Patent Application
20060070283
The present invention relates to an antenna ball assembly with a body which may display an advertisement, streamer or the like thereon, and a method of use thereof. The antenna ball assembly preferably is positioned on an antenna such that the antenna ball body moves up and down the antenna based on motion of the antenna, thereby displaying the advertisement, streamer or the like thereon.
People use various modes of advertisement for promoting their business or sponsored activities. Traditional forms of advertising include word-of-mouth, placing an advertisement in a newspaper, placing an advertisement in a magazine and/or placing an advertisement on a billboard. However, traditional modes of advertising may not reach as broad of a group of people as desired or a particular targeted group of people by the person placing the advertisement. As such, people are developing new modes of advertising to reach a broad or targeted audience which requires less effort on the part of the audience to view the advertisement.
Accordingly, new modes of advertising are desired.
Further, to show support of a sporting team, school, or the like, streamers of representative colors or pennants with names as desired may be flown on a vehicle, in particular as the vehicle proceeds to an event for the team, school or the like. Accordingly, new and interesting display means are sought.
The present invention relates to an antenna ball assembly which displays an advertisement, streamer or the like thereon and a method of use thereof. The antenna ball assembly preferably is positioned on an antenna such that the antenna ball body moves up and down the antenna as the antenna moves, thereby displaying the advertisement or the like. The assembly may be used with an antenna or rod-like member attached to any article capable of sustained motion, e.g., a car, a bike, or other vehicle. For convenience of discussion the invention will be described in relation to use with a car antenna.
The antenna ball assembly preferably comprises an antenna ball body having at least one inclined surface and a passage extending therethrough, a tail attached to the antenna ball body and at least one flexible stopper. The antenna ball body is placed on the antenna with the antenna passing through the passage therein. A flexible stopper is then placed on the car antenna to keep the antenna ball body from coming off of the car antenna when in use. Another flexible stopper may be positioned at the bottom of the car antenna to provide initial lift to the ball body which serves to decrease the amount of motion required before movement of the body along the antenna.
The antenna ball body may be preferably a substantially spherical shape. The at least one inclined surface is preferably two inclined body extension members or an inclined flat face. The two inclined body extension members are angled such that the angle between each inclined body extension member and the upper portion of the antenna ball body is preferably from about 30° to from about 40°. This angle serves to control the movement of the antenna ball body. The angle allows the antenna ball body to move or fly up the car antenna as the car with the antenna moves. The body extension members can be in a wing-like configuration.
When the body is provided with an inclined flat face, the inclined flat face is angled such that the angle between the lower portion of the inclined flat face and the vertical axis is from about 30° to from about 40°. This angle serves to control the movement of the antenna ball body. The angle allows the antenna ball body to move or fly up the car antenna as the car with the antenna moves.
The tail or the length of the tail is advantageously present in that the tail acts to keep the antenna ball body straight and facing into the wind. The tail is to provide for a space for a message to be printed thereon or attached thereto.
Referring now to the drawings:
The present invention relates to an antenna ball assembly 10,10′ which displays an advertisement or the like thereon and a method of use thereof. The antenna ball assembly 10,10′ preferably is positioned on a car antenna such that the antenna ball body 20,20′ moves up and down the car antenna as the car moves, thereby displaying the advertisement thereon.
Referring to
The antenna ball body 20,20′ may preferably be a substantially spherical shape having at least one inclined surface. The at least one inclined surface and the angle A,A′ thereof is critical to the function of the antenna ball assembly 10,10′. Specifically, the at least one inclined surface and angle A,A′ thereof allows the ball body 20,20, to move or fly up the car antenna as the car with the antenna moves. In one preferred embodiment, the passage 24 is operatively positioned substantially through the center of the antenna ball body 20, as shown in
In the preferred embodiment of
As shown in
The position of the two inclined extension members 16 along the length of the body 20 as viewed from the front of the antenna ball body 20 is not critical to the operation of the antenna ball assembly 10. This aspect is purely aesthetic. For example, the extension members 16 may be positioned to have an upward tilt, i.e., the forward edge 17 of the extension member 16 being higher than the backward edge 19 of the extension member 16.
The tail 18 may be located in any suitable position on the antenna ball body 20. However, in the embodiment of
In another preferred embodiment as shown in
Based upon the angle of the inclined flat face 16′ of the antenna ball body 20′, the antenna ball body 20′ is a substantially half-sphere shape and end 25′ of passage 24′ which is in the inclined flat face 16′ is cut at an angle, as shown in
In this embodiment, the tail 18 may preferably be substantially centered on the antenna ball body 20′ substantially opposite from the inclined flat face. However, the tail 18 may be located in any suitable position on the antenna ball body 20′. The tail or the length of the tail is advantageously present in that the tail acts to keep the antenna ball body straight and facing into the wind. The tail, as described above, allows for placement of a message, advertisement or the like to be placed thereon or attached thereto.
The flexible stopper 30 may be any suitable stopper. However, the flexible stopper 30 preferably has an oblong shape and has an opening 32 in each end, as shown in
The weight of the antenna ball body 20,20′ is not critical to the function of the antenna ball assembly 10,10′. The antenna ball body 20,20′ may preferably be made from a lightweight material such as, but not limited to, foam, rubber or plastic. The two inclined extension members 16 of the antenna ball body 20 may preferably be made from any suitable material such as, but not limited to, plastic, foam, rubber or the like sufficiently rigid to hold its shape. The tail 18 of the antennal ball body 20,20′ may preferably be made from a flexible material such as, but not limited to, rubber, plastic, foam or the like.
The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the appended claims.
