Patent Application
20230186793
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The disclosure relates to sign devices and more particularly pertains to a new sign device for displaying an information sheet for a vehicle. The present invention discloses a sign device comprising a housing, which is selectively engageable to a window of a vehicle. A panel selectively extensible from the housing displays indicia, such as information about a vehicle that is for sale, which are readable by a person outside of the vehicle. The panel can be retracted to improve visibility while driving
The prior art relates to sign device. Prior art sign devices may comprise roll display signs engageable to fuel pumps, rear view mirrors, store shelves, and the like. What is lacking in the prior art is a sign device comprising a housing, which is selectively engageable to a window of a vehicle. A panel selectively extensible from the housing displays indicia, such as information about a vehicle that is for sale, which are readable by a person outside of the vehicle.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing, which defines an interior space. The housing is configured to selectively engage a window of a vehicle so that the housing is removably engaged to the window. A slot is positioned in the housing. A panel, which is wound and which is positioned in the interior space, is reversibly extensible through the slot so that the panel is viewable through the window of the vehicle. The panel has indicia positioned thereon, is configured to selectively engage indicia, or is configured to selectively engage a sheet upon which indicia are positioned. The indicia are capable of being read by a person who is positioned proximate to the window.
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
A plurality of fasteners 20 is engaged to the housing 12 and is configured to selectively engage the window 16 of the vehicle 18 so that the housing 12 is removably engaged to the window 16. The plurality of fasteners 20 comprises one or both of a pair of cups 22 and a pair of hooks 24. The cups 22 are resiliently compressible and thus are configured to be compressed between the housing 12 and the window 16 to suctionally engage the housing 12 to the window 16. The cups 22 may comprise rubber, silicone, elastomer, or the like. The hooks 24 are configured for insertion of an upper edge 26 of the window 16 to engage the housing 12 to the window 16. Either the cups 22, the hooks 24, or both the cups 22 and the hooks 24 can be used to engage the housing 12 to the window 16.
A slot 28 is positioned in the housing 12. A panel 30, which is wound and which is positioned in the interior space 14, is reversibly extensible through the slot 28 so that the panel 30 is viewable through the window 16 of the vehicle 18. An extension module 32 is engaged to the housing 12 and is operationally engaged to the panel 30. The extension module 32 enables selective positioning of the panel 30 in a retracted configuration, as shown in
The extension module 32 comprises a tube 34, which is rotationally engaged to the housing 12 and which is positioned in the interior space 14. A first end 36 of the panel 30 is engaged to the tube 34. A spring 38 is engaged to the housing 12 and is operationally engaged to the tube 34 so that the spring 38 is tensioned as the panel 30 is extended from the housing 12. A ratchet 40 is engaged to the tube 34. A pawl 42 is hingedly engaged to the housing 12 and is gearedly engaged to the ratchet 40. A button 44 is engaged to the housing 12 and is operationally engaged to the pawl 42. The button 44 is configured to be depressed to disengage the pawl 42 from the ratchet 40 to retract the panel 30 into the housing 12.
The panel 30 may have indicia 46 positioned directly thereon. The panel 30 also may be configured to selectively engage indicia 46, such as by writing upon the panel 30 with erasable ink. The panel 30 also may be configured to selectively engage a sheet (not shown) upon which indicia 46 are positioned. For example, the panel 30 may comprise a sleeve (not shown) into which a sheet of paper is insertable.
The indicia 46 are capable of being read by a person who is positioned proximate to the window 16, as shown in
A bar 48 is engaged to a second end 50 of the panel 30 and is configured to be grasped in a hand of a user. The user is positioned to pull on the bar 48 to extend the panel 30 from the housing 12. A connector 52 is engaged to the bar 48 and is configured to selectively engage the window 16 upon extension of the panel 30 from the housing 12. The connector 52 thus is configured to retain the panel 30 substantially parallel to the window 16. As shown in
In use, the housing 12 is engaged to a window 16 of a vehicle 18 one or both of the pair of cups 22 and the pair of hooks 24. The panel 30 then is extended from the slot so that the indicia 46 are viewable through the window 16. When the vehicle 18 is to be driven, the panel 30 can be retracted into the housing 12 by pushing the button 44.
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.
