Abstract:
A conical mount is used to mount a novelty item such as a pennant, figurine, or advertising shape secure on a post such as an automobile antenna. The conical mount secures the item rigidly to the antenna at any selected location by cooperating with a corresponding conical aperture on the mounted item to provide a fitted attachment between the novelty item and the conical mount. The two halves of the conical mount have mating tabs and slots that provide for a compressive interlock about the varying diameters of an antenna.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to novelty items, and more particularly to a clip used to mount a novelty item such as a pennant, figurine, or advertising shape on to a post such as an automobile antenna or a writing utensil. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It has become very popular to display various items on one&#39;s automobile antenna theses days. Further, the proliferation of items that one can mount on an automobile antenna grows every day. Numerous items can be mounted on an antenna from pennants that show support for one&#39;s favorite team, to souvenirs that reflect a visit to a favorite vacation destination, to gas station and fast food figures and shapes. However, it is often difficult to mount the item on the antenna in a manner that will reduce the risk that the item will become dislodged or disconnected during driving conditions. When driving at a high rate of speed, the item is subjected to large dynamic forces caused by movement of air over the vehicle. If not securely attached, the item will become separated from the antenna. It has been customary to locate the item at the very top of the antenna using attachments that were too complicated and expensive, or that were unable to hold the display item to the antenna under all conditions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a clip used to mount a novelty item such as a pennant, figurine, or advertising shape on to a post such as an automobile antenna or a writing utensil. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a conical mount that cooperates with a corresponding conical aperture on the mounted item to provide a fitted attachment The conical mount is in two halves adapted to be mounted together around an antenna, and to hold fast to the antenna anywhere along its length. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The exact nature of this invention, as well as its objects and advantages, will become readily apparent upon reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a partial exploded front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention mounted on an antenna. 
         FIG. 2   a  is a side exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the conical mount. 
         FIG. 2   b  is a bottom view of a preferred embodiment of the conical mount. 
         FIG. 2   c  is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the conical mount. 
         FIG. 2   d  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of one half of the conical mount. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a mounted item on an antenna. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a pennant mounted to an antenna. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view, partially in sections of a display item mounted to a pencil with an exploded view of the conical mount of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the display item shown in FIG.  3 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a clip for mounting a novelty item. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention  10 . A conical mount  20  has two halves  22 ,  24  which when snapped in place on an antenna  100  supports a novelty item  30  ( FIG. 3 ) such as a racing tire, a pennant, or a football helmet, for example. The conical mount  20  is preferably in the shape of a wedge. In general, the conical mount  20  is insertable into a tapered aperture  35  ( FIGS. 3 ,  5 ) of the novelty item  30  to support the item  30  on the antenna  100  wherever it is placed. 
     A channel  25  through the middle of the conical mount  20  accommodates an antenna  100 . It is formed by a semi-circular groove longitudinally disposed in each half  22 ,  24  of the conical mount. When the conical mount  20  is closed on an antenna  100 , the two semi-circular grooves are juxtaposed to form an annular channel  25  sized to receive the antenna  100  about its circumference with a compressive force. The channel  25  is open at both ends of the mount  20  to allow the mount  20  to be located anywhere along the antenna length. The compressive force is sufficient to clamp the mount  20  to the antenna  100  to reliably secure the mount  20  on the antenna at its relatively thin location and lower down where the antenna has a thicker diameter. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2   a - 2   d , for a detailed view of the conical mount, two resilient tabs  27  depend from opposite edges of each half  22 ,  24  of the mount. When brought in initial contact with each other, there is a slight interference as the tabs  27  contact a corresponding portion of the complimentary edge of the other half. As the halves  22 ,  24  are pushed toward each other the interference is overcome and the tabs  27  slide over the complimentary edge and become seated in a corresponding slot  29  sized to receive the tab  27 . The slots  29  are preferably sized such that the engagement of the tab  27  with the slot  29  places the two components in compression. There is preferably at least one set of tabs and slots on each side of each half of the mount, creating a more stable compressive force that is less likely to allow the mount  20  to twist or pry loose. Each half of the conical mount snaps into alignment with its corresponding mating other half as shown in  FIGS. 2   a - 2   d . The compressive force generated by the engagement of the tabs  27  with the slots  29  provides a frictional resistance that holds the clip  20  and the novelty item  30  at its designated position on the antenna  100 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the conical mount  20  supporting a novelty item  30  on an antenna  100 . As can be seen in the figure, the novelty item  30  depicted includes a conical aperture  35 . The aperture  35  corresponds with the conical outer shape of the mount  20 . The relationship is preferably conical, but may be other shapes, rectangular, tubular, triangular, for example. The novelty item  30  rests on and is secured to the-mount  20  after being placed over the antenna  100  and moved downward until mated with the mount  20  by slipping into groove  28  at the base of conical mount  20 . To this end, the novelty item will ordinarily have a passage through the item  30  to allow the antenna  100  to pass through an aperture  37  on the top surface of the novelty item  30 . A preferred embodiment of the aperture  37  is shown in FIG.  6 . As shown, the aperture  37  is preferably a small hole at the center of a cross-shaped perforation in the material of the display item  30 . The perforation allows the aperture  37  to expand to fit over the top of an antenna and then contract to the antenna&#39;s narrower diameter. With this configuration, the novelty item  30  can be passed down along the length of the antenna  100  to the location of the mount  20 , and be set at any desired position on the antenna  100 . 
     It is to be understood that the novelty item can take various forms and still be displayed by the conical mount  20  of the present invention. A few of the many possibilities for adorning an automobile are: a miniature of a football helmet, a soccer ball, basketball, or race car wheel, the head of a cartoon character, or a soft drink can. An exemplary alternative embodiment of a display item is a pennant  40  using the conical mount  20  as shown in FIG.  4 . The pennant  40  can be secured to a display item mount  45 . The mount  45  is then secured to an antenna  100  using the clip  20  and tapered aperture  35  arrangement as described above. 
     Alternatively, the mount  20  and tapered aperture  35  arrangement can support a novelty item  30  on a variety of cylindrical posts such as pencil  110  (FIG.  5 ). The channel  25  ( FIG. 2   d  ) of the clip  20  can be varied in sized to accommodate various cylindrical posts. 
     Thus, a conical mount for novelty items is described that allows a user to mount a novelty item onto, inter alia, an automobile antenna or other cylindrical post such as a pencil anywhere along the length of the post. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.