extension at the top with a hole in it to facilitate attachment of the stoplight unit 48 to the wall of the garage or to a post or stake. Automotive-type female connector 31 is wired in series through the batteries and bulb so that the light bulb will not il- Iurninate except by closing the

points

50 and 51 on the actuator unit in FIGS. 1 and 2 or points 18 and 18' in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The line voltage stoplight (or bell or buzzer) system is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and is operated by contact with the bumper contact plate 10 against the line voltage switch 28. Switch 28 contains an intemal spring which keeps the contact points therein open, and contact plate 10 against its stop, except when closed by pressure of the vehicle bumper.

The switch is mounted on the slide unit 13 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 or directly on lever 12A as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When slide unit 13 is used, the switch is mounted by means of L-shaped bracket 34 attached to the slide 13 by bolt 33. In this application, the wires 49 on connector 43 are attached to slide unit 13 with clamp 35 by bolt 33 and the wires are connected electrically to the wires on switch 38, as shown in FIG. 3. Connector 43 is plugged into female connector 38 of line voltage switching relay unit 42.

The portable parking indicator shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is manufactured so it can be wired to the low-voltage stoplight unit 48 discussed previously. Stop 16' is a bolt passing through a slot at the top of movable slide 13 and afirxed to the top of contact plate 10.

Contacts

18 and 18 are identical to

contacts

50 and 51. After being depressed, contact plate 10 is returned to the upright position by spring 17, which should be removed when switch 28 is used.

Line voltage switching relay unit 42 is a simple switching device for use with line voltage switch 28. The device consists of a commercially available control relay 36 and electrical receptacle 40 energized at line voltage by the relay when con nector 37 is plugged into a grounded and polarized electrical outlet and when contact points in switch 28 are closed. The relay 36 contains therein a transformer supplying low voltage to switch 28 on the actuator unit. In this application standard electrical polarized cap 37 is plugged into a polarized and grounded service receptacle; automotive type connector 43 on the actuator unit is plugged into connector 33 on the relay and an extension cord 39 of any desired length with red colored 110420 volt light bulb 41 (or bell or buzzer) is plugged into receptacle 40. The light bulb 41 can be placed where it will function as a guide to parking and as a stop signal,

In operation of the stoplight unit 48, it is mounted on the garage wall ahead of the vehicle or on a stand or stake at proper height above the top of the hood to permit it to be used as a target at which to aim the center line of the hood, or line of demarkation between fender on drivers side and the hood, while driving the vehicle into the garage or parking space. The portable parking indicator unit is placed on the floor in such position that the foremost part of the bumper will touch the upper part of the pressure contact plate as the vehicle is driven into the desired parking position.

As the vehicle is driven into the garage or parking space the first time, the operation is performed very slowly and carefully so the parking indicator can be moved and placed exactly where desired. By moving the parking indicator backward or forward, it will be possible to park the vehicle in the exact desired sport Within a small fraction of an inch.

Once the correct position of the actuator unit is established, the base 55 should be weighted down. Thereafter, the driver approaches the garage slowly and in the center of the parking space with the hood center line, or line between fender and hood, pointing straight at the stoplight unit 48 while watching the light bulb on the unit. As soon as the light flashes on, the vehicle is stopped immediately and reversed only just enough to permit the light to flash off.

After stopping at the proper place, the driver must hold the vehicle motionless with the foot brake until after the parking brake has been applied as the vehicle might otherwise roll far enough to turn the signal light on again.

In the event line voltage switch 28 and line voltage switching relay unit 42 should be adopted in lieu of the 3-volt stoplight unit, the placement of the portable parking indicator and its operation will be the same as outlined above. Use of a relay with line voltage properly polarized and grounded will provide safer operation of the portable parking indicator than with line voltage directly and will eliminate any shock hazard that might result from use of line voltage through the switch in case a vehicle should crash into the portable parking indicator and smash the switch or cut the wires.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable parking indicator device which is placed in a vehicle parking space comprising: (1) a base which is placed at a desired position in the parking space, (2) a vertically adjustable lever mounted pivotably upright on the base, (3) a pressure contact plate mounted pivotably upright on the lever and adjusted in height to come in contact with the most forward point of the vehicle, (4) an electrical contact positioned between the contact plate and the lever, (5) first tension means between the lever and contact plate to hold the face of the contact plate in an upright position and to keep the electrical contact open except when the forward point of the vehicle moves the contact plate to close the electrical contact, (6) second tension means mounted to exert tension on the lever to hold it in an upright position, (7) signaling means connected to an electrical source, and (8) an electrical circuit connecting the contact points and the signaling means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical contact is a pair of electrical contact points, one point of the electrical contact points affixed to the contact plate and the second point affixed to the lever in juxtaposition to the first point 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the first tension means comprises an adjustable stop mounted on the lever and extending between the lever and contact plate and a pressure spring mounted on the pivot of the contact plate, said spring holding the contact plate in an upright position against the adjustable stop.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the second tension means comprises a fixed lever stop mounted on the base and a tension spring mounted forward of the lever, said spring exerting a tension on the lever to hold the lever against the fixed stop.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the second tension means comprises a fixed lever stop mounted on the base and a coil spring mounted on the lever pivot to hold the lever against the fixed stop.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein the signaling means is a low-voltage light connected to a battery as the electrical source.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical contact and first tension means comprise an adjustable stop mounted on the lever and extending between the lever and contact plate, a line voltage spring switch having contact points therein affixed to the lever in a position such that the switch contact points remain open and the switch exerts tension to hold the contact plate against the adjustable stop on the lever.

B. The device of claim 7 wherein the signaling means comprises a relay having a low-voltage relay switch, low-voltage terminals and power source terminals connected to line voltage, and a light electrically connected at moment of contact to line voltage terminals by action of the low-voltage relay switch.

it: x 4: v

Claims

1. A portable parking indicator device which is placed in a vehicle parking space comprising: (1) a base which is placed at a desired position in the parking space, (2) a vertically adjustable lever mounted pivotably upright on the base, (3) a pressure contact plate mounted pivotably upright on the lever and adjusted in height to come in contact with the most forward point of the vehicle, (4) an electrical contact positioned between the contact plate and the lever, (5) first tension means between the lever and contact plate to hold the face of the contact plate in an upright position and to keep the electrical contact open except when the forward point of the vehicle moves the contact plate to close the electrical contact, (6) second tension means mounted to exert tension on the lever to hold it in an upright position, (7) signaling means connected to an electrical source, and (8) an electrical circuit connecting the contact points and the signaling means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical contact is a pair of electrical contact points, one point of the electrical contact points affixed to the contact plate and the second point affixed to the lever in juxtaposition to the first point.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the first tension means comprises an adjustable stop mounted on the lever and extending between the lever and contact plate and a pressure spring mounted on the pivot of the contact plate, said spring holding the contact plate in an upright position against the adjustable stop.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the signaling means comprises a relay having a low-voltage relay switch, low-voltage terminals and power source terminals connected to line voltage, and a light electrically connected at moment of contact to line voltage terminals by action of the low-voltage relay switch.