Portable vehicle parking assistance device

Claim 2

A portable vehicle parking assistance device for resting upon a surface upon which a vehicle travels, comprising: a tray for positioning on said surface, said tray having an open top for receiving ballast material to maintain the tray in a set position on said surface, a sensor arm consisting of a flexible, resilient rod having a lower end firmly anchored to said tray so as to be immovable with respect to said tray, and having an upper end extending upwardly from the tray in cantilever fashion so as to be movable relative to said tray, said flexible, resilient rod having a length such that the top of said upper end is positioned at a height above said tray so that said top is visible to a driver of said vehicle when an extremity of said vehicle comes into contact with said flexible, resilient rod, and a motion indicator affixed to said top of said upper end of said flexible, resilient rod for alerting the driver of said vehicle that said extremity of said vehicle has contacted said flexible, resilient rod.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein the flexible, resilient rod has sections for enabling the flexible, resilient rod to be adjusted to different heights.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 wherein the motion indicator is a reflector.

Claim 5

A portable vehicle parking assistance device for resting upon a surface upon which a vehicle travels, comprising: a tray for positioning on said surface, said tray having an open top for receiving ballast material to maintain the tray in a set position on said surface, a case located within said tray and affixed to the interior of said tray, a semi-rigid sensor arm having an upper end and a lower end, said semi-rigid sensor arm being pivotally attached to said case near said lower end and having said upper end extending vertically from said case to a height above said tray whereat said upper end is visible to a driver of said vehicle when an extremity of said vehicle comes into contact with the semi-rigid sensor arm, a motion indicator and an illumination signal element carried by said semi-rigid sensor arm near the top of said upper end, an electrical switch within said case, said switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact, said movable contact being movable to engage the fixed contact when said semi-rigid sensor arm pivots in response to said extremity of said vehicle coming into contact with the semi-rigid sensor arm, said lower end of said semi-rigid sensor arm being positioned adjacent to said movable contact and being movable into direct engagement with said movable contact to cause the movable contact to move to engage the fixed contact, and a power supply operatively connected in circuit with said switch and with said illumination signal element such that said illumination signal element is actuated upon closing of said switch.

Claim 6

A portable vehicle parking assistance device for resting upon a surface upon which a vehicle travels, comprising: a tray for positioning on said surface, said tray having an open top for receiving ballast material to maintain the tray in a set position on said surface, a case located within said tray and affixed to the interior of said tray, a semi-rigid sensor arm having an upper end and a lower end, said semi-rigid sensor arm being pivotally attached to said case near said lower end and having said upper end extending vertically from said case to a height above said tray whereat said upper end is visible to a driver of said vehicle when an extremity of said vehicle comes into contact with the semi-rigid sensor arm, a motion indicator and an illumination signal element carried by said semi-rigid sensor arm near the top of said upper end, an electrical switch within said case, said switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact, said movable contact being movable to engage the fixed contact when said semi-rigid sensor arm pivots in response to said extremity of said vehicle coming into contact with the semi-rigid sensor arm, said lower end of said semi-rigid sensor arm being positioned adjacent to said movable contact and being movable into direct engagement with said movable contact to cause the movable contact to move to engage the fixed contact, and a power supply operatively connected in circuit with said switch and with said illumination signal element such that said illumination signal element is actuated upon closing of said switch.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4 further including means for biasing said lower end of said semi-rigid sensor arm out of direct engagement with said movable contact until the semi-rigid sensor arm is pivoted.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5 further including a stop to limit movement of the lower end of the semi-rigid sensor arm in a direction away from the movable contact of the switch.

Claim 9

The device of claim 4 further including an audible signal element connected electrically in parallel with said illumination signal element.

Claim 10

The device of claim 7 wherein the audible signal element is a buzzer.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7 wherein the case has a cover and the audible signal element is mounted on the exterior of the cover.

Claim 12

The device of claim 4 wherein the motion indicator is a reflector.

Claim 13

The device of claim 4 wherein the power supply is a battery located within the case.

