Abstract:
A transportable police vehicle decoy having a life-like, life-size visual image of a police vehicle mounted onto a trailer for transportability, the wheels of the trailing appearing to be the wheels of the police vehicle shown in the image. Operational emergency lights are positioned in the proper location on the visual image and can be activated by speed detection devices when a speeding vehicle approaches.

Description:
[0001]     This invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/646,058, filed Jan. 21, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to the field of devices used to control and monitor the travel speed of vehicles on a thoroughfare, and more particularly to such devices used by law enforcement and traffic control, such as warning signs, radar guns and other speed detecting devices, speed indicator signs, etc.  
         [0003]     Monitoring vehicle speeds on the roadways and influencing drivers to maintain safe speeds and speeds within set speed limits is a necessary activity for law enforcement personnel, as it is well known that a significant number of drivers will exceed posted speed limits, thereby posing a risk to themselves, their passengers, other vehicle occupants and pedestrians. Law enforcement personnel use many tools to accomplish this goal, ranging from passive means such as simple billboard messages at one end of the spectrum to active means such as speed traps using hidden radar guns, airplane surveillance and other detection devices on the other. Law enforcement officials also utilize techniques in the mid-range, such as the use of speed monitoring and display devices temporarily placed along roadways, where the speed of each approaching vehicle is displayed in large numbers to the oncoming driver. Another technique is to park an empty law enforcement vehicle alongside the roadway, sometimes with a dummy stationed in the driver&#39;s seat. This latter technique is very effective in causing drivers to reduce their speed, since approaching drivers cannot determine whether or not the parked vehicle is manned with an officer operating a radar gun. However, the use of a parked law enforcement vehicle represents an expensive approach to the problem, since the parked vehicle is removed from active use.  
         [0004]     It is an object of the invention to provide a device that combines benefits from many of the speed monitoring devices and techniques discussed above, while at the same time obviating many of the problems associated with certain methods and devices. It is an object to provide a device that can be utilized in various active or passive formats, such that the device can serve as a mere warning device, can serve as an interactive warning device that detects the speed of approaching vehicles and displays the speed or produces visible alerts, or can serve as a controlling device that detects the speed of approaching vehicles and alerts officers to stop vehicles that are in violation of the speed limit. It is an object to provide such a device that produces the desired response obtained from drivers sighting a parked police vehicle without incurring the costs resulting from the use of idle police vehicles. It is an object to provide such a device that is relatively inexpensive to produce and is easily transportable to various locations.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The invention is a transportable police vehicle decoy or speed monitoring device that is intended to influence public driving habits, and in particular to influence motorists to drive within the posted speed limits. The device is mobile and comprises a trailer frame with wheels, such that the device can be pulled behind a vehicle and positioned at desired locations along roadways, and a visual display having the appearance of a real police vehicle.  
         [0006]     The visual display comprises an enlarged, preferably life-size, generally two-dimensional reproduction of an actual police vehicle, preferably a photograph or an extremely realistic artistic reproduction. The photograph or reproduction is preferably taken or drawn at an angle and is preferably mounted on the trailer frame such that the functioning wheels of the trailer appear to be the wheels of the police vehicle when viewed from the approach direction down the roadway. Preferably, the visual display is enhanced by incorporating working vehicle and/or emergency lights into or on the display, positioned so as to correspond with the location of the image of the actual lights on the photographed police vehicle. Speed detection equipment may be incorporated such that upon detection of a vehicle traveling in excess of the speed limit, the lights are activated for a short period of time, thus causing the motorist to believe it is an actual police vehicle, and speed detection equipment may be provided with communication means to alert actual police officers waiting to make traffic stops beyond the visual display.  
         [0007]     Preferably, the visual display comprises a relatively thin and lightweight material, such that the display can be easily removed or, most preferably, folded into one or more segments for transportation. For decoy devices having operational equipment, such as lights, electronic displays, radar detection devices and the like, batteries are provided for electrical power, and may also be provided with solar panels to recharge the batteries or provide direct poser to the working components.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the police decoy device, illustrating a representative depiction of a police vehicle as the visual display.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the device, showing the visual display partially folded rearward for transport.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the device.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the device, showing the visual display partially folded forward.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of another alternative embodiment of the device, showing the visually display with vertical hinges and lateral sections folded inward upon the middle section.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , showing an enclosure housing as mounted onto the trailer.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     With reference to the drawings, the invention will now be described in detail with regard for the best mode and the preferred embodiment. In a general sense the invention is a transportable police vehicle decoy device, the device comprising a wheeled trailer and a visual display member, the visual display member depicting a real police vehicle.  
