Abstract:
A residential garage can be either attached or detached from a residence and normally includes a paneled, roll-up door that can be opened and closed either manually or via mechanical means utilizing a motor and drive system. A pendant (soft target) suspended from a cord is movable in a vertical direction from a raised position (garage door closed) to a lowered position (garage door open) via direct linkage and travel reduction of the cord to the top of the garage door, suspended from the garage ceiling with guides. When the garage door is raised and the pendant is lowered, a driver in a vehicle can park in the garage utilizing the pendant to properly and precisely align the vehicle inside the garage by stopping the vehicle at the point when the vehicle windshield first contacts the pendant.

Description:
REFERENCES CITED 
       [0001]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Patent Documents 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 3,817,203 
                 June 1974 
                 Brauer 
               
               
                 3,872,820 
                 March 1975 
                 Hess 
               
               
                 3,874,322 
                 April 1975 
                 Brauer 
               
               
                 4,490,917 
                 January 1985 
                 Pilling 
               
               
                 5,297,500 
                 March 1994 
                 Wilson 
               
               
                 5,315,953 
                 May 1994 
                 Mullarkey, Jr. 
               
               
                 5,832,865 
                 November 1998 
                 Harmel 
               
               
                 6,209,478 
                 February 1999 
                 Curtis 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a residential garage incorporating a vehicle parking alignment device that moves in a vertical fashion in conjunction with the opening or closing of a garage door. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0005]    The action of parking a vehicle inside a garage can be challenging, particularly if the garage is smaller than usual; the garage is also used for storage and available parking area is minimal; the vehicle to be parked is larger than normal; or the driver of the vehicle is relatively inexperienced (teenage driver). 
         [0006]    The idea of utilizing some sort of positioning indicator inside a residential garage has been with us for many years, and many different solutions to assist in parking a vehicle in a garage have been developed. All have their relative benefits and detriments. Most are expensive to construct (complex designs), and some are relatively simple. 
         [0007]    One type of indicator consists of an object that is suspended from a flexible element (cord) and attached to the garage ceiling in a fixed or non-retractable position. When the windshield of a vehicle touches the object, the vehicle is properly positioned in the garage. 
         [0008]    One significant problem with this design is that the object suspended from the garage ceiling can hinder freedom of movement inside the garage when the vehicle is not present. 
         [0009]    To overcome this drawback, the object is suspended in such a manner that it rises to the ceiling as the garage door is closed, and lowers to windshield height when the garage door is opened. This is currently achieved by attaching the flexible element (cord) and pendant to the garage door. 
         [0010]    This design however presents another problem. In some garages, the optimal distance from the driver&#39;s line of sight in the vehicle to the garage ceiling is less than the linear distance through which the garage door moves (e.g. 80 inches of garage door linear movement versus 50 inches of optimal travel between a driver&#39;s line of sight and the garage ceiling). Therefore, it becomes necessary to compensate in some manner for the difference in travel between the garage door and the position alignment device movement. 
         [0011]    As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,478, one way to compensate for the difference in the distances of travel is to utilize a retraction device with an adjustable diameter coiling mechanism powered in various ways by the garage door mechanical systems. This design is relatively expensive to manufacture and time-consuming to install due to its inherent complexity. 
         [0012]    Another solution to compensate for the object and garage door travel distances was offered in U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,865 by making a part, or the entire flexible element (cord) elastic. One key disadvantage of this design would be that like all elongated, elastic devices, the code would lose its elasticity over time and will eventually break. This makes the approach unreliable, and possibly a safety hazard in that the resulting falling object could strike a person on the head or in the face. 
         [0013]    Yet another approach as specified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,322 and 3,817,203 to compensate for the difference in the travel distances of the object and garage door describes the use of a reel having two portions of different diameter. Two cords are used with one of the cords attached to the garage door and to the larger diameter portion of the reel. One end of the second cord is attached to the object while the other end is attached to the smaller diameter portion of the reel. When the garage door closes, the travel that occurs by the cord attached to the garage door is used to pull on the larger diameter reel causing rotation of the reel. In turn, the other cord attached to the object is pulled onto and wound around the reel and causes the object to move up toward the garage ceiling. Likewise, when the garage door is opened, the cord attached to the garage door is no longer under tension, and the weight of the object allows the reel to reverse direction and the object to drop. 
         [0014]    This arrangement is also expensive to manufacture, and difficult to install and is cost prohibitive due to its inherent complexity. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    It is an object of the invention to provide a garage vehicle parking alignment device that allows complexity inherent in previous designs to be substantially reduced. 
         [0016]    Another object of this invention is to provide a garage vehicle parking alignment device that is inexpensive to manufacture. 
         [0017]    A further object of this invention is to provide a garage vehicle parking alignment device that is relatively easy to install, and at the same time possess the ability to quickly and easily compensate for the varying residential garage floor to ceiling heights. 
         [0018]    A further object of this invention is to provide a garage vehicle parking alignment device that presents a pendant that incorporates rotational stability such that the pendant remains in a fixed rotational orientation throughout its linear, vertical travel. 
         [0019]    Another object of this invention is to provide a garage vehicle parking alignment device that provides a means to easily adjust the longitudinal position of the pendant relative to the vehicle being parked so as to compensate for variable distances from the front of the vehicle (grill) to the windshield of various makes and model of vehicle. 
         [0020]    An additional object of this invention is to provide a garage vehicle parking alignment device that is reliable. 
         [0021]    Another object of this invention is to provide a garage vehicle parking alignment device that poses no safety hazard to people in the vicinity of the device. 
         [0022]    The preceding objects, as well as others that will become apparent as the description progresses—are achieved by the invention. 
         [0023]    One aspect of the invention is located in a garage incorporating a garage door that is movable between a closed and open position. The garage further includes the means for indicating a vehicle parking position after the garage door travels to an open position. The indicating means includes an elongated flexible element attached at one end to a pendant and at the other end to the top of the garage door, or to the garage door linear movement means. 
         [0024]    Another aspect of the invention resides in a method of operating a garage door. The method includes the steps of moving the garage door from a closed position to an open position utilizing moving means, and providing an indication of vehicle position in response to the moving step. The method further includes the steps of returning the garage door to the closed position by way of the moving means, and subsequent return of the vehicle positioning pendant toward the garage ceiling facilitating full, unobstructed use of the garage. 
         [0025]    Another aspect of the invention resides in a method of suspending a low mass pendant from the garage ceiling utilizing lightweight, stationary or pivotal hooks (threaded or adhesive backed tape) to facilitate ease of installation and adjustment in conjunction with a readily available, lightweight, high strength, low friction, small diameter flexible element. 
         [0026]    Another aspect of the invention resides in the method of routing and attaching the cord to the pendant so as to provide a fixed rotational position of the pendant relative to the vehicle driver. 
         [0027]    Another aspect of the invention resides in the method of routing and attaching the pendant cord to the ceiling guides and through the pendant so as to achieve a pendant linear, vertical travel distance reduction ratio that is approximately one-half that of the horizontal movement of the garage door (garage door moves 2 inches, pendant moves 1 inch). 
         [0028]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be forthcoming from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when read in turn with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  are schematic sectional side views of a garage illustrating the principle of operation of the vehicle parking alignment device according to the invention. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  are plan views of examples of various styles of guides (non-exclusive) for the flexible element that constitutes part of the vehicle parking alignment device as shown in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b.    
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional view of a garage illustrating one embodiment of a vehicle parking alignment device in accordance with the invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the guide attachments for the flexible element and flexible element routing through the guides and pendant that constitute part of the vehicle parking alignment device as shown in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b.    
           [0033]      FIGS. 5   a ,  5   b  and  5   c  are plan and isometric views of various non-exclusive styles of pendants  16  that could be used to provide the desired functional and aesthetic characteristics for this part of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0034]      FIG. 1   a  schematically illustrates the principle of operation of a vehicle parking alignment arrangement in accordance with the invention. In  FIG. 1   a , the numeral  10  identifies a residential garage. The garage  10 , which has a floor  11  and a ceiling  12 , defines a space  15  serving as a parking area for a motor vehicle  14  and as an auxiliary storage area. The motor vehicle  14  enters and leaves the garage  10  through an entrance and exit opening which can be opened and closed by a conventional garage door  13 . The garage door  13  is movable between a lowered or closed position and a raised or open position by a non-illustrated automatic garage door opener or moving means. In  FIG. 1   a  the garage door  20  is in a normal closed position. In  FIG. 1   b  the garage door  13  is in a normal open position, which allows ingress and egress of the motor vehicle  14 . 
         [0035]    A pendant which constitutes a vehicle parking alignment indicator is shown here as a typical pliable, round object  16  such as a ball. The pendant is suspended by a cord or flexible element  18 , one end of which is attached to the ceiling  12  by a guide  17  and subsequently passes through the pendant  16  and returns to and passes over a second ceiling guide  17  and then on to the garage door  13  and attached at the top of the garage door  13 . When the garage door  13  is closed as in  FIG. 1   a , the pendant  16  is raised to a position toward the garage ceiling  12 . When the garage door  13  is fully closed, the pendant  16  stops at a resting position at an approximate height of 80 to 100 inches above the garage floor  11 . 
         [0036]    During normal operation, the garage door  13  is opened when a motor vehicle  14  is to be parked in the garage  10 . As the garage door  13  is opened, the pendant  16  falls to a lowered position shown in  FIG. 1   b . When the garage door  13  is fully opened, the pendant  16  will stop and come to rest at its lowest position at an approximate height somewhere near the driver&#39;s line of sight at the height of the motor vehicle  14  windshield. 
