Patent Publication Number: US-6708435-B2

Title: Placard holder

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention generally relates to placard holders, and more specifically relates to a placard holder configured to receive a placard, such as a placard which indicates the disability of a driver of a vehicle, and configured to hang from the rear view mirror of the vehicle. 
     There is a need for a lightweight, inexpensive placard holder which can receive and protect a placard and which can hang from the rear view mirror of a vehicle. One type of placard which should be protected is a disability placard, such as a placard which indicates that the driver of a vehicle is handicapped or disabled. Such a placard is used to enable the driver to park in a handicapped parking spot without either getting a ticket or getting towed. It is important to protect such a placard because if such a placard should get destroyed, it may be difficult or may take a long time to finally receive another one from whatever government authority or agency issues such placards. Additionally, it is important to protect such a placard to ensure that the placard can be hung from the rear view mirror of a vehicle as, in many jurisdictions, this is the proper location to display such a placard for law enforcement to see. It is important to provide that such a placard is not subject to harm whenever the placard is moved from one vehicle to another because many disabled drivers drive more than one vehicle and must continuously transport their disability placard from vehicle to vehicle. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY 
     A general object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a placard holder which is configured to hang from the rear view mirror of a vehicle. 
     Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a placard holder which is inexpensive. 
     Still another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a placard holder which is lightweight. 
     Yet another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a placard holder which is durable. 
     Still yet another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a placard holder which is generally see-through and is configured to receive a placard such that the placard is viewable through the placard holder. 
     Briefly, and in accordance with at least one of the foregoing objects, an embodiment of the present invention provides a placard holder that includes a body portion and a hook portion extending from the body portion. The placard holder is configured to receive a placard, and the placard holder is configured such that the placard is viewable through the placard holder when the placard is received by the placard holder. Preferably, the placard holder is made of a relatively clear or transparent plastic, and the placard is slidable into the placard holder. Preferably, either a side or the top of the placard holder is configured to receive the placard. Preferably, the placard holder is configured such that the placard does not protrude from the placard holder once the placard is inserted in the placard holder. Hence, the placard holder fully protects the placard which is contained in the placard holder. The hook portion is configured to engage a rear view mirror of a vehicle such that the placard holder hangs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a placard holder which is in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the placard holder shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a left side elevational view of the placard holder shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the placard holder shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the placard holder shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the placard holder shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a placard holder which is in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a placard being slid into the placard holder from the side; and 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a placard holder which is in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, showing a placard being slid into the placard holder from the top. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. 
     FIGS. 1-6 depict a placard holder  10 ,  10   a  which is in accordance with either a first or second embodiment of the present invention depending on where an opening for a placard is formed. Specifically, FIG. 1 depicts a placard holder  10 ,  10   a  which either has an opening along its side or along its top. Regardless of where the opening for the placard is formed, the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  is configured to receive a placard and hang from the rear view mirror of a vehicle. Additionally, the placard holder is inexpensive lightweight, durable and is configured such that the placard is viewable through the placard holder. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the placard holder  10 ,  10 a includes a body portion  12 ,  12   a  and a hook portion  14 ,  14   a  which extends generally upward from the body portion  12 ,  12   a . The hook portion  14 ,  14   a  includes a cut out  16 ,  16   a  which provides that the hook portion  14 ,  14   a  can be engaged with the rear view mirror of a vehicle. Specifically, both FIGS. 1 and 6 depict a cross-sectional view of an arm  18  of a rear view mirror. As shown, the cut out  16 ,  16   a  in the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  receives the arm  18  of the rear view mirror such that the hook portion  14 ,  14   a  of the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  hangs on the arm  18 . As such, the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  is hangable from the rear view mirror of a vehicle and it is the cut out  16 ,  16   a  which provides as such. 
     The placard holder  10 ,  10   a  includes an opening or gap for receiving a placard  20 , such as a placard for indicating the disability of the driver of a vehicle. Such a placard  20  can be, for example, rectangular as shown in FIGS.  1  and  6 - 8 . Preferably, the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  consists of a relatively lightweight plastic film which is not bonded together along at least a portion of its edge to provide the gap or opening for receiving the placard  20 . Preferably, the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  is clear or at least semi-transparent such that the placard  20  can be viewed from outside the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  once the placard  20  is contained therein. 
     One possibility for providing such a gap or opening for receiving a placard is shown in FIG. 7, and provides that the placard holder  10  is bonded along its edge going counter-clockwise from point “A” to point “B”, but is not bonded from point “B” upward to point “C”. This provides that a gap or opening  30  for receiving a placard  20  is provided along the edge of the placard holder  10 , going from point “C” downward to point “B”. As such, the placard  20  can be inserted into the placard holder  10  from the side. In such case, preferably the front and back of the placard holder are bonded together at the hook portion  14 , thereby providing that the hook portion  14  of the placard holder  10  is solid. Hence, the body portion  12  of the placard holder  10  includes a gap or opening  30  along its edge such that a placard  20  can be inserted into the placard holder  10  from the side, and the hook portion  14  is solid thereby providing that the placard holder  10  can hang reliably from the arm  18  of a rear view mirror. Overall, the placard holder  10  may be, for example, 0.08 inches thick. Preferably, the placard holder  10  is just a couple of millimeters wider than the placard  20  such that the placard  20  does not protrude from the placard holder  10  when the placard  20  is contained in the placard holder  10 . Once the placard  20  has been received by the placard holder  10 , the placard  20  can be removed by holding the placard holder  10  with the opening  30  pointing toward the floor and giving the placard holder  10  a tap on edge  32  or giving the placard holder  10  a downward shake. 
     Another possibility for providing a gap or opening for receiving a placard is shown in FIG. 8, and provides that the placard holder  10   a  is bonded at its edge going from point “D” downward to point “E”, is not bonded along its edge going from point “E” downward (and along the edge  34  of the cut out  16   a ) to point “F”, and is bonded along its edge from point “F” counter-clockwise to point “G”. This provides that a gap or opening  30   a  for receiving a placard  20  is provided along the top  36  of the placard holder, generally at the hook portion  14   a , from point “D” clockwise to point “G”. Alternatively, the edge of the placard holder going from point “D” downward to point “E” may not be bonded in which case the gap or opening would be provided along the entire hook portion  14   a , going from point “F” clockwise to point “G”. Regardless, the configuration provides that essentially the entire placard holder  10   a  is hollow and that the placard  20  can be inserted into the placard holder  10   a  from the top. As a result of the entire placard holer  10   a  being hollow, the placard holder  10   a  may be shaped generally identical to the placard  20  itself (despite the fact that FIG. 8 shows the case where the placard  20  is rectangular). Overall, the placard holder  10   a  may be, for example, 0.08 inches thick having a 0.04 inch gap therein for receiving the placard. Preferably, the placard holder  10   a  is just a couple of millimeters wider than the placard  20  such that the placard  20  does not protrude from the placard holder  10   a  when the placard  20  is contained in the placard holder  10   a . Once the placard  20  has been received by the placard holder  10   a , the placard  20  can be removed by holding the placard holder  10   a  with the top  36  pointing toward the floor and giving the placard holder  10   a  a tap on its bottom edge  38  or by giving the placard holder  10   a  a downward shake. 
     Regardless of where the opening for the placard  20  is formed, the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  is configured to receive a placard  20  and hang from the rear view mirror of a vehicle. Additionally, the placard holder  10 ,  10   a  is inexpensive, lightweight, durable and is configured such that the placard  20  is viewable through the placard holder  10 ,  10   a.    
     While embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.