Optical: systems and elements – Protection from moisture or foreign particle – Cap or cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-03
2001-09-11
Spyrou, Cassandra (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Protection from moisture or foreign particle
Cap or cover
C359S507000, C150S154000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286964
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to truck mirrors and more particularly to a cover for truck mirrors to both protect the mirror and make them more noticeable so that people walking by the truck will avoid them.
Truck mirrors are now available in a variety of shapes and sizes. The currently available truck mirrors may be categorized interior mounted truck mirrors, exterior mounted side truck mirrors and exterior fender mounted mirrors.
Exterior fender mounted mirrors have a tripod base with a mirror mounted at the apex of the base. The legs of the base are moveable toward and away from each other and are extendible and collapsible as desired to accommodate different truck configurations and yet position the apex of the mirror where desired. Thus, when such mirrors are mounted on different trucks, the tripod base of the mirror may have different circumferencial sizes and different heights from the fender depending upon the truck configuration. Furthermore, individual truck drivers like these mirrors positioned differently. Thus, most of these mirrors present a rather unique protrusion of different sizes and shapes extending from the truck.
These tripod fender mounted mirrors often present a hazard to persons walking around trucks as they protrude from the truck to present a not-too-noticeable obstruction that to date many people have unknowingly walked into or otherwise collided with resulting in breakage of the mirror, bending or otherwise destroying the tripod and/or causing personal injury. It is therefore highly desirable to provide a new and improved cover for these mirrors to both protect the mirror and to make them more noticeable thereby to avoid persons from colliding with them. It is also highly desirable to provide one such cover which will fit all tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors of all sizes no matter how mounted on a variety of truck configurations. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which is colored OSHA red or yellow.
Such tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors present an unusual problem when mounted on a truck cab of the type which is pivotally mounted to the chassis such that the entire cab may be rotated forward to expose the engine for maintenance. These mirrors when the cab is rotated forward for maintenance present an unusual hazard in that they protrude from the truck about neck high of a average adult human being walking by the truck. Further, in this position the mirrors do not extend from the truck vertically as when the cab is in operating position, but extend from the truck generally horizontally. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which will not fall off the mirror when a truck cab is in maintenance position.
Truckers and maintenance personnel are both known to be very selective as to what truck accessories and equipment they use. Their selectiveness has often been totally aesthetic in nature, totally practical or convenient in nature or a combination of the two. It is therefore highly desirable to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which is aesthetically pleasing to encourage use. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which are convenient to use. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which can be relatively inexpensively manufactured.
Finally, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors of all kinds, types and sizes which have all of the above features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved cover for these mirrors to both protect the mirror and to make them more noticeable thereby to avoid persons from colliding with them.
It is also an object of the invention to provide one such cover which will fit all tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors of all sizes no matter how mounted on a variety of truck configurations.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which is colored OSHA red or yellow.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which will not fall off the mirror when a truck cab is in maintenance position.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which is aesthetically pleasing to encourage use.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which are convenient to use.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors which can be relatively inexpensively manufactured.
Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors of all kinds, types and sizes which have all of the above features.
In the broader aspects of the invention there is provided a cover for tripod base fender mounted truck mirrors of flexible material having a closed end and an open end. The closed end and the open end are about the size of the tripod base. The open end and closed end are spaced apart by generally straight sides. The sides are longer than the ends when the cover is collapsed flat. The sides are generally parallel. The cover adjacent the open end is selectively expandable to encompass tripod bases of several different sizes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5115848 (1992-05-01), Malone
patent: 5443086 (1995-08-01), Muller
patent: 5915399 (1999-06-01), Yang
patent: 5922437 (1999-07-01), Bryant
patent: 5984172 (1999-11-01), Easterwood
Krieg DeVault Lundy LLP
Spyrou Cassandra
Winstedt Jennifer
LandOfFree
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