Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Check – label – or tag
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-11
2001-05-29
Silbermann, Joanne (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Check, label, or tag
C040S661000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237262
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Thy present invention relates to a display apparatus removably attachable to the filler gun of a fuel pump. The filler gun includes, in series connection, a nozzle having a forward discharge end and a rear end, a gun head having both a forward end portion which connects with the rear end of the gun nozzle and a rearward handle portion whose forward end connects to the rear end of the gun head. The display apparatus comprises a carrying body adapted to be fitted onto the filler gun. The carrying body has an upper surface defining an elongate display surface for messages. The present invention display apparatus is also useful on the filler gun having the gun head covered by a protective boot of rubber or plastic material. Further, the present invention display apparatus is particularly, although not exclusively, useful for a carrying body extending from approximately a first junction between the rear end of the gun nozzle and the forward end of the gun head to approximately a second junction between the rear end of the gun head and a forward end of the handle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art discloses a carrying body of the above mentioned type with the carrying body being shaped like a boot and having a rear end which is fully open for entry through the filler gun nozzle and the gun head, and a front end with a substantially smaller opening through which the filler gun nozzle extends when the carrying body is fitted onto the filler gun. A carrying body of such prior art type has an upper surface which effectively covers the upper region of the gun head in order to define the elongate display surface for messages. Such carrying bodies are suitable for use in countries having only a very limited number of filler gun types, such as, for example, in Norway, Denmark, Germany and Sweden. However, in other areas of the world, the number of differently designed filler guns may be substantially higher. In The United States of America, for example, the number of differently shaped filler guns is in excess of ten. Such a large number of different types of filler guns requires a large number of differently made carrying bodies. In practice, it is difficult to obtain the same display surface area and configuration for each carrying body type. Also, some filler guns are so designed that it is difficult to design an easily fitted and removable carrying body.
It is highly desirable to have a carrying body which is easily attachable to the filler gun even by an inexperienced person, and also to have a carrying body which is easily removable from the filler gun when maintenance is to be carried out on the filler gun, e.g. repair of fuel valve means within the filler gun head.
Most filler guns are known to have the gun head covered by a protective boot of rubber or plastic material, both for protecting the gun head against damage and to prevent a bare gun head from making scratches on a car's paint work. Removing such protective boot from a filler gun in order to mount a carrying body according to the present invention is both time consuming, implying a waste of such boot material, and causes the gun head to be less protected. The present invention therefore also includes the feature of being able to be fitted onto a filler gun without having to remove such protective boot.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the carrying body comprises a first member and a second member and means for releasably interconnecting the first and second members, the first and second members being shaped to generally conform, when so interconnected, to enclose the side, bottom, and upper portions of the gun head, and means pivotally connected to a top surface of the carrying body for supporting a replaceable message card placed on the display surface of the first member.
According to another embodiment of the present display apparatus, the carrying body comprises a lower member and an upper member releasably engageable with the lower member, the lower member having two side panels and means for interconnecting the side panels. The lower member, when the two side panels are brought to lie against the gun head substantially fitting around a lower part of the gun head. The side panels have at their top region a first interlocking means, the upper member being formed as a cap-like member to fit over an upper part of the gun head, and having a second interlocking means for releasably engaging the first interlocking means on the lower member, and a top member releasably engageable with the upper member. The top member has means for releasable engagement with the upper member, space being provided between an upper surface of the upper member and a portion of the top member for locating a replaceable message card when the top member and the upper member engage.
When the filler gun head is of the type already covered by a protective boot of rubber of plastic material, the carrying body can be fitted on the filler gun without having to remove the protective boot.
In a further embodiment of the display apparatus, the carrying body comprises a lower member and an upper member releasably engageable with the lower member, and further a top member which is releasably engageable with the upper member. The top member has a curved configuration along its length.
According to still a further embodiment of the display apparatus, the carrying body may comprise a lower member, an upper member releasably engageable with the lower member, the lower member having two side panels and means for interconnecting the side panels. The lower member, when the two side panels are brought to lie against the gun head, substantially surround a lower part of the gun head. The side panels having a their top regions a first interlocking means, and the upper member being formed as a cap-like means to fit over an upper part of the gun head, and having a second interlocking means for releasable engaging the first interlocking means onto the lower member. The upper member may have an upper (top) surface for locating a replaceable message card, the upper surface having along at least a portion of its peripheral edge an upwardly extending rim and means protruding up from the upper (top) surface for releasably engaging holes in the message card. This latter embodiment is also useful on a filler gun which has its gun head covered by a protective boot, because there is no need to remove the protective boot before fitting the carrying body to the filler gun.
According to the invention, it is also possible to provide a carrying body comprising a lower member, and an upper member releasably engageable with the lower member, the upper member having a top surface with a curved configuration along its length.
Although in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the two side panels are brought towards each other to lie against opposite sides of the gun head, it is possible, with a choice of suitable material for the lower member, to have the two side panels integrally joined at a front region thereof. Such a variant may be useful in order to provide typical male/female elements for matching and joining front region edges of the two side panels.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the two side panels are suitably made as two separate panels which are provided with interconnecting means, such as snap-lock means.
Contrary to the prior art carrying body, the carrying body of the present invention is made of a substantially hard plastic material e.g. polyamide. The pivotally connected member or top member is also suitably made of a substantially hard plastic material, e.g. polycarbonate.
If the carrying body is provided with a pivotally connected top member, such member can be a lid with a transparent face portion for viewing a message therethrough, or a frame with an open space between opposite sides of the frame. In the case of a frame, the frame can be made of a transparent or non-transparent material, for example, polycarbonate, and the color thereof could be e.g. the same color as that
Alvern Norway A/S
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner
Silbermann Joanne
LandOfFree
Display apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Display apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Display apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2533682