Amusement device for preventing boredom in a traveling vehicle

• US 6,296,544 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leonard Holtz
• Original Assignee: Leonard Holtz
• Inventors: Hochfeld, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jr., Jacob K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Bena B.
• Application Number:
  US09/185,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 446/485, 434/169, 434/176, 434/184, 407/14, 407/15, 407/16, 407/37, 407/65
• US Class Current: 446/485
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/00 Other toys

Abstract

An amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle, includes a housing having a paper holding area defined by side walls and a bottom wall for receiving and holding a piece of paper therein, a transparent top wall in overlying relation to the paper holding area such that the piece of paper is viewable through the transparent wall, the transparent wall having an outer surface which can be written on and then erased, and a slot in one side wall for receiving the piece of paper into the paper holding area and for removing the piece of paper from the paper holding area; a mounting assembly for mounting the housing to a seat of the traveling vehicle so that the piece of paper is viewable by a person to the rear of the seat, the mounting assembly including two hook members connected with the housing for hanging the housing from the seat of the traveling vehicle; a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted in spaced relation to an inner surface of the transparent wall for providing an indication as to predefined points on the paper held in the paper holding area, the paper includes indicia thereon corresponding to the light emitting diodes; an actuation device for actuating selected ones of the light emitting diodes from a location remote from the housing; and a back light in the housing for illuminating a rear side of the piece of paper.

Claims

1. An amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle, comprising:

a sheet having indicia thereon which represents a travel route of the vehicle;

a housing including;

a sheet holding area for receiving and holding the sheet,

a transparent wall in overlying relation to said sheet holding area such that the sheet is viewable through the transparent wall, and

a retaining section for receiving the sheet in the sheet holding area and for retaining the sheet in the sheet holding area;

a mounting assembly for mounting the housing to a seat of the traveling vehicle so that the sheet is viewable by a person to the rear of the seat;

a plurality of lights mounted in spaced relation to the housing and providing an indication as to predefined points along the travel route represented on the sheet held in the sheet holding area; and

an actuation device for actuating selected ones of said lights from a location remote from said housing, to illuminate selected points along the travel route represented on the sheet, thereby visually indicating the travel progress of the vehicle along the travel route;

wherein said housing further includes;

side walls and a bottom wall connected with lower ends of said side walls, with said transparent wall forming a top wall connected with upper ends of said side walls so as to define said sheet holding area;

an opening provided as a slot in a first one of said side walls;

a first set of ledges on opposite second and third ones of said side walls; and

a second set of ledges formed on the inner surfaces of said second and third ones of said side walls in spaced relation to the first set of ledges so as to define a gap between each ledge of the first set and a corresponding ledge of the second set, with the gap being aligned with said opening in said one side wall, such that said ledges restrain the sheet inserted in the sheet holding area.

2. An amusement device according to claim 1, further comprising a back light in the housing for illuminating a rear side of the sheet inserted in the sheet holding area.

3. An amusement device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lights include light emitting diodes.

4. An amusement device according to claim 3, wherein said light emitting diodes are mounted to an inner surface of said transparent wall.

5. An amusement device according to claim 3, wherein the indicia on the sheet corresponds in position to the positions of the light emitting diodes.

6. An amusement device according to claim 1, wherein said transparent wall has an outer surface which can be written on and then erased.

7. An amusement device according to claim 1, wherein said actuation device includes a plurality of switches, each associated with a respective light for actuating the respective light.

8. An amusement device according to claim 1, wherein said mounting assembly includes two hook members connected with said housing for hanging said housing from the seat of the traveling vehicle.

9. An amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle, comprising:

a sheet having indicia thereon which represents a travel route of the vehicle;

a housing including;

a sheet holding area for receiving and holding the sheet therein,

a transparent wall in overlying relation to said sheet holding area such that the sheet is viewable through the transparent wall, said transparent wall having an outer surface which can be written on and then erased, and

a section for receiving in the sheet the sheet holding area and for retaining the sheet in the sheet holding area;

a mounting assembly for mounting the housing to a seat of the traveling vehicle so that the sheet is viewable by a person to the rear of the seat, said mounting assembly including two hook members connected with said housing for hanging said housing from the seat of the traveling vehicle;

a plurality of lights mounted in spaced relation to an inner surface of the transparent wall for providing an indication as to predefined points along the travel route represented on the sheet held in the sheet holding area; and

an actuation device for actuating selected ones of said lights from a location remote from said housing, to illuminate selected points along the travel route represented on the sheet, thereby visually indicating the travel progress of the vehicle along the travel route;

wherein said housing further includes;

side walls and a bottom wall connected with lower ends of said side walls, with said transparent wall forming a top wall connected with upper ends of said side walls so as to define said sheet holding area;

an opening provided as a slot in a first one of said side walls;

a first set of ledges on opposite second and third ones of said side walls; and

a second set of ledges formed on the inner surfaces of said second and third ones of said side walls in spaced relation to the first set of ledges so as to define a gap between each ledge of the first set and a corresponding ledge of the second set, with the gap being aligned with said opening in said one side wall, such that said ledges restrain the sheet inserted in the sheet holding area.

10. An amusement device according to claim 9, further comprising a back light in the housing for illuminating a rear side of the sheet inserted in the sheet holding area.

11. An amusement device according to claim 10, wherein the indicia on the sheet corresponds in position to the positions of the light emitting diodes.

12. An amusement device according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of lights include light emitting diodes.

13. An amusement device according to claim 9, wherein said actuation device includes a plurality of switches, each associated with a respective light for actuating the respective light.