Abstract:
A gobo projector for projecting an image onto a paved surface below a vehicle including: a cylindrical body; a light source and reflector at a first end of the body for casting a beam of light toward the opposite end of the body; and a window housing attached to the opposite end of the body. The window housing includes a window opening covered with a transparent material in an airtight manner and a pivotal mirror adapted to reflect the beam of light outward through the window opening. The gobo projector further includes a pair of lenses, interposed between the light source and the mirror, slidably mounted in the housing for adjusting the size and focus of the projected image, a slot for receiving a gobo and a heat shield between the slot and the light source to protect the gobo.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a projector which can be attached to a vehicle and more particularly to a gobo disc type projector which can project a preferred logo, such as the logo of an automobile manufacturer onto the pavement beneath the vehicle. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Gobo projectors are well known in the art. Such projectors find wide use in the entertainment industry, i.e., night clubs, concerts, stage productions, and the like, as well as in displays such as holiday displays. A gobo is essentially a slide (much like a (photographic slide) having a translucent image typically supported in a circular metal frame. Gobos are readily available today on the market for such uses and are often offered with company logos, team logos or images of mascots, school logos, holiday images, patriotic images, artistic images, etc. In addition, manufacturers of gobos will typically produce a custom gobo of virtually any image. None, however, exist of automobile logos. 
     While portable gobo projectors are also known in the art, none of these projectors are airtight or watertight and adapted for use on a vehicle. A number of factors arise which are unique to such an application. For example: a vehicle mounted gobo projector would preferably be adapted to operate from a 12 volt power supply; it would typically be subjected to inhospitable elements such as rain, snow, salt, rock strikes, road tar, fumes, etc.; and would preferably be of a shape conducive to mounting on a vehicle. In addition, a vehicle mounted gobo projector would have to be positioned such that a projected image would not blind or distract other drivers. 
     It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a gobo projector for use on a vehicle which satisfies the needs and alleviates the problems discussed above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a projector utilizing conventional lenses and one or more gobo discs all mounted in an airtight easily movable container or projector which is adapted to project an image onto the surface of the pavement adjacent or beneath an automobile, or other vehicle, preferably in the areas adjacent the driver&#39;s door and the passenger&#39;s door. 
     The projector of the present invention consists essentially of a cylindrical body approximately 10 inches long and approximately 2 inches in diameter. These dimensions are given merely for convenience and are not to be considered as critical. At the forward end of the cylindrical body is mounted a window housing which includes a pair of parallel side plates projecting downwardly tangent to the cylindrical body and terminating in a window which faces down towards the pavement. Inside the window housing is a pivotal mirror which is adjustable as to its angle. Also within the window housing are a pair of lenses which are adapted to be moved, in a conventional manner, along a track arrangement to a given position towards the opposite end of the cylindrical body. 
     At the opposite end of the cylindrical body is a light source and a conical reflector to direct the light beams toward the forward end of the device. In the cylindrical housing between the light source and the lenses are a heat shield and immediately forward of that a slot for a gobo disc and immediately forward of the slot for the gobo disc an optional slot for an optional gobo disc. 
     The above described cylinder with adjustable mirror, gobo discs, heat shield, and light source is removably mounted on a bracket which can be pre-punched with holes so as to permit attachment of the bracket to the under surface of the automobile at any convenient location by means of a rivet gun, threaded fasteners, or other suitable means. A glass or plastic window covers the window opening in the window portion of the projector in an airtight and liquid tight relation. In fact, the entire projector is liquid tight and airtight. The bulb and the conical reflector are mounted in a cap which screws over the end of the cylindrical body and which is secured thereto by means of an o-ring which makes the connection liquid tight. The projector connects with the conventional 12 volt system of the vehicle through a connector which is also water tight. 
     Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon examining the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle to which the projector of the present invention is attached. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of one of the projectors itself on a larger scale than is shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 2 but on a slightly larger scale, showing some of the internal details of the device. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view taken from FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a right-hand end view taken from FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 showing two projectors, one on each side, and the area in which the image can be projected. 
     FIG. 7 is an internal detail of the mirror shown in FIG. 3 but rotated 180°. 
     FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the mirror being retracted to a more acute angle. 
     FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the bracket which is used for holding the projector and for attaching it to the vehicle. 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevation taken from FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the clamp which is used to hold the projector against the bracket of FIG. 9, taken along line  11 — 11  of FIG.  9 . 
     FIGS. 12 through 17, inclusive, are semi-diagrammatic views similar to FIG. 6 but showing the projectors and their images in somewhat different relative positions along the horizontal length of the vehicle. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is important to understand that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction illustrated and the steps described herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a vehicle  10  to which the projector of the present invention is applied. As best shown in FIG. 2, the projector  12  is comprised of a cylindrical body  14  approximately 10 inches in length and about 2 inches in diameter, preferably formed of plastic, or other moldable material. This body  14  is airtight and watertight and is provided with an end cap  28  which seals over the right-hand end of the cylindrical body  14  as shown in FIG. 2, but which includes the light bulb and its reflector, as will be described hereinafter. Forward of the cylindrical portion  14  is a window housing  16  which, as best shown in FIG. 5, consists of a pair of parallel side plates  18  and  20  which extend tangent to the cylindrical body and which extend further about one inch below the cylindrical body. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the window housing  16  terminates in a window opening  22 . Preferably a glass or plastic material  24  covers the window  22  in an airtight relation. Within the window housing  16 , there is mounted an oval mirror  26 , preferably of plastic material, which is pivotally mounted at its upper end  58  to a pivotal ear  60  as shown in FIG.  3 . As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, which represent the same element shown in FIG. 3 rotated 180°, the upper end  58  of the mirror  26  becomes the lower end in FIG.  7  and the ear  60  is shown as attached to the upper body of the window housing  16 . Continuing on with a consideration of FIGS. 7 and 8, the mirror is actuated by a worm screw  50  which projects  5  outwardly from the window housing  16  and which engages a worm nut  52  which is pivotally secured to the lower end of a lever arm  54 . The upper end of the lever arm  54  (actually this would be the lower end as shown in FIG. 3) attaches to a tab  56  which is secured to the non-reflective side of the mirror  26 . As can be appreciated from a consideration of FIGS. 7 and 8, turning the worm screw  50  would cause the mirror  26  to pivot about the ear  60  so as to change from a large acute angle in FIG. 7 to a small acute angle in FIG.  8 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 9 to  11 , the projector  12  is preferably attached to the underside of a vehicle  10  (not shown here) by means of a bracket  30  which is provided with a plurality of pre-punched holes. A rivet gun (not shown) can be used to attach the bracket to the underside of the automobile through the pre-punched holes in any convenient manner and at a location which is convenient to the operator. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, a variety of other means could alternatively be employed for securing bracket  30  to the vehicle  10  including, but not limited to, threaded fasteners, adhesives, straps, etc. The bracket  30  consists of a rectangular plate approximately 10 inches in length and 2 inches in width having a pair of circular clamps  32  attached thereto, one clamp  32  being at one end of the bracket and the other clamp  32  being essentially centrally located. At the opposite end of the bracket  30  from the clamp  32  is a rounded enlargement  38  which will bear against the projector  12  when it is mounted on the plate  30  so as to minimize vibration. 
     Referring now particularly to FIG. 11, each clamp  32  is comprised of a semi-circular stationary portion  34  and a pivotal semi-circular portion  36  the lower end of which is pivotally attached to the bracket by means of the pivot joint  46 . The upper ends of the clamp are placed together by an adaptor which consists of a screw  40  mounted in a screw housing  42  and cooperating with a threaded coupler  44  at the upper end of the stationary portion  34  of the clamp. 
     Turning again to FIGS. 3 and 4, the projector  12  of the present invention is provided with a pair of movable lenses  62  which are adapted to be moved lengthwise of the barrel of the cylindrical body  14 . The dotted line position  64  represents the possible maximum movement of the lenses  62  towards the right-hand end of the cylindrical body  14 . As shown in FIG. 2, the lenses  62  are adapted to slide in a track and are movable by means of the adjustment screw  66  in a conventional manner, the details of which are not shown. 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the lense system employed in the inventive gobo projector, and described above, is typical of prior art gobo projectors. It should be noted that a variety of conventional lense systems could instead be employed, the main concerns being the ability to focus the projected image and protection of the lenses from the environment. 
