Abstract:
A vehicle back-up guide comprised of a lever arm which defines an abutting arm and a spacing arm angled relative to each other. The lever arm is pivotally mounted to a mounting means to the rear side of the vehicle. As the vehicle is backing-up and closing in on an object, the abuttting arm, which has a distal end projecting substantiually away from the vehicle, makes contact with the object and this automatically moves the spacing arm outwardly thus giving a visual indication of the relative distance of the vehicle to the object.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to the general field of vehicle safety accessories and is particularly concerned with a vehicle&#39;s back-up range guide.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    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. Indeed, for nearly every licensed driver, it is known that positioning a vehicle while backing up requires considerable accuracy to avoid any damage to the surrounding areas or to the vehicle. For instance, the bumpers, fenders or grilles may easily be damaged by contact with a stationary rear wall particularly those which constitute projections or barriers which are ordinarily obscured from the driver&#39;s line of sight.  
           [0003]    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 further compounded when backing up material hauling vehicles such as vans, semitrailers and other types of trucks used for transporting goods to a loading dock. The problem is compounded by the long length of the truck which increases the possibility that either or both the and the loading dock will be damaged.  
           [0004]    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 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.  
           [0005]    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 all.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved back-up range guide for vehicles. Advantages of the present invention include the fact that the proposed back-up range guide for vehicles in accordance with the present invention allows the driver of a vehicle such as a truck who is backing up towards an obstacle such as a loading dock to conveniently and accurately determine, just by looking into the rear view mirror and without the assistance of additional personnel, the spacing between the back end of the truck and the loading dock as he or she backs towards the dock.  
           [0007]    It is an object of this invention to allow continuous monitoring of the decreasing spacing between the back end of the truck and the loading dock, the proposed back-up range guide for vehicles in accordance with the present invention, reduces the risk of injury to occupants of the vehicle as well as people standing by and also reduces the risk of damage to both to the vehicle and the surrounding structures.  
           [0008]    It is a further object of this invention to allow the driver to position the rear end of the truck at a suitable distance from a loading dock to facilitate ingress and egress of both goods and personnel between the truck and the loading dock without requiring increased operations.  
           [0009]    It is yet another object of this invention to be retrofittable to most conventional vehicles. It is still another object of this invention to be fully reliable without requiring elaborate maintenance.  
           [0010]    It is a final object of this invention to be manufacturable using conventional forms of manufacturing with relatively simple mechanical components thus providing a back-up range guide for vehicles that is economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.  
           [0011]    To accomplish this, back-up range guide for vehicles is comprised of an abutting arm and a spacing arm both set at a larger than perpendicular angle relative to each other and with the spacing arm situated on a lateral side of the truck while the abutting arm is situated at the backside of the vehicle. Thus as the vehicle closes in on an object, generally a building where there is a loading dock, the abuttting arm, which has a distal end projecting substantiually away from the vehicle, makes contact with the said object and is pushed towards the said vehicle. This automatically moves the spacing arm outwardly. By looking at the rearview mirror, the driver can clearly see the spacing arm moving progressively away from the side of the vehicle as it closes in on the object. This visual aid is further enhanced by the use of light emitting means and/or reflector. Additionally, a biasing means repositions the indicator back to its original configuration as the vehicle moves away from the object. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 Is a partial perspective view with sections taken out, showing a back-up range guide for vehicles in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention mounted on the rear end of a truck, the truck being shown in phantom lines.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 Is a top view, showing the back-up range guide for vehicles shown in FIG. 1 mounted on the back end of the truck as the latter approaches a wall.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 Is a top view with sections taken out, showing the back-up range guide for vehicles shown in FIG. 2 as it initially contacts the wall shown in phantom lines.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 Is a partial top view with sections taken out, showing the back-up range guide for vehicles in its fully extracted configuration.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 Is a perspective view with sections taken out, showing the back-up range guide for vehicles in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 In a partial perspective view with sections taken out, showing some of the linking components, part of the back-up range guide for vehicles in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 Is a partial cross sectional view, showing some of the linking components of the back-up range guide for vehicles shown in FIG. 6. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a back-up range guide for vehicles  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The back-up range guide  10  is shown attached to the backside  12  of a schematized partly shown truck  14 . It should be understood that the back-up range guide  10  could be attached to other types of vehicles and at other locations on such vehicles without departing from the scope of the present invention. The truck  14  shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, also defines a lateral side  16  and a set of supporting wheels  18 . The back-up range guide  10  includes a generally “L” shaped lever arm  20  defining an abutment arm  22  and a spacing arm  24 . The backup range guide  10  also includes a mounting means  26  for mounting the lever arm  20  to the vehicle  14 . The back-up range guide  10  also includes a biasing means for biasing the lever arm  20  towards its retracted configuration shown in FIG. 2. The back-up range guide  10  preferably further includes a signaling means  28  for emitting a visual signal that facilitates the detection of the distal end of the spacing arm  24  part of the lever arm  20 . Referring now more specifically to FIG. 5, there is shown in greater details the configuration of the lever arm  20 . The abutting arm  22  defines an abutting arm proximal end  30  and an opposed abutting arm distal end  32 . The abutting arm distal end  32  is preferably provided with a curved tip section  34  so as to reduce the risk of injury or damage by contact with the latter. The abutting arm  22  can also include a perpendicular segment  36  adapted to extend substantially vertically to provide a vertical spacing between adjacent sections of the abutting arm  22 . The spacing arm  24  also defines a spacing arm proximal end  38  and a spacing arm distal end  40 . The spacing arm proximal end  38  preferably merges integrally and substantially perpendicularly with the abutting arm proximal end  30 . The spacing arm  24  is also preferably provided with a perpendicular segment  42  providing a vertical spacing between adjacent sections of the spacing arm  24 . It should be understood that the length of the perpendicular segments  36 ,  42  may be customized to the type of vehicle and application. The visual indicating means  28  is preferably positioned adjacent the spacing arm distal end  40 . The visual indicating means  28  typically includes a light emitting component such as a light bulb or diode protectively enclosed within a casing formed by a base socket  44  mounted on the spacing arm  24  and a tinted translucent cap  46  attached thereto in a conventional manner. The light bulb or diode is electrically coupled to a power source such as the battery of the vehicle  14  by an electrical wire  48  preferably extending through a channel formed in spacing arm  24  as shown in greater details in FIGS. 6 and 7. The visual indicating means  28  preferably also includes a reflector component  50  mounted to a mounting segment  52  of the spacing arm  24  extending perpendicularity therefrom. The mounting means  26  includes a mounting plate  54  attached to the backside  12  of the vehicle by suitable attachment means such as screws  56 . The mounting plate  54  has a mounting sleeve  58  extending from a lateral edge thereof. An axle or shaft  62  is releasably and rotatably mounted within the sleeve  58 . The angled segment formed by the merging of the abutting and spacing arm proximal ends  30 ,  38  is fixedly attached to one of the longitudinal ends of the axle  62 . In order to facilitate maintenance and potential repair to the back-up range guide  10 , the shaft or axle  62  can be removed from within the sleeve  58  using a variety of means selected from the group comprised of but not limited to bolts, screws or stop washer ring  64  releasably secured to the shaft  62  with a resilient clip  66  extending through a corresponding clip aperture  68  formed transversally through the shaft  62 . The biasing means typically includes a helicoidal type spring  70  wound around the shaft  62  and the adjacent shaft longitudinal end. The spring  70  has the first end thereof  72  abutting against the plate  54  as shown on FIG. 7 and a second end thereof  74  at least partially wound around the spacing arm  24 . In use, the truck  14  is adapted to be backed up as indicated by arrow  76  towards a wall  78  typically part of a loading dock. When the backside  12  of the truck reaches a predetermined spacing distance relative to the wall  78  part of the loading dock, the distal tip  34  of the abutting arm  22  contacts the wall  78  as shown in FIG. 3. The pressure created by the wall  78  forces the lever arm  20  to pivot about the shaft  62  thus causing the indicating means  28  to move laterally away from the lateral side  16  of the truck  14 . The combination of the reflector  50  and the light emitting component sends a visual signal to the truck driver that the vehicle has reached the predetermined spacing distance from the wall  78 . The displacement of the indicating means  28  being proportional to the decreasing spacing between the backside  12  and the wall  78 , allows the driver to continuously monitor the relative positioning. As shown in FIG. 4, once the abutting arm  22  lies in a substantially parallel relationship relative to the backside  12 , the spacing arm  24  has reached its full outward position. Conversely, when the vehicle  14  moves forward allowing the abutting arm  22  of the lever arm  20  to clear the wall  78 , the biasing means biases the lever arm  20  towards its original retracted configuration as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the spacing arm  24  lies in a generally parallel relation with the lateral side  16  of the vehicle  14 . It can be clearly seen from the above disclosed information that the angle between the abutting and spacing arms  22 ,  24  of the lever arm  20  may be customized for various vehicles and situations so as to vary the required spacing between the truck  14  and the wall  78  for initial contact with the distal tip  34  of the abutting arm  22  and that the angular relationship between the arms  22 ,  24  as well as the relative length ratio therebetween will determine the rate of deployment of the spacing arm  24  thus of the indicating means  28 . decreasing spacing between the backside  12  and the wall  78 , allows the driver to continuously monitor the relative positioning. As shown in FIG. 4, once the abutting arm  22  lies in a substantially parallel relationship relative to the backside  12 , the spacing arm  24  has reached its full outward position. Conversely, when the vehicle  14  moves forward, allowing the abutting arm  22  of the lever arm  20  to clear the wall  78 , the biasing means biases the lever arm  20  towards its original retracted configuration as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the spacing arm  24  lies in a generally parallel relationship with the lateral side  16  of the vehicle  14 . It can be clearly seen from the above disclosed information that the angle between the abutting and spacing arms  22 ,  24  of the lever arm  20  may be customized for various vehicles and situations so as to vary the required spacing between the truck  14  and the wall  78  for initial contact with the distal tip  34  of the abutting arm  22  and that the angular relationship between the arms  22 ,  24  as well as the relative length ratio therebetween will determine the rate of deployment of the spacing arm  24  thus of the indicating means  28 .