Patent Publication Number: US-2022234494-A1

Title: Led light stick for a vehicle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/140,528, filed on Jan. 22, 2021. The subject matter of the earlier filed application is incorporated herein by reference in it its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) light stick, and more particularly, to a LED light stick that mounts to a hitch of a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There are numerous vehicles, such as pickup trucks, that place a flagpole on the rear by connecting the flagpole to the hitch of the vehicle. However, during the evening or at night, these flagpoles are not clearly visible by other drivers. Further, for nighttime and daytime driving in a pickup truck, at a distance, the driving lights may not be bright enough or tall enough for others to see and identify. 
     Thus, an alternative flagpole may be beneficial to overcome the deficiencies in the current state of the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     Certain embodiments of the present invention may provide solutions to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully identified, appreciated, or solved by current sticks that mount to a vehicle. For example, some embodiments of the present invention pertain to a LED light stick that can mount directly to the hitch of the vehicle and power off the trailer harness for ease of use. Currently, there are no off-the-shelf components for LED light sticks that mount into a trailer hitch and derive its power from a trailer hitch receiver power plug. 
     In one embodiment, an apparatus connecting to a hitch of a vehicle includes a light emitting diode (LED) light stick mounted to the hitch of the vehicle via a hitch adapter. The hitch adapter configurably slides into a hitch mount of the vehicle. 
     In another embodiment, apparatus configured to connect to a hitch of a vehicle includes LED light stick mounted to the hitch of the vehicle via a hitch adapter. The adapter configurably slides into a hitch mount of the vehicle, and includes an angling mechanism is configured to change a positioning of the LED light stick, the change of positioning is 180 degrees. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the advantages of certain embodiments of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. While it should be understood that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams illustrating a light emitting diode (LED) stick assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A-D  are diagrams illustrating various hitch adapters, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an angling mechanism allowing a house to be adjusted, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a plurality of LED light sticks attached to the hitch of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Some embodiments pertain to an apparatus connecting to a hitch of a vehicle includes a light emitting diode (LED) light stick mounted to the hitch of the vehicle via a hitch adapter. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams illustrating a LED stick assembly (flagpole)  100  configured to connect to a hitch of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, LED light stick  105  is mounted to the hitch of the vehicle (not shown) via a hitch adapter  110 . Hitch adapter  110  may slide into a hitch mount of the vehicle. As is common with typical hitch systems, hitch adapter  110  includes a lock and key system to prevent LED light stick  105  from sliding out of the hitch of the vehicle. In an alternative embodiment, hitch adapter  110  may include an electrical or magnetic connection securely connecting with the hitch of the vehicle. Hitch adapter  110  may be composed of aluminum providing a lightweight and durable adapter. In an alternative embodiment, hitch adapter  110  is composed of metal for increased durability. 
     LED stick assembly  100  may also include a power plug  115  extending out of from LED light stick  105  that plugs into a power port of the vehicle (also not shown). Power plug  115  is configured to be synced with one or more lights on the vehicle. For example, depending on the pin configuration of power plug  115 , LED light stick  105  may illuminate. For example, in a four pin power plug configuration, when a brake light or right turn signal is illuminated on the vehicle, LED light stick  105  may also illuminate in a solid manner or blinking manner. In another example, in a five or seven pin configuration, when one or more other lights on the vehicle are illuminated, LED light stick  105  may also illuminate. 
     A house  120  may house the base of LED light stick  105  and also provide stability with respect to LED light stick  105 . The base of LED light stick  105  may hold an integrated circuit (IC) board, which controls features, such as colors, patterns, etc., of LED light stick  105 . This base may be secured within house  120 . House  120  may be angled, allowing LED light stick  105  to be adjusted to any varying degree, i.e., upright or slanted degree. See  FIG. 3 , which is a diagram illustrating an angling mechanism  300  allowing a house  120  to be adjusted, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, angling mechanism  300  may be part of hitch adapter  110  and may be able to move about a 180 degree axis. 
     LED light stick  105  may also include a pair of adapters  125 , allowing a flag to be connected to LED light stick  105 . Adapters  125  may allow flag to be clipped onto LED light stick, or in some embodiments, may include wired connections allowing the flag to illuminate, provided that the flag is configured to illuminate. 
     In certain embodiments, LED light stick  105  may be operable with a wireless device such as Bluetooth or BLE™ technology. See  FIG. 1B . For example, power plug  115  may include a Bluetooth device  130 , which may be integrated on the power line. 
     In some embodiments, power plug  115 , once connected to the power port of the vehicle, causes Bluetooth device  130  to power on. Right after, a user may connect his or her mobile device or tablet (neither shown) to Bluetooth device  130 . In one example, the mobile device may include a mobile (or software) application configured to connect to Bluetooth device, and cause the Bluetooth device to send signals to LED light stick  105  which houses the LEDs. The signals may cause LEDs to illuminate. The mobile application, although not shown, may cause LED light stick to illuminate in different colors, patterns, and also pulse the LEDs according to the beats of the music. 
     The Bluetooth device may also pair with a vehicles Bluetooth transmitter to communicate turn signal, hazard, or brake lights. 
       FIGS. 2A-D  are diagrams illustrating various hitch adapters  200 A-D, according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, hitch adapters  200 A-D may range from a 4 pin flat hitch adapter, a 4 pin round high adapter, a 5 pin flat high adapter, and a 7 pin high adapter. In certain embodiments, a base that attaches to hitch adapter  200 A-D may pivot changing the angle of LED light stick. 
     Depending on the pin configuration of hitch adapter  200 A-D, various functionalities may be afforded to the LED light stick. For example, the LED light stick may illuminate when the brake pedal is pressed, left turn or right turn are activated, and nighttime driving lights are turned, to name a few. Also, depending on the pin configuration, the LED light stick may illuminate when daytime lights are turned on or when the brake pedal is pressed. In another example, the LED light stick may also blink when the left or right turn signal is turned on. During nighttime, the LED light stick is always on, but can be configured to blink with turn signal is activated or when the brake pedal is pressed. 
     In some embodiments, a wireless remote may allow users to change colors and LED light patterns on the LED light stick. When there are multiple vehicles with LED light sticks, each vehicle may have a different color or pattern for identification. 
     In some further embodiments, a plurality of LED light sticks may connect to the hitch of the vehicle.  FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a plurality of LED light sticks  100  attached to the hitch of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In order for each LED light stick  105  to mount to the vehicle, a hitch adapter  110  may include a plurality of housings  405  that facilitate attachment to the LED light sticks. This way, hitch adapter  110 , when mounted to the hitch of the vehicle, allows for a plurality of LED light sticks  105  to be attached to a single hitch on the vehicle. 
     It should be appreciated that although a LED light stick is described herein, other embodiments may include a Christmas tree or any other object that would be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     It will be readily understood that the components of various embodiments of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, as represented in the attached figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the invention. 
     The features, structures, or characteristics of the invention described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, reference throughout this specification to “certain embodiments,” “some embodiments,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in certain embodiments,” “in some embodiment,” “in other embodiments,” or similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. 
     It should be noted that reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
     One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that the invention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a different order, and/or with hardware elements in configurations which are different than those which are disclosed. Therefore, although the invention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, it would be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions would be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. In order to determine the metes and bounds of the invention, therefore, reference should be made to the appended claims.