Patent Application
20240227699
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The disclosure relates to license plate devices and more particularly pertains to a new license plate device for enhancing visibility of a license plate in all conditions. The device includes a license plate mount that is attachable to a rear of a vehicle. The device includes a ledge attached to the license plate mount to shield the license plate from snow and ice. The device includes a light emitter attached to the ledge for illuminating the license plate. The device includes a pair of solar panels and a battery for powering the light emitter.
The prior art relates to license plate devices including a variety of license plate covers that comprise a translucent cover that is positionable over a license plate. The prior art discloses a license plate cover that includes a hinged cover that is comprised of a translucent material. The prior art discloses a variety of motorized license plate covers that positioning a license plate in various orientations. The prior art discloses license plate cover that includes a roof with a viewing window and a pair of gussets each with a viewing window. The prior art discloses a variety of license plate covers that each at least includes a light emitter for illuminating a license plate. In no instance does the prior art disclose a license plate cover that combines a ledge for shielding a license plate, a window for viewing the license plate and a light emitter for illuminating the license plate.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a license plate mount is attachable to a rear of a vehicle thereby facilitating a license plate to be retained on the vehicle. The license plate mount has a ledge extending over the license plate thereby shielding the license plate from snow and freezing rain to facilitate the license plate to be clearly visible at all times. A light emitter is attached to the ledge to emit light outwardly from the ledge. The light emitter is oriented to face the license plate to illuminate the license plate at night.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The license plate mount 12 comprises a plurality of members 22 that intersect each other at a perpendicular angle such that the plurality of members 22 defines a rectangle. The plurality of members 22 includes a top member 24, a bottom member 26, a first lateral member 28 and a second lateral member 30. The bottom member 26 has a prominence 32 extending toward the top member 24 and the prominence 32 extends along a substantial length of the bottom member 26. The bottom member 26 has a pair of first holes 34 each extending through the bottom member 26 such that each of the pair of first holes 34 accommodates a fastener for attaching the license plate mount 12 to the vehicle 16. Additionally, each of the pair of first holes 34 is located on the prominence 32 and each of the pair of first holes 34 is located adjacent to a respective one of a pair of terminal ends 36 of the prominence 32.
The top member 24 has a prominence 38 extending toward the bottom member 26 and the prominence 38 on the top member 24 extends along a substantial length of the top member 24. The top member 24 has a pair of second holes 40 each extending through the top member 24 such that each of the pair of second holes 40 accommodates a fastener for attaching the license plate mount 12 to the vehicle 16. Each of the pair of second holes 40 is located on the prominence 38 on the top member 24 and each of the pair of second holes 40 is located adjacent to a respective one of a pair of terminal ends 42 of the prominence 38 on the top member 24.
The ledge 20 extends away from the top member 24 of the license plate mount 12 and the ledge 20 extends along a full length of the top member 24. The ledge 20 has a hole 44 extending through a top surface 46 and a bottom surface 48 of the ledge 20 thereby facilitating the license plate 18 to be visible through the hole 44. Additionally, the hole 44 is centrally positioned on the ledge 20. A window 47 is integrated into the ledge 20 and the window 47 completely covers the hole. The window 47 is comprised of a translucent material thereby facilitating the license plate 18 to be visible through the window 47.
A pair of gussets 49 is provided and each of the pair of gussets 49 is attached between the bottom surface 48 of the ledge 20 and a respective one of the first lateral member 28 and the second lateral member 30. Each of the pair of gussets 49 comprises a plurality of intersecting members 50 that are oriented at angles with each other to define a triangle such that each of the pair of gussets 49 facilitates light to pass through the pair of gussets 49 thereby enhancing visibility of the license plate 18. A light emitter 52 is attached to the ledge 20 to emit light outwardly from the ledge 20 and the light emitter 52 is oriented to face the license plate 18 for illuminating the license plate 18 at night. The light emitter 52 is positioned on the bottom surface of the ledge 20 and the light emitter 52 is positioned between the hole in the ledge 20 and the top member 24 of the license plate mount 12. Additionally, the light emitter 52 may comprise a light emitting diode or other type of electronic light emitter.
A power supply 54 is integrated into the license plate mount 12 and the power supply 54 is electrically coupled to the light emitter 52. The power supply 54 comprises a pair of solar panels 56 and each of the pair of solar panels 56 is attached to the top surface 46 of the ledge 20 such that the pair of solar panels 56 is exposed to sunlight. The power supply 54 includes at least one battery 58 that is integrated into the license plate mount 12. The at least one battery 58 is electrically coupled to the pair of solar panels 56 such that the pair of solar panels 56 charges the at least one battery 58 and the at least one battery 58 is electrically coupled to the light emitter 52.
In use, the license plate mount 12 is attached to the rear 14 of the vehicle 16 to mount the license plate 18 to the rear 14 of the vehicle 16. The ledge 20 protects the license plate 18 from snow and freezing rain thereby inhibiting snow and ice from building up on the license plate 18. In this way the license plate 18 is clearly visible during winter months. The light emitter 52 emits light to illuminate the license plate 18 during night time hours. In this way the license plate 18 is clearly visible at all times and in all weather conditions.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