         [0015]     Trailer component  10  can be of any configuration suitable for towing behind a vehicle, and is preferably of relatively low weight such that it can be towed by standard police vehicles. As shown, trailer  10  comprises a frame  11  with a hitch  12  for connection to the tow vehicle, and a pair of wheels  13 . Platforms  15  are provided to support batteries  31 , speed detection means  30  and other items as desired.  
         [0016]     Connected to trailer  10  is the visual display  20 . Visual display  20  comprises a relatively thin and preferably light-weight panel member or frame  21  that provides structural support and rigidity to the vehicle image member  23 . The panel member  21  is disposed at or toward the rear of the trailer frame  11  with its lower edge suspended a distance above the ground, such that the lower portion of the trailer wheels  13  are visible beneath the visual image  23  when viewed from the rear of the trailer  10 . Display brace members  14  are provided to support the panel member  21  in a generally vertical position.  
         [0017]     Mounted to the panel member  21  is visual image  23 , which comprises a life-like and preferably life-size rendering or representation of a police vehicle. Preferably, visual image  23  is an enlarged photograph of a police vehicle, taken at a slight angle from either the front or the rear such that the side of the vehicle also appears in the picture. In this manner the visual image  23  will more readily appear to be three-dimensional to oncoming traffic. Preferably the outline or perimeter of panel member  21  is shaped to correspond to the outline of the actual police vehicle shown in the visual image  23 . Visual image  23  is preferably mounted such that the wheels  13  of the trailer  10  correspond in location to the position of the wheels (preferably not included in the photograph) of the police vehicle, thereby further increasing the three-dimensional illusion.  
         [0018]     A suitable material for forming the panel member  21  is with a material sold under the brand name COROPLAST. This material is a lightweight polymer structure formed as two parallel sheet members with a large number of parallel internal brace members or webs extending between the two sheet members to impart rigidity. The visual image  23  may be joined to the panel member  21  or printed directly thereon. Alternatively, any panel material of suitable rigidity, durability, weight and like characteristics may be employed, such as metal, wood or plastic.  
         [0019]     For ease of transport, the combination panel member  21  and visual image  23  may be removable from the trailer  10 , as a single piece or in sections, or preferably may be provided with hinge members  22  such that portions of the panel member  21  and visual image can be folded to reduce its surface area, or folded out of vertical to reduce wind resistance. For example, the combination panel member  21  and visual image  23  may be provided with a horizontal hinge  22  such that the upper portion of the panel member  21  and visual image  23  may be folded rearward for transport, as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , or forward, as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . In still another alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the combination panel member  21  and visual image  23  is provided with one or more vertically disposed hinge members  22 , such that the lateral sections are folded inwardly upon the middle section. If COROPLAST brand material is used to form the panel member  21 , one sheet member can be sliced horizontally, allowing the other sheet member to fold upon itself to create an integral hinge  23  without the need to attach a metal or plastic piano hinge or the like.  
         [0020]     To increase the versatility of the decoy device, it is preferable that non-static or interactive devices be incorporated. For example, operational emergency lights  24  corresponding in shape and size may be positioned on or extending through the panel member  21  such that the lights  24  are located correctly on the visual image  23  so as to correspond to the location of the emergency lights in the photograph. A battery  31 , possibly recharged by solar panels  32 , is provided such that the lights  24  may be activated to draw further attention to the visual image  23 . Most preferably, a speed detection means  30 , such as a radar gun or the like, is incorporated such that the lights  24 , and possible audible sirens, are activated for a short period of time when a vehicle traveling in excess of the speed limit is detected by the speed detection means  30 .  
         [0021]     The presence of an operational radar gun or other speed detection means  30  will also serve to slow traffic, since any vehicles containing radar detectors will pick up the signal. The speed detection means  30  may also comprise communication means, whereby detection of a speeding vehicle could be relayed to actual police officers in stand-by vehicles, with or without activation of the emergency lights  24  in the visual display  20 , such that speeding motorists could be pulled over and ticketed.  
         [0022]     The power and operational components may be mounted to the trailer  10  in an exposed manner, as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , or some or all of the power and operational components may be enclosed in one or more housings  16 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , for security and protection from the elements. The housing  16  will be provided with access means  17 , such as a door or removable panel, such that the power and operational components may be accessed as required. Additional components such as a battery charge meters  41 , vents  42  or electrical plugs  43  to recharge the batteries  31  may also be provided.  
         [0023]     The particular police vehicle used for the visual image  23  is best chosen to correspond to the type of police vehicle in use in a particular area, thereby adding to the authenticity of the decoy.