Accident report kit

• US 5,992,620 A
• Filed: 10/15/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald P. Holtom
• Original Assignee: Ronald P. Holtom
• Inventors: Holtom, Ronald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US09/174,347
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 206/214, 206/215, 206/232, 206/224, 206/371, 206/472, 206/573, 206/578, 312/231, 190/109, 190/111, 190/900, 190/901, 190/902
• US Class Current: 206/232
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38

Abstract

An accident report kit for providing accessories that may be used to record the details of a traffic accident in a single case. The accident report kit includes a carrying case with a main portion and a tray portion. The main portion of the carrying case has spaced apart front and back walls, a bottom wall, and a pair of spaced apart side walls. The main portion has a top edge along the front, back and side walls defining a top opening into the main portion. The carrying case has a top flap substantially covering the top opening of the main portion. The main portion of the carrying case has a plurality of generally rectangular divider panels therein forming a plurality of compartments. The tray portion of the carrying case has a back panel and a perimeter lip extending around the back panel of the tray portion to define a tray space therein. The perimeter lip of the tray portion is pivotally coupled to the back wall of the main portion adjacent a side wall of the main portion.

Claims

1. An accident report kit, comprising:

a carrying case having a main portion and a tray portion

said main portion of said carrying case having spaced apart front and back walls, a bottom wall, and a pair of spaced apart side walls;

said main portion having a top edge along said front, back and side walls defining a top opening into said main portion;

said carrying case having a top flap substantially covering said top opening of said main portion;

said main portion of said carrying case having a plurality of generally rectangular divider panels therein forming a plurality of compartments in said main portion;

said tray portion of said carrying case having a back panel and a perimeter lip extending around said back panel of said tray portion to define a tray space therein;

said perimeter lip of said tray portion being pivotally coupled to said back wall of said main portion adjacent a side wall of said main portion;

wherein said plurality of divider panels includes three spaced apart side divider panels, each of side divider panels having a length extending between said bottom wall and said top opening of said main portion and a width extending between said front and back walls of said main portion, wherein a first of said side divider panels is positioned towards a first of said side walls of said main portion, a second of said side divider panels is positioned towards a second of said side walls of said main portion, and a third of said side divider panels is interposed between said first and second side divider panels;

wherein said plurality of divider panels includes a middle divider panel extending between said first and second side divider panels through said third side divider panel;

wherein said first side wall and said first side divider define a first compartment adapted for holding a camera therein, wherein said second side wall and said second side divider define a second compartment adapted for holding a flashlight therein, wherein said first and third side divider panels and said middle divider panel define third and fourth compartments, said third compartment being adapted for holding a sketch pad therein, said fourth compartment being adapted for holding vehicle registration and insurance information therein, and wherein said second and third side divider panels and said middle divider panel define fifth and sixth compartments, fifth compartment being adapted for holding a retractable measuring tape therein, said sixth compartment being adapted for holding chalk therein;

a flashlight being provided in said second compartment;

wherein said flashlight has a generally rectangular box-shape outer configuration and has a first light source at an end of said flashlight and a second light source at a side of said flashlight; and

wherein said back wall of said main portion has a generally rectangular generally transparent window region adjacent said second compartment to permit passage of light from said second compartment through said generally transparent window region to said tray space, said second light source of said flashlight being positioned adjacent said generally transparent window to permit the shining of light from said second light source through said generally transparent window.

2. The accident report kit of claim 1, wherein said front and back walls of said main portion generally lie in generally parallel planes to one another, wherein said side walls of said main portion generally lie in generally parallel planes to one another generally perpendicular to said front and back walls of said main portion, and wherein said bottom wall and said top edge of said main portion generally lie in generally parallel planes to one another generally perpendicular to said front, back, and side walls of said main portion.

3. The accident report kit of claim 1, wherein said top flap has a covering portion and a lifting portion pivotally coupled together, wherein said covering portion of said top flap substantially covers said top opening of said main portion, said covering portion of said top flap being pivotally coupled to said back wall of said main portion along said upper edge of said main portion, and wherein said lifting portion of said top flap is detachably attached to said front wall of said main portion.

4. The accident report kit of claim 3, wherein a snap fastener detachably attaches said lifting portion of said top flap to said front wall of said main portion.

5. The accident report kit of claim 1, wherein said side divider panels generally lie in parallel planes to one another generally parallel to said side walls of said main portion.

