CA1185835A - Parking spacer - Google Patents
Parking spacerInfo
- Publication number
- CA1185835A CA1185835A CA000388290A CA388290A CA1185835A CA 1185835 A CA1185835 A CA 1185835A CA 000388290 A CA000388290 A CA 000388290A CA 388290 A CA388290 A CA 388290A CA 1185835 A CA1185835 A CA 1185835A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- vehicle
- spacer
- parking
- closure member
- attachment
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
- B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
- B60Q1/48—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for parking purposes
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Superstructure Of Vehicle (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A simple, low cost, extended spacing member is removably attachable to a first parked vehicle to prevent another vehicle from parking so closely that its doors when opened strike the first vehicle.
A simple, low cost, extended spacing member is removably attachable to a first parked vehicle to prevent another vehicle from parking so closely that its doors when opened strike the first vehicle.
Description
~&~
VEHICLE SPACING ATTACHMENT
.
This invention relates to a vehicle spacer attachment.
More particularly, it relates to a spacer that may be attached to a parked vehicle as an indicator to other vehicles of separation distance.
As automobile prices and repair costs escalate, it has become increasingly important to protect automobiles from damage. One common type of minor damage to automobiles that is disfiguring and potentially costly to repair is the dent 10 or scratch that results when a door of a closely-parked adjacent automobiles opened. This often occurs, for instance, on the parking lots of crowded shopping malls, but it may also occur in any parallel parking situation.
automobile manufacturers have mounted resilient strips to extend longitudinally on the transverse extremes of some models. Such strips are designed tocushionthe impact of objects that strike the side of the automobile. However, such resilient strips are not always successful in preventing damage to the side of an automobile when the door of an adjacent automobile is opened. For instance the contacting portion of the door of one vehicle may be above or below the resilient strip on the adjacent vehicle.
The subject invention it a parking spacer which may be removably attached to a vehicle after parking to extend horizontally therefrom as an indicator to a driver parking an adjacent vehicle to maintain suitable spacing. Besides preventing scratches and dents to the side of the vehicle, the parking spacer will also insure that the adjacent vehicle is spaced sufficiently distant that it does not impede access to the vehicle. In one form, the parking spacer comprises an extended spacing member having a first and second end, and an attachment member connected to the first end. The attachment member is contoured so as to be retained between one of the edges of a closure member on the vehicle and the frame edge abutted by that one of the edges when the closure member is in the closed position. Movement of the closure member to an open position releases its retention on the attachment member.
The closure member may be hinged to the frame of the vehicle along a first edge of the closure member, and in such construe-lion the one of the edges of the closure member is one of the other edges of that member. The parking spacer may have an indicator means connected to the second end of the extended spacing member for better indicating the second end of the extended spacing member to drivers of other vehicles. Either or both of the attachment member and indicator means may be integrally connected to the spacing member. The extended spacing member may be a rod or other elongated member of small I cross-section, and the indicator means may be a brightly-colored sphere.
The parking spacer of my invention, in a broad aspect, comprises:
an extended spacing member having a first end and a second end; and a shaped attachment member connected to the first end of the spacing member, said shaped attachment member having a generally U-shape portion substantially perpendicular -to ~5~3~
the extended spacing member adapted to receive an edge of the closure member in or adjacent the bight of the U-shaped portion for Sacramento of the attachment member to the vehicle frame between the closure member and the frame by frictional engage-mint to extend generally horizontally from the vehicle when the closure member is closed and for release of the attachment member when the closure member is opened.
More particularly, the attachment means of the park-in spacer of my invention is integrally connected to the spacing member and comprises a pair of spaced-apart parallel U-shaped portions joined by an integral connecting portion, a first of said U-shaped portions forming an extension of the spacer member and the second of said U-shaped portions having an extension disposed substantially parallel to the spacing member, the spacer member, the extension of the second U-shaped r portion and the integral connecting portion all substantially lying in the same plane.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will next be described, although the inventor does not mean to limit himself to the details of such preferred embodiment. In the I accompanying drawings:
\ Figure 1 is a top view of the parking spacer of the subject invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the parking spacer of the subject invention.
Figure 3 is an end view of the parking spacer of the - I -'if,,;
~S~335 subject invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the parking spacer of the subject invention.
