Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02755379 2011-10-11
DESCRIPTION
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
A product that helps drivers to remember that there is a child / pet inside of
vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This product helps people to remember that there is a child/ pet in their
vehicle. As
surprising as it may sound, there have been many unfortunate cases every year
where
people have forgotten a child in the vehicle. These unfortunate people include
a police
officer, an accountant, an electrician, a college professor... Temperatures
inside a parked
vehicle can get extremely hot or cold in just a few minutes placing a
forgotten child/ pet in
extreme danger. There were 49 cases of child deaths due to being left in the
car in 2010
alone in the United States according to San Francisco State University. Most
of the children
were 3 years old or younger. An excellent history of the problem can be found
in the
Pulitzer Prize winning article by Gene Weingarten of the Washington Post
called 'Fatal
Distraction'.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a unique product to remind drivers that they have a child/
pet in the
vehicle. The inside of a parked vehicle can become a deadly place in a very
short period of
time as temperatures can exceed 50 degrees Celsius in just a few minutes.
The invention has a unique combination of a visual and physical cue to help
drivers
remember there is a child/pet in the vehicle.
1. Visual cue: A device is permanently attached to the dashboard of a vehicle
in a spot
visible from the driver's seat. This serves as a constant reminder while the
driver is
in the vehicle that there may be a child/pet in the vehicle.
2. Physical cue: Upon entering a vehicle and having placed the child/ pet in
the back,
the driver physically attaches part of the device to the car keyring. Upon
arrival at
destination, driver cannot remove keys from vehicle without the physical
reminder
that there is a child/baby in the vehicle.
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CA 02755379 2011-10-11
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
Diagram 1 is of a visual cue that is permanently attached to the dashboard of
the vehicle in a
place very visible from the driver's seat and close to the ignition. The
device serves as a
constant reminder that there may be a child/ pet in the vehicle.
Diagram 2 shows how one end of the device is attached to the car keys when
there is a
child/ pet in the vehicle to create a physical reminder when the driver
arrives at the
destination. The driver cannot remove keys from car without being reminded
there is a
child/ pet still in the vehicle.
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CA 02755379 2011-10-11
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a unique product to remind a driver that a child/ pet is in
the vehicle. No
other known device has this combination of visual and physical cues to remind
drivers that
there is a child/ pet in the vehicle.
Visual cue - a preferably bright and very distinct object is permanently
fastened to the
vehicle's dashboard in a place very visible from the driver's seat. It should
be very
noticeable so as to serve as a reminder - but it should neither obstruct
vision nor physical
movements (eg. changing radio dial, adjusting mirror, driving). A plastic
device in the
shape of a stop sign in bright red with a written reminder in the center may
serve well as a
reminder that there maybe a child in the car. An all black rectangular object
may not be a
good visual cue as it may blend in too easily into the usually dark dashboards
of vehicles.
The object should be large enough to be clearly visible from the driver's seat
(e.g. at least 2
cm square/diameter) but shouldn't be too large that it obstructs driver's
vision or use of
controls (e.g. a visual cue which is 30cm x 30cm may hinder driver's vision
and/or driver's
adjusting of certain dials/controls making driving less safe). The fastening
of the object to
the dashboard should be strong enough to withstand the wide range of
temperatures and
physical movements associated with normal use. The visual cues may also have
reflective
or glowing or illuminating qualities that may enhance the effect.
Physical Cue - a cord-like device that the driver attaches the to the car
keyring. One end is
attached to the visual cue. Other end attaches to the driver's ignition
keyring. Physical cue
may be a thin cord-like material that is 0.5mm thick or may be considerably
thicker (eg. a
white visual cue in the shape of a plush toy cat's body and the physical cue
in the shape of
cat's 1 cm thick tail.) The physical cue is may be retractable so as to not
disturb the driver
in any way, but not necessarily retractable. Physical cue must be long enough
to attach
easily to the keys yet short enough that it doesn't affect driver movement.
Length of the
physical cue when in use should be about the shortest distance between the
visual cue and
the keys (as opposed to being able to be wrapped around the steering wheel 2
times before
attaching to the keys) plus what is necessary for easy attachment to keychain
(may be
clip/some other fastening device or the string itself).
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CA 02755379 2011-10-11
How it is used:
At first, the visual cue is permanently attached to the vehicle's dashboard.
Subsequently, every time a driver has a child/ pet in the vehicle, the driver
attaches the
physical cue to the car key ring when child/pet is in the vehicle. Start
vehicle and drive to
destination. At destination, the driver cannot remove the car keys from the
car without the
physical cue reminding the driver that the child/ pet is still in the vehicle.
Why this invention is better than other products used to alert drivers of
children in back of
vehicle: Unlike other products, this product has no mechanical or electrical
parts that can
fail, no electronic components that can be interfered with, may have no
batteries to replace
nor power cords to attach, not difficult assemble/attach, and has two cues
that a child is on
board (whereas most other products have only one). It creates almost no
interference with
the driver's view of road nor driver's physical movements (doesn't obstruct
adjusting of
dials, pushing of buttons...). It is also very affordable and so everyone can
have one in the
vehicle.
It is a simple, low cost, yet highly effective solution to a potentially fatal
lapse.
