GB2289362A

GB2289362A - Roller L-plate

Info

Publication number: GB2289362A
Application number: GB9409340A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Hewitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-05-11
Filing date: 1994-05-11
Publication date: 1995-11-15
Also published as: GB9409340D0

Abstract

Roller L-Plates comprise a length of flexible plastic or textile sheeting on which are printed, in colour and size, the driver under instruction symbols of the Highway Code and which is affixed to a spring loaded roller, in roller blind fashion, and housed in a slender stowage box from which the blind can be withdrawn to expose the desired symbol such as "L" or "R" and thereafter held in view, under spring tension, by fixing the eye-end of the bottom of the blind to a self-adhesive hook on the vehicle's windscreen. The blind housing is affixed to the windscreen in a similar eye-to-hook connection. The spring loaded roller can be removed from its housing, rotated through 180 DEG , and replaced so as to facilitate the exposure of symbols on either side of the blind. <IMAGE>

Description

ROLLER "L" PLATES In the United Kingdom,as in many other countries,it is part of the Law and the Highway Code that "L" plates be displayed at both the front and the rear of motor vehicles to indicate to other road users that the driver of a vehicle is under driving instruction. It is also the Law and Rule 38 of the Highway Code that such indicators be removed from display when the driver at the time is a qualified person and not one who is under instruction.

In the United Kingdom the Law concerning display of symbols applies equally to the symbols "L" and "R" in N.Ireland and "L" and "P in Great Britain and the clauses concerning removal of the symbols also equally applies.

Unfortunately many people do not obey these requirements and it is not uncommon to see vehicles proceeding at speeds greater than 45 miles per hour and still displaying the "L" symbol. There are many reasons for such behaviour but it is believed that a major factor in this flouting of the Law lies in the fact that the present symbols,on sale in this country,are printed either on peel-off adhesive film or on very flexible films of PVB or polyester which are highly plasticised and adhere to the glass screens by the partial vacuum which is produced when such films are manually squeegeed to the glass surface.

Unfortunately when such films are removed and later re-used a few times the surface becomes contaminated with dust and lint and it becomes difficult to maintain the partial vacuum on the glass surface and the sign peels-back and falls to the floor of the vehicle. There is a need therefore for a simple display unit which can be readily fixed to the screens of a vehicle and which will be unobstructive to the view of the driver but which can contain the "L" and "R" or the "L" and "P" symbols on a flexible film or fabric but which can be stowed away,when not required by the Law, into a slender narrow container. Such a need is fulfilled in the present invention where there is provided a flexible plastic or textile screen carrying the required symbols and stowed on a spring loaded roller,in roller blind fashion, in a slender box or housing which is attachable to the screens of a vehicle and from which the required symbol display can be obtained by pulling down the blind from its stowage box and fixing its bottom,under spring pressure,to a selfadhesive hook or similiar device on the glass of the screen and thereafter returning it to its stowage box by reversing the action when the symbol display is no longer appropriate. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich: Figure 1 shows a diagramatic front elevation of the Roller "L" Plate Referring to the drawing the Roller "L" Plate comprises a tough flexible plastic or textile sheet 1 which carries the required display symbol 2 and stows into a slender box 3 which houses a miniature version of a spring loaded roller blind 4. In this invention there is no need for the roller to carry the conventional ratchet mechanism of full size commercial window blinds because once the symbol has been withdrawn from the box 3 its eye 5 can be secured to the glass of the screen,under spring tension, by mating it with a self-adhesive hook(not illustrated) of the type now produced to fix the tie-backs of curtains to a wall, The roller housing 3 has a back-plate 6 which carries eye ends 7 and these can be used to support the stowage box 3 on the screen glass by a similiar use of the previously mentioned selfadhesive curtain hooks. The flexible blind can carry the required symbols "L" and lXRXt or "L" and "Pss',one on each side in the conventional manner, but the symbol which is to be outwardly displayed is obtained by removal of the roller 4 from its housing 8 when it can be re-located in the desired orientation. In practice it is found that the symbols can be withdrawn at any time and thereafter reinstated within seconds. Also because the flexible screen carrying the symbols is spring loaded the symbol on its film is always held in tension and is readily read.

Claims

1. Roller L-Plates comprising a flexible plastic or textile screen carrying the required symbols and stowed on a sprint loaded roller,in roller blind fashion, in a slender box or housing which is attachable to the screens of a vehicle and from which the required symbol display can be obtained by puiling GOSS. the blind from its stowage box and fixing its nottom,under spring pressure, to a self-adhesive hook or similiar device on the glass of the screen and thereafter returning it to its stowage box by reversing the acticn when the symbol display is no longer appropriate.

2. Roller L-Plates according to Claim 1 wherein the blind onwhich the symbols are printed is flexible plastic sheeting or glazed textile which has been pigmented to yield a dense white background as required by Law.

3. Roller L-Plates according te Claim 2 wherein the white flexible blind has the required symbols printed upon it in the red colour as required by Law.

4. Roller L-Plates according te Claims 2 and 3 wherein the desired symbols are printed on both sides of the Write flexible or textile sheeting.

5. Roller L-Plates according to Claims 1 and 4 wherein the required symbol display is obtained ,if not already visible te the cutsider,bgr removing the roller from its housing and rotating it through 180 and then re-locatirE it in its housing.

6. Roller L-Plates according to Claim 1 wherein the stowage box or housing and the bottom of the flexible blind have intregal eye ends which fit into selfadhesive hooks on the glass screen thus allowing the blind to be retracted into its housing when not required but also to allow its removal alltogether when the requirements of the L-Driver are over.

7. Roller LcPlates substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.