     When projectors  12  of the present invention are installed on a vehicle, preferably one projector is attached to each side of the automobile. Preferably, also, the two projectors are installed under the driver door and the passenger door, respectively, so as to project images on the pavement or roadway. The maximum area, or projection area, is represented by the numeral  80  in FIG.  6 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the light source is a bulb  70 , which is surrounded by a reflective cone  72 . The light from the bulb  70  passes through a clear type heat shield  74  through a gobo disc mounted in slot  76  and, if desired, through a clear gobo disc mounted in extra slot  78 . The light from the gobo discs passes through the lens  62  to the mirror and then out through the window  24 . 
     As shown in FIG. 7, if the light  84  coming horizontally from the light source strikes the mirror  26  at approximately a 45 degree angle, the reflective light  86  will be at right angles to the incoming light  84 . However, if the mirror  26  is at an acute angle as shown in FIG. 8, the reflected beams of light  86  will be at an obtuse angle with respect to the incoming horizontal rays of light from the light source. 
     Turning now to a consideration of FIGS. 12 through 17 inclusive, if the projectors  12  are located in a forward portion of the vehicle, it will be necessary to have the light beams reflect the images  82  back from the projectors  12 , in which case the angle of the mirrors shown in FIG. 8 would be adjusted. If the two projectors  12  are substantially centrally located on the vehicle, the mirror can be essentially in the position shown in FIG.  7 . When the projectors  12  are located at the rear of the vehicle, then the mirrors would be adjusted opposite to that shown in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 15 shows the two projectors  12  located forward of the center of the vehicle and with the images  82  being smaller. This is effected by changing the position of the lenses. FIG. 16 shows the projectors in essentially the same position as in FIG. 15, but with the images  82  being slightly larger. This can be effected by adjusting the lenses and the angle of the mirror. In FIG. 17, the images  82  are slightly larger than those shown in FIG. 16 and, again, this condition is created by adjusting the lenses and the mirror. 
     Preferably, the lenses  62  are three to four inches from the gobo disc  76  and are adjustable in that area. 
     It should be noted too that, with vehicles with exceptionally high ground clearance, it may be desirable to use a single projector to project an image directly under the vehicle. 
     For the purpose of providing stability and for eliminating some of the vibration, a solid plastic filet  48  is placed between the stationary portion  34  of the coupler  32  and the bracket  30  as shown in FIG.  11 . 
     It should be understood that the end cap  28  which is screwed onto the cylindrical body  14  can be unthreaded and removed so as to replace the gobo disc. However, the cap  28  is attached to the cylindrical disc  14  by means of an O-ring connection (not shown) to assure fluid tightness. 
     It should be emphasized that the device is airtight and watertight and is preferably made of shatterproof scratch resistant glass and/or plastic where such portions are employed. The device is adapted to be utilized with the 12-volt electrical supply system of the automobile. The light bulb should be long lasting and preferably low heat. As shown in FIG. 5, the light bulb is connected to the 12-volt system by means of a power plug  90  which is also watertight. With the device of the present invention, the light is never seen, only the image, which is thrown onto the pavement. By twisting and turning the unit and by moving the mirror, one could put the image  82  any place within the image area  80 . However, the best and most desired location for the image should be under the driver and under the passenger door, filling an area approximately 12 inches by 24 inches. 
     It is understood that some vehicles have their chassis lower than others. It has been found, as far as the present invention is concerned, that as the apparatus moves away from the ground, from 12 inches to 24 inches, the adjustment distance from the gobo disc to the lens assembly is a mere 2 inches, thus making clear focus and clarity a very minimal problem. 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, while various components of the inventive gobo projector were described as being formed of plastic, a number of other materials would perform satisfactorily and the use of such materials is within the scope and spirit of the present invention. By way of example and not limitation, cylindrical body  14  could be formed of metal, wood, or other rigid material. 
     As will also be apparent to those skilled in the art, while the inventive gobo projector is shown and described as mounting to a vehicle with a bracket having band-type clamps thereon, the method of mounting the projector is not so limited. In fact, the projector itself could be attached directly to the vehicle, if so desired. 
     Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention.