Extendable Courtesy Flag for Parking Access Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing scarcity of parking spaces, particularly in urban areas, poses challenges for individuals with larger vehicles, those carrying child or infant safety seats, and less flexible individuals who struggle to navigate tight spaces and require additional room for safe and easy access to their vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A signaling device that attaches to a vehicle's window and extends outward to indicate the need for additional space between vehicles, featuring a visual warning component to alert other drivers to maintain a safe distance, allowing parents or caregivers to easily install or remove child or infant safety seats.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If parking spaces are made smaller to accommodate more vehicles, then the quantity of parked vehicles increases, but the ease of operation for entering and exiting vehicles decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of parked vehiclesVSAvoidease of entering and exiting vehicle

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The signaling device is deployed in advance before parking to proactively communicate the need for additional space, allowing other drivers to adjust their parking position accordingly, thus preventing space conflicts before they occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The extendable flag with visual indicators acts as an intermediary communication tool between the parked vehicle and approaching drivers, conveying the message about required space without direct interaction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If handicap parking spaces are made wider to accommodate wheelchair ramps and mobility devices, then the ease of operation for disabled individuals improves, but the quantity of available parking spaces decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operation for disabled individualsVSAvoidquantity of parking spaces

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The signaling device serves multiple functions: it indicates the need for additional space, communicates with approaching drivers, and can be used by any driver regardless of disability status, making the space requirement indication universal rather than limited to handicap-designated areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If parents use rear-facing infant car seats for safety, then the safety of infants improves, but the ease of operation for placing and removing seats from the vehicle decreases due to required additional space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of infantsVSAvoidease of placing and removing car seat

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The signaling device is deployed before parking to ensure adequate space is reserved, allowing parents to safely and easily access the vehicle for car seat installation and removal without last-minute space conflicts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If drivers park as close as possible to maximize parking space utilization, then the quantity of parked vehicles increases, but the ease of operation for accessing the vehicle decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking space utilizationVSAvoidease of accessing vehicle

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The signaling device preemptively counteracts the tendency of other drivers to park too close by visually indicating the required space before they arrive, preventing the harmful action of improper parking before it occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS11783733B2Courtesy flag

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 SIXTH STREET SPECIALTY LENDING INC

AI summary

A signaling device for defining a space between parked vehicles. The signaling device comprises a vehicle attachment component, an extendable component, and a warning component. The vehicle attachment component is configured to engage a vehicle window. The extendable component comprises rotatable and telescoping arms for defining the space between the vehicles when the rotatable and telescoping arms are extended. The warning component alerts others of the defined space. A method of using the signaling device to define a space between parked vehicles is also disclosed.