Abstract:
An outboard motor reflector for use on boats being towed. The reflector can be attached to a longitudinal arm that is attached to the boat motor either above or below the propeller hub. The reflector can pivot and be oriented to multiple directions so that the reflector remains visible to drivers behind the towed boat regardless of whether the outboard motor is in a down position or is any raised position. Clamp prongs extend about sides of the motor housing and adjustable straps further lock the reflector to the outboard motor.

Description:
This invention relates to reflectors, and in particular to boats, and in particular to reflectors that can be attached to outboard motors on boats being transported by trailers. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     Trailer mounted outboard engine motor boats are becoming more popular in recent years and have come with problems. For example, the outboard motor generally extends rearward beyond the edge of the trailer that is carrying it. Traditional trailer mounted rear tail lights do not warn drivers trailing behind the trailer that something is extending beyond the trailer&#39;s tail lights. Thus, the high and rearward extended position of the outboard motors on the rear of the boat has resulted in collisions with vehicles traveling behind the towed boats. 
     The chances for collision further increase if the trailer&#39;s tail lights are not working, or are missing, or are just not easily visible to those behind the trailers. 
     Additionally, rear facing trailer taillights do not prevent the problem of avoiding side collisions with the trailer. 
     Various proposals have been made over the years to correct the problem. Red flags and reflectors have been attempted to be used. However, there are no good mounts for supporting either flagpoles or reflectors on the outboard engine motors. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,978 to Johannes describes a “boat motor reflector” device that attaches to an outboard motor. However, the Johannes patent is limited to one reflector facing rearwardly and does not have any side facing reflectors. Thus, side collisions are not avoided here. Additionally, this device only uses a mounting fork that can loosen and fall of the mounting motor. Still furthermore, Johannes&#39; one rear facing reflector is fixed in one bent position which limits that visibility of having the reflector portions always being fully facing rearwardly. Thus, raising the motor to different raised positions results in the reflector portion not always being fully rearwardly facing. 
     Other patents that also fail to overcome the problems described above include: U.S. Pat. No. 2,078,179 to Johnson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,503 to Smith; 2,963,000 to Fester; U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,280 to Bergum; U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,716 to Hartley; U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,531 to Hayes; U.S. Pat. 3,885,146 to Whitley, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,309 to Rasinski; U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,399 to Ojeda; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 380,402 to Binder, Sr. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The first objective of the invention is to provide a reflector for outdrive boat motors that can pivot in multiple directions while the motor is pivoted in multiple directions. 
     The second objective of the invention is to provide a reflector for outdrive boat motors having reflectors that face rearwardly and on both sides of the motor. 
     The third objective of the invention is to provide a reflector for an outdrive boat motor that is easy to attach and detach to the outboard boat motor. 
     A preferred embodiment of the outboard-reflector assembly includes a rear facing reflector; and means for pivotally mounting the rear facing reflector to an outboard motor, wherein the reflector can pivot relative to the outboard motor so that the reflector is continuously visible to drivers behind the towed boat whether or not the outboard motor is in a down position or is raised to any upward position. The means for pivotally mounting the reflector can include a longitudinal horizontal mounting member for attaching the reflector to the motor and a hinge such as a gimbal type ball for allowing the reflector to pivot relative to the mounting member. 
     The mounting member is attached to the motor by an adjustable strap that can be tightened such as hook and loop fasteners, a belt buckle, a bungee cord, and the like, and clamps The clamp can have prongs which abut to both sides of the motor drive shaft housing above the propeller or to both sides of the skeg fin beneath the propeller. The strap can attach to the propeller hub housing or about the drive shaft housing. The invention can further include additional side reflectors to further increase the visibility of the outboard motor. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically.in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outboard reflector. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the outboard reflector of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3A is a side view of the outboard reflector of FIG. 1 along line arrows  3 A— 3 A. 
     FIG. 3B is a top view of the outboard reflector of FIG. 3A along line arrows  3 B— 3 B. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the reflector and internal pivoting gimbal of FIGS. 3A-3B. 
     FIG. 5A is a side view of a boat on a trailer with the reflector of the proceeding figures mounted on an outboard motor being in a down position. 
     FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of the reflector and outboard motor of FIG.  5 A. 
     FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the boat on trailer and motor mounted reflector of FIG.  5 A. 
     FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of the reflector and outboard motor of FIG.  6 A. 
     FIG. 7A is a side view of the boat on trailer and reflector mounted on the outboard motor of FIG. 5A with the outboard motor in a raised position. 
     FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of the reflector and outboard motor of FIG.  7 A. 
     FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the boat on trailer and motor mounted reflector of FIG.  7 A. 
     FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of the reflector and outboard motor of FIG.  8 A. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another version of the outboard motor reflector. 
     FIG. 10A is a side view of the reflector of FIG. 9 mounted to a motor on a boat and trailer. 
     FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of the reflector and outboard motor of FIG.  10 A. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outboard reflector assembly  1 . FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the outboard reflector assembly  1  of FIG.  1 . FIG. 3A is a side view of the outboard reflector assembly  1  of FIG. 1 along line arrows  3 A— 3 A. FIG. 3B is a top view of the outboard reflector assembly of FIG. 3A along line arrows  3 B— 3 B. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the reflector  10  and internal pivoting gimbal  20  of FIGS. 3A-3B. Referring to FIGS. 1-4, assembly  1  includes reflector  10  having a main reflecting surface portion  12  which can be a circular disc shape, rectangular, triangular and the like, attached to a T-shaped support member  14  having an extended bottom protruding portion  16  with concave bottom edge  18 . A gimball member  20  having a ball  22  at one end and an extended tail member  24 , where the ball  22  abuts against the concave edge  18  of support member  14  and is held in place by a cap  30  having threaded portions  37  mateably thread with external threads  17  of protruding portion  16  of support member  14 . The cap  30  has an opening  35  for allowing the tail member  24  to extend therethrough. A longitudinal mounting member  40  has one end  42  with an internally threaded side hole  41  for receiving the threaded end  27  of tail member  24  therethrough. Attached about a mid-section  44  of mounting member  40  is a vertically raised strap  43  that can be a hook and loop fasteners(such as Velcro®), a belt strap with buckle, a single bungee type cord, and the like. The rear end  45  of mounting member  40  includes a clamp section  45  having dual fork shaped prongs  46 ,  48  extending outwardly therefrom. On the exterior sides of the clamp prongs  46 ,  48  can be additional side reflectors  52 ,  54  that can be adhered thereon. Referring to FIG. 4, reflector  10  and cap  30  can pivot in plural arc directions of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and the like, relative to horizontally longitudinal mounting member  40  by concave edge  18  sliding against ball  22 . The cap  30  can be rotated to be tightened so that the reflector is oriented in to a selected position. 
     FIG. 5A is a side view of a boat  200  on a trailer  300  with the reflector assembly  1  of the preceding figures mounted on an outboard motor  100  being in a down position. FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of the reflector assembly  1  and outboard motor  100  of FIG.  5 A. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the boat  200  on trailer  300  and motor mounted reflector assembly  1  of FIG.  5 A. FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of the reflector assembly  1  and outboard motor  100  of FIG.  6 A. Referring to FIGS. 5A-6B, strap  43  is positioned to tightly wrap about the outer hub shaft  110  behind the propeller blades  115  of the outboard motor  100 . Simultaneously, clamp prongs  46 ,  48 (only one is shown) are positioned by the installer to wrap about the sides of the skeg fin  125  which extends downward from the propeller drive train housing  120 . With the outboard motor  100  in a downward position, the rear facing reflector  10  is oriented to be perpendicular to the longitudinal mounting member  40 . 
     FIG. 7A is a side view of the boat  200  on trailer  300  and reflector assembly  1  mounted on the outboard motor  100  of FIG. 5A with the outboard motor  100  in a raised position. FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of the reflector assembly  1  and outboard motor  100  of FIG.  7 A. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the boat  200  on trailer  300  and motor mounted reflector assembly  1  of FIG.  7 A. FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of the reflector assembly  1  and outboard motor  100  of FIG.  8 A. Referring to FIGS. 7A-8B, the outboard motor  100  is tilted at hinge point  130  so that propeller end  115  is raised upward during transportation. The reflector  10  can be pivoted relative to mounting member  40  to continue to be perpendicular to ground level  310  while the rear facing reflector is no longer perpendicular to mounting member  40 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another version of the outboard motor reflector assembly  400 . FIG. 10A is a side view of the reflector assembly  400  of FIG. 9 mounted to an outboard motor  100  on a boat  200  and trailer  300 . FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of the reflector assembly  400  and outboard motor  100  of FIG.  10 A. Referring to FIGS. 9-10B, reflector assembly  400  is similar to reflector assembly  1  previously described with the exception that the attachment strap  410  is horizontal and extends rearwardly from the assembly so that strap  410  has ends  412 ,  414  attached to outer ends of clamp prongs  46 ,  48 , respectively. For installation, the reflector assembly  400  has clamp prongs  46 ,  48  attached about the sides of propeller drive train housing  120  above the propeller  115  and propeller hub  110 , with the strap tightened about a front edge  122  of housing  120 . The reflector  10  pivots relative to the mounting member  40  similar to the previous version. 
     The reflector assembly can be manufactured and sold in a kit form that allows anyone to be able to install the reflector onto an outboard motor. 
     The components of the reflector assembly can be made from injection molded plastic, aluminum, combinations thereof, and the like. For example, the prongs of the clamp can be rigid prongs. 
     While the reflectors have been described as having reflective surfaces, the invention can be used where an electrical type light source can be used with and/or instead of the rear facing and side facing reflectors, where the light source can be powered off a car/boat battery, and/or the light source can have a rechargeable battery power supply. 
     Although the reflector surface  12  is shown being flat and planar, the reflector can have various shapes such as but not limited to rectangular, triangular, polygon, and the like, so that a single reflector can be seen from the rear and both sides of the outboard motor  100 . 
     Although the reflector  10  is shown being rotated to only two positions, the gimbal ball allows the reflector the versatility to rotate in various planes so that the reflector would be visible to drivers behind the towed boat whether or not the motor is raised upward or the motor is turned and angled to different side positions, and the like. 
     The reflector can be used as advertisements for boats, engines, accessories, and the like. For example, a business name can be engraved into the reflector, and/or decals can be attached to the reflector, and the like. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.