Optical: systems and elements – Signal reflector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-07-24
Phan, James (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Signal reflector
C359S543000, C359S544000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264335
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When hunters, hikers, or others seek to provide landmarks in the woods, they sometimes use a conventional marker. The conventional marker is a tack that is stuck into trees. The tack has a reflective coating or tape over the head of the tack. However, the tack is difficult to locate during the daytime because the reflective tape or coating is not bright enough. Even at night, the size of the reflective portion of the tack causes the tack to be difficult to locate.
The prior art reflective tack is extremely difficult to remove from trees. Therefore, people tend to leave the tacks in the trees resulting in rusting of the tacks. Since the tacks tend to not be reusable, the reflective tacks are not cost efficient since the user of the tacks has to continually purchase new tacks.
The rusting of tacks left in trees causes the tacks to be environmentally unsafe. The tacks are also environmentally unsafe because the reflective coating of tacks left in trees eventually peels off. Further, tacks left in trees can be a hazard at saw mills.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a light-reflective marking clip that overcomes the disadvantages of conventional path markers. The reflective clip of the present invention can be attached to various objects such as tree branches, briar bushes, weed grasses, etc., to mark a path through woods or thickets to enable hunters, bird watchers, hikers, campers, and others, to find their way in and out of the woods day or night without causing the drawbacks associated with the prior art path markers. The reflective clip of the present invention is reliable, easy to use, reusable, durable in all kinds of weather, long-lasting, environmentally safe, and economical.
The light-reflective clip of the present invention is a spring biased clip having a reflective element on one or two sides of the clip. The light-reflective clip is superior to the conventional reflective tack since it can be attached to a wider variety of objects in the woods, such as thin branches, bushes, and tall grasses, to mark a path even where no large trees are present. In contrast, the conventional tack cannot be used with thin branches, bushes or grasses.
Because of a larger and superior reflective area than that of the prior art tack, the reflective clip of the present invention is more reliable in successfully indicating the location of the path to the user. The prior art tacks have a reflective coating or tape on the head of the tack. This coating is less reflective than the reflective element of the present invention. The reflective element of the present invention is a plastic material cut and angled so as to reflect light. By its size and configuration, the reflective element of the present invention reflects more light than the reflecting coating or tape of the prior art tacks. In the daytime, the large plastic reflective area of the present clip serves to reflect more natural light, allowing the clip to be seen from a further distance. At night, the large plastic reflective area is easily detected when using a flashlight or lantern. Also, the large plastic reflective element is more easily seen in poor weather, such as rain, snow, and fog.
The light reflective clip of the present invention is easy and quick to mount and retrieve. The clips are simply clipped onto any piece of a tree, bush, or tall grass along the path. In contrast, the prior art tack must either be forcibly pushed into a tree or driven in with a hammer. Removal of the clip is just as easy and quick as the mounting. The user simply picks the clips off the trees, bushes, or grass while proceeding along the path. The prior art tack is either not removed at all, causing environmental and other hazards, or is pried from the tree. The removal of the tacks is difficult and much more time consuming than the simple removal associated with the light-reflective clip of the present invention, thereby causing the user to be delayed in traveling along the path.
Since the light-reflective clip of the present invention is so easily and quickly removable, the clip can be reused. When setting out to mark a path, the user simply brings one or more of the clips and marks the path at strategic locations. When returning along the path, the user simply removes the clips and keeps them for use at another time. In this way, the same clip or clips can be used over again for subsequent trips. In contrast, the prior art tack is not reusable as a practical matter. Since the tacks are so difficult to remove, users tend not to remove them. Therefore, the tacks are never reused. Also, even if a user does remove the tack, the tack is often damaged such that it cannot be used again.
Since the reflective clip of the present invention is easily removed and reusable, users of the clip will tend to remove the clips for reuse rather than leaving them in the woods as with the prior art tack. Therefore, the reflective clip of the present invention is safer to the environment than the prior art tack.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4600269 (1986-07-01), Rass
patent: 5677790 (1997-10-01), Taglieri
Phan James
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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