Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Signs – Automotive vehicle carried
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2001-08-21
Green, Brian K. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Signs
Automotive vehicle carried
C040S903000, C116S06300T, C248S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276080
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved auto emergency warning marker, and, more particularly, to such an emergency marker which is collapsible for compact storage, and includes an integral hook and pad holder which enables the marker to be hung on an automobile side window to provide an effective, readily visible warning sign for motorists in distress.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There have been a number of designs of highly visible, reflective warning signs for use by motorists to attract help in the event of car trouble or other problems. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,541 to Louis May et al., entitled TRIANGULAR FOLDING REFLECTIVE TRAFFIC MARKER, which patent was assigned to the present assignee and which is incorporated herein by reference. In the May patent, a triangular marker includes a reflective base member and two reflective side members which fold to a compact storage configuration when not in use, but which interlock to make a highly visible triangle on a swivel base when deployed in use. The May device was designed for placement on the ground or other flat surface.
A number of other motorist warning devices have been designed for attachment to a vehicle, such as an automobile. Many of these prior art devices are designed for attachment to a side window of an automobile. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,323 to Hawes, entitled EMERGENCY SIGN ASSEMBLY; U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,152 to Morton, entitled DISTRESS SIGNALING DEVICE; U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,039 to DeFuria, entitled HIGHWAY Safety aid; U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,849 to Tuleja, entitled REFLECTING TRIANGULAR WARNING DEVICES; U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,978 to Brucato, entitled AUTA-HELP; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,264 to Johanson et al., entitled DISTRESS STOP WARNING INFORMATION SIGN FOR VEHICLES. Each of these patents involves a warning sign of some type, which is connected to a hook designed to overlap the top of an automobile side window. In virtually all of these patents, this window engaging hook is the only support which the warning sign and, in some cases, a rather lengthy support arm, have. This presents a problem when these devices are used in adverse weather conditions, such as storms or high wind conditions. Furthermore, the signs are designed to be placed on the road side of the vehicle for purposes of enhanced visibility, and, therefore, are exposed to the considerable wind gusts generated by passing cars and, especially, trucks and semi-trailers. This can cause the signs and supports to be bent or broken, and can subject the side window itself to considerable stress.
It is clear that a need exists for a motorist warning marker which conveniently attaches to a vehicle side window, but which is stable under conditions of high wind or gusts. Such a warning marker should be highly visible in use, yet collapsible for convenient storage, and should be economical to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved auto emergency warning marker which is designed to be hung on an automobile side window in a position highly visible to passing traffic. The warning marker is preferably made of molded plastic and is collapsible, including a reflective base member and two reflective side members which fold to a compact storage configuration when not in use, but which interlock to make a highly visible triangle. The collapsing and interlocking structure is similar to that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,541 to Louis May et al., mentioned above. The base member of the warning marker has the following attachments, which are preferably integrally molded thereon: (1) a hook positioned proximate one end of the base member, which hook curves outward away from the base member to accommodate the typical curvature of modern automobile side windows. The hook is designed to fit over the top of an automobile side window which has been cranked partially open; (2) a pad holder positioned near the center of the base member, which pad holder is designed to accommodate one or more resilient pads in a position facing the automobile side window when the hook is engaged thereon to provide support for the warning marker and to protect the window surface; and (3) a pair of locking receptacles, each of which is positioned near a respective end of the base member and each of which engages a protruding locking tab on a respective one of the reflective side members. The overall design of the inventive warning marker allows it to be conveniently positioned on any automobile side window and, once in position, to be solidly anchored there even in the face of gusting wind conditions.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The principal objects of the present invention include: providing an improved auto emergency warning marker; providing such a warning marker which is collapsible to a convenient storage configuration, yet interlocks in a rigid deployed triangle shape; providing such an improved warning marker which includes a pair of highly reflective side members hingedly attached to respective opposing ends of a highly reflective base member; providing such a warning marker which securely attaches to any automobile side window in a highly visible position to passing traffic; providing such a warning marker which is very stable, even in the face of gusting winds, when positioned on an automobile side window; providing such a warning marker which is preferably made of molded plastic; providing such a warning marker in which an attachment hook and pad holder are integrally molded into the marker base member; and providing such a warning marker which is economical to manufacture and which is particularly well adapted for its intended purpose.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2856814 (1958-10-01), Dillmann
patent: 3670438 (1972-06-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 3672323 (1972-06-01), Hawes
patent: 3703152 (1972-11-01), Morton
patent: 3738039 (1973-06-01), DeFuria
patent: 3762360 (1973-10-01), Hawes
patent: 3934541 (1976-01-01), May et al.
patent: 3975849 (1976-08-01), Tuleja
patent: 4348978 (1982-09-01), Brucato
patent: 4754565 (1988-07-01), Cox
patent: 4805550 (1989-02-01), Raczkowski et al.
patent: 5031347 (1991-07-01), Berg
patent: 5048451 (1991-09-01), Reimers et al.
patent: 5062380 (1991-11-01), Chestnut
patent: 5084994 (1992-02-01), Elmer
patent: 5195264 (1993-03-01), Johanson et al.
patent: 5692331 (1997-12-01), Tipke
patent: 5755411 (1998-05-01), Strong, III et al.
Green Brian K.
Satellite Manufacturing Company
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy P.C.
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