Abstract:
An attitude indicator device for allowing a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude in case of instrument or power failure. The attitude indicator device includes an L-shaped housing member with a plurality of spirit levels, each lighted utilizing a solar power source and backed up by batteries, that allows a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude without instrumentation or power from the plane.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to attitude indicator devices and more particularly pertains to a new attitude indicator device for allowing a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude in case of instrument or power failure. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of attitude indicator devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, attitude indicator devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,338; U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,212; U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,854; U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,818; U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,667; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 271,088. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new attitude indicator device. The inventive device includes an L-shaped housing member with a plurality of spirit levels, each lighted utilizing a solar power source and backed up by batteries, that allows a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude without instrumentation or power from the plane. 
     In these respects, the attitude indicator device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and design-s of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude in case of instrument or power failure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of attitude indicator devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new attitude indicator device construction wherein the same can be utilized for allowing a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude in case of instrument or power failure. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new attitude indicator device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the attitude indicator devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new attitude indicator device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art attitude indicator devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an L-shaped housing member with a plurality of spirit levels, each lighted utilizing a solar power source and backed up by batteries, that allows a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude without instrumentation or power from the plane. 
     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 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 attitude indicator device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the attitude indicator devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new attitude indicator device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art attitude indicator devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new attitude indicator device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new attitude indicator device which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new attitude indicator device 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 attitude indicator device economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new attitude indicator device 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 attitude indicators device for allowing a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude in case of instrument or power failure. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new attitude indicator device which includes an L-shaped housing member with a plurality of spirit levels, each lighted utilizing a solar power source and backed up by batteries, that allows a pilot to determine an aircraft&#39;s attitude without instrumentation or power from the plane. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new attitude indicator device that is self-contained and non-mechanical, assuring the pilot a working attitude display device even in the event of instrumentation or power failure, thereby possibly saving his life. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new attitude indicator device that is compact and easily stored in the cockpit where it could be readily available in case of an emergency. 
     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. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detaiLed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new attitude indicator device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an electrical schematic of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new attitude indicator device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the attitude indicator device  10  generally comprises a main housing member  12 . The main housing member  12  is substantially L-shaped. The main housing member  12  has perimeter walls  14 . The perimeter walls  14  define an interior space  16 . 
     The main housing member  12  has a plurality of spirit levels  18 . The spirit levels  18  are positioned in the interior space  16  of the main housing member  12 . The spirit levels  18  are designed for indicating the relative orientation of an airplane when the main housing member  12  is positioned on a dashboard  22  of the airplane such that the spirit levels  18  give the pilot visual indications of the airplane&#39;s attitude. 
     The main housing member  12  comprises a first portion  24  and a second portion  26 . The portions  24 , 26  are oriented at a right angle to each other such that the spirit levels  18  in the main housing member  12  indicate the attitude of the airplane. 
     The main housing member  12  includes a plurality of light members  28 . The light members  28  are positioned proximate the spirit levels  18  such that the light members  28  are designed for illuminating the spirit levels  18 . 
     The first portion  24  of the main housing member  12  includes a y-axis spirit level  30 . The y-axis spirit level  30  is positioned such that a longitudinal axis of the y-axis spirit level  30  is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first portion  24 . The y-axis spirit level  30  is designed for indicating a pitch attitude of the airplane. 
     The first portion  24  of the main housing, member  12  includes a y-axis light member  32 . The y-axis light member  32  is designed for illuminating the y-axis-spirit level  30 . 
     The second portion  26  of the main housing member  12  includes an x-axis spirit level  34 . The x-axis spirit level  34  is positioned such that a longitudinal axis of the x-axis spirit level  34  is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second portion  26 . The x-axis spirit level  34  is designed for indicating a roll attitude of the airplane. 
     The second portion  26  of the main housing member  12  includes an x-axis light member  36 . The x-axis light member  36  is designed for illuminating the x-axis spirit level  34 . 
     The second portion  26  of the main housing member  12  includes a solar power source plate member  40 . The solar power source plate member  40  is fixedly coupled to a top surface  42  of the second portion  26  of the main housing member  12 . The solar power source plate member  40  is designed for providing power to the light members  28 . 
     The second portion  26  of the main housing member  12  includes a battery source  44 . The battery source  44  is positioned in a battery compartment  46  located proximate a distal end  48  of the second portion  26  of the main housing member  12 . 
     The battery source  44  is designed for providing backup power to the light members  28  such that the light members  28  would continue to illuminate the spirit levels  18  if the solar power source plate member  40  were not producing electricity. 
     The battery source  44  is continuously recharged by the solar power source plate member  40  when the solar power source plate member  40  is producing electricity, thereby maintaining a full charge in the battery source  44 . 
     The battery compartment  46  of the second portion  26  includes a battery cover  50 . The battery cover  50  is positioned on an end surface  52  of the distal end  48  of the second portion  26  such that the battery cover  50  is designed for retaining the battery source  44  in the battery compartment  46 . 
     The second portion  26  of the main housing member  12  includes a power switch  54 . The power switch  54  is positioned on the end surface  52  of the distal end  48  of the second portion  26 . The power switch  54  is operationally coupled to the light members  28 , the solar power source plate member  40 , and the battery source  44  such that the power switch  54  is designed for manually operating the light members  28 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     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.