DE102018006273B3 - Device that warns of approaching objects on a collision course - Google Patents

Abstract

Increasing urbanization and living in confined spaces create new dangerous situations for accidents. Modern cars already use several sensors and secondary systems to prevent collisions. However, this type of accident prevention need not be limited to road traffic related to cars, trucks, etc. The invention has the utility of minimizing accidents involving strollers and children in them. This is achieved by means of a device attached to a stroller, which uses proximity sensors to identify objects at dangerous speeds on a collision course and warns of the collision. The measuring radius should be as wide as possible in order to identify dangers from as many directions as possible. For this purpose, the device is attached under the stroller, ideally in the front area. The warning is given by acoustic, sensory or optical signals (can be combined as required).

Description

State of the art:

Modern cars already have several collision warning devices and secondary systems that prevent collisions, e.g. by braking. These systems intervene in various situations, for example, traffic jams on the motorway, sudden braking of the vehicle in front, lane change warnings, passenger impact protection systems etc. But critical traffic situations do not only arise in road traffic and not only in connection with cars, trucks etc. Dangerous situations can arise wherever objects move at a dangerous speed. Due to a steadily increasing urbanization, more (traffic) participants in a confined space will in future lead to more dangerous situations.Rising living costs in urban areas, uncertainties on the labor market (e.g. temporary employment contracts), fear of costs for raising a child and increasing academization in low birth rates in western countries. Mainly due to academicization, the average age of women at the birth of their first child continues to rise. The birth rate in Germany is around 1.5 births per woman (as of 2015). In summary, for western countries, people live in urban areas and have fewer children later. If you choose a child, a lot of attention and protection is given to that child.

CITATION:

Claims:

• „Gerät, das vor sich annähernden Objekten auf Kollisionskurs warnt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es speziell für den Einsatz am Kinderwagen konstruiert ist und durch die Anbringung am unteren Teil des Kinderwagens einen maximalen horizontalen Rundumbereich untersuchen kann.“

The main claim is presented here for the purpose of comparison with the references and reads:

• "Device that warns of approaching objects on a collision course, characterized in that it is specially designed for use on the stroller and can examine a maximum horizontal all-round area by attaching it to the lower part of the stroller."

From the DE 10 2015 222 814 A1 is a related device that warns of approaching objects on a collision course and that is designed for use on the stroller. The DE 10 2015 222 814 A1 However, does not show the features of the main claim from this patent, according to which the device is specially designed for the stroller, the device is attached to the lower part of the stroller and the device can examine a maximum all-round area.

• „Gerät nach Anspruch 1, daurch gekennzeichnet, dass mehrere eingebaute Annäherungssensoren rundherum messen und im Falle eines Überschreitens einer vordefinierten Geschwindigkeit der Annäherung von Objekten auf Kollisionskurs warnt durch sensorische und/oder akustische und/oder optische Signale.“

Sub-claim 2 is listed here for the purpose of comparison with the references and reads:

• “Device according to claim 1, characterized in that several built-in proximity sensors measure all around and, if a predefined speed of approaching objects on a collision course is exceeded, warns by sensory and / or acoustic and / or optical signals.”

For example DE 198 45 568 A1 the features of sub-claim 2 are fully apparent. However, sub-claim 2 refers back to the main claim and thus follows this.

Problem:

The invention specified in protection claim 1 is based on the following problem: urbanization and increased protection needs of the parents for their child mean that there will be more dangerous situations for children in pushchairs with other road users in the future.

The situation arises very often, especially in an inner-city area, that you come to a confusing place and thus place the stroller and the child in a danger area and the resulting dangerous situation. An example of this is: You want to cross a street. This street is heavily parked on the side on which you want to cross it. At the only free place where you can cross the road without long detours, on the left side of the gap (i.e. the direction from which the dangerous traffic flows) is a larger vehicle, such as a delivery van without transparent windows, with which you can park cannot observe the approaching traffic through the vehicle. The streets around are narrow and so the rest of the traffic is loud so that you cannot easily hear a vehicle approaching from the left. Since you push pushchairs from behind and usually don't pull them, you push the front part of the pushchair into the danger zone (on the street behind the delivery truck) before you can even look past the delivery truck and an approaching vehicle / bike / motorcycle / scooter etc. can see and classify as a danger. There is a risk of a collision and a catastrophic accident; an extremely dangerous situation for the child.

Another situation:

You can walk with your pram and child in a park on a wide path where cyclists can also ride. A cyclist drives up, initially not on a collision course. A dog runs into the cyclist Direction of travel, this reacts frightened and changes course suddenly. He cannot react quickly enough to recognize that the stroller is in the way of his alternate course and he is on a collision course; an extremely dangerous situation for the child.

Another situation:

You move the stroller, you are distracted and inattentive by, for example, a conversation. You accidentally push the stroller onto a bike path. A cyclist approaches quickly, who has priority due to the markings and therefore does not expect to enter the bicycle path. The cyclist can react too late and can no longer brake and is on a collision course; an extremely dangerous situation for the child.

Generally, every situation in which an object approaching a defined speed is on a collision course.

All of these and other, very dangerous to life-threatening situations can be mitigated by a device and sometimes life-saving, additional reaction times can be generated. It is a device attached to the stroller, which warns of impending collisions with approaching objects. A warning (acoustic, visual, sensory, etc.) draws the pram operator's attention to a dangerous situation and thus provides additional reaction time to avert the dangerous situation. These reactions can be, for example: remove the stroller from the danger zone, not continue, reset, etc.

