Auxiliary turn signal attachment

An auxiliary turn signal indicating light attachment includes a generally rectangular housing having arcuate end walls. A pair of indicating light compartments are formed at opposite ends of the housing and each enclose a turn signal indicating light. A central section in the housing separates the two compartments. In a first embodiment an auxiliary brake indicating light may be disposed in the central section, and in a second embodiment the central section defines a recess dimensioned to straddle an existing auxiliary brake light mounted on the rear deck adjacent the rear window of a vehicle. A pair of spaced mounting brackets are pivotally secured to a pair of rods slidably received within a pair of apertured mounting tabs within the housing. A set screw associated with each mounting tab is utilized to secure the rods in a selected adjusted position. By virtue of this arrangement, the elevation and inclination of the housing may be adjusted with respect to the intended mounting surface to enable usage with a wide variety of differently configured vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to auxiliary indicating light attachments, 
and more particularly pertains to a new and improved auxiliary turn signal 
attachment adapted for mounting on the rear deck, adjacent the rear window 
of a vehicle. Conventional turn signals are sometimes difficult to see, 
because of the low level at which they are mounted and also due to a 
coating of accumulated dirt on the outer surface of the exposed tail light 
lens. Additionally, sunlight reflected from the bumper of a vehicle may 
obscure the turn signal indicating light. In order to overcome these 
problems, the present invention provides an auxiliary turn signal 
indicating light attachment, adapted to be mounted at eye level, on the 
rear deck adjacent the rear window of a vehicle. Many vehicles, as now 
required by law, provide an eye level auxiliary brake light mounted on the 
rear deck. The present invention discloses a turn signal indicating light 
attachment adapted to straddle this existing auxiliary brake light. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various types of auxiliarY indicating light attachments are known in the 
prior art. A typical example of such an auxiliary indicating light 
attachment is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,411, which issued to R. 
Proctor on July 31, 1984. This patent discloses a supplementary upper 
brake light for use on vehicles, comprising a brake light casing with at 
least one adhesive pad or strip for attachment of the brake light to the 
inside surface of a vehicle rear window. U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,320, which 
issued to D. Tomkin et al on July 22, 1986, discloses adjustable safety 
lamps for mounting upon the rear window of an automobile. An eye level 
brake lamp, includes a frame together with adhesive securing strips for 
securing the frame upon the vehicle rear window and as an outer housing 
having an open side secured at its perimeter to the frame and an inner 
housing enclosing an indicating lamp. The inner housing is rotatably 
supported within the outer housing, such that the lamp is directed toward 
the open side of the outer housing and through the frame at eye level with 
respect to the driver of a vehicle approaching from the rear. U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,613,927, which issued to W. Brandt on Sept. 23, 1986, discloses a 
signal indicator for an automobile in the form of a reduced sized model of 
an automobile mounted behind the rear window of the automobile. Light 
bulbs inside the indicator are activated by the turn signals, brakes, back 
up signals, tail lights and emergencY flashers of the automobile. U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,626,967, which issued to T. Segoshi on Dec. 2, 1986, discloses 
an auxiliary stop or turn indication lamp which may be mounted either 
immediately adjacent the rear windshield or housed on top of the trunk lid 
of an automobile. A light bulb is arranged in an essentially vertically 
extending base section of the housing so that the filament thereof is 
located at a level just above that of the floor of an elongate 
capsule-like upper section provided on top of the base member. The 
filament is arranged parallel with a lens or similar light transmissive 
member which is disposed in an opening formed in the upper section. U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,703,398, which issued to L. Huth et al on Oct. 27, 1987, 
discloses an auxiliary brake light for motor vehicles which consists of a 
socket mounted on the rear deck and a light housing pivotally mounted on 
the socket towards the rear window. The auxiliary brake light includes 
means for sealing the light exit surface with respect to the rear window 
for preventing stray light. The housing is displaceably and pivotally 
connected with the socket by bolts engaging guide channels and at least 
one resilient tongue projecting from the socket adapted to be connected 
with the housing in a detent-like manner. 
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none 
of these devices disclose an auxiliary turn signal indicating light 
attachment having a housing provided with an adjustable mounting bracket 
enabling the inclination and elevation of the housing to be adjusted with 
respect to an intended mounting surface. Additionally, none of the 
aforesaid indicating light attachment devices disclose the use of a 
housing having spaced indicating light compartments separated by a 
recessed central section dimensioned to straddle an existing auxiliary 
brake light. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to 
these various types of auxiliary indicating light attachments, it can be 
appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in 
improvements to such auxiliarY indicating light attachments, and in this 
respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
auxiliary indicating light attachments now present in the prior art, the 
present invention provides an improved auxiliary turn signal attachment. 