6. The accident report kit of claim 1, wherein said middle divider panel generally lies in a plane generally parallel to said front and back walls of said main portion.

7. The accident report kit of claim 6, wherein said middle divider panel is about equally spaced between said front and back walls of said main portion.

8. The accident report kit of claim 1, wherein said first side divider panel is spaced apart a distance from said first side wall of said main portion, said second side divider panel is spaced apart a distance from said second side wall of said main portion, and wherein said distance between said first side divider panel and said first side wall is about equal to said distance between said second side divider panel and said second side wall.

9. The accident report kit of claim 8, wherein said third side divider panel is spaced apart from said first side divider panel a first distance, said third side divider panel being spaced apart from said second side divider panel a second distance, wherein said first distance of said third side divider panel is greater than said second distance of third side divider panel such that said third side divider panel is closer to said second side divider panel than to said first side divider panel.

10. The accident report kit of claim 9, wherein said first distance of said third side divider panel is at least two-times greater than said second distance of third side divider panel.

11. The accident report kit of claim 1, further comprising a camera being provided in said first compartment, a sketch pad being provided in said third compartment, a measuring tape being provided in said fifth compartment, and at least one stick of chalk being provided in said sixth compartment.

12. The accident report kit of claim 1, wherein said outer configuration of said flashlight substantially fills said second compartment.

13. An accident report kit, comprising:

a carrying case having a generally rectangular box-shaped outer configuration and having a main portion and a tray portion;

said main portion of said carrying case having spaced apart generally rectangular front and back walls, a generally rectangular bottom wall, and a pair of spaced apart generally rectangular side walls, said bottom wall and said side walls of said main portion being extended between said front and back walls of said main portion, said bottom wall of said main portion being extended between said side walls of said main portion;

said main portion having a generally rectangular top edge along said front, back and side walls defining a generally rectangular top opening into said main portion;

said front and back walls of said main portion generally lying in generally parallel planes to one another, said side walls of said main portion generally lying in generally parallel planes top one another generally perpendicular to said front and back walls of said main portion, said bottom wall and said top edge of said main portion generally lying in generally parallel planes to one another generally perpendicular to said front, back, and side walls of said main portion;

said carrying case having a top flap substantially covering said top opening of said main portion, said top flap having a generally rectangular covering portion and a generally triangular lifting portion pivotally coupled together;

said covering portion of said top flap substantially covering said top opening of said main portion, said covering portion of said top flap being coupled to said back wall of said main portion along said upper edge of said main portion;

said lifting portion of said top flap being detachably attached to said front wall of said main portion wherein a snap fastener detachably attaches said lifting portion of said top flap to said front wall of said main portion;

said main portion of said carrying case having a plurality of generally rectangular divider panels therein forming a plurality of compartments in said main portion;

said plurality of divider panels including three spaced apart side divider panels, each of side divider panels having a length extending between said bottom wall and said top opening of said main portion and a width extending between said front and back walls of said main portion;

said side divider panels generally lying in parallel planes to one another generally parallel to said side walls of said main portion;

a first of said side divider panels being positioned towards a first of said side walls of said main portion, a second of said side divider panels being positioned towards a second of said side wall of said main portion, a third of said side divider panels being interposed between said first and second side divider panels;

said first side divider panel being spaced apart a distance from said first side wall of said main portion, said second side divider panel being spaced apart a distance from said second side wall of said main portion, wherein said distance between said first side divider panel and said first side wall is about equal to said distance between said second side divider panel and said second side wall;

said third side divider panel being spaced apart from said first side divider panel a first distance, said third side divider panel being spaced apart from said second side divider panel a second distance, wherein said first distance of said third side divider panel is greater than said second distance of said third side divider panel such that said third side divider panel is closer to said second side divider panel than to said first side divider panel, wherein said first distance of said third side divider panel is at least two-times greater than said second distance of said third side divider panel;

said plurality of divider panels including a generally rectangular middle divider panel extending between said first and second side divider panels through said third side divider panel;

said middle divider panel generally lying in a plane generally parallel to said front and back walls of said main portion, said middle divider panel being about equally spaced between said front and back walls of said main portion;

said first side wall and said first side divider panel defining a first compartment adapted for holding a camera therein;

said second side wall and said second side divider panel defining a second compartment adapted for holding a flashlight therein;

said first and third side divider panels and said middle divider panel defining third and fourth compartments, said third compartment being adapted for holding a sketch pad therein, said fourth compartment being adapted for holding vehicle registration and insurance information therein;

