Electroluminescent vehicle license plate frame for displaying advertisement and associated method

• US 7,430,822 B1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David M. Combs
• Original Assignee: David M. Combs
• Inventors: Combs, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US11/649,135
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 405/44, 402/04, 402/09, D12/193
• US Class Current: 40/209
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/10 Registration, licensing, or like devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles

Abstract

A license plate frame design for providing a thin visually appealing motor vehicle accessory that illuminates advertising text and or a design comprises recessed strip lighting illuminating through recessed color tinted transparent material and through the said advertising test and or said design held or sealed into place by means of a backing plate with a direct current inverter attached by means of lead wires to said motor vehicles controllable direct current power source and to said strip lighting by means of lead wires. Providing the motor vehicle operator to transmit direct current from said motor vehicle when desired, to the said license plate frame to add visual appeal by illuminating their said advertisement and or said design. Thus a very thin and visually appealing motor vehicle accessory is provided.

Claims

1. An electroluminescent license plate frame for providing advertisement on a vehicle, said license plate frame comprising:

a front plate directly mounted to the vehicle and having oppositely facing front and back portions respectively;

a recessed pocket formed within said front plate;

an electroluminescent strip lighting attached to positive and negative wires of a direct current power source of the vehicle, said strip lighting being recessed into said back portion of said frame;

a transparent and color tinted member recessed between said strip lighting and said frame respectively;

a direct current inverter for receiving power from the direct current power source and for transmitting the power to said strip lighting;

surface indicia formed on said front portion of said frame, said surface indicia including at least one of a text indicia and a design indicia respectively; and

,

a backing plate attached to said front plate of said frame and being provided with an opening for receiving the lead wires therethrough;

wherein said strip lighting and said color tinted transparent member are held and sealed between said front and backing plates respectively.

2. The license plate frame of claim 1, wherein said frame comprises:

an upper center portion bearing said text indicia that passes through said frame to said recessed pocket so light can outwardly illuminate through said frame from said strip lighting;

an upper left portion bearing said design indicia passing through said frame to said recessed pocket so light outwardly illuminates through said frame from said strip lighting; and

,

mounting holes drilled through said frame for receiving mounting hardware therethrough in such a manner that said frame is securely attached to the vehicle.

3. The license plate frame of claim 2, wherein said strip lighting is stacked on top of said color tinted transparent member so that said strip lighting illuminates through said surface indicia and said design indicia respectively, said backing plate being statically engaged with said front plate such that said strip lighting remains fixedly disposed therebetween during driving conditions.

4. The license plate frame of claim 1, wherein said surface indicia is located at a lower center portion of said frame, said text indicia passing through said frame to said recessed pocket so that light outwardly illuminates through said frame from said strip lighting;

wherein left and rights corners of lower and upper portions of said frame are provided with mounting holes for receiving mounting hardware and attaching said frame to the vehicle.

5. The license plate frame of claim 1, wherein said text indicia is disposed along a lower center portion of said frame, said design indicia being disposed along a lower right portion of said frame.

6. The license plate frame of claim 1, wherein said text indicia is disposed at an upper center portion of said frame.

7. The license plate frame of claim 1, wherein multiple ones of said text indicia are disposed at upper and lower center portions of said frame.

8. An electroluminescent license plate frame for providing advertisement on a vehicle, said license plate frame comprising:

a front plate directly mounted to the vehicle and having oppositely facing front and back portions respectively;

a recessed pocket formed within said front plate;

an electroluminescent strip lighting attached to positive and negative wires of a direct current power source of the vehicle, said strip lighting being recessed into said back portion of said frame;

a transparent and color tinted member recessed between said strip lighting and said frame respectively;

a direct current inverter for receiving power from the direct current power source and for transmitting the power to said strip lighting;

surface indicia formed on said front portion of said frame, said surface indicia including at least one of a text indicia and a design indicia respectively; and

,

a backing plate attached to said front plate of said frame and being provided with an opening for receiving the lead wires therethrough, said front and backing plates being coextensively shaped;

wherein said strip lighting and said color tinted transparent member are held and sealed between said front and backing plates respectively.

9. The license plate frame of claim 8, wherein said frame comprises:

an upper center portion bearing said text indicia that passes through said frame to said recessed pocket so light can outwardly illuminate through said frame from said strip lighting;

an upper left portion bearing said design indicia passing through said frame to said recessed pocket so light outwardly illuminates through said frame from said strip lighting; and

,

mounting holes drilled through said frame for receiving mounting hardware therethrough in such a manner that said frame is securely attached to the vehicle.

10. The license plate frame of claim 9, wherein said strip lighting is stacked on top of said color tinted transparent member so that said strip lighting illuminates through said surface indicia and said design indicia respectively, said backing plate being statically engaged with said front plate such that said strip lighting remains fixedly disposed therebetween during driving conditions.

11. The license plate frame of claim 8, wherein said surface indicia is located at a lower center portion of said frame, said text indicia passing through said frame to said recessed pocket so that light outwardly illuminates through said frame from said strip lighting;

wherein left and rights corners of lower and upper portions of said frame are provided with mounting holes for receiving mounting hardware and attaching said frame to the vehicle.

12. The license plate frame of claim 8, wherein said text indicia is disposed along a lower center portion of said frame, said design indicia being disposed along a lower right portion of said frame.

13. The license plate frame of claim 8, wherein said text indicia is disposed at an upper center portion of said frame.

14. The license plate frame of claim 8, wherein multiple ones of said text indicia are disposed at upper and lower center portions of said frame.

15. A method for displaying illuminated advertisement indicia on a vehicle license plate frame, said method comprising the steps of:

a. mounting a front plate directly to the vehicle, said front plate having oppositely facing front and back portions respectively;

b. forming a recessed pocket within said front plate;

c. attaching an electroluminescent strip lighting to positive and negative wires of a direct current power source of the vehicle, said strip lighting being recessed into said back portion of said frame;

d. recessing a color tinted transparent member between said strip lighting and said frame respectively;

e. electrically coupling a direct current inverter to said strip lighting and the positive and negative wires for receiving power from the direct current power source and for transmitting the power to said strip lighting;

f. forming surface indicia on said front portion of said frame, said surface indicia including at least one of a text indicia and a design indicia respectively;

g. attaching a backing plate to said front plate of said frame and being provided with an opening for receiving the lead wires therethrough; and

,

h. sealing said strip lighting and said color tinted transparent member between said front and backing plates respectively.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said frame comprises:

an upper center portion bearing said text indicia that passes through said frame to said recessed pocket so light can outwardly illuminate through said frame from said strip lighting;

an upper left portion bearing said design indicia passing through said frame to said recessed pocket so light outwardly illuminates through said frame from said strip lighting; and

,

mounting holes drilled through said frame for receiving mounting hardware therethrough in such a manner that said frame is securely attached to the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said strip lighting is stacked on top of said color tinted transparent member so that said strip lighting illuminates through said surface indicia and said design indicia respectively, said backing plate being statically engaged with said front plate such that said strip lighting remains fixedly disposed therebetween during driving conditions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said surface indicia is located at a lower center portion of said frame, said text indicia passing through said frame to said recessed pocket so that light outwardly illuminates through said frame from said strip lighting;

wherein left and rights corners of lower and upper portions of said frame are provided with mounting holes for receiving mounting hardware and attaching said frame to the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said text indicia is disposed along a lower center portion of said frame, said design indicia being disposed along a lower right portion of said frame.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said text indicia is disposed at an upper center portion of said frame.