Abstract:
A device is disclosed for the safe, secure and reliable display of a municipal meter parking ticket, or similar item, from the interior of an automobile or motor vehicle. The device includes a base with a rotating lid. The rotating lid locks or engages over the municipal meter parking ticket which is on the base. Additionally, a chamber may be formed with a slot through which the municipal meter parking ticket is inserted.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosed embodiments pertain to an apparatus for safely and reliably displaying a municipal meter ticket, typically for parking, within an automobile or other motor vehicle. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In the prior art, it is very common for a municipality or other entity to provide access to a parking facility by selling, typically through a credit card-based vending machine, tickets which are then displayed placed within an interior of the automobile or motor vehicle so as to be visible through the window thereof. This serves to indicate that the appropriate parking fee has been paid for that automobile or motor vehicle, typically for a given time period which is printed on the ticket. However, merely putting the ticket on the dashboard or other structure of the automobile or motor vehicle is problematic in that the ticket may become displaced or lost, thereby resulting in a parking violation for the automobile or motor vehicle. In addition, currently available devices lack the ability to enhance visibility of the ticket thereby further creating the problem of making the ticket unknown. Similarly, devices currently available do not have the ability to hold more than one ticket over time securely. If more than one ticket was attempted to be held by currently available ticket holders the tickets would become dislodged as the devices are currently made to hold only one ticket at a time. Users may desire to place more than one ticket in a holder and dispose of the used tickets at another time. This feature, among others is not currently available in the current ticket holders. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide an apparatus and method for securing a municipal meter parking ticket, or similar item, at a location within the passenger compartment of an automobile or motor vehicle, whereby the ticket remains visible through the car window, and is not prone to loss or other displacement. 
     These and other objects are attained by providing a container made of clear rigid material, such as, but not limited to, glass, plexiglass, plastic or similar material. The container holds the municipal parking ticket and is attached or secured within the interior of the vehicle thereby maintaining the location and visibility of the municipal parking ticket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
         FIG. 1  is a front plan view of a typical embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a side plan view of a further typical embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, one sees that  FIG. 1  is a front plan view of municipal meter ticket display  100 . Municipal meter ticket display  100  includes base plate  10  which is typically a solid planar piece of plastic, neoprene or similar clear material. While not illustrated, the rear of base plate  10  may be configured to attach to a dashboard or similar structural element of the automobile or motor vehicle. The municipal meter ticket  2  is placed in a central area of base plate  10 . While not illustrated, a central shallow well may be formed in a central area of base plate  10  in order to receive the municipal meter ticket  2 . Lid  12  is rotatably affixed to base plate  10  about an axis formed by pin  14 . First detent element  16 , typically implemented as an aperture is likewise formed on lid  12 . While  FIG. 1  illustrates first detent element  16  as being on the corner of lid  12  adjacent to the corner where pin  14  is found, other positions are likewise available. Second detent element  18  is likewise formed on base plate  10 . First and second detent elements  16 ,  18  are positioned so that they align and engage with each other when the lid  12  has been rotated to a position to cover the central area of base plate  10 , thereby covering the municipal meter ticket. Second detent element  18  may be configured as an aperture, so that when the lid  12  is rotated so apertures of first and second detent elements  16 , 18  align, a pin (not shown) is placed through the apertures thereby engaging the lid  12  over the municipal parking ticket  2 . Alternatively, second detent element  18  may be a boss or other male or extending element which is received by the aperture of first detent element  16 . Other alternative to the detent may be a lever or other locking mechanism. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , lid  12  may be separated from planar base by walls  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26  (perpendicular to both planar base  10  and lid  12 ) so that chamber  30  is formed therebetween. The chamber may be formed by the lid, the base or a combination of the lid and base depending on the embodiment. The chamber allows the user to place many tickets in the display thereby avoiding the need to empty the display after each ticket use. A slot  8  may be formed in wall  22  to allow the municipal parking ticket  2  to be inserted into chamber  30  without the necessity for moving the lid  12 . The slot may be formed on the side or top for ease of placement of the ticket. As shown in  FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, first detent element  16  is configured as a male element and second detent element  18  is configured as an aperture or female element. Optionally, a suction cup  150  may be attached to the base to allow the display to be placed on a vehicle dashboard. The suction cup may include a ball and socket joint to allow the display to be rotated in any direction for belter display. 
     In either embodiment, the municipal ticket meter display  100  is placed within an automobile or motor vehicle and the municipal meter ticket. Further in  FIG. 2  is shown light emitting diodes (LEDs)  110 . The LEDs may be connected by wires  140  to an energy source  130  such as a battery. Preferably the energy source is within the base. Alternatively, the LEDs may be powered by one or more solar cells  120 . The solar cells are disposed on the base to obtain light rays. The base may be blackened or reflective to increase the solar emissions. In addition a reflective backing on the base may be used to increase visibility of the ticket inside the display device. For further increased visibility the lid  12  may be tinted to alert ticket purchase. The tint of lid  12  may be a florescent or bright color such a florescent orange or yellow to increase visibility of the display and ticket. 
     Another embodiment for the base is for the base to have a backing made of glow in the dark material. An example of such a backing is a solar activated glow in the dark backing. The backing may be comprised od copper doped zinc sulfide or glow powder that is activated by the solar rays and glows in the dark. Such backing would allow the display to be seen at night with no need to replace batteries. 
       FIG. 3  is a three dimensional view that shows that the display securely holds the entire ticket. A stand  300  may be used with the display. Stand  300  may be attached to the base by a swivel  310 . Depending on the embodiment, swivel  310  may be a ball and socket joint to allow the display to move forward and backward relative to the stand. In addition the ball and socket joint would allow movement clockwise and counter clockwise to increase visibility of the display. The display and the stand may have a means fro securing it to the dashboard. Depending on the implementation, an adhesive strip may be applied to the stand or in the absence of the stand to the bottom of the base. The adhesive strip may include Velcro or loop and hoop mechanisms to allow removal of the display form the dashboard. Alternatively, the stand may incorporate a suction cup device to allow the stand to be place on the dashboard and removed when desired. 
     Other alternative embodiments or implementations according to the various teachings of the present invention will be understood by those skilled in the art and are achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In accordance with the scope of the invention, access to the networking site or other sites may include exclusive access to the site or sender&#39;s information, or combination of both access to the site and sender&#39;s information. It is therefore intended that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments described herein but should be defined in accordance with the claims that follow.