Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Atty DIct number 121011 Webber View Extender
DRIVER VISION FIELD EXTENDER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to windshield applied driver vision field
extenders.
RELATED APPLICATIONS:
This application is based upon Provisional Application No. 61/632,025, filed
January 17,
2012, which application is incorporated by reference herein. Applicant claims
priority under
35U.S.C.119 (e) therefrom.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has long been known that suspended signal lights, signs, and banners at
intersections
are sometimes difficult to see by a driver without hyper extending or
"craning" the neck if the
vehicle is too close to the overhead object. The prior art reveals several
solutions to this
difficulty, but none of the solutions have had commercial success.
A sampling of the relevant prior art follows. Two early patents utilize
substantial prism
lenses to refract the view above the vehicle into the viewscape of the driver
in a normal driving
position. The signal viewing attachment of David (US patent No. 1637309)
attaches a semi-
circular, plano-sphero-concave lens to a central location in front of the
driver a few inches down
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from the top edge of the windshield. A permanent internal attachment is made
using transparent
cement. The traffic signal observer of Buttron (US patent 1683951) consists of
a triangular
crossection prism several inches long which is attached by rigid brackets
either to the dash below
the lower edge of the windshield, or to the steering column by clamping means.
A multiple use automobile banner by Timpson et al. (US patent 6640477) shows a
repositional and reusable automobile advertising banner that stretches across
the entire
windshield near the top edge. The intent behind the Timpson banner is to
enable a car dealership
to permit potential customers to take test drives with the banner attached for
promotional
purposes. As the banner is transparent, its use in the driver's field of view
does not violate DOT
prohibitions against obstructions to the driver's field of view. The banner is
positioned so that it
does not extend below 6" from the top edge of the windshield, which is another
DOT restriction.
The banner is attached to the outer surface of the windshield by static cling
whereinafter
dealership personnel can write price and other promotional information on the
banner
conveniently against the solid and substantially planar windshield surface.
While this is not a
driver vision field extender, some size and attachment features relate to the
present invention.
A signal viewing device of Gadberry (US Patent number 6,108,141) uses a vinyl
Fresnel-
type prism lens. Gadberry's drawings show generally circular concentric prism
lines mounted on
the inside upper edge of the windshield to extend the driver's field of view.
The prism lens is in
the general shape of a circular concentric segment. The Gadberry device (i.e.,
prism lens) is
configured to be mounted by wetting the back side of the vinyl lens and then
squeezing the water
film from the interface between lens and windshield. The length and width of
the Gadberry
device appear to be about 8' and 2", respectively.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an driver vision field extender that extends
the view
upward to compensate for areas obscured by the vehicle roof in a manner that
overcomes the
shortcomings of the prior art.
The invention is advantageous when utilized under certain circumstances, for
example, in
the windshield of a truck with a high cabs where the problem of effectively
and accurately
observing data intended to be conveyed by overhead objects is more often than
not more acute
that problems associated by passenger cars, as addressed by above-described
prior art.
Another advantage of the invention is that a material cost for its manufacture
and
implementation to accommodate the orientations and size differences between
vehicular
windshields in minimized while the inherent convenience of its implementation
is maximized.
The present invention uses flexible vinyl Fresnel-type prism lens material
with
substantially parallel horizontal straight prism lines. The parallel lines
permit wide side by side
views without substantial distortion, which could occur with prior art
concentric prism lines
which focus at the middle of the concentric rings.
As the driver vision field extender is intended to be positioned contiguously
along the
entire linear length of the windshield (from side to side), the driver vision
field extender after
installation preferably exhibits a concave shape acting to focus the light
defining and delineating
overhead objects towards front-seated passengers such as the driver.
The material comprising the driver vision field extender displays static cling
features,
which make it easy to attach and reposition the driver vision field extender
on a windshield.
Although the size and shape of a particular windshield upon which the driver
vision field
extender is installed may differ, 3M PRESS-ON OPTICS material is identical
as produced for
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the optical industry for correcting diplopia. For diplopia, as distinguished
from the ability to see
focused communications associated with overhead objects according to this
invention, the
material is simply trimmed to size and then pressed onto an eyeglass lens.
While a lens as small as a 3" by 3" square can be used for this invention in a
position on a
windshield conducive to a particular driver and repositioned as needed for
another driver, for
example, near the top edge of the windshield, it is preferable to arrange a
length of the material
comprising the driver vision field extender along the entire width of the
upper portion of the
windshield.
But where such application is inopportune, a rectangular lens slightly larger
than 3" by 3"
would be preferable. And alternate embodiments as long narrow rectangles can
be used to span
one half of the windshield in a strip less than 6" down from the top
windshield edge. Again,
these lenses (i.e., driver vision field extenders) can be trimmed to conform
to the top windshield
contour and for size lengthwise. Longer lenses permit viewing full
intersection banners or high
signs on either side. The full width strips afford the same viewing capability
to a person in a
front passenger seat.
A further alternate embodiment is to position the lens upon a portion of the
interior rear
view mirror to view objects from behind. Please note that in such embodiments
the length or
surface area of the material comprising the driver vision field extender must
be significantly
smaller than that of a windshield mounted device.