Solution:

This problem is solved with the features listed in protection claim 1: With the invention it is achieved that more safety can be created with the handling of a stroller for the child in road traffic and in dealing with other road users.

Achieved advantages:

Serious accidents involving children in strollers can be avoided.

Industrial applicability:

Suppliers for stroller accessories or industrial manufacturers of distance warning systems can buy the patent at auction or sell it with a license per device.
The device can be delivered permanently installed in the stroller in cooperation with stroller manufacturers. It can also be purchased individually as a retrofit part and can be used or attached to all common strollers.

Technical description details:

This should be attached to the front part of the stroller, because the front part is more often in the danger zone due to the use of pushing in difficult to see situations. The device is designed in such a way that it is attached under the stroller, as this enables the best possible horizontal all-round measurement. The device has several attachment options (lashing straps, Velcro, clips) so that it can be attached to all common stroller models.

• Die energieversorgende Einrichtung stellt die benötigte Energie (Strom) bereit. Diese ist versehen mit einem Energiespeicher, bspw. einem Lithium-Ionen-Akkumulator.

The device has an energy supply device:

• The energy supplying facility provides the required energy (electricity). This is provided with an energy store, for example a lithium-ion battery.

• Das Gerät arbeitet mit Annäherungssensoren, bspw. LIDAR (light detection and ranging), die in einem 360 Grad Radius untersuchen. Die Annäherungssensoren zeichnen sich dadurch aus, dass sie den anwendbaren Schutzklassen entsprechen, die ungefährlich für das menschliche Auge sind. Die Reichweite der Messung ist in einer sinnvollen Weise zu wählen, sodass sich ein sinnvoller Kompromiss ergibt zwischen einerseits der Leistung der energieversorgende Einrichtung in Sachen Betriebsdauer und andererseits der Einhaltung der anwendbaren Schutzklassen (bspw. Messreichweite = 50 Meter).

The device has a measuring device:

• The device works with proximity sensors, e.g. LIDAR (light detection and ranging), which examine in a 360 degree radius. The proximity sensors are characterized by the fact that they correspond to the applicable protection classes, which are harmless to the human eye. The range of the measurement is to be chosen in a sensible way, so that there is a sensible compromise between on the one hand the performance of the energy supply device in terms of operating time and on the other hand compliance with the applicable protection classes (e.g. measurement range = 50 meters).

• Die verarbeitende Einrichtung verarbeitet die Informationen der messenden Einrichtung, wie Größe annähernder Objekte, Parallelkurs oder Kollisionskurs, Geschwindigkeit der Objekte etc.. Ergibt die Untersuchung der verarbeitenden Einrichtung, dass eine Kollision bevorsteht, aktiviert die verarbeitende Einrichtung die signalisierende Einrichtung.

The device has a processing facility:

• The processing device processes the information of the measuring device, such as the size of approximating objects, parallel course or collision course, speed of the objects, etc. If the examination of the processing device shows that a collision is imminent, the processing device activates the signaling device.

• Die signalisierende Einrichtung kann so eingestellt werden, dass sie in Gefahrensituationen
  • - einen Warnton in verschiedenen Laustärken von sich gibt
  • - dass sie vibriert in verschiedenen Intensitätsstufen
  • - dass sie optische Signale auf einem/einer verbundenen Smartphone/Smartwatch von sich gibt
  • - dass sie akustische Signale auf einem/einer verbundenen Smartphone/Smartwatch von sich gibt
  • - dass sie sensorische Signale (Vibration) auf einem/einer verbundenen Smartphone/Smartwatch von sich gibt

The device has a signaling device:

• The signaling device can be set so that it is in dangerous situations
  • - beeps at various volume levels
  • - that it vibrates in different intensity levels
  • - that it emits optical signals on a connected smartphone / smartwatch
  • - that it emits acoustic signals on a connected smartphone / smartwatch
  • - that it emits sensory signals (vibration) on a connected smartphone / smartwatch

The signals can be combined in any way.

The device is controlled via a connected smartphone of the stroller driver and settings are made in this way. A smartphone holder for fitting to the sliding bar is offered to match the device.

The device can be activated and deactivated on the device itself and via a connected smartphone.

• - Justieren der kritischen Annäherungsgeschwindigkeit (Voreinstellung = 15 km/h)
• - Anpassung hinsichtlich Gefahrsignale (Zusammensetzung und Intensität)
• - Aktivität des Gerätes nur bei Bewegung (setzt GPS-Positionierung duch verbundenes Smartphone voraus)
• - Aktivität des Gerätes nur zu bestimmten Uhrzeiten (bspw. keine Aktivität beim „Mitternachtsberuhigungsspaziergang“, da wenig Verkehrsaktivität)

Settings can be made, including:

• - Adjust the critical approach speed (default = 15 km / h)
• - Adjustment with regard to danger signals (composition and intensity)
• - Device activity only when moving (requires GPS positioning via connected smartphone)
• - Activity of the device only at certain times (e.g. no activity during the "midnight calming walk" because there is little traffic activity)

Claims (2)

Device that warns of approaching objects on a collision course, characterized in that it is specially designed for use on the stroller and can examine a maximum horizontal all-round area by attaching it to the lower part of the stroller. Device after Claim 1 , characterized in that several built-in proximity sensors measure all around and, if a predefined speed of approaching objects on a collision course is exceeded, warns by sensory and / or acoustic and / or optical signals.