As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be 
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved 
auxiliary turn signal attachment which has all the advantages of the prior 
art auxiliary indicating light attachments and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, representative embodiments of the concepts of the present 
invention are illustrated in the drawings and make use of a generally 
rectangular housing having arcuate end walls. A pair of indicating light 
compartments are formed at opposite ends of the housing and each enclose a 
turn signal indicating light. A central section in the housing separates 
the two compartments. In a first embodiment an auxiliary brake indicating 
light may be disposed in the central section, and in a second embodiment 
the central section defines a recess dimensioned to straddle an existing 
auxiliary brake light mounted on the rear deck, adjacent the rear window 
of a vehicle. A pair of spaced mounting brackets are pivotally secured to 
a pair of rods slidably received within a pair of apertured mounting tabs 
within the housing. A set screw associated with each mounting tab is 
utilized to secure the rods in a selected adjusted position. By virtue of 
this arrangement, the elevation and inclination of the housing may be 
adjusted with respect to the intended mounting surface to enable usage 
with a wide varietY of differently configured vehicles. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In 
this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those 
skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this 
disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing 
of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several 
purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the 
claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as 
they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved auxiliary turn signal attachment which has all the advantages of 
the prior art auxiliary indicating light attachments and none of the 
disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
auxiliary turn signal attachment which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved auxiliary turn signal attachment which is of a durable and 
reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved auxiliary turn signal attachment which is susceptible of a low 
cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such auxiliary indicating light attachments 
economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved auxiliary turn signal attachment which provides in the 
apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, 
while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally 
associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved auxiliary turn signal attachment including adjustable mounting 
brackets enabling adjustment of the elevation and inclination of the 
attachment with respect to an intended mounting surface. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved auxiliary turn signal attachment having a housing provided with a 
recessed central section dimensioned to straddle an existing auxiliary 
brake light. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved auxiliary turn signal attachment which provides integrated turn 
signal and brake indicating lights disposed in a common housing mounted 
for compound adjustment with respect to the rear deck of a vehicle. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, a 
new and improved auxiliary turn signal attachment embodying the principles 
and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the 
reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, it will be noted that the first embodiment 10 of the 
invention includes a generally rectangular housing 12 having opposed 
arcuate end walls. A pair of indicating light compartments 14 and 16 are 
formed at opposite ends of the housing 12. A pair of amber lenses 18 and 
20, each having a translucent window configured as an indicating arrow, 
form a wall of each of the compartments 14 and 16. A central section 22 of 
the housing 12 encloses a brake indicating light and has one wall formed 
by a translucent red lens 24. 
As shown in the front view of FIG. 2, a pair of spaced brackets 26 and 28 
have upwardly extending vertical tab portions 32 and 34 secured by pivot 
pins 40 and 42 to respective yoke portion 30 and 36 of vertically 
extending cylindrical rods. The rods 30 and 36 extend through a floor 
portion of the housing 12 and into the interior of the compartments 14 and 
16. The pivot pins 40 and 42 provide for the adjustment of the inclination 
of the housing 12 with respect to the horizontal surface of the mounting 
brackets 26 and 28. The mounting brackets 26 and 28 are adapted for 
securement by conventional threaded fasteners through the horizontal rear 
deck surface, adjacent the rear window of a vehicle. The pivot pins 40 and 
42 allow a stiff adjustment of the rods 30 and 36 with respect to the tab 
portions 32 and 34, and may be replaced by a pivot bolt, if so desired. 
FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment 10' of the 
present invention. The central section of the housing 12 forms a recess 
area defined by opposed side walls 25 and 27 and a top wall 29. The 
recessed area is dimensioned to straddle an existing brake light 
attachment mounted on the rear deck, adjacent the rear window of a 
vehicle. 
FIG. 4 provides a front view of the second embodiment 10'. The mounting 
bracket arrangement is identically formed with respect to the mounting 
bracket of the first embodiment 10, previously described with reference to 
FIG. 2. 
FIG. 5 provides a top view, partially cut away and in cross section, 
illustrating the interior construction of the first embodiment 10 of the 
invention. The compartments 14 and 16 enclose respective turn signal 
indicating lamps 11 and 15, which are connected in a conventional fashion 
to the electrical system of the vehicle. The horizontal surface of the 
mounting bracket 26 includes a plurality of apertures 41 dimensioned for 
the reception of conventional threaded fasteners for use in securing the 
mounting bracket 26 to the horizontal surface of the rear deck portion of 
the vehicle. The central section 22 of the housing 12 encloses a brake 
indicating light 13, conventionally connected to the electrical system of 
the vehicle. Amber lenses 18 and 20 form one wall of the compartments 14 
and 16 and a red lens 24 forms one wall of the central section 22. 
FIG. 6 provides a front view, partially cut away and in cross section, 
which illustrates the mounting rod 31 received through a cylindrical 
central bore of a mounting tab 17 secured within the compartment 14. A set 
screw 35 in the mounting tab 17 is utilized to clamp the rod 31 in a 
selected adjusted position. A similar generally vertical mounting rod 33 
is provided in the compartment 16, as illustrated in FIG. 7. As may now be 
understood, the pivotal mounting pins 40 and 42, in conjunction with the 
vertically adjustable mounting rods 31 and 33 provide for a compound 
adjustment of the elevation and inclination of the housing 12, with 
respect to the horizontal surface of the mounting brackets 26 and 28 
which, in use, are secured on the horizontal rear deck surface of a 
vehicle. 
FIG. 8 provides a front view, partially in cross section and cut away, 
illustrating the mounting bracket construction of the second embodiment 
10' of the invention. The indicating lamp and lamp socket have been 
removed for purposes of illustration. The mounting rod 31 is received for 
sliding movement through a central cylindrical bore of the mounting tab 17 
and is secured in an adjusted position by tightening a set screw 35. 
FIG. 9 illustrates a front view, partially cut away and with the lens cover 
removed, which illustrates the interior construction of the indicating 
light compartment 16. 
FIG. 10 depicts a cross sectional view, taken along 10--10 of FIG. 9, which 
further illustrates the adjustable mounting bracket construction. The yoke 
portion 36 of the mounting rod 33 is pivotally secured by a pin 42 to the 
vertical tab portion 32 of the mounting bracket 28. The rod 33 is received 
for vertical sliding movement in a cylindrical central bore of a mounting 
tab 19 and is secured in a selected adjusted position by tightening a set 
screw 37. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.