In general, because the prism lines are substantially parallel, as opposed to
concentric, the
edges of the viewed object are not distorted. Therefore, the images can be
seen in a relatively
accurate 3-dimensional configuration.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention can best be understood in connection with the
accompanying
drawings. It is noted that the invention is not limited to the precise
embodiments shown in
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side schematic side view of a driver viewing a traffic signal
through an
driver vision field extender formed with a Fresnel-type prism lens, whereby
direct viewing is
otherwise obscured by vehicle roof.
Figure 2 is a side elevation view of an driver vision field extender formed
with a small
rectangular fresnel lens.
Figure 3 is an edge view of the crossection of the lens comprising the driver
vision field
extender of figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of an driver vision field extender formed with a
Fresnel-type
prism lens of half windshield width.
Figure 5 is a side elevation view of an driver vision field extender formed
with a Fresnel-
type prism lens of full width size.
Figure 6 is a rear view of a motor vehicle windshield showing a first small
embodiment
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of an driver vision field extender formed with a Fresnel-type prism lens of
the present invention.
Figure 7 is a rear view of a motor vehicle windshield showing a second half-
windshield
width embodiment of an driver vision field extender formed with a Fresnel-type
prism lens of the
present invention.
Figure 8 shows a rear view of a motor vehicle windshield 2 showing an driver
vision field
extender formed with a third full windshield width embodiment of a Fresnel-
type prism lens of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Figure 1 illustrates a field of view problem solved by this invention. The
vehicle is
obviously too far forward for driver 5 to view traffic signal 4 while in his
normal driving
position. Vehicle roof 3 blocks his direct view (A). However, an driver vision
field extender
formed with Fresnel-type prism lens 1 and mounted to windshield 2 refracts
view line (B) via the
Fresnel-type prism lens 1 into eyelevel C. While not clear from Fig. 1, the
driver vision field
extender formed with the Fresnel-type prism lens 1 extends substantially along
the entire side to
side length of the windshield.
Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a small rectangular Fresnel-type
prism lens 1
with horizontal prism lines 10 (as distinguished from that embodied in the
driver vision field
extender of Fig. 1).
Figure 3 shows the array of prism lenses 10 and their orientation to shift the
image down.
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Note smooth side 11 will cling to the windshield by "static cling".
Figure 4 shows a half-windshield width driver vision field extender formed
with lens 15,
which can be trimmed to windshield top contour and desired length Wl.
Figure 5 shows a full windshield width an driver vision field extender formed
with
Fresnel-type prism lens 20 of width W2. Note that lens 15 therein will support
full banner or side
sign viewing by driver, while lens 20 will afford the same capability to
someone in the adjacent
passenger seat. Neither devices 15 or 20 should extend below 6" from top of
windshield due to
possible forward view distortion.
Figure 6 shows a rear view of a motor vehicle windshield 2 in front of
driver's steering
wheel 6, highlighting a re-directed view 4C of a traffic signal 4 positioned
above the obstructed
view line 2A at the top roof line of the windshield 2 of the driver of a motor
vehicle. Re-directed
view 4C of the traffic signal 4 is shown directed through a first embodiment
for a small driver
vision field extender formed with a Fresnel-type prism lens 1 (Figure 1),
visible to both a driver
of the motor vehicle.
Figure 7 shows a rear view of a motor vehicle windshield 2 in front of
driver's steering
wheel 6, highlighting a re-directed view 4C of a traffic signal 4 positioned
above the obstructed
view line 2A at the top roof line of the windshield 2 of the driver of a motor
vehicle.
The directed view 4C of the signal light 4 is shown directed through a second
embodiment for a
half-windshield width driver vision field extender formed with Fresnel-type
prism lens 15
(Figure 4) in the vertically downward view directional arrow 4D. Therein, the
obliquely placed
sidewalk post-mounted "WALK/DON'T WALK" traffic signal 40, is positioned above
a
sidewalk to the side of the roadway through which a driver is driving a motor
vehicle. An image
of same is re-directed through half-windshield width driver vision field
extender formed with
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Fresnel-type prism lens 15 (embodying view 40C) at a side portion visible to a
driver.
Figure 8 shows a rear view of a motor vehicle windshield 2 in front of
driver's steering
wheel 6, highlighting a re-directed view 34C of a street banner 34 positioned
above the
obstructed view line 2A at the top roof line of the windshield 2 of the driver
of a motor vehicle.
The re-directed view 34C of the street banner is shown directed through a full
windshield width
by an driver vision field extender formed with a Fresnel-type prism lens 20
(Figure 5). The view
is visible to both a driver and a passenger sitting in a passenger seat to the
right of a driver of the
motor vehicle.
In the foregoing description, certain terms and visual depictions are used to
illustrate the
preferred embodiment. However, no unnecessary limitations are to be construed
by the terms
used or illustrations depicted, beyond what is shown in the prior art, since
the terms and
illustrations are exemplary only, and are not meant to limit the scope of the
present invention.
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