Vehicle-mounted, rear-directed message display apparatus

• US 6,178,677 B1
• Filed: 04/16/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frederick A. Williams
• Original Assignee: Frederick A. Williams
• Inventors: Williams, Frederick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US09/293,130
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 405/93, 405/91, 405/64, 340/902
• US Class Current: 40/593
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/503 using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted, rear-directed message display apparatus includes a housing which includes a transparent rear wall, a front wall, side walls, a bottom wall, and a cover. Support assemblies are connected to the side walls and extend downward. Illumination lamps are supported inside the housing near the front wall. A display sign is supported inside the housing between the illumination lamps and the transparent rear wall. The display sign includes an opaque background and transparent message lettering. An illumination control switch is electrically connected to the illumination lamps. With the invention installed in a front vehicle, when the driver of the front vehicle thinks that a following vehicle is following too closely, the driver of the front vehicle can operate the illumination control switch to light the illumination lamps to illuminate the display sign to warn the driver of the following vehicle that the following vehicle is following too closely. The front wall includes an illumination monitor aperture so that a driver can observe the status of the message display in the rear view mirror of the vehicle. With another embodiment of the invention, each of the support assemblies further includes a lock nut connected to a respective strut-to-housing connector portion for locking the housing in a selected orientation angle with respect to the respective support assembly.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted, rear-directed message display apparatus, comprising:

a housing which includes a transparent rear wall, a front wall, side walls, a bottom wall, and a cover,

support assemblies connected to said housing,

an illumination assembly supported inside said housing,

a display sign supported inside said housing between said illumination assembly and said transparent rear wall, and

an illumination control switch electrically connected to said illumination assembly by an electrical conductor,

wherein each of said support assemblies includes;

a support base plate,

base-plate-to-vehicle fasteners for attaching said support base plate to a horizontal surface located between the back of a rear seat and rear window of a vehicle,

a cylindrical riser member connected to said support base plate,

a strut adjustably connected to said cylindrical riser member,

a strut-to-housing connector portion connected to said strut,

a connector-portion-reception bracket,

an offset bushing located between said connector-portion-reception bracket and one of said side walls, and

fasteners for connecting said connector-portion-reception bracket and said offset bushing to said side wall.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said support assemblies further includes a lock nut connected to a respective strut-to-housing connector portion for locking said respective housing in a selected orientation angle with respect to said respective support assembly.