Figure 5 is a view of a vehicle having the parking spacer of the subject invention in position against an outer edge of an open door.
Figure 6 is a vie of the vehicle of Figure 5 in which the door has been closed to retain the parking spacer of the subject invention between the door of the vehicle and the adjacent frame.
Figure 7 is a view of a vehicle having the parking spacer of the subject invention in position against an outer edge of an open trunk lid.
Figure 8 is a view of the vehicle of Figure 7 in which the trunk lid has been closed to retain the parking spacer of the subject invention between the trunk lied of the vehicle and the adjacent frame.
In the accompanying drawings, 10 designates an extended spacincJ member formed by a piece of drawn wire having a linear section 11 and a shaped attachment section 12. Attachment Jo eschew has a firstU-shapedportion 13, a second parallel U-shapedportion14, and on integral connecting portion 15, perpendicular to the two U-shaped portions. A length of plastic tubing 16 extends over attachment section 12 so as to afford protection to the edge of a vehicle closure member around which attachment section 12 is placed.
A brightly-coloured sphere 17 is mounted on the other end of extended spacing member 10. The sphere is formed from a hard plastic or other resilient material and has a radial of , :~$
bore into which the end of extended spacing embryo 10 is permanently fixed by glue or other means.
The method of attaching the parking spacer of the subject invention to a vehicle by means of one of its doors is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In Figure 5 the parking spacer has been placed against the edge of an open door of the vehicle after the vehicle has been parked. Attachment section 12 with plastic tubing 16 extending there over is placed against the outer edge of the vehicle door such that the U-shaped portions of attachment section 12 each fit around the edge and are in a generally horizontal plane, each having one of their arms on the interior side of the door and the other of their arms on the exterior side of the door. The connecting portion of attachment section 12 extends generally vertically on the interior side ox the door between the generally horizontal portions This positioning of the parking spacer is illustrated in Figure 5.
The parking spacer is maintained in such position relative to the door while the door is being closed. After the door it cloyed, attachment section 12 of the extended spacing member is held between the edge of the door and the adjacent door frame. The extended spacing member extends generally perpendicular to the plane of the vehicle door. This is illustrated in Figure 6.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative method of attaching the parking spacer of the subject invention to a vehicle, in which method the attachment is by means of the trunk lid of the vehicle.
The driver of a vehicle parking adjacent to a vehicle on which the parking spacer is mounted will immediately notice brightly-coloured sphere 17 extending approximately two feet out from the side of the vehicle, and will maneuver his vehicle so as to avoid making contact with the parking spacer. Thus, the two vehicles will be sufficiently spaced that the open door of the one vehicle will not contact the side of the other vehicle.
Also, the second vehicle will be sufficiently spaced from the first vehicle that ample room will be left for opening the adjacent door or doors of the first vehicle when the occupants return.
Two of the parking spacers of the subject invention would normally be carried within a vehicle. Depending upon the possibilities fox adjacent vehicle parking, spacers may be deployed from one or both sides of the parked vehicle Although the foregoing description represents a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, it will be understood that modifications of the invention that would be obvious to a person skilled in the art are within the scope of the invention.
VEHICLE SPACING ATTACHMENT
.
This invention relates to a vehicle spacer attachment.
More particularly, it relates to a spacer that may be attached to a parked vehicle as an indicator to other vehicles of separation distance.
As automobile prices and repair costs escalate, it has become increasingly important to protect automobiles from damage. One common type of minor damage to automobiles that is disfiguring and potentially costly to repair is the dent 10 or scratch that results when a door of a closely-parked adjacent automobiles opened. This often occurs, for instance, on the parking lots of crowded shopping malls, but it may also occur in any parallel parking situation.
automobile manufacturers have mounted resilient strips to extend longitudinally on the transverse extremes of some models. Such strips are designed tocushionthe impact of objects that strike the side of the automobile. However, such resilient strips are not always successful in preventing damage to the side of an automobile when the door of an adjacent automobile is opened. For instance the contacting portion of the door of one vehicle may be above or below the resilient strip on the adjacent vehicle.
