Description:TITLE OF THE INVENTION: A MECHANISM FOR FLUSHING A WEIGHT SUPPORTING MEMBER OF A VEHICLE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure is generally related to weight supporting members of vehicles. Particularly, the present disclosure is related to flushing of vehicle weight supporting members. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to a mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Weight supporting members of vehicles are known in the art. In existing configurations, when such weight supporting members of vehicles are disengaged, they do not get completely flushed. This, in turn, leads to the following scenarios and/or drawbacks: colliding of objects, with the weight supporting members of vehicles; unsuitable and unsafe, under off-roading conditions; sticking of objects (for example, waste wrappers), onto the weight supporting members; and/or unsuitable and unsafe, when roads are heavily damaged.
There is, therefore, a need in the art, for: a mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and shortcomings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member is disclosed. Said mechanism broadly comprises: a structural member; a disposing facilitating member; a weight supporting member; a sanctuary facilitating member; a holding member; and a resilient member.
Said structural member is configured to provide structural integrity. Said structural member supports said mechanism and its various components.
Said disposing facilitating member is configured to facilitate disposing of said weight supporting member, on said mechanism (or is configured to facilitate mounting of said weight supporting member, on said mechanism, or is configured to facilitate associating of said weight supporting member, with said mechanism).
Said sanctuary facilitating member is disposed inside (or is disposed within, or is associated with an inner periphery of) said holding member. Said sanctuary facilitating member is configured to accommodate said weight supporting member, when said weight supporting member is disengaged.
When disengaged, an outer face of said weight supporting member flushes, with said holding member, through said sanctuary facilitating member.
Said resilient member facilitates said weight supporting member’s engaging and disengaging. A plurality of fastening members holds said resilient member.
In an embodiment, said mechanism further comprises an at least a status sensing member that is communicatively associated with a control member. Said control member allows starting of a vehicle, only if said weight supporting member is determined as being disengaged. Said determination is performed, based on sensed data that said control member receives, from said at least one status sensing member.
The disclosed mechanism offers at least the following advantages: enhances safety, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members; prevents colliding of objects, with disengaged weight supporting members, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members; prevents sticking of objects, with disengaged weight supporting members, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members; and improves aesthetics, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrates a mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 2 illustrates a weight supporting member of a vehicle, before it is flushed, through a mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3 illustrates a weight supporting member of a vehicle, after it is flushed, through a mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
Figure 4 illustrates a vehicle weight supporting member sanctuary facilitating member, of a mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “comprise” and “include”, and variations such as “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, and “including”, may imply the inclusion of an element (or elements) not specifically recited. Further, the disclosed embodiments may be embodied, in various other forms, as well.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “mechanism” is to be construed as: “a set of technical components (also referred to as “members”) that are communicatively and/or operably associated with each other, and function together, to achieve a desired technical result”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “communication”, “couple”, and their variations (such as communicatively), is to be construed as being inclusive of: one-way communication (or coupling); and two-way communication (or coupling), as the case may be, irrespective of the directions of arrows in the drawings.
Throughout this specification, where applicable, the use of the phrase “at least” is to be construed in association with the suffix “one” i.e. it is to be read along with the suffix “one”, as “at least one”, which is used in the meaning of “one or more”. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the phrase “at least one” is a standard term that is used, in Patent Specifications, to denote any component of a disclosure, which may be present (or disposed) in a single quantity, or more than a single quantity.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “plurality” is to be construed as being inclusive of: “at least one”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “vehicle” is to be construed as being inclusive of: “battery-powered electric vehicles”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “flush”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “smoothly aligned; not sticking out; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the phrase “flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, with a vehicle pushable member holding member, when the weight supporting member of a vehicle is disengaged”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the phrase “weight supporting member of a vehicle”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “side stand; centre stand; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the phrase “vehicle pushable member holding member”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “foot peg holder; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “sanctuary” is to be construed as: “accommodation; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “disengaged”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “releasing a weight supporting member of a vehicle; and/or the like” (for example, when a vehicle is about to be driven, from a parked position).
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “resilient” is to be construed as: “able to recoil or spring back into shape, after bending, stretching, and/or or being compressed”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “flag” is to be construed as “alert”.
Throughout this specification, the words “the” and “said” are used interchangeably.
Throughout this specification, the phrases “at least a”, “at least an”, and “at least one” are used interchangeably.
Throughout this specification, the word “sensor” and the phrase “sensing member” are used interchangeably. The disclosed sensing members may be of any suitable type known in the art.
Throughout this specification, the phrase “weight supporting member of a vehicle” and the phrase “vehicle weight supporting member” are used interchangeably.
Also, it is to be noted that embodiments may be described as a method. Although the operations, in a method, are described as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A method may be terminated, when its operations are completed, but may also have additional steps.
A mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle (also referred to as “mechanism”) is disclosed. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated, in Figure 1 and Figure 2, said mechanism broadly comprises: a structural member (1; for example, a frame); a vehicle weight supporting member disposing facilitating member (2; for example, a mounting tab; also referred to as “disposing facilitating member”); and a weight supporting member of a vehicle (3; also referred to as “weight supporting member”).
