Flexible Door-Handle Flap to Prevent Missed Vehicle Occupants

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for reminding drivers about vehicle occupants are either costly, complex, unreliable, or obstructive, failing to provide a practical and effective means to prevent children or elderly individuals from being left behind in vehicles, especially during multi-stop trips.

Innovation Solution

A hanging flexible flap that interferes with but does not block access to the vehicle's door handle, serving as a tactile and visual reminder of occupancy, which can be easily reset by folding away after use, and is designed to be non-distracting and cost-effective.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigidly-constructed mechanical reminding device swings in the moving vehicle, then it provides a reminder function, but it physically distracts the driver while driving

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereminder functionVSAvoiddriver distraction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the reminder device flexible rather than rigid. The flap is made of flexible material that can bend and move with the vehicle's motion, preventing it from swinging uncontrollably and distracting the driver while maintaining its reminder function when the vehicle is stationary or the driver is exiting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a flexible flap made of thin film or flexible material to create the reminder device. This flexible construction allows the device to adapt to vehicle motion without creating excessive swinging that would distract the driver, while still effectively blocking the door handle when needed to remind the driver about occupants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If a door sensor/alarm reminder sounds an alarm upon driver exit, then it reminds the driver of occupancy, but it requires cumbersome reset procedures and may alarm during intermediate stops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereminder functionVSAvoidreset procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the alarm function and replaces it with a passive physical blocking mechanism. Instead of using an electronic alarm that requires resetting, the flexible flap physically blocks the door handle, providing a continuous visual and tactile reminder that eliminates the need for complex reset procedures or intermediate stop interruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible flap device is self-regulating and requires no manual reset. When the driver pulls the door handle, the flap automatically moves out of the way, allowing the driver to open the door while maintaining the reminder function for subsequent exits. The system serves itself without requiring driver intervention to reset.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a motion detector is used to detect child motion before stopping the alarm, then it improves reliability, but it increases cost and electrical complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupancy detectionVSAvoidelectrical system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex electrical motion detection systems with a simple mechanical flexible flap device. The flap provides direct physical interaction with the door handle, eliminating the need for sensors, batteries, wiring, and electronic control systems while maintaining reliable occupancy reminder functionality through its simple mechanical design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If an electrical reminder device is installed, then it provides reminder functionality, but it drains vehicle battery and may malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereminder functionVSAvoidbattery charge

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates electrical components entirely by using a purely mechanical flexible flap system. The device requires no battery power, no electrical wiring, and no electronic circuits, thereby completely avoiding battery drainage issues while providing reliable reminder functionality through mechanical means alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12084886B2Vehicle occupancy reminder flap for exiting driver

Publication Date: 2024.09.10 DEBRA CARROLL

AI summary

For a hanging flexible flap having a top and bottom end for reminding a driver, upon exiting, of the vehicle's occupancy for a vehicle having a driver-side door handle including a lever operable for opening the door, deployment, proceeding from a pre-deployment state in which the flap is in a folded-up configuration such that the bottom end is releasably attached to a second interior-side location vertically above a first interior-side location to which the flap is attached and both locations are vertically above the lever and jointly high enough that the flap does not cover the lever along at least most of the lever's length, includes undoing the releasable attachment; and unfolding the flap, or letting it fall, to hang down covering the lever along at least most of the lever's length. Alternatively, pre-deployment may be in a spring-biased rolled-up configuration, with the flap unrollable down to cover the lever.