US3113551A

US3113551A - Highway traffic warning signal device

Info

Publication number: US3113551A
Application number: US153515A
Authority: US
Inventors: Korn Meyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-11-20
Filing date: 1961-11-20
Publication date: 1963-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-10

Description

Dec. 10, 1963 M. KORN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WARNING SIGNAL DEVICE Filed NOV. 20, 1961 FIG.1

KIIK F IG. 3

INVENTOR.

Meyer Korn -,3. 1%-

AT TORNEY United States Patent Ofiflce 3,ll3,55l Patented Dec. 10, 1%63 3,113,551 lllGl-EWAY TRAFFEC WARNENG SIGNAL DEVEQE Meyer Kern, 327 E. 29th St., Brooklyn, Nil. Filed Nov. 28, Ser. No. 153,515 4 Claims. (Cl. 116-63) This invention relates to a trafiic signal device and more particularly concerns a signal device of the type used on highways to warn of a stopped vehicle.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved proved traflic signal device in the form of an inflatable flexible envelope, which is formed of colored plastic sheeting and may be quickly inflated to provide a conspicuous and immediately noticeable signal means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a signal device of the character described which comprises a light weight flexible envelope, together with flexible valve means which permits the envelope to be quickly inflated for use; said inflated envelope lending itself to positioning in an upright manner while secured to a suitable base by means of adhesive tape provided for the purpose.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a front elevational View of a signal device embodying the invention with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 1 mounted on a base element; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 16 designates a traflic warning signal device embodying the invention. The same comprises a flexible, tubular envelope 11 formed of extruded thin plastic material such as polyethylene or the like.

The envelope ll in deflated, flattened form comprises opposed rectangular

shaped walls

12, 13 which may have a length 3 to 4 times the width thereof.

Walls

12, 13 are hot seamed together at one end thereof, as at 14, to provide an air tight closure at said end. The envelope ll is also hot seamed at its other end, as at 15, in a manner similar to the formation of seam 14, except that a thin, flattened, flexible valve element 16 is inserted etween the seamed edge portions l7, 13.

Valve element 16 is of a known construction, being formed of extruded, thin plastic material to provide limp walls 19 in opposed relation; said element being open at the opposite ends thereof 2%, 2-1. The valve element 16 is suitably located at a central point in seam line 15, with one end portion 22 projecting interiorly within envelope 11 and the other end portion 23 projecting outwardly of the envelope 11.

It will be apparent that envelope ll may be readily inflated by blowing into the outer portion 2-3 of valve element 16. The limp walls of the inner portion 22 of the valve element 16 are held in contacting relation by the build up of pressure within the envelope, thus elfectively sealing the inflated envelope.

The envelope 11 is formed of plastic material of con spicuous coloring so as to readily attract attention. Furthermore, the

walls

12, 13 thereof are imprinted in contrasting colors with selected Warming signals. When the envelope 11 has been fully inflated, it will assume an elongated, pillowlike condition. Such envelope is then disposed in an upright condition at a suitable location in respect to the parked vehicle, so as to serve as a warning signal for oncoming vehicles.

To this end, envelope 11 can be anchored to a base member by means of adhesive tape. Thus, a hub cap indicated at 25 serves as a base member. A pair of

tape members

26, 27 are provided, for securing envelope 11 to base member 25.

Tape members

25, 27 are provided with the usual cover layers, not shown, which are stripped off to expose pressure sensitive coatings on the tape mem bers.

The

tape members

26, 27 are secured to the lower end portions of envelope, to walls l2, 13 thereof, and projecting end portions of said tape members are secured to top surface portions of the base member 25.

When envelope 11 is not in actual use, it is readily deflated, as by inserting a tubular strawlike member, not shown, into valve element 15, to allow the air within said envelope to escape. The envelope, can then be fold ed into compact form for storage until it is to be used again as a warning signal. A number of tape members 25, 2'? are provided for multiple uses of the device 169.

The envelope 11 can bear coatings or imprints of fluorescent inks so as to be self illuminating in the glare of the lights of oncoming vehicles at night. As the devices iii are extremely economical to produce, the same may be discarded, if desired, after a single usage.

As various changes might be made in the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation, except as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. A highway trailic Warning signal device comprising an elongated rectangular inflatable envelope including opposed rectangular wall portions, said walls being secured together about their peripheral edges, a thin flexible valve member secured between edge portions of said wall portions, one end of said valve member projecting into the interior of said envelope and the other end projecting outwardly of said envelope whereby said envelope may be inflated, and adhesive tape means on one end of said envelope for securing the inflated envelope to a base while disposing the inflated envelope in an upright signalling condition, said envelope being foldable to flat compact form when not in use.

2. A highway traflic warning signal device comprising an inflatable rectangular envelope, said envelope comprising a tubular member of thin limp plastic sheeting, said tubular member being sealed transversely at the opposite ends thereof, a flattened tubular valve device of thin flexible material secured between sealed edge portions of said tubular member at one end thereof, said valve device including one end portion thereof projecting interior-1y of said envelope and another end portion projecting exteriorly of said envelope, and a plurality of adhesive tape sections on opposite sides of said envelope at one end thereof for securing said envelope in its inflated condition to a base while disposing said inflated envelope in an upright warning position.

3. A highway traffic warning signal device comprising an elongated, rectangular flexible inflatable envelope adapted to be rolled or folded to a compact condition when not in use, said envelope including flexible, rollable and foldable valve means for inflating said envelope,

and flexible adhesive tape means on opposite sides of said envelope at one end thereoi for securing said inflated envelope in a predetermined relation to a base.

4. A highway traffic warning signal device comprising a flattened rectangular tubular envelope having the transverse opposed end edges at the opposite ends thereof sealed together, an elongated, flexible flattened tubular valve means secured between the sealed edges of said envelope at one end thereof Within one end of said valve means projecting interiorli of said envelope and the other end thereof projecting exteriorly of said envelope for inflating said envelope, and a plurality of adhesive tape strips on one end of said inflated envelope for securing said envelope to a base member in an upright Warning position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gregory Nov. 14, 1911 MacDonald Feb. 19, 1929 Andrews Feb. 1, 1955 Weig Sept. 11, 1956 Baker July 23, 1957 Frankel Dec. 9, 1958 Fohr Nov. 21, 1961

Claims

1. A HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WARNING SIGNAL DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RECTANGULAR INFLATABLE ENVELOPE INCLUDING OPPOSED RECTANGULAR WALL PORTIONS, SAID WALLS BEING SECURED TOGETHER ABOUT THEIR PERIPHERAL EDGES, A THIN FLEXIBLE VALVE MEMBER SECURED BETWEEN EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID WALL PORTIONS, ONE END OF SAID VALVE MEMBER PROJECTING INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID ENVELOPE AND THE OTHER END PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF SAID ENVELOPE WHEREBY SAID ENVELOPE MAY BE INFLATED, AND ADHESIVE TAPE MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID ENVELOPE FOR SECURING THE INFLATED ENVELOPE TO A BASE WHILE DISPOSING THE INFLATED ENVELOPE IN AN UPRIGHT SIGNALLING CONDITION, SAID ENVELOPE BEING FOLDABLE TO FLAT COMPACT FORM WHEN NOT IN USE.