Electrolier flag

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6192824
  • Patent Number
    6,192,824
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, December 31, 1998
    26 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 27, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Hirshfeld; Andrew H.
    • Smith; R. Alexander
    Agents
    • Rosenberg, Klein & Lee
Abstract
An electrolier flag is provided that is able to emit light by itself and revolves around a flag-rod under the effects of the wind. The integral flag unit is made form a transparent material and includes a banner portion and a lamp reflector portion. The lamp reflector of the flag is attached on a tube holding a string of bulbs by a pivotal connection, so that the light rays from the bulbs are conducted into the banner by the lamp reflector.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to an electrolier flag, and more particularly to an adornment flag that is able to emit light by itself and revolves around the flag-rod under effort of the wind.




2. Description of Prior Art




conventional adornment flags, like a variety of advertising flags, vote propaganda flags, or house for sale marker flags are put on the top of the flag-rod provided for advertising flags, or tied on a long rope with a space maintained between them, meanwhile they decorate the outside of a house or building, Due to a lack of a luminous source, the advertising flags only can be used in the daytime, but at night, they will lose their commercial value,




OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with the shortcomings of the prior arts like being limited to daytime use and lack of an attractive appearance, and for bringing the advantages of the flag and the electrolier together so that the results and the commercial value of the advertising flag are improved, it is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide an electrolier flag that can emit light by itself for meeting the necessity of night use.




The second object of the present invention is to provide an eleatrolier flag such that the wind can revolve around the flag-rod for improving its appearance.




For achieving these objectives, the present invention provides an electrolier flag made from a transparent material and includes a banner portion and a lamp reflector portion. Wherein the lamp reflector is provided with two corresponding or complementary tube halves with, coupling components for locking the halves together when assembling the electrolier flag to a flag-rod, and a banner extended out from one or both sides of the opening of the lamp reflector. When the lamp reflector is attached on the tube that serves as a flag-rod, the light emitted from the bulbs on the inside of the tube can be condensed and led into the banner to make the banner emit the light. For reducing the friction area between the lap reflector and the outside wall of the tube, so that the light is not decreased by scratches, and to provide fluent and smooth rotary motion, the inside of the lamp reflector is provided with several ring-shaped fins at both ends and a middle position. Additionally, for increasing the reflecting efficiency of the lamp reflector, the inside of the lamp reflector is coated with an electroplated layer, except the connecting area between the banner and the lamp reflector in order to direct light rays to the banner portion.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a solid view showing the first embodiment of the present invention;




FIG. .


2


is a solid view showing one unit of the flag of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a solid view showing one unit of a second embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 4

is a solid view showing one unit of a third embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 5

is a solid view showing the second embodiment of the present invention; and





FIG. 6

is a solid view showing the use of the flag-rod in the operation of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring to

FIG. 1

, the present invention comprises a flag


1


pivotally attached on a transparent hollow tube


2


, and several lamps


31


connected in series with a cable


3


located within the interior space of the tube


2


, so that the light emitted by the bulbs


31


can be conducted into the banner to illuminate it.




Referring to

FIG. 2

said flag


1


includes the banner portion


11


and the lamp reflector portion


12


. The lamp reflector


12


is made from transparent material and provided with two corresponding or complementary tube halves that connect together and a banner


11


extending at one open side. More than one socket


13


is formed in the connection area between the banner


11


and the lamp reflector


12


. Corresponding to each socket


13


is a plug


14


formed on the opposite edge of the lamp reflector


12


, so that they can be locked together as the lamp reflector


12


is attached to the tube


2


. The inside of the lamp reflector


12


is provided with a proper number of ring-shaped fine


15


at both ends and a middle axial position for reducing the contact area and frictional force between the lamp reflector


12


and the tube


2


and preventing the surface of the outside wall of the tube


2


from being scratched and thereby affecting the light conductivity of the tube wall. Additionally, for increasing the reflecting efficiency of the lamp reflector


12


, the inside of the lamp reflector


12


is coated by an electroplated layer


16


, except the area of the connecting area


17


between the banner


11


and the lamp reflector


12


in order to direct light rays to the banner


11


.




