Visual parking guide

• US 7,124,705 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kuldip Randhawa
• Original Assignee: Kuldip Randhawa
• Inventors: Randhawa, Kuldip
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US10/225,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 116/28.R, 332/86, 332/64, D20/10, D20/19, D20/41, D20/42, D10/109, D10/110, 405/84, 405/94, 406/070.1, 406/17
• US Class Current: 116/28.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/22 using a parallactic triangle with variable angles and a base of fixed length at, near, or formed by the object

Abstract

A visual parking guide, more particularly, a thin flat surface, divided into three zones, with a multitude of markings in each zone, to assist drivers of varying heights to park their car in a safe parking position. The visual parking guide is mountable on a supporting structure such that at least a portion of the parking guide is within the field of view of the driver. By parking the vehicle at a preferred distance from a stationary structure and aligning a fixed point relative to the vehicle with one of the multitude of markings on the visual parking guide, the driver can determine a reference point to use as a means to determine the safe parking position.

Claims

1. A visual parking guide to assist a driver in parking a vehicle comprising:

(a) said visual parking guide being substantially two dimensional and being mountable on a supporting structure;

said visual parking guide further comprising;

(b) a flat surface having a low lustre finish;

(c) a multitude of markings positioned on the flat surface wherein said multitude of markings are divided into a tall zone, an average zone and a short zone;

said zones being vertically oriented such that the tall zone is positioned below the average zone and the average zone is positioned below the short zone;

(d) said tall, average and short zones being within the field of view of a driver and being adapted to allow the driver when in the driver'"'"'s seat to position the vehicle at a preferred distance from the supporting structure and said parking guide such that;

(1) said tall zone defines a tall positioning means to allow a tall driver to align a fixed point on the vehicle with said tall zone in order to position the vehicle at said preferred distance,

(2) said average zone defines an average positioning means to allow an average height driver to align a fixed point on the vehicle with said average zone in order to position the vehicle at said preferred distance, and

(3) said short zone defines a short positioning means to allow a short driver to align a fixed point on the vehicle with said short zone in order to position the vehicle at said preferred distance.

2. The visual parking guide of claim 1, wherein said flat surface is made of a semi-rigid material.

3. The visual parking guide of claim 2, wherein said multitude of markings are generally horizontal curved lines.

4. The visual parking guide of claim 3, wherein said multitude of markings have light reflective properties.

5. The visual parking guide of claim 1, wherein said flat surface is mounted on a wall.

6. The visual parking guide of claim 1, wherein said flat surface is mounted on a sign.

7. The visual parking guide of claim 1, wherein said flat surface is mounted on a post.

8. The visual parking guide of claim 1, wherein a table of suggested heights to mount said flat surface is positioned on a first corner of said flat surface.

9. The visual parking guide of claim 1, wherein instructions to mount said flat surface is positioned on a second corner of said flat surface.

10. The visual parking guide of claim 1, wherein a diagram displaying proper use of said visual parking guide is positioned on a third corner of said flat surface.

11. A method of setting a reference point for parking a vehicle in a parking space adjacent to a stationary structure, comprising the steps of:

(a) parking said vehicle at a preferred distance from said stationary structure and said parking guide;

(b) providing a substantially two dimensional visual parking guide, comprising;

(i) a flat surface adapted to be mounted on a supporting structure, said flat surface having a low lustre finish; and

(ii) a multitude of markings positioned on said flat surface;

(c) mounting said visual parking guide on said supporting structure such that said visual parking guide is within the field of view of a driver of said vehicle; and

(d) said driver aligning a fixed point on said vehicle visible to said driver with one of said multitude of markings to determine said driver'"'"'s reference point in relation to said vehicle and said visual parking guide.

12. The method of parking the vehicle in the parking space adjacent to the stationary structure after determining a reference point by the method of claim 11, wherein said driver parks said vehicle at said preferred distance by aligning said fixed point with said reference point.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said multitude of markings are divided into a first, second and third zone.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first zone is within the field of view of a tall driver and said multitude of markings positioned within said first zone determine said tall driver'"'"'s reference point in relation to said vehicle and said visual parking guide.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said second zone is within the field of view of an average height driver and said multitude of markings positioned within said second zone determine said average height driver'"'"'s reference point in relation to said vehicle and said parking guide.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said third zone is within the field of view of a short driver and said multitude of markings positioned within said third zone determine said short driver'"'"'s reference point in relation to said vehicle and said visual parking guide.