Hands-On Wheel, Transparent Multi-Pocket Pouch for Displaying Personal Identification Documents

• US 20200135069A1
• Filed: 08/16/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paula Beth Dupas Benjamin-Guillory
• Original Assignee: Paula Beth Dupas Benjamin-Guillory
• Inventors: Benjamin-Guillory, Paula Beth Dupas
• Granted Patent: US 11,049,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/105 Licence- or registration plates, provided with mounting means, e.g. frames, holders, retainers, brackets
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2007/1865 on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/049 giving information to passengers inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/04 the elements being secured or adapted to be secured by magnetic means

Abstract

A hands-on wheel, transparent multi-pocket pouch for displaying personal identification documents uses a multi-pocket pouch, a transparent exterior pocket and an external device fastener to mount a user'"'"'s identification documents on the steering wheel of a vehicle. The multi-pocket pouch includes a transparent enclosure that has an interior pocket. The transparent exterior pocket includes a front face of the multi-pocket pouch to hold prioritized documents (e.g., a driver'"'"'s license) above important, but lower priority, identification (and supporting) documents stored within the multi-pocket pouch. Supporting documents may include vehicle registration, proof of insurance, etc. The external device fastener may be connected to a rear face of the multi-pocket pouch so that the multi-pocket pouch can be attached to the vehicle'"'"'s steering wheel. The present apparatus may also be made of flexible materials capable of conforming to the shape of the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A multi-pocket pouch to attach to a steering wheel of a vehicle, the multi-pocket pouch including multiple layers and comprising:

a non-transparent opaque front cover at an outermost layer and a rear face at an innermost layer, the innermost layer closest to the steering wheel;

a transparent exterior pocket adjacently connected to an inner portion of the front cover;

at least one interior pocket integrated into an interior cavity of the transparent multi-pocket pouch and opposite the transparent exterior pocket; and

an external device fastener adjacently connected to the rear face of the transparent multi-pocket pouch, the external device fastener to attach the multi-pocket pouch to the steering wheel;

wherein the multi-pocket pouch is constructed in a shape and of materials to not interfere with safety features of the steering wheel.

2. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, wherein the transparent multi-pocket pouch, when open, allows for visibility of the contents of both the transparent exterior pocket and the at least one interior pocket.

3. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 2, further comprising at least a second interior pocket at a layer beneath the at least one interior pocket and at a layer closer to the steering wheel.

4. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 3, wherein the second interior pocket is transparent;

at least as large as the at least one interior pocket; and

allows for display of contents of the second interior pocket that are not obstructed from view by contents of the at least one interior pocket.

5. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 4, wherein contents of the transparent exterior pocket, the at least one interior pocket, and the second interior pocket are all visible, absent obstruction by other contents, simultaneously when the multi-pocket pouch is open.

6. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, wherein the non-transparent front cover further includes a transparent pocket attached to an outside surface of the front cover to display publicly visible information while other contents remain concealed within the multi-pocket pouch.

7. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 6, wherein the transparent pocket attached to the outside surface of the front cover is sized to display long-term parking passes while a vehicle is unattended.

8. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, wherein the materials to not interfere with safety features of the steering wheel comprise soft materials to not compromise safety upon deployment of an air-bag within the steering wheel.

9. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, wherein the materials to not interfere with safety features of the steering wheel comprise flexible materials to not compromise safety upon depression of a horn portion of the steering wheel.

10. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, further comprising:

a first plurality of cover fasteners distributed perimetrically around an inner surface of the front cover adjacent to the transparent exterior pouch; and

a second plurality of cover fasteners distributed perimetrically around an outer surface of the at least one interior pocket,

wherein each of the first plurality of cover fasteners aligns with each of the second plurality of cover fasteners to attach the front cover to the multi-pocket pouch.

11. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of cover fasteners and the second plurality of cover fasteners function independently of the external device fastener.

12. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of cover fasteners and the second plurality of cover fasteners function as a hook and loop type fabric fastener.

13. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of cover fasteners and the second plurality of cover fasteners function as a magnetic fastener.

14. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, further comprising at least a second interior pocket at a layer beneath the at least one interior pocket and at a layer closer to the steering wheel, the at least one interior pocket smaller than the second interior pocket, wherein the at least one interior pocket is sized for an identification card and the second interior pocket is sized to present a proof of insurance form or registration form that is larger than the identification card.

15. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, wherein the external device fastener includes a plurality of detachable fasteners, the plurality of detachable fasteners being adjacently connected to the rear face of the multi-pocket pouch being perimetrically distributed around the rear face of the multi-pocket pouch.

16. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, wherein the non-transparent opaque front cover comprises a design panel.

17. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple layers includes at least one pocket-closing fastener to attach to an adjacent lower layer of the multi-pocket pouch.

18. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 17, wherein at least two of the multiple layers includes a set of perimetrically disposed fasteners forming a detachable set of layers relative to an adjacent layer of the multi-pocket pouch without an additional means of connection between the at least two of the multiple layers.

19. The multi-pocket pouch of claim 18, wherein a top set of one or more layers is the detachable set of layers and may be removed from the multi-pocket pouch leaving a remainder of layers of the multi-pocket pouch attached to the steering wheel.

20. A method of providing information to a police officer at a traffic stop, the method comprising:

opening a driver window of a vehicle responsive to the traffic stop;

placing hands on a steering wheel of the vehicle in plain view of an approaching police officer;

instructing the police officer that a set of identification and legal documents are available in a multi-pocket pouch attached to the steering wheel; and

allowing the officer access to the set of identification and legal documents while hands remain on the steering wheel of the vehicle, the access facilitated by a multi-pocket pouch comprising;

a non-transparent opaque front cover at an outermost layer and a rear face at an innermost layer, the innermost layer closest to the steering wheel;

a transparent exterior pocket adjacently connected to an inner portion of the front cover;

at least one interior pocket integrated into an interior cavity of the transparent multi-pocket pouch and opposite the transparent exterior pocket; and

an external device fastener adjacently connected to the rear face of the transparent multi-pocket pouch, the external device fastener to attach the multi-pocket pouch to the steering wheel;

wherein the multi-pocket pouch is constructed in a shape and of materials to not interfere with safety features of the steering wheel.