Low-Profile Wireless Parking Sensor Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surface-mounted wireless parking sensors have a high profile, making them trip hazards for pedestrians and cyclists, and are difficult to install, maintain, and repair due to their complex embedding in parking surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile, surface-mounted wireless parking sensor with a disk-like shape housing a circular printed circuit board and standard AA batteries, featuring a central pillar for weight support, ribbed components for load distribution, and a hermetic seal to prevent moisture ingress, allowing easy installation, maintenance, and repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If surface-mounted wireless parking sensors are used, then installation is simpler compared to embedded sensors, but the sensors have a high profile causing tripping hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical stacking (high profile) to horizontal arrangement (low profile) by positioning batteries around the perimeter of the PCB rather than stacking them vertically, reducing the sensor height to under 20mm while maintaining power capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is divided into separable components (PCB, batteries, casing) that can be independently assembled and replaced, allowing the low-profile design to achieve simplicity in both installation and maintenance
2Strength
If embedded installation is used, then sensors are protected from vehicle weight, but installation is labor intensive and maintenance is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from the embedded installation configuration and positioned as a surface-mounted device, removing it from the problematic context of concrete drilling and difficult maintenance while preserving vehicle weight protection through the load-bearing cap design
Solution Approach 2:
The cap component provides dynamic load distribution, adapting to vehicle weights up to 10,000 lbs by distributing forces across the PCB and mounting surface, ensuring protection without requiring embedded installation
3Ease of repair
If standard AA batteries are used, then cost is reduced and batteries are easily replaceable, but space for batteries is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent arranges batteries in a horizontal circular pattern around the PCB perimeter rather than vertical stacking, maximizing the use of available planar space within the low-profile constraint to accommodate multiple AA batteries
Solution Approach 2:
The batteries are nested around the central PCB in a compact circular configuration, efficiently utilizing the limited space while maintaining accessibility for replacement through the removable cap design
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a low-profile, surface-mounted, wireless parking sensor (LPSMPS) that is easy-to-install, easy-to-maintain, easy-to-repair, and low-cost. The LPSMPS can support the weight of a typical motor vehicle without damage to the electronic components therein. The LPSMPS has a disk-like shape and houses a circular printed circuit board (PCB) that includes electronics for motor vehicle sensing and for wireless communication with other devices. Batteries (e.g., standard AA batteries) are positioned around the circular PCB to enable a low overall profile. For example, according to some embodiments, the maximum height of the LPSMPS is less than 20 mm.