Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02463535 2004-04-16
WALL-MOUNTED BACKUP INDICATOR FOR VEHICLE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the general field of vehicle safety
accessories and is
particularly concerned with a wall mounted indicator warning when the distance
between
a vehicle and a wall is getting critically small.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The problems associated with blind spots while moving a vehicle in reverse
have long
been recognized. There have been repeated accidents associated with vehicles
backing
up involving personal injury and damage to property.
While it is difficult for the drivers of any vehicles to evaluate the distance
between the
rear of the vehicle and a rearwardly positioned obstacle, the problem is
compounded
when using long trucks, such as semi-trailers, which increases the possibility
that either
or both the truck and the loading dock will be damaged.
Some documents found in the prior art address these types of problems. Indeed,
the
prior art has proposed technical aid to improve vision to the rear by short
range obstacle
or target detection and distance measurement devices. Some of these devices
have
been developed in recent years and introduced into the market. These devices
generally
fall into three categories. The first category involves obstacle systems using
image
sensors, infrared light, video or laser devices. A second category includes
conductivity
I
CA 02463535 2004-04-16
measurement systems and a third category involves ultrasound systems. Most of
these
so called relatively high-tech solutions, although offering many advantages,
have proven
to be costly and, hence, have not obtained commercial success.
Other types of systems using mechanical components have been proposed.
However,
those mechanically activated devices typically include a large number of
operative
components which are subject to mechanical breakdown. Moreover, they often
require
judgment and interpretation on the part of the driver. Another main drawback
associated
with both high-tech and mechanical devices relates to the fact that they are
not always
reliable and thus gives a false sense of security to the driver which may be
considered
worst than having no indicator device at alf.
This inventor has proposed a low-cost, low-tech solution to this problem in
patent
6,651,581, issued November 25, 2003 which proposed a back-up range guide for
vehicles mounted on the vehicle. However, it has proved a problem installing
or
convincing truck owners to install such a device on a truck. Some states have
motor
vehicle departments which offer opposition to having certain type of
implements installed
on trucks for various safety concerns.
2
CA 02463535 2004-04-16
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention offers a backup indicator which is mounted on a wall
surface, or
any appropriate fixed surface which makes the device operable, the device
being
positioned near an access door to which a van or truck needs to back-up to.
There are
more such doors in the United States than there are vans or trucks in
circulation so
therefore, the market is larger and is not subject to motor vehicle department
restrictions
and indeed are likely not to be the subject of any restrictions since they are
not mobile
and do not present any danger to passerbys given their location which can be
set higher
from the ground that the most passerbys.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for a wall-mounted
backup indicator
for trucks and vans that allows the driver of a vehicle that is backing up
towards a
loading dock to conveniently and accurately determine, just by looking into
the rear view
mirror, the spacing between the back end of the truck and the loading dock.
It is a second object of this invention to allow continuous monitoring of the
decreasing
spacing between the back end of the truck and the loading dock, in order to
reduce the
risk of injury to occupants of the vehicle, standers-by or damage to the
vehicle or the
surrounding structures.
It is a final object of this invention to be fully reliable without requiring
elaborate
maintenance.
3
CA 02463535 2004-04-16
To accomplish this, the wall-mounted backup indicator is comprised of an
abutting arm
usually situated on a lateral side of an access door onto which a vehicle is
likely to
backup for pickup or delivery purposes and in such a way as that the backing
truck will
intercept it. Thus, as the vehicle closes in on the loading dock, the
abuttting arm is
depressed from a first position into a second position which actuates a switch
which in
turn lights up a light or sounds off an alarm or both, to alert the driver.
Additionally, a
biasing means repositions the abutting arm back to its first position as the
vehicle
moves away from the loading dock. Besides a visual cue such as a light, an
audio cue
can be used because in broad daylight, if the sun hits the light directly, it
may be difficult
to see whether it is on or off, that is why, in the desscription, the
expression "signaling
means" is used co encompass any suitable means, all falling within the scope
of this
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 Front view of the wall-mounted backup indicator.
Fig. 2a Top view of the wall-mounted backup indicator switched on.
Fig. 2b Top view of the wall-mounted backup indicator switched off.
Fig. 3 Side view of the wail-mounted backup indicator.
DETAILED DESCRLPTION
Figs. 1-3 A wall-mounted backup indicator (10) is comprised of an abutting arm
(12) a
wall plate (14) a pivot (16) supported by a frame (18) which acts as unifying
means to all
the parts, including a switch (20) a biasing means (22) which can also be
coiled around
the pivot (16), and a signaling means (24) connected to a power source (not
shown) via
4
CA 02463535 2004-04-16
electrical wiring (26). The biasing means (22) has one anchoring point at one
extremity
of the abutting arm (12) and the other anchoring point at the edge of the wall
plate (14).
FIG. 4 The wall-mounted backup indicator (10) is situated on the lateral side
of a loading
dock door (30), next to the back up pads (32) in such a way that the backing
truck will
intercept it. Thus as the vehicle closes in on the loading dock, the abuttting
arm (12) is
moved from a position such as in Fig. 2a to a position such as in Fig. 2b
which releases
pressure on the switch (20), this actually turns the switch (20) on so that
power activates
the signaling means (24) via electrical wiring (26). The driver, thus alerted,
stops
backing up. When the truck leaves the dock, the biasing means (22) puts the
abutting
arm (12) back to the position shown in Fig. 2a.
s
