Vest with interchangeable messages

• US 5,632,044 A
• Filed: 05/18/1995
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Printmark Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Printmark Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Sloot, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, C. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALE, GLORIA M
• Application Number:
  US08/443,489
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 2/102, 2/115, 2/108, 2/69, 2/244, 2/246, 2/85, 2/93, 2/94, 2/247, 2/250, 40/586, 40/299, 40/1.5, 40/1.6
• US Class Current: 2/102
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/01 with reflective or luminous safety means visible signalling arrangements G08B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/02 by a carrier person or animal

Abstract

A safety vest having a transparent, waterproof pouch preferably formed from thermoplastic material in which a plurality of distress or other messages may be displayed; and which has a side opening through which the messages may be inserted and removed. The pouch is preferably formed from two independent, transparent, and waterproof layers of thermoplastic material, thereby creating a transparent, waterproof pouch to both display and store the message boards which are preferably formed of heavy paper. The layers of the pouch are contiguously sealed along a top, side and bottom edge, and partially up a second side edge, forming a pouch with a side opening and a stop to prevent the boards from sliding out.

Claims

1. A signaling vest comprising:

a vest having front and back panels;

a display pouch attached to one of said front and back panels;

a plurality of display boards removably disposed in said pouch, said boards being visible therethrough; and

said pouch being comprised of two layers of transparent thermoplastic material contiguously sealed along a top, bottom and first side edge, said layers also being sealed along a portion of a second side edge, said seal along said second side edge forming a stop to prevent said display boards from sliding along said bottom seal and out of said pouch and forming an opening of said pouch along said second side edge wider than said display boards to allow the insertion of said display boards therethrough.

2. A vest as in claim 1 further comprising:

said front and back panels being comprised of a lightweight material and having a hole;

said front and back panels having reinforced slots located on the bottom corners thereof; and

two lightweight straps each attached to one of said slots in said back panel for connecting said back and front panels.