U.S. patent application number 13/835375 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-08 for mounting assembly for a gps.
The applicant listed for this patent is Albert Long TRINH, Dennis Sam Trinh, Toan Trinh. Invention is credited to Albert Long TRINH, Dennis Sam Trinh, Toan Trinh.
Application Number | 20130201064 13/835375 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42825976 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130201064 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TRINH; Albert Long ; et
al. |
August 8, 2013 |
MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR A GPS
Abstract
A GPS device comprises a GPS unit, a visor, and an optional
attachment means to attach the visor to the GPS unit to improve the
viewing of the visual display screen under bright light and/or to
eliminate the reflection of the lighted display screen of the GPS
unit from a vehicle's windshield during nighttime driving; a visor
set comprising said visor and said attachment means; said visor or
visor set optionally comprising a GPS antenna for stronger
reception and/or a faster acquisition of satellite GPS signals; a
method for improving the viewing of the display screen under bright
light, for eliminating reflection of the display screen from the
vehicle's windshield, and for providing improved satellite GPS
signals by using the GPS device or the visor set hereinabove; and
an article of manufacture comprising the GPS device or the visor
set hereinabove, in association with instructions for use.
Inventors: |
TRINH; Albert Long;
(Maineville, OH) ; Trinh; Dennis Sam; (Maineville,
OH) ; Trinh; Toan; (Maineville, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TRINH; Albert Long
Trinh; Dennis Sam
Trinh; Toan |
Maineville
Maineville
Maineville |
OH
OH
OH |
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
42825976 |
Appl. No.: |
13/835375 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13305260 |
Nov 28, 2011 |
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13835375 |
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12384355 |
Apr 3, 2009 |
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13305260 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
343/720 ;
359/601 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 35/00 20130101;
B60R 2011/0073 20130101; B60K 37/00 20130101; B60R 2011/0071
20130101; B60K 2370/39 20190501; B60R 11/00 20130101; G02B 27/028
20130101; G01C 21/3626 20130101; G02B 5/003 20130101; B60K 2370/37
20190501; B60R 2011/0077 20130101; B60R 11/0258 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
343/720 ;
359/601 |
International
Class: |
G02B 27/02 20060101
G02B027/02 |
Claims
1. A mounting assembly for a portable Global Positioning System
(GPS) unit, comprising: (a) a suction cup mount, (b) a cradle that
attaches to the suction cup mount, and (c) a removable GPS visor
that is attached to the cradle.
2. The mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein: (a) the
suction cup mount comprises a body connecting at a first end to a
base, and at a second end to a ball, said base including a
polymeric suction cup and a lever; (b) the cradle comprises a body
comprising an upper prong and a lower prong, said prongs together
clamp a GPS unit, and further comprises a socket comprising a
receptacle to receive the ball of the suction cup mount, and
wherein the cradle has a clip receptacle; and (c) the GPS visor
comprises a flat piece of material having a proximal edge, and a
clip that extends from the proximal edge of the visor and can
insert, into the clip receptacle of the cradle, to attach the visor
to the cradle for shielding the display screen of the GPS unit to
improve the viewing of the information that is displayed on the
display screen of the GPS unit under bright light and/or to
eliminate or reduce the reflection of the lighted display screen of
the GPS unit from the motor vehicle's front windshield in nighttime
driving.
3. The mounting assembly according to claim 2 wherein each of the
upper prong and the lower prong includes a protruding structure,
wherein the protruding structures of the upper prong and the lower
prong snap into an indented slot in a top side and a bottom side of
a GPS unit, to secure the GPS unit to the cradle.
4. The mounting assembly according to claim 2 wherein the clip of
the visor comprises a main member that extends from the GPS visor,
and a lever having a notch to lock the clip into the clip
receptacle of the cradle, and a handle that can be pressed to
unlock the notch, to remove the visor from the cradle.
5. The mounting assembly according to claim 2 wherein the flat
piece of material is made of a material selected from the group
consisting of plastic film, polymeric film, molded plastic,
polymeric foam, paper, cardboard, composite materials, or laminated
materials, and the visor has a length of from about 3 cm to about
20 cm and a width of from about 3 cm to about 15 cm.
6. The mounting assembly according to claim 5 wherein the flat
piece of material and the clip of the visor are integral and made
of plastic.
7. The mounting assembly according to claim 5 wherein the visor has
a dark color, and the color is black, dark blue, dark red, dark
purple, crimson, dark green, or combinations thereof.
8. The mounting assembly according to claim 2 wherein the visor
further comprises two side shields.
9. The mounting assembly of claim 2 wherein the visor has one or
more openings.
10. The mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the one or more
openings permit access to an on/off bottom or switch located on a
top side of the GPS unit.
11. The mounting assembly according to claim 12 wherein the GPS
antenna is a supplemental GPS antenna that connects to the GPS unit
to provide an improved reception of GPS satellite signals, and
thereby minimize distraction during driving.
