Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a device that holds advertisement placards, temporary license plates, and advertisement media, such as brochures and DVDs, which device is attachable to the standard license plate screw bosses of a vehicle. 
   2. Background of the Prior Art 
   Car dealerships are busy and hectic places where buyers and sellers meet in order to try to place a vehicle, either new or used, with a buyer at a price that is acceptable to both the buyer and seller. One aspect of the sales process that is experienced countless times a day is the test drive. A buyer, upon seeing a vehicle that may be of interest for purchase, gets behind the wheel of the vehicle and road tests the vehicle in order to assess its road worthiness. This basic vehicle sales task is oftentimes the difference between a sale of the vehicle and a rejection, whereupon the buyer keeps looking. While a fairly standard routine, the test drive has certain inconveniences for the salesperson as well as the buyer. As it is customary, due to the expense involved, not to tag each individual vehicle on a given dealership lot, prior to taking the vehicle off of the lot, a temporary license tag must be affixed to the vehicle. 
   One method used by dealers to tag a vehicle for a test drive is to magnetically attach a plate to an appropriate location on the vehicle such as the trunk lid. Magnets affixed to the back surface of the license tag couple to an appropriate metal surface on the body of the vehicle and remain thereat during the test drive. Upon completion of the test drive, the license tag is decoupled from the vehicle and stored as desired for subsequent use on another vehicle. Although this method works reasonably well, it is not without shortcomings. The magnetic contact of tag to vehicle can lead to scratches being left on the vehicle. Such scratches result in the need for the detail department to spend time and effort (and of course money of the dealership) in order to remove the scratches. In serious situations, such as those involving high-end luxury vehicles, the scratches can result in a rejection of acceptance of the vehicle by the putative buyer. Additionally, such tags can become dislodged and fly off of the vehicle during the test drive resulting in the expense of replacement of the tag and possibly the costs of repairing another vehicle on the road that is struck by the dislodged low flying tag, neither result desired by the dealership. Some jurisdictions, recognizing the potential for harm caused by a dislodged tag during a test drive, specifically prohibit magnetic attachment of temporary tags to vehicles being test driven. 
   To combat the shortcomings of using a magnetically adhered tag, many dealers install a tag in the usual way by screwing the tag to the existing license plate screw bosses located at the front and rear of the vehicle, although many dealers only attach a rear tag during a normal test drive. Many vehicle dealers place a dealership advertisement tag in the normal license plate position during the initial vehicle prep work which tag is one component of the dealership&#39;s advertisement scheme. Accordingly, the salesperson must remove this advertisement tag prior to installation of the license plate tag used for the test drive. Upon completion of the test drive, the license plate tag must be removed and the dealership advertisement tag, if not inadvertently misplaced, which can happen during a typical hectic sales effort, replaced. Although relatively simple, such a process is inconvenient and time-consuming for both the salesperson and the customer and results in a higher level of frustration for each during the sales process. 
   Another aspect of the car purchasing process that gives car dealers pause involves the after-hours shopper. A large portion of would-be vehicle purchasers frequent car dealerships after hours when such shoppers can stroll the lot freely and inspect various vehicles without the added stress of the presence of a salesperson. Such buyers, either through demand of schedule, or simply the desire to shop free of sales pressures, attend the lots outside of the business hours of the dealership. Once a desired vehicle is identified, such shoppers make contact with the dealership either telephonically or by visitation during regular business hours of the dealership. The problem for the dealership in attending to such after hours shoppers is the fact that, due to the absence of a salesperson that can pump up the various vehicles on the lot, the potential buyer may not be exposed to the most desirable features of a particular vehicle. Although the buyers can do research on-line after visiting the dealership, many would-be buyers may not place certain vehicles on their desirable list simply through visual inspection of the vehicle and the perceptions attained therefrom. Although the vehicle may have most, if not all of the features desired by a buyer, the buyer may never learn of such qualifications of the vehicle and may never consider the vehicle for purchase. Without the presence of a salesperson on the lot after hours, the dealer faces challenges in informing the would-be buyer of the desirability of certain vehicles on the dealer&#39;s lot. 
   Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a system that can assist a vehicle dealership in the sales process, which system addresses the aforementioned short comings currently found in the art. Specifically, such a system must allow a salesperson to quickly and securely attach a license tag to a vehicle in order to make the particular vehicle legal for road testing. Such attachment must be achieved without fear of scratching or scuffing the body of the vehicle in order to prevent diminution of the value of the vehicle. The attachment process must be relatively quick and easy so that it does not unnecessarily burden either the salesperson or the potential buyer, each of whom may have a busy schedule. The attachment of the tag to the vehicle must be relatively secure in order to minimize the potential for the tag becoming dislodged during road testing of the vehicle so as to prevent loss of the tag and/or damage to other vehicles on the road. Such a tag attachment system should work in harmony with any advertisements secured to the vehicle in the tag receptacle areas of the vehicle. The system should be able to offer a potential buyer, present in the lot when no salesperson is available, advertisements and other pertinent details about the particular vehicle being inspected or at least the make and model of the vehicle in order to allow a potential buyer to have the ability to decide whether a given vehicle meet&#39;s the would-be buyer&#39;s criteria for a vehicle. Ideally, such a system should be of relatively simple design and construction and must be easy to install, maintain, and use. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The holding device attachable to a vehicle of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a device the serves dual roles for a vehicle dealership and its would-be buyers. Specifically, the holding device attachable to a vehicle allows a salesperson to quickly and securely attach a license tag to a vehicle employing the device so that the vehicle is legal for road testing. The attachment of the license plate to the vehicle does not require the tag to be attached magnetically or otherwise to a body panel of the vehicle so that the potential for scratching or scuffing the body of the vehicle is eliminated. Attachment of the license plate to the vehicle is relatively quick and easy so that it does not unnecessarily burden either the salesperson or the potential buyer. The attachment of the tag to the vehicle is relatively secure so that there is little danger of the tag becoming dislodged from the vehicle, with the attendant risk of loss of the tag and/or damage to other vehicles eliminated. The holding device attachable to a vehicle works in harmony with any advertisements secured to the vehicle in the tag receptacle areas of the vehicle so that the dealership maintains a high advertising profile, a necessity for a highly successful dealership. The holding device attachable to a vehicle is capable of offering a potential buyer, present in the lot when no salesperson is available, advertisements and other pertinent details about the particular vehicle being inspected in order to allow the would-be buyer to be able to review the various specifications of the vehicle at leisure. The holding device attachable to a vehicle is of relatively simple design and construction and is easy to install, maintain, and use. 
   The holding device attachable to a vehicle of the present invention is comprised of a first receptacle that has opposing sidewalls joined by a bottom wall forming a closed bottom and an open top. An optional transparent face portion is held by the sidewalls and the bottom wall while a first pair of slots extend downwardly from the open top to the closed bottom on each of the sidewalls and a second pair of slots extend downwardly from the open top to the closed bottom on each of the sidewalls parallel to the first pair of slots. A second receptacle is attached to the first receptacle such that the second receptacle has an internal chamber with an actuator and a power source therein. A switch is electrically connected to the power source and the actuator such that depression of the switch causes an arm of the actuator to act on and dispense a disc held within the internal chamber out of the internal chamber through a slot located on the second receptacle. A pair of posts extends from the second receptacle such that each of the pair of posts has an ear with an opening thereon. The opening on each ear of each post aligns with a respective one of the pair of screw bosses of the vehicle so that a screw passes through each opening in order to attach the device to screw bosses of the vehicle. A delay circuit may be provided and be electrically connected to the switch such that the delay circuit imposes a time delay between subsequent actuator activation cycles. A lamp is located within the first receptacle and is electrically connected to the power source while a depression switch is located within the first receptacle, between the first pair of slots, such that depression of the depression switch causes the lamp to illuminate. A photoelectric cell may be attached to the first receptacle such that the photoelectric cell measures ambient light and deactivates the lamp should the lamp be illuminated and the ambient light be above a threshold level. A stabilizer bar extends from the second receptacle and is coextensive with the pair of posts. A rack is provided and has a plurality of arms, each arm having a pair of third slots such that each of the pair of ears is receivable within a respective one of the pair of third slots. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the holding device attachable to a vehicle of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the holding device attachable to a vehicle attached to the rear of a vehicle. 
       FIG. 3  is an environmental view of several of the holding devices attachable to a vehicle installed on various vehicles on a vehicle dealership lot. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the holding device attachable to a vehicle with a dealership advertisement tag in place and a test drive license plate partially installed. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view, from the rear, of the holding device attachable to a vehicle. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the internal operating components of the second receptacle of the holding device attachable to a vehicle. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle with a dealership advertisement tag in place and a test drive license plate partially installed. 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle taken along line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a third alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the third alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle taken along line  12 - 12  in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a holding rack used to hold the various embodiments of the holding device attachable to a vehicle. 
       FIG. 14  is a detail perspective view of the holding device attachable to a vehicle received within the holding rack of  FIG. 13 . 