Claim 14

The device of claim 4 wherein the semi-rigid sensor arm has sections for enabling said semi-rigid sensor arm to be adjusted to different heights.

Claim 15

A portable vehicle parking assistance device for resting upon a surface upon which a vehicle travels, comprising: a tray for positioning on said surface, said tray having an open top for receiving ballast material to maintain the tray in a set position on said surface, a case located within said tray and affixed to the interior of said tray, a semi-rigid sensor arm formed of electrically conductive material and having an upper end and a lower end, said semi-rigid sensor arm being pivotally attached to said case near said lower end and having said upper end extending vertically from said case to a height above said tray whereat said upper end is visible to a driver of said vehicle when an extremity of said vehicle comes into contact with the semi-rigid sensor arm, a motion indicator and an illumination signal element carried by said semi-rigid sensor arm near the top of said upper end, an electrical switch within said case, said switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact, said fixed contact comprising an electrically conductive member attached to the interior of said case, said movable contact being the lower end of said electrically conductive semi-rigid sensor arm, means for biasing said movable contact away from said fixed contact so as to maintain the switch normally in an open position, said movable contact being movable into engagement with said fixed contact when said semi-rigid sensor arm is contacted by said extremity of said vehicle to cause pivoting of said semi-rigid sensor arm, and a power supply operatively connected in circuit with said illumination signal element, with said movable contact constituted by the lower end of said electrically conductive semi-rigid sensor arm, and with said fixed contact such that said illumination signal element is actuated upon closing of said switch.

Claim 16

A portable vehicle parking assistance device for resting upon a surface upon which a vehicle travels, comprising: a tray for positioning on said surface, said tray having an open top for receiving ballast material to maintain the tray in a set position on said surface, a case located within said tray and affixed to the interior of said tray, a semi-rigid sensor arm formed of electrically conductive material and having an upper end and a lower end, said semi-rigid sensor arm being pivotally attached to said case near said lower end and having said upper end extending vertically from said case to a height above said tray whereat said upper end is visible to a driver of said vehicle when an extremity of said vehicle comes into contact with the semi-rigid sensor arm, a motion indicator and an illumination signal element carried by said semi-rigid sensor arm near the top of said upper end, an electrical switch within said case, said switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact, said fixed contact comprising an electrically conductive member attached to the interior of said case, said movable contact being the lower end of said electrically conductive semi-rigid sensor arm, means for biasing said movable contact away from said fixed contact so as to maintain the switch normally in an open position, said movable contact being movable into engagement with said fixed contact when said semi-rigid sensor arm is contacted by said extremity of said vehicle to cause pivoting of said semi-rigid sensor arm, and a power supply operatively connected in circuit with said illumination signal element, with said movable contact constituted by the lower end of said electrically conductive semi-rigid sensor arm, and with said fixed contact such that said illumination signal element is actuated upon closing of said switch.

Claim 17

The device of claim 13 further including an audible signal element connected electrically in parallel with said illumination signal element.

Claim 18

The device of claim 14 wherein the audible signal element is a buzzer.

Claim 19

The device of claim 14 wherein the case has a cover and the audible signal element is mounted on the exterior of the cover.

Claim 20

The device of claim 13 wherein the motion indicator is a reflector.

Claim 21

The device of claim 13 wherein the power supply is a battery located within the case.

Claim 22

The device of claim 13 wherein the means for biasing is a spring.

Claim 23

The device of claim 13 wherein the case has a cover with an elongated slot and the lower end of the semi-rigid sensor arm extends through said elongated slot.

Claim 24

The device of claim 13 wherein the semi-rigid sensor arm has sections for enabling said semi-rigid sensor arm to be adjusted to different heights.

Claim 25

The device of claim 13 wherein the motion indicator is a reflector and the illumination signal element is a light bulb mounted within the reflector.

Claim 26

The device of claim 13 further including a stop to limit movement of the lower end of the semi-rigid sensor arm in a direction away from the fixed contact.