said second and third side divider panels and said middle divider panel defining fifth and sixth compartments, fifth compartment being adapted for holding a retractable measuring tape therein, said sixth compartment being adapted for holding chalk therein;

said tray portion of said carrying case having a generally rectangular back panel and a generally rectangular perimeter lip extending around said back panel of said tray portion to defining a generally rectangular tray space adapted for receiving a generally rectangular note pad therein;

said perimeter lip of said tray portion being pivotally coupled to said back wall of said main portion adjacent said second side wall of said main portion;

said perimeter lip of said tray portion having a flexible attachment strap being detachably attached to said first side wall such that said tray space is substantially covered by said back wall of said main portion, wherein a snap fastener detachably attaches said attachment strap of said perimeter lip to said first side wall of said main portion;

a camera being provided in said first compartment;

a sketch pad being provided in said third compartment, said sketch pad including an instruction sheet having instructions for a user to follow after an accident has occurred;

a retractable measuring tape being provided in said fifth compartment;

at least one stick of chalk being provided in said sixth compartment;

a flashlight being provided in said second compartment, said flashlight having a generally rectangular box-shape outer configuration and having a first light source at an end of said flashlight and a second light source at a side of said flashlight;

said outer configuration of said flashlight substantially filling said second compartment;

said back wall of said main portion having a generally rectangular generally transparent window region adjacent said second compartment to permit passage of light from said second compartment through said generally transparent window region to said tray space;

said second light source of said flashlight being positioned adjacent said generally transparent window to permit the shining of light from said second light source through said generally transparent window;

a note pad being provided in said tray space, said note pad having plurality of sheets each having a questionnaire thereon with a plurality of boxes for filling in information relating to the accident including information concerning the vehicles involved in the accident, information concerning witnesses to the accident, and information concerning the details of the accident; and

a writing instrument being provided in said tray space.

14. An accident report kit, comprising:

a carrying case having a main portion and a tray portion;

said main portion of said carrying case having spaced apart front and back walls, a bottom wall, and a pair of spaced apart side walls;

said main portion having a top edge along said front, back and side walls defining a top opening into said main portion;

said carrying case having a top flap substantially covering said top opening of said main portion;

said main portion of said carrying case having a plurality of generally rectangular divider panels therein forming a plurality of compartments in said main portion;

said tray portion of said carrying case having a back panel and a perimeter lip extending around said back panel of said tray portion to define a tray space therein;

said perimeter lip of said tray portion being pivotally coupled to said back wall of said main portion adjacent a side wall of said main portion;

a flashlight being provided in a compartment in said main portion;

wherein said flashlight has a generally rectangular box-shape outer configuration and has a first light source at an end of said flashlight and a second light source at a side of said flashlight; and

wherein said back wall of said main portion has a generally rectangular generally transparent window region adjacent said compartment to permit passage of light from said compartment through said generally transparent window region to said tray space, said second light source of said flashlight being positioned adjacent said generally transparent window region to permit the shining of light from said second light source through said generally transparent window.

15. The accident report kit of claim 14, wherein said front and back walls of said main portion generally lie in generally parallel planes to one another, wherein said side walls of said main portion generally lie in generally parallel planes to one another generally perpendicular to said front and back walls of said main portion, and wherein said bottom wall and said top edge of said main portion generally lie in generally parallel planes to one another generally perpendicular to said front, back, and side walls of said main portion.

16. The accident report kit of claim 14, wherein said top flap has a covering portion and a lifting portion pivotally coupled together, wherein said covering portion of said top flap substantially covers said top opening of said main portion, said covering portion of said top flap being pivotally coupled to said back wall of said main portion along said upper edge of said main portion, and wherein said lifting portion of said top flap is detachably attached to said front wall of said main portion.

17. The accident report kit of claim 16, wherein a snap fastener detachably attaches said lifting portion of said top flap to said front wall of said main portion.

18. The accident report kit of claim 14, wherein said plurality of divider panels includes three spaced apart side divider panels, each of side divider panels having a length extending between said bottom wall and said top opening of said main portion and a width extending between said front and back walls of said main portion, wherein a first of said side divider panels is positioned towards a first of said side walls of said main portion, a second of said side divider panels is positioned towards a second of said side walls of said main portion, and a third of said side divider panels is interposed between said first and second side divider panels.

19. The accident report kit of claim 18, wherein said plurality of divider panels includes a middle divider panel extending between said first and second side divider panels through said third side divider panel.