Patent ID: 7545486

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring a closing velocity of a vehicle door comprising: a housing; a handle coupled to the housing; an attachment mechanism coupled to the housing and comprising at least one magnet, the attachment mechanism being configured to removably attach the housing to a body of the vehicle; at least one alignment member coupled to and extending from the housing, the at least one alignment member being shaped to mate with a depression on the vehicle; a first sensor coupled to the housing and having a first detection field, the first sensor configured to generate a first signal when the vehicle door passes through the first detection field; a second sensor coupled to the housing and having a second detection field, the second sensor configured to generate a second signal when the vehicle door passes through the second detection field; and a processor in operable communication with the first and second sensors and configured to: receive the first and second signals; and measure a time period between the receiving of the first and second signals, wherein the first and second sensors and the at least one alignment member are arranged such that when the housing is removably attached to the body of the vehicle with the at least one alignment member within the depression, the door passes through the first and second detection fields while the door is closing.