The present disclosure generally relates to a personalized license plate. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a personalized license plate having a plurality of images that can be remotely changed via a plurality of rotating members.
It has been customary for vehicle owners to personalize their vehicles by installing custom license plates on the front of their vehicles. These custom license plates provide a means for expressing the person's interests, tastes, associations, businesses, and the like. Examples include a university plate, a business advertisement, a hobby association, and the like. The current configuration secures the single image license plate to the vehicle. This configuration limits the license plate to a single image.
Therefore, what is desired is a personalized license plate allowing the occupants to change the image as desired.
The present disclosure is generally directed to a multi-image license plate assembly providing a vehicle occupant the ability to change the presented image. The multi-image license plate comprising a plurality of rotating members having a plurality of image surfaces. The series of the rotating members rotate in a synchronized fashion, changing the presented image from a first image to a successive image. The plurality of images can be applied to the rotating members in any of a variety of methods.
In some embodiments, the multi-image license plate assembly may include:
an assembly frame having an image presentation side, which is sized approximate to that of a standard license plate;
a series of rotating display members, each rotating display member having a rotational axis disposed along a longitudinal center of each rotating display member;
each rotating display member being disposed horizontally within said assembly frame;
each rotating member having at least two image surfaces, wherein a lower image surface edge abuts an upper image surface edge of an adjacent image surface to provide a planar surface finish;
at least one visual image divided into segments with each segment disposed upon a respective image surface of the series of rotating display members, presenting the visual image when the rotating display members are positioned accordingly;
a rotational drive mechanism being operatively engaged to the series of rotating display members for intermittently rotating the series of rotating display members in a synchronized fashion for presenting a series of different images; and
a mount for fastening said assembly frame to a license plate mount of a vehicle.
In another aspect, the rotating display members comprise three equal image surfaces forming a triangular shaped cross section.
In still another aspect, the rotational drive mechanism is a stepper motor.
In yet another aspect, the image is attached to the image surface via an adhesive.
In a still further aspect, the image is sized covering the entire viewing surface, adhered, then sliced along the seam between each of two adjacent image surfaces.
In another aspect, the image is placed upon an image insert, which is mechanically secured to a display frame member. The image can be printed, painted, adhered to, and the like, upon an image surface or an insert applied to the rotating display member.
In a still further aspect, the image is placed upon an image insert, which is mechanically secured to a display frame member via a sliding assembly, a snap assembly, a magnetic assembly, and the like.
In yet another aspect, the multi-image license plate assembly further comprises a remote control for remotely rotating the assembly between a displayed image and an adjacent image.
While in another aspect, the drive mechanism includes a motor segmented gear comprising a motor segmented gear toothed section and a motor segmented gear tooth-free section, a rotational member gear comprising a series of rotational member gear teeth disposed about the circumference of the rotational member gear. The rotational member gear being operationally engaged with the drive gear, wherein the rotational member gear rotates when the motor segmented gear toothed section engages with the rotational member gear teeth and maintains the rotational member assembly in a display position when the motor segmented gear tooth-free section passes across the rotational member gear teeth.
And in another aspect, a drive gear rotational member stabilizing cam is disposed upon a distal end of the motor segmented gear, the stabilizing cam having a stationary display broad radius cam section and a display rotating narrow cam section about a circumference and a stabilizing surface provided as a distal surface; and a three position display stabilizing cam disposed upon a distal end of the rotational member gear having three equilateral stabilizing cam engaging edge surfaces, wherein the stabilizing cam engaging edge surfaces are supported by the stabilizing surface to maintain the rotating member in a display orientation and wherein the three position display stabilizing cam rotates when aligned with the display rotating narrow cam section.
With yet another aspect providing a remote control that utilizes either wired or wireless communication between the remote control and the multi-image license plate assembly.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals denote like elements and in which:
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
The present disclosure is generally directed to a multi-image license plate assembly 100 as illustrated in
An exemplary embodiment of the rotational member assembly 400 is detailed in
The series of rotational member assemblies 400 are assembled in a parallel, horizontal configuration, abutting adjacent image surface mating edge 418 (
Power is preferably provided to the multi-image license plate assembly 100 via a power cabling 120 coupled to the vehicles power system. The power cabling 120 includes a positive power cable 122 having a positive power terminal connector 123 and a negative power cable 124 having a negative power terminal connector 125. Although the preferred design utilises the vehicle's power, it is recognized the multi-image license plate assembly 100 can be powered via a portable power source such as batteries, solar power, capacitors, wind generated power, and the like. The portable power source can be incorporated within the primary assembly, housed in a separate battery box mounted on the vehicle, or mounted in any other reasonable manner respective to the form factor of the power supply. A signal controller can be included, such as the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
The user would provide power to the multi-image license plate assembly 100 via the power button 204. The series of rotational member assemblies 400 of the multi-image license plate assembly 100 can be set to be rotated manually, via a factory preset timeframe, or via a programmable timer sequence. The user can direct the rotational member assembly 400 to rotate in a forward or reverse direction via a respective forward or reverse button of the rotational direction control 208. Sensors, software, lights, and the like can be incorporated to indicate the image being presented by the multi-image license plate assembly 100 via the position indicator 206. It is preferred that the operational control assembly 200 be affixed to a vehicle dashboard (not shown, but well understood). An optional motion sensing circuit can be incorporated, determining when the vehicle is stationary or moving. The circuit can additionally sense the status of the engine. The circuit determines when engine is off and/or the vehicle is stationary, and places the multi-image license plate assembly 100 into a sleep mode. The multi-image license plate assembly 100 re-initiates the rotation sequence when the circuit determines that the engine is running and/or the vehicle is in motion.
A housing rear surface and mounting flange 150 is preferably formed about and extending laterally from the periphery of the inner frame 108 for mounting the inner frame 108 to a mounting frame assembly 300 as illustrated in
The fabrication cost is minimized by designing the components and assembly for manufacturability. The assembly housing 102 and assembly front cover 104 are formed of a molded plastic. The inner frame 108 is fabricated of a molded plastic, forming the rotational member shaft slot 142, front cover clip receptacles 106, housing rear surface and mounting flange 150, and other features within the shaft assembly supporting subsection 140 section of the inner frame 108. The rotational member assembly 400 is an assembly using components that are preferably fabricated of an extruded material and cut to length. The rotational display frame member 402, the rotational member axle 144, and the image insert 410 can all be fabricated using an extruding process. It is understood that the rotational member axle 144 can be fabricated separately by any axle manufacturing means, including extrusion, rolling, cold rolling, and the like. The rotational member axle 144 can be inserted through a tubular aperture located through the rotational display frame member 402. Alternately, a pair of short, rotational member axles 144 can be inserted into receptacles located at each end of the rotational display frame member 402. The gears 134, 136 can be fabricated using an extruding process, sheared to the desired thickness. Other components, such as the motor 130, the fasteners 160, 310, the rotational member gear shaft bushing 138, the wiring, and the like are preferably off the shelf components. Each can be fabricated of plastic, metal, or any other selected material. The assembly is generally insertion and snap fasteners.
It is recognized that although a series of gears 134, 136 are illustrated as a means for rotating the rotational member assembly 400, any number of rotation drive designs can be used. This includes a cable drive system, a chain drive system, a belt drive system, a worm gear drive system, a friction drive system, and the like.
A second such exemplary rotation drive design can be integrated as illustrated in
The sequence of a ⅓ rotation using the novel gear configuration 520, 530 is demonstrated in
The motor segmented gear 520 is fabricated having a drive gear toothed section 523 spanning approximately 120 degrees of the circumference of a conical surface of the motor segmented gear 520. A drive gear tooth-free section 522 is provided about the balance of the circumference of the motor segmented gear 520. A series of rotational member gear teeth 532 are spatially distributed about a circumference of a conical surface of the rotational member gear 530. The drive gear toothed section 523 periodically engage with the rotational member gear teeth 532 wherein engagement occurs during ⅓ of the rotation of drive motor 510 and the drive motor 510/motor segmented gear 520 rotates freely during ⅔ of the rotation of the drive motor 510. The illustrated design is provided for a three-sided object. It is understood the ratio of teeth to bare surface can vary respective to the number of sides to be displayed.
The drive gear rotational member stabilizing cam 524 is fabricated having a stabilizing surface 526, a stationary display broad radius cam section 527 and a display rotating narrow cam section 528. The ratio of the circumferential length of the stationary display broad radius cam section 527 to the display rotating narrow cam section 528 defines the time desired to stabilize the image 420 in a display orientation. The display rotating narrow cam section 528 is oriented to correspond with the drive gear tooth-free section 522. The three position display stabilizing cam 536 is shaped comprising three planar sidewall surfaces referred to as a stabilizing cam engaging edge surface 538, the number corresponding with the number of desired stop positions. It is understood that the number of planar sidewall surfaces 538 is respective to the number of sides of the rotational member assembly 400. The exemplary three-position display stabilizing cam 536 is formed in a triangular shape in the exemplary embodiment to correlate with the triangular shaped rotational member assembly 400. The stabilizing cam engaging edge surface 538 rides atop the stabilizing surface 526, stabilizing the rotational member assembly 400 in a display orientation. The stationary display broad radius cam section 527 is positioned under the three position display stabilizing cam 536, wherein a planar gear upper surface 534 of the rotational member gear 530 provides clearance for the three position display stabilizing cam 536 during rotation.
The drive motor 510 rotates the motor segmented gear 520, which rotates the drive gear rotational member stabilizing cam 524 respectively. The stabilizing surface 526 of the drive gear rotational member stabilizing cam 524 supports and prevents the stabilizing cam engaging edge surface 538 from rotating. When the drive gear rotational member stabilizing cam 524 rotates to transition from the stationary display broad radius cam section 527 to the display rotating narrow cam section 528, the three position display stabilizing cam 536 begins to rotate. The positions are referenced as drive gear rotational member stabilizing cam 524-1, motor segmented gear 520-1, and rotational member gear 530-0 as illustrated in
Deviations from the disclosed teachings should still be considered as a component of the present invention. Although a wired interface is shown, providing signal communication between the operational control assembly 200 and the multi-image license plate assembly 100, it is understood that a wireless communication means can be utilized.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalence
This application is a Non-Provisional Application of co-pending Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/182,747, filed May 31, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference into the present application.
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