12. The mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the visor
further comprises a GPS antenna.
13. An article of manufacture to improve the viewing of the
information that is displayed on the display screen of a portable
GPS unit under bright light and/or to eliminate or reduce the
reflection of the lighted display screen of the GPS unit from the
motor vehicle's front windshield in nighttime driving, comprising:
(a) a mounting assembly for a portable GPS unit, comprising (i) a
suction cup mount, (ii) a cradle that attaches to the suction cup
mount, and (iii) a removable GPS visor that is attached to the
cradle, and (b) instructions for use with the directions to affix
and remove the visor to and from the cradle, and the cradle to the
suction cup mount.
14. The article of manufacture according to claim 13, wherein: (i)
the suction cup mount comprises a body connecting at a first end to
a base, and at a second end to a ball, said base including a
polymeric suction cup and a lever; (ii) the cradle comprises a body
comprising an upper prong and a lower prong, said prongs together
clamp a GPS unit, the cradle further comprising a socket comprising
a receptacle to receive the ball of the suction cup mount, and
wherein the cradle has a clip receptacle; and (iii) the GPS visor
comprises a flat piece of material having a proximal edge, and a
clip that extends from the proximal edge of the visor and can
insert, into the clip receptacle of the cradle, wherein the clip
comprises a main member that extends from the proximal edge, and a
lever having a notch to lock the clip into the clip receptacle, and
a handle that can be pressed to unlock the notch, to remove the
visor from the cradle; and (b) instructions for use, including
instructions for: (i) attaching the cradle to the suction cup mount
by inserting the ball of the suction cup mount into the receptacle
of the cradle; (ii) attaching the GPS unit to the cradle by
inserting the GPS unit between the upper prong and lower prong of
the cradle; (iii) attaching the GPS visor to the cradle by
inserting the clip of the visor into the clip receptacle of the
cradle; (iv) attaching the suction cup mount to the windshield or
dashboard of a motor vehicle; and (v) removing the GPS visor from
the cradle, by pressing the handle of the clip to unlock the notch
from the clip receptacle.
15. The article of manufacture according to claim 13 wherein the
flat piece of material is made of a material selected from the
group consisting of plastic film, polymeric film, molded plastic,
polymeric foam, paper, cardboard, composite materials, or laminated
materials, and the visor has a length of from about 3 cm to about
20 cm and a width of from about 3 cm to about 15 cm.
16. The article of manufacture according to claim 15 wherein the
visor has a dark color, and the color is black, dark blue, dark
red, dark purple, crimson, dark green, or combinations thereof.
17. The article of manufacture according to claim 14 wherein the
visor further comprises two side shields.
18. The article of manufacture according to claim 13 wherein the
visor has one or more openings.
19. The article of manufacture according to claim 18 wherein the
one or more openings permit access to an on/off bottom or switch
located on a top side of the GPS unit.
20. The article of manufacture according to claim 13 wherein the
visor additionally comprises a GPS antenna.
21. The article of manufacture according to claim 20 wherein the
GPS antenna is a supplemental GPS antenna that connects to the GPS
unit to provide an improved reception of GPS satellite signals, and
thereby minimize distraction during driving.
22. An article of manufacture comprising (a) a cradle for mounting
a portable GPS unit, the cradle being attachable to a suction cup
mount; (b) a removable GPS visor that attaches to the cradle; and
(c) instructions for use.
23. The article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein: (a)
the cradle comprises a body comprising an upper prong and a lower
prong, said prongs together clamp the portable GPS unit, the cradle
further comprising a socket comprising a receptacle to receive a
ball of the suction cup mount, and wherein the cradle has a clip
receptacle; (b) the GPS visor comprises a flat piece of material
having a proximal edge, and a clip that extends from the proximal
edge of the visor, and can insert into the clip receptacle, wherein
the clip comprises a main member that extends from the proximal
edge, and a lever having a notch to lock the clip into the clip
receptacle, and a handle that can be pressed to unlock the notch,
to remove the visor from the cradle; and (c) instructions for use,
including instructions for: (i) attaching the cradle to a suction
cup mount by inserting a ball of the suction cup mount into the
receptacle of the cradle; (ii) attaching the GPS unit to the cradle
by inserting the GPS unit between the upper prong and lower prong
of the cradle; (iii) attaching the GPS visor to the cradle by
inserting the clip of the visor into the clip receptacle of the
cradle; (iv) attaching the suction cup mount to the windshield or
dashboard of a motor vehicle; and (v) removing the GPS visor from
the cradle, by pressing the handle of the clip to unlock the notch
from the clip receptacle.
24. The article of manufacture according to claim 22 wherein the
flat piece of material is made of a material selected from the
group consisting of plastic film, polymeric film, molded plastic,
polymeric foam, paper, cardboard, composite materials, or laminated
materials, and the visor has a length of from about 3 cm to about
20 cm and a width of from about 3 cm to about 15 cm.