The subject invention it a parking spacer which may be removably attached to a vehicle after parking to extend horizontally therefrom as an indicator to a driver parking an adjacent vehicle to maintain suitable spacing. Besides preventing scratches and dents to the side of the vehicle, the parking spacer will also insure that the adjacent vehicle is spaced sufficiently distant that it does not impede access to the vehicle. In one form, the parking spacer comprises an extended spacing member having a first and second end, and an attachment member connected to the first end. The attachment member is contoured so as to be retained between one of the edges of a closure member on the vehicle and the frame edge abutted by that one of the edges when the closure member is in the closed position. Movement of the closure member to an open position releases its retention on the attachment member.
The closure member may be hinged to the frame of the vehicle along a first edge of the closure member, and in such construe-lion the one of the edges of the closure member is one of the other edges of that member. The parking spacer may have an indicator means connected to the second end of the extended spacing member for better indicating the second end of the extended spacing member to drivers of other vehicles. Either or both of the attachment member and indicator means may be integrally connected to the spacing member. The extended spacing member may be a rod or other elongated member of small I cross-section, and the indicator means may be a brightly-colored sphere.
The parking spacer of my invention, in a broad aspect, comprises:
an extended spacing member having a first end and a second end; and a shaped attachment member connected to the first end of the spacing member, said shaped attachment member having a generally U-shape portion substantially perpendicular -to ~5~3~
the extended spacing member adapted to receive an edge of the closure member in or adjacent the bight of the U-shaped portion for Sacramento of the attachment member to the vehicle frame between the closure member and the frame by frictional engage-mint to extend generally horizontally from the vehicle when the closure member is closed and for release of the attachment member when the closure member is opened.
More particularly, the attachment means of the park-in spacer of my invention is integrally connected to the spacing member and comprises a pair of spaced-apart parallel U-shaped portions joined by an integral connecting portion, a first of said U-shaped portions forming an extension of the spacer member and the second of said U-shaped portions having an extension disposed substantially parallel to the spacing member, the spacer member, the extension of the second U-shaped r portion and the integral connecting portion all substantially lying in the same plane.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will next be described, although the inventor does not mean to limit himself to the details of such preferred embodiment. In the I accompanying drawings:
\ Figure 1 is a top view of the parking spacer of the subject invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the parking spacer of the subject invention.
Figure 3 is an end view of the parking spacer of the - I -'if,,;
~S~335 subject invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the parking spacer of the subject invention.
Figure 5 is a view of a vehicle having the parking spacer of the subject invention in position against an outer edge of an open door.
Figure 6 is a vie of the vehicle of Figure 5 in which the door has been closed to retain the parking spacer of the subject invention between the door of the vehicle and the adjacent frame.
Figure 7 is a view of a vehicle having the parking spacer of the subject invention in position against an outer edge of an open trunk lid.
Figure 8 is a view of the vehicle of Figure 7 in which the trunk lid has been closed to retain the parking spacer of the subject invention between the trunk lied of the vehicle and the adjacent frame.
In the accompanying drawings, 10 designates an extended spacincJ member formed by a piece of drawn wire having a linear section 11 and a shaped attachment section 12. Attachment Jo eschew has a firstU-shapedportion 13, a second parallel U-shapedportion14, and on integral connecting portion 15, perpendicular to the two U-shaped portions. A length of plastic tubing 16 extends over attachment section 12 so as to afford protection to the edge of a vehicle closure member around which attachment section 12 is placed.
A brightly-coloured sphere 17 is mounted on the other end of extended spacing member 10. The sphere is formed from a hard plastic or other resilient material and has a radial of , :~$
bore into which the end of extended spacing embryo 10 is permanently fixed by glue or other means.
The method of attaching the parking spacer of the subject invention to a vehicle by means of one of its doors is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In Figure 5 the parking spacer has been placed against the edge of an open door of the vehicle after the vehicle has been parked. Attachment section 12 with plastic tubing 16 extending there over is placed against the outer edge of the vehicle door such that the U-shaped portions of attachment section 12 each fit around the edge and are in a generally horizontal plane, each having one of their arms on the interior side of the door and the other of their arms on the exterior side of the door. The connecting portion of attachment section 12 extends generally vertically on the interior side ox the door between the generally horizontal portions This positioning of the parking spacer is illustrated in Figure 5.