         [0037]    The motor vehicle  14  subsequently enters the garage  10  and moves forward until the windshield touches the pendant  16 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 1   b  and shows that at this point, the motor vehicle  14  is properly aligned in the garage  10  and is stopped. The garage door  13  is subsequently activated to close and, as the garage door  13  closes, the pendant  16  returns to its fully raised position. 
         [0038]    In  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c , several variations of cord guide  17  are depicted.  FIG. 2   a  shows a typical utility hook guide  17  that is comprised of a threaded shank  17   a  and hook shaped appendage  17   b  and opening  17   c .  FIG. 2   b  shows another style of utility hook that can be fixed to object utilizing an adhesive backed tape  17   e  permanently attached to the body of the hook  17   d . The hook body  17   d  can be either plastic metal, and in some cases pivotal  17   f  rather than fixed.  FIG. 2   c  shows yet another style of guide  17 , this time a screw eye design with a treaded shank  17   a  and a circular head  17   b  that defines an opening  17   c  for the cord  18  to pass through. 
         [0039]    Virtually any type of guide  17  can be used so long as it provides a passage over which or through the cord  18  may pass and a means to permanently affix to the garage ceiling  12  and the top of the garage door  13 . 
         [0040]    In  FIG. 3 , it is illustrated that the cord  18  is attached at one end to a guide  17  which is fixed to the garage ceiling  12 , and is subsequently routed down to the pendant  16  at which point it passes through a cylindrically shaped passageway  19  through the pendant  16  (entry and exit holes through the pendant  16  one or more inches apart) and back up to another guide  17  fixed to the garage ceiling  12 . The cord  18  then passes over the hook shaped guide  17  and travels along the garage ceiling down to the top of the garage door  13  where the other end of the cord  18  is attached to yet one more guide  17  fixed to the top of the garage door  13 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  depicts the routing of the cord  18  from a guide  17  attached to the garage ceiling  12 , then down to the pendant  16 , then passing through the pendant  16  via a hollow channel and tubular insert  19 , and back up to another guide  17  attached to the garage ceiling  12  and on to a final attachment guide  17  positioned on the top of the garage door  13  (not shown in  FIG. 4 , refer to  FIG. 1   b ). 
         [0042]    Alternately, the two cord guides  17  attached to the garage ceiling  12  could be movable and attached to a track mounted to the garage ceiling  12  allowing for easy adjustment of the guides  17  to compensate for the positioning of various makes and models of motor vehicle. 
         [0043]    Additionally, and again referring to  FIG. 4 , the pendant  16  style can be variable in that different shapes and materials of construction could be used so long as the weight of the pendant  16  remains relatively, lightweight and within a range of one to eight ounces. Various other means could be used to achieve the desired two attachment points on the pendant  16  so as to maintain a rotational fixed position. For instance, if the pendant  16  were to be manufactured from a moldable plastic, the two attachment points could be an integral part or component of the pendant  16 . Another possible method for achieving a minimum of two attachment points on the pendant  16  could be to add mechanical hardware after fabrication of the pendant  16 , such as screw eye hooks. The distance between the two or more attachment points on the pendant  16  can be variable, but sufficient to provide the desired rotational stability of the pendant (fixed rotational position). 
         [0044]      FIGS. 5   a ,  5   b  and  5   c  depict several variations of a pendant  16  that can be employed to serve as a visual aid to the driver to determine when the motor vehicle  14  is properly aligned in the optimal parking position.  FIG. 5   a  shows a plastic wiffle ball that contains many small diameter holes in the hollow structure allowing an entry and exit pathway for the cord  18  to pass through.  FIG. 5   b  shows another type of spherically shaped pendant  16  suitable for silk-screening a graphic  20 . The pendant  16  can be manufactured from metal, plastic, wood, solid, hollow, rigid, pliable or compressible material—so long as it is reasonably lightweight and provides a suitable surface for silk-screening or embossing a desired graphic  20 .  FIG. 5   c  shows yet another style of pendant  16  that is “tee” shaped and includes a means for the cord  18  to pass through the top. The construction can be virtually any material and any geometric shape, so long as it remains reasonably lightweight and presents a surface that can accept a graphic  20  by application of a decal, silk-screening, embossing or other means. 
         [0045]    The pendant  16  suspended from the cord  18  may have any shape and may be made of any of a variety of natural or man-made materials. Preferably, the outside layer of the pendant  16  is soft so as to prevent any inadvertent damage to a motor vehicle  14  or injury to people. It may also be desirable for the outside layer of the pendant  16  to be suitable for acceptance of a graphic  20  that can be applied by a decal, painting, printing, or embossing. This will allow the pendant to be colored and/or to be provided with text, logos, graphic designs to provide a means for business advertising, or to make the pendant  16  more aesthetically pleasing to the consumer. 
         [0046]    The pendant  16  can be designed to glow in the dark or may incorporate a means to provide one or more steady or flashing lights of the same of different colors, activated either remotely, or through a motion or impact detection means, among others. 
         [0047]    The pendant  16  could include a sound generation capability activated in a similar manner as described above for lights. 
         [0048]    The cord  18  can be made from a variety of flexible natural or synthetic materials including metal and plastic, such as 10 to 20 pound test nylon fishing line. The cord  18  could be single or multiple-strand, smooth or textured construction. The cord  18  could also employ a means to glow in the dark.