As illustrated, in Figure 3 and Figure 4, said mechanism also comprises: a vehicle weight supporting member sanctuary facilitating member (7; for example, a cavity; also referred to as “sanctuary facilitating member”); and a vehicle pushable member holding member (8; also referred to as “holding member”).
The weight supporting member (3) is disposed on (or is mounted on, or is associated with) the structural member (1), through the disposing facilitating member (2). The structural member (1) is configured to provide structural integrity and supports the mechanism and its various components.
The disposing facilitating member (2) is configured to facilitate disposing of the weight supporting member (3), on the mechanism (or is configured to facilitate mounting of the weight supporting member (3), on the mechanism, or is configured to facilitate associating of the weight supporting member (3), with the mechanism).
As illustrated, in Figure 3, in a disengaged position (or in a flushed position), an outer face of the weight supporting member (3) flushes, with the holding member (8), through the sanctuary facilitating member (7).
The sanctuary facilitating member (7) is disposed inside (or is disposed within, or is associated with an inner periphery of) the holding member (8). The sanctuary facilitating member (7) is configured to accommodate the weight supporting member (3), when the weight supporting member is disengaged.
Referring back to Figure 1 and Figure 2, the mechanism further comprises: a resilient member (5; for example, a spring); and a plurality of fastening members (4; for example, bolts). The resilient member (5) facilitates the weight supporting member’s (3) engaging and disengaging. The plurality of fastening members (4) holds the resilient member (5).
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the weight supporting member (3) is made of aluminium.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the resilient member’s (5) configuration is as follows: minimum extended length of about 128 mm; coil diameter of about 3 mm; about 25 coils; and diameter of about 12 mm.
Referring back to Figure 1, in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the mechanism further comprises an at least a weight supporting member status sensing member (6; also referred to as “an at least a sensing member”). The at least one sensing member (6) is communicatively associated with a control member (for example, a vehicle control unit).
A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the control member may be of any suitable type known in the art.
When an ignition is turned on, the at least one sensing member (6) senses a status of the weight supporting member (3), in real-time, with sensed data being transmitted to the control member. Based on the sensed data received, from the at least one sensing member (6), the control member analyses and determines, whether the supporting member (3) is engaged or disengaged.
The control member allows starting of a vehicle, only if the weight supporting member (3) is determined as being disengaged. On the other hand, if the control member determines that the weight supporting member (3) is engaged, it transmits instructions to a flag generating member, to generate an at least a flag.
The at least one flag may be of any type known in the art, including, but not limited to: text messages; voice calls; audio messages; alarms; buzzers; and/or notifications.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one sensing member (6) is a Hall Effect sensor.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the mechanism and its various components may be made of any suitable materials known in the art. Likewise, a person skilled in the art will also appreciate the fact that the configurations of the mechanism and its various components may be varied, based on requirements.
The disclosed mechanism offers at least the following advantages: enhances safety, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members; prevents colliding of objects, with disengaged weight supporting members, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members; and prevents sticking of objects, with disengaged weight supporting members, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members.
An additional advantage of the disclosed mechanism is improvement of aesthetics, while driving vehicles with disengaged weight supporting members.
It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the above description is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting. Various modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements, without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure, may be made, by a person skilled in the art. Such modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements should be construed as being within the scope of this disclosure.  
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 - Structural Member
2 - Vehicle Weight Supporting Member Disposing Facilitating Member (or Disposing Facilitating Member)
3 - Weight Supporting Member of a Vehicle (or Weight Supporting Member)
4 - Plurality of Fastening Members
5 - Resilient Member
6 - At Least One Weight Supporting Member Status Sensing Member (or At Least One Status Sensing Member)
7 - Vehicle Weight Supporting Member Sanctuary Facilitating Member (or Sanctuary Facilitating Member)
8 - Vehicle Pushable Member Holding Member (or Holding Member)
, Claims:1. A mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, comprising:
a structural member (1) that is configured to provide structural integrity;
a disposing facilitating member (2), with:
a weight supporting member (3) being associated with said structural member (1), through said disposing facilitating member (2);
a sanctuary facilitating member (7) that is configured to accommodate said weight supporting member (3), when said weight supporting member is disengaged;
a holding member (8), with:
an outer face of said weight supporting member (3) flushing, with said holding member (8), when said weight supporting member (3) is disengaged;
a resilient member (5) that facilitates said weight supporting member’s (3) engaging and disengaging; and
a plurality of fastening members (4) that holds said resilient member (5).
2. The mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said weight supporting member (3) is made of aluminium.
3. The mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said resilient member’s (5) configuration is: minimum extended length of 128 mm; coil diameter of 3 mm; 25 coils; and diameter of 12 mm.
4. The mechanism for flushing a weight supporting member of a vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said mechanism comprises an at least a status sensing member (6) that is communicatively associated with a control member, with:
said control member allowing starting of a vehicle, only if said weight supporting member (3) is determined as being disengaged, based on sensed data that is received, from said at least one status sensing member (6).