U.S. patent application number 12/740503 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-30 for parking stall barrier.
Invention is credited to A. Wayne Goodman, Vincent House.
Application Number | 20100247238 12/740503 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40590480 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100247238 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goodman; A. Wayne ; et
al. |
September 30, 2010 |
PARKING STALL BARRIER
Abstract
A parking stall barrier includes an elongated horizontal member
and a pair of supports. The pair of supports are positioned in
spaced relation and support the opposed ends of the horizontal
member. The horizontal member is movable vertically along the
supports between a raised barrier position and a lowered access
position. A locking latch mechanism secures the horizontal member
in the raised barrier position. When the locking latch mechanism is
released, the horizontal member can be moved from the raised
barrier position to the lowered access position to facilitate
vehicle ingress and egress.
Inventors: |
Goodman; A. Wayne; (Andrew,
CA) ; House; Vincent; (Andrew, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIS & BUJOLD, P.L.L.C.
112 PLEASANT STREET
CONCORD
NH
03301
US
|
Family ID: |
40590480 |
Appl. No.: |
12/740503 |
Filed: |
October 24, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
October 24, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CA08/01883 |
371 Date: |
April 29, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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|
60984100 |
Oct 31, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
404/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01F 13/048
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/6 |
International
Class: |
E01F 13/04 20060101
E01F013/04 |
Claims
1. A parking stall barrier, comprising: an elongated horizontal
member having opposed ends; a pair supports positioned in spaced
relation and supporting the opposed ends of the horizontal member,
the horizontal member being movable vertically along the supports
between a raised barrier position and a lowered access position; a
locking latch mechanism securing the horizontal member in the
raised barrier position; means for releasing the locking latch
mechanism to enable the horizontal member to be moved from the
raised barrier position to the lowered access position to
facilitate vehicle ingress and egress.
2. The parking stall barrier of claim 1, wherein springs bias the
horizontal member into the raised barrier position, pressure from
vehicle tires being able to temporarily overcome the biasing force
of the springs to move the horizontal member from the raised
barrier position to the lowered access position when the locking
latch mechanism is released.
3. The parking stall barrier of claim 1, wherein the locking latch
mechanism comprises a lock controlled by a solenoid and the means
for releasing the locking latch mechanism is a wireless actuator
capable of actuating the solenoid remotely.
4. The parking stall barrier of claim 1, wherein the supports are a
pair of hollow support posts each having a side wall that defines
an interior cavity with a vertical opening through which one of the
opposed ends of the horizontal member extends into the interior
cavity, the horizontal member being movable along the vertical
opening between the raised barrier position and the lowered access
position.
5. A parking stall barrier, comprising: an elongated horizontal
member having opposed ends; a pair supports positioned in spaced
relation and supporting the opposed ends of the horizontal member,
the supports being a pair of hollow support posts each having a
side wall that defines an interior cavity with a vertical opening
through which one of the opposed ends of the horizontal member
extends into the interior cavity, the horizontal member being
movable vertically along the vertical opening between a raised
barrier position and a lowered access position; springs biasing the
horizontal member into the raised barrier position; a locking latch
mechanism securing the horizontal member in the raised barrier
position, the locking latch mechanism having a latch controlled by
a solenoid; a wireless actuator capable of actuating the solenoid
remotely to release the latch on the locking latch mechanism to
enable pressure from vehicle tires to temporarily overcome the
biasing force of the springs to move the horizontal member from the
raised barrier position to the lowered access position to
facilitate vehicle ingress and egress.
6. The parking stall barrier of claim 5, wherein the horizontal
member has a transverse curvature.
7. The parking stall barrier of claim 5, wherein a flexible ground
engaging shroud overlies the horizontal member.
8. The parking stall barrier of claim 5, wherein signage is
supported by the supports.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a barrier which prevents
persons from parking their vehicles in reserved parking stalls.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Some drivers do not respect signs designating reserved
parking stalls. To address this problem a number of devices have
been proposed, as described in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No.
3,849,936; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,472; U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,910; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,879,554; U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,200; and U.S. Pat. No.
6,142,702.