The parking spacer is maintained in such position relative to the door while the door is being closed. After the door it cloyed, attachment section 12 of the extended spacing member is held between the edge of the door and the adjacent door frame. The extended spacing member extends generally perpendicular to the plane of the vehicle door. This is illustrated in Figure 6.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative method of attaching the parking spacer of the subject invention to a vehicle, in which method the attachment is by means of the trunk lid of the vehicle.
The driver of a vehicle parking adjacent to a vehicle on which the parking spacer is mounted will immediately notice brightly-coloured sphere 17 extending approximately two feet out from the side of the vehicle, and will maneuver his vehicle so as to avoid making contact with the parking spacer. Thus, the two vehicles will be sufficiently spaced that the open door of the one vehicle will not contact the side of the other vehicle.
Also, the second vehicle will be sufficiently spaced from the first vehicle that ample room will be left for opening the adjacent door or doors of the first vehicle when the occupants return.
Two of the parking spacers of the subject invention would normally be carried within a vehicle. Depending upon the possibilities fox adjacent vehicle parking, spacers may be deployed from one or both sides of the parked vehicle Although the foregoing description represents a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, it will be understood that modifications of the invention that would be obvious to a person skilled in the art are within the scope of the invention.
Claims (9)
1. A parking spacer for a vehicle, said vehicle having a frame and a closure member hinged to the frame for pivoting of the closure member to a closed position or an open position, said spacer comprising:
an extended spacing member having a first end and a second end; and a shaped attachment member connected to the first end of the spacing member, said shaped attachment member having a generally U-shape portion substantially perpendicular to the extended spacing member adapted to receive an edge of the closure member in or adjacent the bight of the U-shaped portion for securement of the attachment member to the vehicle frame between the closure member and the frame by frictional engage-ment to extend generally horizontally from the vehicle when the closure member is closed and for release of the attachment member when the closure member is opened.
an extended spacing member having a first end and a second end; and a shaped attachment member connected to the first end of the spacing member, said shaped attachment member having a generally U-shape portion substantially perpendicular to the extended spacing member adapted to receive an edge of the closure member in or adjacent the bight of the U-shaped portion for securement of the attachment member to the vehicle frame between the closure member and the frame by frictional engage-ment to extend generally horizontally from the vehicle when the closure member is closed and for release of the attachment member when the closure member is opened.
2. A parking spacer for a vehicle as in Claim 1, wherein the closure member is hinged to the frame of the vehicle along a first edge of the closure member, and wherein the one of the edges of the closure member is one of the other edges of that member.
3. A parking spacer as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said attachment means is integrally connected to the spacing member and comprises a pair of spaced-apart parallel U-shaped portions joined by an integral connecting portion, a first of said U-shaped portions forming an extension of the spacer member and the second of said U-shaped portions having an extension disposed substantially parallel to the spacer member, the spacer member, the extension of the second U-shaped portion and the integral connecting portion all substantially lying in the same plane.
4. A parking spacer for a vehicle as in Claim 1, and also comprising:
an indicator means connected to the second end of the spacing member for better indicating the second end of the spacing member to drivers of other vehicles.
an indicator means connected to the second end of the spacing member for better indicating the second end of the spacing member to drivers of other vehicles.
5. A parking spacer for a vehicle as in Claim 4, wherein the indicator means is integrally connected to the spacing member.
6. A parking spacer for a vehicle as in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the closure member is a door.
7. A parking spacer for a vehicle as in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the closure member is a trunk door.
8. A parking spacer for a vehicle as in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the extended spacing member is a rod.
9. A parking spacer for a vehicle as in Claim 4 or 5, wherein the indicator means is a brightly-coloured sphere.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000388290A CA1185835A (en) | 1981-10-20 | 1981-10-20 | Parking spacer |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000388290A CA1185835A (en) | 1981-10-20 | 1981-10-20 | Parking spacer |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1185835A true CA1185835A (en) | 1985-04-23 |
Family
ID=4121207
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000388290A Expired CA1185835A (en) | 1981-10-20 | 1981-10-20 | Parking spacer |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1185835A (en) |
-
1981
- 1981-10-20 CA CA000388290A patent/CA1185835A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |