View shield device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6733204
  • Patent Number
    6,733,204
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, August 7, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 11, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A view shield device includes a plurality of shields each being removably extendable into one of a plurality of wells in a block such that the shields extend upwardly from the block. Each of the shields includes a housing that has a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending between the top and bottom walls. The peripheral wall has an elongated slot that extends therethrough. Attaching hooks attach the screen between a pair of spaced housings. The screen of a first of the shields may be extended between and attached to a second of the shields such that a passing motorist may not see between the housings of the first and second shields.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to shield devices and more particularly pertains to a new shield device for fulfilling a need for a shield for obstructing accident scenes on highways.




2. Description of the Prior Art




The use of shield devices is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,338 describes a highway barrier. Another type of shield device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,249 having a accident shield device for blocking views of accidents, stalled cars and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,196 describes a portable device for screening off an accident scene from view. Other related patents are U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,641, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 431,657, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,095.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object of the present invention is to provide a new shield device that would be easy to use, be of retractable design, promote safety, and avoid traffic congestion.




Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new shield device that would allow police and emergency medical services to concentrate their efforts so assistance can be rendered to those involved in the original mishap.




To this end, the present invention generally comprises at least one block that has a bottom surface, an upper surface, a pair of sidewalls and a pair of end walls. The upper surface has a plurality of wells that extend therein. The walls are spaced from each other. The wells are generally aligned between the end walls. Each of the plurality of shields is removably extendable into one of the wells such that the shields extend upwardly from the block. Each of the shields includes a housing that has a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending between the top and bottom walls. The peripheral wall has an elongated slot that extends therethrough. A screen is retractably positioned in the housing. An attaching means is for selectively attaching the screen between a pair of spaced housings. The screen of a first of the shields may be extended between and attached to a second of the shields such that a passing motorist may not see between the housings of the first and second shields.




There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention 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 invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.




The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention 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:





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a view shield device according to the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a front view of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view taken along line


4





4


of

FIG. 1

of the present invention.





FIG. 5

is a top in-use view of the present invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 through 5

thereof, a new shield device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral


10


will be described.




As best illustrated in

FIGS. 1 through 5

, the view shield device


10


generally comprises a view shield device


10


for preventing viewing across a roadway


6


by motorists. The device includes at least one block


12


, a bottom surface


14


, an upper surface


16


, a pair of sidewalls


18


and a pair of end walls


20


. The upper surface


16


has a plurality of wells


22


that extend therein. The wells


22


are spaced from each other. The wells


22


are generally aligned between the end walls


20


. The block


12


preferably comprises a concrete material


24


. The block


12


is positioned on the roadway.




Each of a plurality of shields


26


is removably extendable into one of the wells


22


such that the shields


26


extend upwardly from the block


12


. Each of the shields


26


includes a housing


28


, a top wall


30


, a bottom wall


32


and a peripheral wall


34


that extends between the top


30


and bottom


32


walls. The peripheral wall


34


has an elongated slot


36


that extends therethrough. The slot


36


generally extends between the top


30


and bottom


32


walls.




A spindle


38


is rotatably positioned in the housing


28


and extends between the top


30


and bottom


32


walls. A biasing means


40


is attached to the spindle


38


for biasing rotation of the spindle


38


in a first direction. The biasing means


40


comprises a pair of coil springs


42


. A screen


44


is attached to the spindle


38


. The screen


44


and a free edge


46


that extends through the slot


36


. Wherein the screen


44


is wound about the spindle


38


when the spindle


38


is rotated in the first direction. The screen


44


comprises a non-transparent flexible material.




An attaching means


48


is for selectively attaching the screen


44


between a pair of spaced housings. The attaching means


48


includes a pair of hooks


52


attached to the free edge


46


of the screen


44


. The hooks


52


are spaced from each other. A pair of loops


54


is attached to an outer surface of the peripheral wall


34


. The loops


54


are spaced from each other and are positioned generally opposite of the slot


36


.




A handle


56


is attached to the free edge


46


and is positioned between the hooks


52


. The handle


56


comprises a tab


58


. The screen


44


of a first of the shields


60


may be extended between and are attached to a second of the shields


62


such that a passing motorist may not see between the housings


50


of the first


60


and second


62


shields.




In use, the block


12


is typically installed along a highway within along the divider. The shields


26


would resemble a series of upright posts positioned in the block


12


(or highway divider) on a continual basis, or could be carried by emergency workers and inserted into the wells


22


after an accident has occurred. If a serious accident or some other mishap occurs which would cause motorist distraction, the emergency personnel on the scene could extend the screens


44


for connection between shields


26


.




With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, 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 the present invention.




Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention 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 invention.



Claims
  • 1. A view shield device for preventing viewing across a roadway by motorists, said device including:at least one block having a bottom surface, an upper surface, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, said upper surface having a plurality of wells extending therein, said wells being spaced from each other, said wells being generally aligned between said end walls; a plurality of shields, each of said shields being removably extendable into one of said wells such that said shields extend upwardly from said block, each of said shields including; a housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom walls, said peripheral wall having an elongated slot extending therethrough; a screen being retractably positioned in said housing, said screen having a free edge extending through said slot; an attaching means for selectively attaching said screen between a pair of spaced housings, said attaching means includes a pair of hooks attached to a free edge of said screen, said hooks being spaced from each other, a pair of loops being attached to an outer surface of said peripheral wall; a handle being attached to said free edge and being positioned between said hooks, said handle including a tab for selectively gripping said handle, and wherein the screen of a first of said shields may be extended between and attached to a second of said shields such that a passing motorist may not see between the housings of the first and second shields.
  • 2. The view shield device in claim 1, wherein said screen comprising a non-transparent flexible material.
  • 3. The view shield device in claim 1, wherein each of said shields further includes:a spindle being rotatably positioned in said housing and extending between said top and bottom walls; said screen being attached to said spindle, wherein said screen is wound about said spindle when said spindle is rotated in a first direction.
  • 4. The view shield device in claim 3, wherein each of said shields further includes biasing means being attached to said spindle for biasing rotation of said spindle in said first direction.
  • 5. The view shield device in claim 4, wherein said biasing means comprises a pair of coil springs.
  • 6. The view shield device in claim 1, wherein said loops are spaced from each other and being positioned generally opposite of said slot.
  • 7. A view shield device for preventing viewing across a roadway by motorists, said device including:at least one block having a bottom surface, an upper surface, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, said upper surface having a plurality of wells extending therein, said wells being spaced from each other, said wells being generally aligned between said end walls, said block comprising a concrete material, said block being positioned on the roadway; a plurality of shields, each of said shields being removably extendable into one of said wells such that said shields extend upwardly from said block, each of said shields including; a housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom walls, said peripheral wall having an elongated slot extending therethrough, said slot generally extending between said top and bottom walls; a spindle being rotatably positioned in said housing and extending between said top and bottom walls; a biasing means being attached to said spindle for biasing rotation of said spindle in a first direction, said biasing means comprising a pair of coil springs; a screen being attached to said spindle, said screen having a free edge extending through said slot, wherein said screen is wound about said spindle when said spindle is rotated in said first direction, said screen comprising a non-transparent flexible material; an attaching means for selectively attaching said screen between a pair of spaced housings, said attaching means including a pair of hooks attached to said free edge of said screen, said hooks being spaced from each other, a pair of loops being attached to an outer surface of said peripheral wall, said loops being spaced from each other and being positioned generally opposite of said slot; a handle being attached to said free edge and being positioned between said hooks, said handle comprising a tab; and wherein the screen of a first of said shields may be extended between and attached to a second of said shields such that a passing motorist may not see between the housings of the first and second shields.
  • 8. A view shield device for preventing viewing across a roadway by motorists the shield device being removably extended into one of a plurality of wells in an upper surface of blocks dividing a roadway, said device including:a plurality of shields, each of said shields being removably extendable into one of said wells such that said shields extend upwardly from said block, each of said shields including; a housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom walls, said peripheral wall having an elongated slot extending therethrough; a screen being retractably positioned in said housing, said screen having a free edge extending through said slot; an attaching means for selectively attaching said screen between a pair of spaced housings, said attaching means includes a pair of hooks attached to a free edge of said screen, said hooks being spaced from each other, a pair of loops being attached to an outer surface of said peripheral wall; a handle being attached to said free edge and being positioned between said hooks, said handle comprising a tab extending away from said free edge; and wherein the screen of a first of said shields may be extended between and attached to a second of said shields such that a passing motorist may not see between the housings of the first and second shields.
  • 9. The view shield device in claim 8, wherein each of said shields further includes:a spindle being rotatably positioned in said housing and extending between said top and bottom walls; said screen being attached to said spindle, wherein said screen is wound about said spindle when said spindle is rotated in a first direction.
  • 10. The view shield device in claim 9, wherein each of said shields further includes biasing means being attached to said spindle for biasing rotation of said spindle in said first direction.
  • 11. The view shield device in claim 10, wherein said biasing means comprises a pair of coil springs.
  • 12. The view shield device in claim 8, wherein said loops are spaced from each other and being positioned generally opposite of said slot.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Number Name Date Kind
193573 Tripp Jul 1877 A
4124196 Hipskind Nov 1978 A
5015119 Schmanski May 1991 A
5022781 Smith Jun 1991 A
5186438 Cross et al. Feb 1993 A
5611641 Christensen Mar 1997 A
5718414 Deloach et al. Feb 1998 A
6142701 Falcon Nov 2000 A
6575435 Kotzen Jun 2003 B1