Referring to

FIG. 3

, a second embodiment of the present invention has two corresponding banners


11


respectively extending out from both open edges of the lamp reflector


12


. The connecting areas between the banners


11


and the lamp reflector


12


are provided as photic zones


17


. On the interface surfaces of the banners


11


there is provided cooperating plugs


14


and sockets


13


.




Referring to

FIG. 4

, a third embodiment of the present invention has an engaging plate


18


smaller than the common banner


11


. One edge of the free end of the engaging plate


18


has an opening for engaging a soft banner


11


with a glue connection or using ultrasonic welding. The other elements are the same an described in the first embodiment.




Referring to

FIG. 1

, the flags


1


can be pivotally attached on the tube


2


, sequentially in series. or, as shown in

FIG. 5

, a transparent, spacing collar


4


is inserted between two adjacent flags


1


to maintain a space between the adjacent flags


1


. The tube


2


is made from a soft material so that it can he bent in a desired shape to conform to a change in the environment. Referring to

FIG. 6

, the tube


2


in the present invention is made from a hard transparent material so it can be used as a standing flag-rod.




With respect to the lighting effect and referring to

FIG. 1

, FIG.


5


and

FIG. 6

, the light rays emitted from the bulbs


31


pass into the lamp reflector


12


via the tube


2


. Referring to

FIG. 2

, FIG.


3


and

FIG. 4

, by means of the reflecting galvanized coating


16


at the inside of the lamp reflector


12


, the light emitted from the bulbs


31


is condensed into the lamp reflector


12


, and conducted into the transparent banner


11


via the photic zones


17


(and the banner engaging plate


18


) to illuminate the banner


11


. With respect to the revolving motion, the flag


1


with the lamp reflector


12


is mounted on the tube


2


by a pivotal connection, so that the flag


1


can be swiveled by the wind, and in cooperation with the light, it will appear at night to have a beautiful appearance. The ring fins


15


of the lamp reflector


12


not only reduce the friction area, the scratching area and frictional heat, but also fluently maintain the revolving motion of the flag


1


.



Claims
  • 1. An electrolier flag comprising:a longitudinally extended transparent tube; a string of longitudinally spaced lamps disposed within said transparent tube; and, a plurality of flags pivotally connected to said transparent tube, each of said flags including a lamp reflector portion and a banner portion, said lamp reflector portion being formed by a pair of complementary semi-cylindrical members engaged one to the other around a portion of said transparent tube and forming a pivotal connection therewith, said banner portion including at least one banner member extending from at least one edge of at least one of said semi-cylindrical members, wherein light emissions from said lamps are conducted by said lamp reflector portion into said banner portion to illuminate said at least one banner member.
  • 2. The electrolier flag as recited in claim 1, wherein said lamp reflector portion includes a plurality of ring shaped fins extending from an internal surface thereof for contacting an external surface of said transparent tube.
  • 3. The electrolier flag as recited in claim 1, wherein said lamp reflector portion includes a reflective coating on an internal surface thereof, said lamp reflector portion having a photic zone formed by an internal surface area devoid of said reflective coating, said photic zone being in aligned relation with said at least one banner member.
  • 4. The electrolier flag as recited in claim 1, wherein said banner portion includes a pair of banner members, each of said banner members being coupled to a respective one of said semi-cylindrical members.
  • 5. The electrolier flag as recited in claim 1, wherein said banner portion further includes a banner engaging plate having a first end coupled to said at least one edge of said at least one of said semi-cylindrical members and an opposing second end engaging said at least one banner member, said second end of said banner engaging plate having an opening formed therein for securing said at least one banner member thereto.
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2688303 Leander Sep 1954
3890497 Rush Jun 1975
4110818 Hempsey Aug 1978
4627278 Soto Dec 1986
4733488 Yokoyama et al. Mar 1988
4833443 Siew May 1989
5477437 Lach Dec 1995
5519595 Wang May 1996
5576078 Schatz Nov 1996
5988100 Schmitt Nov 1999