SUMMARY
[0003] There is provided a parking stall barrier which includes an
elongated horizontal member and a pair of supports. The pair of
supports are positioned in spaced relation and support the opposed
ends of the horizontal member. The horizontal member is movable
vertically along the supports between a raised barrier position and
a lowered access position. A locking latch mechanism secures the
horizontal member in the raised barrier position. When the locking
latch mechanism is released, the horizontal member can be moved
from the raised barrier position to the lowered access position to
facilitate vehicle ingress and egress.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] These and other features will become more apparent from the
following description in which reference is made to the appended
drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and
are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention to
the particular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a parking stall
barrier.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, in section, of the parking
stall barrier of FIG. 1 in a raised barrier position.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view, in section, of the parking
stall barrier of FIG. 1, in a lowered access position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] A parking stall barrier generally identified by reference
numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 through
3.
[0009] Structure and Relationship of Parts:
[0010] Referring to FIG. 1, parking stall barrier 10 consists of an
elongated horizontal member 12 having opposed ends 22. A pair
supports are positioned in spaced relation and support opposed ends
22 of horizontal member 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the
supports are a pair of hollow support posts 24. Referring to FIG.
2, each support post 24 has a side wall 26 that defines an interior
cavity 28. Referring to FIG. 1, a vertical opening 30 is provided
in side wall 26 through which one of opposed ends 22 of horizontal
member 12 extends into interior cavity 28. Referring to FIG. 2 and
FIG. 3, horizontal member 12 is movable vertically within vertical
opening 30 between a raised barrier position depicted in FIG. 2 and
a lowered access position depicted in FIG. 3. Springs 16 bias
horizontal member 12 into the raised barrier position illustrated
in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 1, a locking latch mechanism 18
maintains horizontal member 12 in the raised barrier position.
Locking latch mechanism 18 has a latch 32 controlled by a solenoid
34. A wireless actuator 36 is used to remotely actuate solenoid 34
to release latch 32 on locking latch mechanism 18. Referring to
FIG. 2, while horizontal member 12 can be make in a variety of
configurations, it is preferred that horizontal member 12 be made
with a transverse curvature which provides strength and facilitates
a vehicle passing over it. For aesthetic reasons, it is also
preferred that a flexible ground engaging shroud 14 overlie
horizontal member 12 and carry markings 15 which make horizontal
member 12 of parking stall barrier 10 highly visible. Finally it is
preferred that signage 40 be supported by support posts 24, with a
message that warns that the parking stall is reserved. In the
illustrated embodiment, signage 40 has a message portion 42 and a
shaft portion 44, which raises message portion 42 to eye level.
[0011] Operation:
[0012] The use and operation of parking stall barrier 10 will now
be described with reference to FIG. 1 through 3. Referring to FIG.
1, with horizontal member 12 locked in the raised barrier position,
parking stall barrier 10 serves as a barrier to prevent
unauthorized entry of a vehicle into a parking stall. A person
authorized to use the parking stall, pushes a button 48 on wireless
actuator 36. Wireless actuator 36 then sends a signal caused
acutate solenoid 34 to release locking latch mechanism 18 by moving
latch 32 from under horizontal member 12. Referring to FIG. 2 and
FIG. 3, once locking latch mechanism 18 is released, pressure from
vehicle tires 38 temporarily overcome the biasing force of springs
16 to move horizontal member 12 from the raised barrier position
depicted in FIG. 2 to the lowered access position depicted in FIG.
3 to facilitate vehicle ingress and egress. When horizontal member
12 moves into the lowered access position, shroud 14 flattens,
allowing vehicle tires 38 to pass smoothly overtop. Once vehicle
tires 38 have passed over horizontal barrier 12, springs 16 bias
horizontal member 12 back into the raised barrier position
illustrated in FIG. 3 and locking latch mechanism 18 automatically
is re-engaged.
[0013] Barrier 10 may be provided to prevent unauthorized entry
into any type of space. Examples of various types of spaces that
barrier 10 may be used with include private apartment, company, and
handicapped parking. Barriers 10 may be used singularly or in
multiples. Barrier 10 has the advantage of removing the need for a
manned security post. Any attempt to compromise barrier 10 may
activate a pressure sensitive switch mechanism (not shown) that may
in turn activate an alarm. Alternatively, an alarm could be
activated by motion or heat sensors.
[0014] Barrier 10 may also function as an anti-theft device. Once a
vehicle is locked in by barrier 10, a thief cannot easily remove
the vehicle from behind barrier 10. A panic button may be provide
on wireless actuator 36 in order to allow a user to activate the
alarm if suspicious activity is spotted by the user. Barrier 10 may
also be provided with, or installed as part of, a surveillance
system.
[0015] In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in
its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are
included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A
reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not
exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is
present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and
only one of the elements.
[0016] It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments without
departing from scope of the Claims.
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