   

   Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the holding device attachable to a vehicle of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a first receptacle  12  and a second receptacle  14 , located rearwardly from and attached to the first receptacle  12 . As seen, the first receptacle  12  is a generally rectangular storage member that has opposing sidewalls  16  and a bottom wall  18 . An optional protective face portion (not illustrated) may be provided and held by the sidewalls  16  and the bottom wall  18 , which face portion is transparent and made from an appropriate material such as clear plastic. The first receptacle  12  also has an open top  20  and a closed bottom  22  with a lip  24  on the bottom if desired. A first pair of slots  26  are located within the first receptacle  12  and extend downwardly along the sidewalls  16  from the open top while a second pair of slots  28  are also located within the first receptacle  12  along the sidewalls and also extend downwardly from the open top  20  and are coextensive with one another and with the first pair of slots  26 . The first pair of slots  26  along with the bottom wall  18  define a first tag reception area while the second pair of slots  28  along with the bottom wall  18  define a second tag reception area. The bottom wall  18  may have slots and join the respective first slots  26  and the second slots  28 . The first tag reception area of the first receptacle  12  is dimensioned so as to be able to receive a standard sized license tag T used within the jurisdiction within which the device  10  is to be used such that the tag T is capable of being able to be slid into the first receptacle  12  so as to be received within the first pair of slots  26  and held by the bottom wall  18 . Once received within the first tag reception area of the first receptacle  12 , the tag T substantially fills the first tag reception area so that either side of the tag T is located proximate the sides of the sidewalls  16  and the top of the tag T is located proximate the open top  20  of the first receptacle  12 . The depth of the first slots  26  is such that the tag T rests securely within the first pair of slots  26  without undue lean (the depth of the first slots  26  accommodates the typical license plate T rail R found on many such tags T). When the tag T is properly in place within the first receptacle  12 , the functional viewable area of the tag T must be properly visible through the transparent face portion if used, or just the open space that would be occupied by the face portion. 
   Similarly, the second tag reception area of the first receptacle  12  is dimensioned so as to be able to receive an advertisement plate A desired by the dealership such that the plate A is capable of being able to be slid into the first receptacle  12  so as to be received within the second pair of slots  28  and held by the bottom wall  18 . Once received within the second tag reception area of the first receptacle  12 , the plate A substantially fills the second tag reception area so that either side of the plate A is located proximate the sides of the sidewalls  16  and the top of the plate A is located proximate the open top  20  of the first receptacle  12 . The depth of the second slots  28  is such that the plate A rests securely within the second pair of slots  28  without undue lean. When the plate A is properly in place within the first receptacle  12 , the functional viewable area of the plate A must be properly visible through the transparent face portion or just the open space that would be occupied by the face portion if no tag T is present within the first tag reception area. 
   As seen, the second receptacle  14  defines a disc dispensing device that has an internal chamber  30  with an access door  32  with a lock  34  thereon for gaining access to the internal chamber  30  therethrough and a dispensing slot  36  located on a side thereof. One or more discs D, which may be CDs, DVDs, etc., are stored within the internal chamber  30  with an actuator  38  also being disposed within the internal chamber  30 , the actuator  38  (which may be a typical solenoid) having a dispensing arm  40 . A power source  42 , which may be one or more standard batteries, is electrically coupled to the actuator  38  as is an actuator switch  44  for controlling the actuator  38 . A time delay circuit  46  is electrically connected to the switch  44  and to the actuator  38 . Also located within the internal chamber  30  is a lamp  48  that is electrically connected to the power source  42 . A depression switch  50  is located at the bottom wall  18  of the first tag reception area and is electrically connected to the lamp  48  as is a photoelectric sensor  52 . 
   A pair of posts  54  extends rearwardly from the second receptacle  14  and each post  54  has an ear  56  with an opening  58  thereon, each ear  56  facing either inwardly or outwardly as desired. A stabilizer bar  60  also extends rearwardly from the second receptacle  14  and has a non-scuff pad  62  thereon 
   The sidewalls  16  of the first receptacle  12 , the second receptacle  14 , the posts  54 , and the stabilizer bar  60  are each made from an appropriate sturdy material, such as a metal or a hard plastic or a combination thereof. 
