Proximity sensor for parking

[Ed Sowell]

I have to park my treasured 1976 Jaguar XJ-S as close as possible to the right side of the garage without risk of scraping the car while passing through the door. There are a lot of garage parking sensors, but it seems like they are conceived to keep the car from hitting the wall in front of the car. Consequently, I'm thinking about a DIY device. It should mount very near the right side of the door frame, and emit a loud screech or something if the side of the car gets any closer than about from the door frame. Seems simple. Has anyone here done something like that? Ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Ed Sowell]

I should have done so first, but I just searched YouTube and found several nice Videos. Seems very simple. Might give it a go. Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[Bluejets]

gets any closer than about from the door frame

You don't say how close......
Anyhow I would imagine the Arduino type sonic sensors would work just as well.
Distance is distance whether side on or in front.
I just hang a tennis ball from the ceiling.

Actually there is one I have seen that has a row of LEDs which light in sequence so there is some amount of "just how far" you are from the wall or whatever.

Add on's such as alarms also in some units.

 

[Ed Sowell]

You don't say how close......

perhaps 4"

Anyhow I would imagine the Arduino type sonic sensors would work just as well.

I'll look into that

Distance is distance whether side on or in front.

In some sense that's true. However, there's a difference in this situation. E.g., some of the devices on the market project a beam tha the driver watches to see when it reaches a spot on the dash or something.

I just hang a tennis ball from the ceiling.

I've used that for decades for the front. If on the side, wouldn't one have to hang a row of them?

 

[Bluejets]

I've used that for decades for the front. If on the side, wouldn't one have to hang a row of them?

Come on now, you're a Jag driver......

The Arduino ones I referred to are sonic devices so they would normally operate at right angles to the vehicle. (Tx and Rx module)
I am trying to imagine how you would set it up so I'm guessing on the door frame would cover any part of the vehicle that comes into that region.
Also imagine once you set your "telemetry" the front of the vehicle has nothing else forward of the sensor to run in to.??

The sequential LED display for how close could be mounted in front so you don't get a cranked neck.

Side note:- My Dad was the "man to see" back in the old days for Jaguar tuning etc.
One of his customers also used Jag engines in speed boats so even in his leisure, he was kept busy.
90 next week so retired now.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1PCS-Ul...h=item464bd3a6df:g:98EAAOSwWBJXA0zK:rk:8:pf:0

 

[Ed Sowell]

Come on now, you're a Jag driver......

The Arduino ones I referred to are sonic devices so they would normally operate at right angles to the vehicle. (Tx and Rx module)

But they should also work looking at the side of the car, right?

I am trying to imagine how you would set it up so I'm guessing on the door frame would cover any part of the vehicle that comes into that region.

Yes. The door frame is about 3 feet narrower than the garage, so it juts out about 18" on each side. I keep the inevitable clutter (that lines everyone's garage) less than that.

Also imagine once you set your "telemetry" the front of the vehicle has nothing else forward of the sensor to run in to.??

Only my tool chest up at the front, but the tennis ball will stop me before that.

The sequential LED display for how close could be mounted in front so you don't get a cranked neck.

Assuming it would have to be in front of the car, I don't know where I would mount one of those. There are cabinets directly in front of the Jag, and the doors are sometimes left open.

Side note:- My Dad was the "man to see" back in the old days for Jaguar tuning etc.
One of his customers also used Jag engines in speed boats so even in his leisure, he was kept busy.
90 next week so retired now.

I'll be 80 in July.

 

[duke37]

Just put down a thick plank of wood such as a railway sleeper to act as a kerb

 

[Alec_t]

How about 2 tennis balls on strings, positioned so that when they are seen to line up you're good to go.

 

[Bluejets]

But they should also work looking at the side of the car, right?

Yes, that was the idea.

Edit:- I found one of many garage sensor projects. This one uses a 3 colour LED and the code is relatively simple.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Ultrasonic-Parking-Sensor-With-Arduino/

You will need to download the Arduino program (IDE....integrated development environment,,,,free) to be able to work with it. Look under "Download the Arduino IDE". Current version is 1.8.8

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software

Don't know what your programming experience is however it is easy to modify to suit your needs.
Comments in the program make it easy to follow just what the program is doing.

 

[Externet]

A thin piece of flexible plastic/rubber protruding 3? inches from the trouble point, anchored to a microswitch could work. When dragged/bent clicks the microswitch to sound a buzzer.
In other words, a microswitch by the door frame with a long enough-non-marring arm.

Wrong orientation for its wheel :

 

[Bluejets]

A thin piece of flexible plastic/rubber protruding 3? inches from the trouble point, anchored to a microswitch could work. When dragged/bent clicks the microswitch to sound a buzzer.
In other words, a microswitch by the door frame with a long enough-non-marring arm.

Wrong orientation for its wheel :

Seems you have no idea of how some car owners treasure their vehicles.

Mine is a '78 Celica and I for one would shudder to think a piece of flexible plastic hose or whatever was scraping down the side of my vehicle's paintwork every time I parked in the garage.

 

[Ed Sowell]

How about 2 tennis balls on strings, positioned so that when they are seen to line up you're good to go.

I've had one tennis ball set to touch the windscreen (British term!) for a long time. I agree that if that ball were also properly positioned transversally, and a second ball hung the same distance from the right garage wall but closer to the garage entrance, it would work. However, there's no ceiling so I have to be on my tiptoes on the top rung of stepladder to attache the strings to a joist, or worse a rafter.

Guess I was looking for a slightly higher level of technology

 

[Ed Sowell]

Yes, that was the idea.

Edit:- I found one of many garage sensor projects. This one uses a 3 colour LED and the code is relatively simple.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Ultrasonic-Parking-Sensor-With-Arduino/

You will need to download the Arduino program (IDE....integrated development environment,,,,free) to be able to work with it. Look under "Download the Arduino IDE". Current version is 1.8.8

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software

Don't know what your programming experience is however it is easy to modify to suit your needs.
Comments in the program make it easy to follow just what the program is doing.

This appeals to me. I have a lot of programming experience, including 30 years of teaching Engineering & CS. Also, I happen to have an Arduino kit that was given to me several years ago. However, I already spend about 10-20 hours a week programming, mostly in Java. Don't think I have time to take on this project right now. In the meanwhile, I might get a Parking Alert Sensor SFA275 for about $30.

 

[ChosunOne]

Just put down a thick plank of wood such as a railway sleeper to act as a kerb

That's brilliant, but naw....too simple, and doesn't involve any cool electronics. Electronics people love to make things complicated....

 

[Alec_t]

too simple, and doesn't involve any cool electronics. Electronics people love to make things complicated....

In that case, build yourself a robot and get it to announce "Left a bit!.....Right a bit!" when the car approaches the garage door.

 

[Bluejets]

Don't think I have time to take on this project right now.

79 and busy as....... sound a lot like my place.
I'm sure I used to have waaaay more time to do things before I retired.
Then again the missus got wind of how much spare time I "have".