Claims
- 1. An illuminated automotive emblem with replaceable components for attaching to a vehicle comprising:a housing frame with a peripheral surrounding edge portion having an interior L-shaped cross-section and a front surface surrounding a central open area; said housing frame having a plurality of countersunk bores through the bottom of said peripheral surrounding edge portion; said housing frame having a plurality of blind bores within and along a first vertical edge of said interior L-shaped cross-section and a plurality of interior studs protruding normally and rearward from and along a second vertical edge of said interior L-shaped cross-section; said first vertical edge being located directly behind said front surface of said frame; said first and second vertical edges extend way and rearward of said central open area; a display template with colored translucent and non-translucent portions bearing indicia with colored translucent and non-translucent portions; said display template is attached as part of said emblem by extending a plurality of interior screws through a plurality of countersunk bores in the outer edge of said display template and into said blind bores of said housing frame; said outer edge of said display template mates to said first vertical edge of said frame; said indicia and a portion of said display template substantially fills said central open area of said frame; a rear enclosure having a peripheral edge with an illuminant attached in a central area of the front surface; said illuminant is generally in the shape and dimension of and emits light through said display template; said rear enclosure having a plurality of open bores extending through the said front surface to the rear surface at some distance from the outer edge of said illuminant, a plurality of blind bores extending normally from the bottom peripheral edge; said rear enclosure having a plurality of threaded fasteners attached to or molded as part of said rear surface; said rear enclosure attaches as part of said emblem behind said display template by inserting said plurality of interior studs of said housing frame into said open bores of said rear enclosure; said plurality of interior studs and said plurality of bores having such dimensions that a frictional bond is created; said rear enclosure and said housing frame are externally secured together by inserting a plurality of threaded fasteners through said plurality of said countersunk bores through said bottom peripheral edge of said frame and into said blind bores in said bottom peripheral edge of said rear enclosure.
- 2. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said plurality of interior studs of said frame are a reusable, low bond strength, adhesive strip having a rear surface; said rear surface of said adhesive strip attaches at some point to the said front surface of said rear enclosure.
- 3. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said plurality of interior studs of said frame are a magnetic strip having a rear surface; said rear surface of said magnetic strip attaches to opposite polarized magnetic material applied at some point to said front surface of said rear enclosure.
- 4. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said illuminant is an electroluminescent (EL) lamp.
- 5. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said illuminant is an incandescent bulb.
- 6. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said illuminant is a gas filled tube.
- 7. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said illuminant is fiber optic.
- 8. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said housing frame, said display template and said rear enclosure are plastic; said front surface and said peripheral edge of said frame are exteriorly metallic plated.
- 9. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said frame is a transparent material.
- 10. The illuminated emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said housing frame and said rear enclosure are metallic.
- 11. The illuminated automotive emblem as defined in claim 1 wherein:said housing frame defines the overall shape of said emblem; said overall shape is one of oval, circular, rectangular, square or polygonal.
Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation in Part Application of application Ser. No. 08/957.161 filed Oct. 24, 1997 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4977695 |
Armbruster |
Dec 1990 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/957161 |
Oct 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/385679 |
|
US |