   In order to use the holding device attachable to a vehicle  10  of the present invention, the device  10  is attached to the license plate holding area of a typical vehicle V via appropriate attachment screws  64  in similar fashion to the attachment of a typical license plate T to the vehicle V. The openings  58  on the posts  54  are dimensioned to correspond to the screw bosses on the vehicle V at the license plate attachment area of the vehicle V. The posts  54  give the second receptacle  14 , as well as the first receptacle  12 , clearance beyond the inset found on many modern vehicles V at the license plate holding area. The second receptacle  14  is filled with appropriate promotional discs D and batteries  42  are installed into the device  10 . A desired advertisement plate A is placed into the second tag reception area of the first receptacle  12 . The advertisement plate A is visible through the face portion or open area of the device  10  and serves as an advertisement display for the dealership. A customer that happens upon the vehicle V whenever no salesperson is present, depresses the actuator switch  44  which causes the actuator  38  to activate and extend its dispensing arm  40  which pushes one of the discs D out through the dispensing slot  36  in order to provide the would-be buyer with an informative disc on the vehicle under examination. An appropriate spring loading mechanism, as is well known in the art, positions the next disc D into dispensing position. In order to prevent unnecessary disc D dispensing, the time delay circuit  46  prevents the actuator  38  from again activating, irrespective on of the number of times the switch  44  is depressed, until the expiration of a time delay, which may be set within the device  10  by the dealer or may be factory present. When the vehicle V to which the device  10  is installed is to be test driven, a license plate T is inserted into the first tag reception area. The incoming tag T rests upon and depresses the depression switch  50  in order to complete the electrical circuit to the lamp  48  in order to turn the lamp  48  on for safe night driving. This is necessary due to the fact that the device  10  is offset from the normal tag holding area of the vehicle V by the posts  54  due to the need to have clearance for disc D dispensing and tag T and A insertion and removal. Such clearance places the license tag T outside of the range of the typical vehicle tag light. However, in order to preserve battery  42  life, the photoelectric sensor  52  turns the light off  48  during daylight conditions. 
   As the vehicle is being test driven, the stabilizer bar  60 , which rests against the vehicle V, helps keep the device  10  stable against the vehicle V with the non-scuff pad  62  preventing damage to the vehicle V. 
   Upon completion of the test drive, the license tag T is removed from the first receptacle  12 , which causes the depression switch  50  to become undepressed, which turns the lamp  48  off, if not already turned off by the photoelectric override. The advertisement tag A is once again visible and provides advertisement for the dealership. 
   As seen in  FIGS. 7-9 , in an alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle  110 , the device  110  simply comprise a first receptacle  112 , having its sidewalls  116 , bottom wall  118 , open top  120 , closed bottom  122  (lip not shown) and first pair of slots  126  for defining a first tag reception area and second slots  128  for defining a second tag reception area. This embodiment also has posts  154  extending rearwardly from the first receptacle  112 , with each post  154  having an ear  156  with an opening  158 . This embodiment  110 , which is attached to the vehicle V in similar fashion to the previous embodiment, may not necessarily have a stabilizer post due to its decreased weight relative to the previous embodiment. Insertion and removal of license plates T and advertisement plates A is substantially similar to the previous embodiment. 
   As seen in  FIG. 10 , in a second alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle  210 , the device  210  also simply comprises a first receptacle  212 , having its sidewalls  216 , bottom wall portion  218 , open top  220 , closed bottom  222  (lip not shown) and just a first pair of slots  226  for defining a first tag reception area. This embodiment also has posts  254  extending rearwardly from the first receptacle  212 , with each post  254  having an ear  256  with an opening  258 . This embodiment  210 , which is attached to the vehicle V in similar fashion to the previous embodiment, may not necessarily have a stabilizer post due to its decreased weight relative to a previous embodiment. Insertion and removal of license plates T and advertisement plates A is substantially similar to the previous embodiments. 
   As seen in  FIGS. 11 and 12  in a third alternate embodiment of the holding device attachable to a vehicle  310 , the device  310  comprises a first receptacle  312 , having its sidewalls  316 , bottom wall portion  318 , open top  320 , closed bottom  322  (lip not shown) and first pair of slots  326  for defining a first tag reception area and second slots  328  for defining a second tag reception area and a second receptacle  314 . The second receptacle  314 , has an internal chamber  330  with a lid  364  hingedly attached to the receptacle  314  via an appropriate spring-loaded hinge  366 . A spring-loaded latch  368  holds the lid  364  in a normally closed position. A drain opening  370  is located at the bottom of the second receptacle  314  for draining any moisture that may enter this receptacle  314 . Either discs D or appropriate brochures B may be placed within the second receptacle  314  such that a potential vehicle buyer gains access to the internal chamber  330  of the second receptacle  314  by using the latch  368  to gain such access. Once the brochure B or other marketing device is removed from the second receptacle  314  by the would-be buyer, the lid  364  is placed back into the closed position and held thereat by the latch  368 . A sealing member  372  helps prevent moisture intrusion into the second receptacle  314 . This embodiment  310  also has posts  354  extending rearwardly from the second receptacle  314 , with each post  354  having an ear  356  with an opening  358  as well as a stabilizer bar  360  with a non-scuff pad  362 . This embodiment  310  is attached to the vehicle V in similar fashion to the previous embodiments. 
   As seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , a device holding rack  74  can be mounted to a wall W by passing appropriate screws  76  through openings  78  on the rack. The rack  74  has a plurality of receiving arms  80 , each with a pair of spaced apart slots  82  thereon with an rounded opening  84  extending downwardly from each slot  82 . The slots  82  each hold a respective one ear  156  of the device  110  with the opening  84  providing clearance for the posts  154  of the device  110 . 
   While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: b