Motor vehicle decal display system

• US 20050034340A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malcolm Anton Mcmanus Burke
• Original Assignee: Malcolm Anton Mcmanus Burke
• Inventors: Burke, Malcolm Anton McManus
• Granted Patent: US 7,143,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/591
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and means for activating, controlling, and managing the display of decals, stickers, labels, placards, automatic toll paying devices, or similar items through the use of actuating decal plates that may be programmed to be exposed dependent on a motor vehicle'"'"'s operating status, at the discretion of the motor vehicle operator, or based upon the reception of external or internal activating signals such as location based devises (ie: GPS, cellular, or radio tranmissions). The motor vehicle decal display system will comprise single or multiple decal display plates, decal display plate housing(s), and button(s), switch(es) or other means of manual or sensate activation, whereby decals may be displayed depending on the nature of the vehicles operation, the commands of the operator, or other stimuli.

Claims

1. A decal display plate composed of plastic, safety glass plate, or other material, approximately ⅛

^th of an inch thick, and measuring approximately six (6) inches wide by approximately four (4) inches long, with a decal display area of approximately five (5) inches by approximately three (3) inches, along the sides of which are a plurality of depressions to accommodate spring-loaded ball bearings that secure the decal display plate to tracks within a decal display plate housing, and through the front surface of which are a plurality of holes through which a small article could be inserted, and upon the front surface of which is an area which may be etched or embossed with a vehicle identification number or other data.

2. A decal display system within a motor vehicle comprising:

a plurality of decal display plates;

a plurality of decal display plate housing units containing a retainer mechanism comprising tracks into which the deal display plate may be inserted and within which are spring elements which provide sufficient spring force to maintain engagement of ball bearings within accommodating depressions along the edges of the decal display plate, and which are connected to an electric motor which, when activated, causes the tracks to articulate in such a manner as to expose the decal display plate from within the housing unit through an opening on the top edge of the housing unit, or when activated in another manner to cause the tracks to retract into the housing unit, thereby retracting the decal display plate through the aforementioned opening and concealing the decal display plate from view, and

a means for managing the exposure of said decal display plates from within said housing units comprising a selector switch associated with circuitry, the motor vehicle'"'"'s electric power source, and the electric motor within the decal display plate housing unit wherein said selector switch may be adapted in one position to automatically activate the electrical motor connected to the motor vehicle'"'"'s electric power supply, and extend a particular decal display plate whenever the motor vehicle is in the “

park”

gear, or in some other nature or manner of operation (e.g.;

while the car is unoccupied, when the key is not inserted into the ignition, when the engine is not running, or when the motor vehicle'"'"'s alarm has been armed), and which may be adapted into another position to extend the decal display plate from the housing when the motor vehicle is in an “

operating”

gear (i.e., a forward gear, reverse, or neutral), or in some other nature or manner of operation (e.g., while the car is occupied, when the key is inserted into the ignition, when the engine is running).

3. A decal display system of claim 2 wherein said selector switch is adapted with a receiver to extend and retract the decal display plate upon the receipt of signals or transmissions from within or outside the motor vehicle (e.g. when the motor vehicle is located within a particular area, or areas, on the earth'"'"'s surface, and as pre-programmed by the vehicle operator or owner utilizing data received from a global position satellite (“

GPS”

) unit;

or when the motor vehicle is in close proximity to a devise emitting radio, cellular, blue-tooth or other signals which activate the selector switch.)

4. A decal display system of claim 3 wherein the opening on the top edge of the housing unit is adapted to allow for passage of a decal display plate upon which an article thicker than a decal has been affixed, (i.e., such devices as automatic toll paying devices like “

EZPass” and

“

Speed Pass”

units, or a remote control garage door opener.)