25. The article of manufacture according to claim 24 wherein the
visor has a dark color, and the color is black, dark blue, dark
red, dark purple, crimson, dark green, or combinations thereof.
26. The article of manufacture according to claim 23 wherein the
visor further comprises two side shields.
27. The article of manufacture according to claim 21 wherein the
visor has one or more openings that allow the user access the
on/off button and other switches located at the top side of the GPS
unit.
28. The article of manufacture according to claim 22 wherein the
visor additionally comprises a GPS antenna.
29. The article of manufacture according to claim 28 wherein the
GPS antenna is a supplemental GPS antenna that connects to the GPS
unit to provide an improved reception of GPS satellite signals, and
thereby minimize distraction during driving.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 13/305,260 (pending), filed Nov. 28, 2011, which is a
divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/384,355
(abandoned), filed Apr. 3, 2009, the disclosures of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to the field of navigation devices or
units, especially the Global Positioning System (hereinafter "GPS")
devices or units that have a visual display. In particular, it
relates to a visor or sunshade that can be a permanent or removable
part of a GPS device, or that can be a separate accessory that can
be attached to a GPS unit, to improve the viewing of the
information that appears on the visual display screen under bright
light. Thus, it relates to a visor that has an attachment means to
attach itself to GPS units that have a visual display, including
portable GPS units that have a visual display. It also relates to a
visor that comprises a supplemental antenna to provide improved
reception of signals from GPS satellites. It also relates to a
method of using such GPS device or visor to improve the viewing of
information on the visual display screen and/or the reception of
GPS satellite signals, an article of manufacture that provides such
GPS device or visor; to the provision with the such GPS device or
visor of instructions for use; and/or to methods of doing business
that promote the availability and the utility of such GPS unit or
visor, articles of manufacture, and methods, etc., to the plurality
of people who may need such unit, visor, etc.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] GPS units or apparatus have become very popular with
consumers for use as a navigation aid for movable bodies, such as
motor vehicles, automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, boats, planes,
and for activities such as hunting, hiking, fishing, camping,
street walking, and the like. Some high-priced automobiles, boats,
and planes have a GPS unit permanently installed in their control
dashboard. However, the portable GPS units that can be temporarily
installed are even more widespread. These portable and usually
temporarily mountable GPS units can be removed and stored
out-of-sight when not in use, or can be transferred to another
vehicle, so one unit can be alternatively used in several vehicles.
GPS units are commercially available in many models under the brand
names of, e.g., Garmin.TM., Magellan.TM., Tom Tom.TM., Mio.TM.,
Cobra.TM., HP.TM., LG.TM., and the like.
[0006] In general, a portable GPS unit comprises a movable body
comprising mainly an antenna, tuned to the frequencies transmitted
by the satellites; a position measuring device for determining a
self-position of the movable body; an input device for inputting a
destination position; a memory device for storing map information
and information about the course from the present position to the
destination; an optimum course device for evaluating different
courses from the present position to the destination by using the
map information stored in the memory device and searching for the
optimum course by selecting a course, based on some selection
criteria, that is the best one among the various evaluated courses,
as the optimum course; and a visual display device for providing
the user with various information, such as, the present position, a
road map that shows the directions toward the destination, the
description of the different roads and streets for the present
trip, and other information such as turn-by-turn directions, name
of the roads, speed of the vehicle, projected time of arrival, and
the like; a speaker means to announce some of the information such
as the next turn; and a placement means or a mounting means to
mount the GPS unit on a location of, e.g., a vehicle, such as on
the dashboard or a windshield. Although the display screens for
most portable GPS units are fairly small, with diagonal dimension
of from about 3.5 cm to about 13 cm, they display a lot of
information, from detailed maps with street names and directions
for the next turn or the next several turns, and other information,
such as speed of the vehicle, projected arrival time, nearby points
of interest, such as gas stations, restaurants, hospitals, and the
like. Another type of GPS unit comprises many of the functions
listed above, but also comprises a mobile or cellular telephone
device and/or other computer capabilities, to serve both as a GPS
unit and a mobile phone unit and/or as a GPS unit and a personal
digital assistant (PDA) unit, such as PDA units from Research in
Motion.TM.Limited, Garmin, Mio, Navman.TM., Mobile Crossing.TM.,
Pharos.TM., Asus.TM., and the like.
[0007] For easy viewing by the user, portable GPS units are most
often mounted on top of the dashboard or on the front windshield of
a motor vehicle. In these positions, the display screen can become
difficult to view at times, when the GPS device is exposed to
bright light, e.g., bright sunlight. U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,233 B1
issued to Jung on Aug. 19, 2008 discloses a special display screen
that is placed in tandem with the car sun visor to provide shading
but which blocks more of the view of the road. Under bright
sunlight that shines on the display screen, the image and
information on the display screen of a dash-mounted or
windshield-mounted GPS unit can appear dimmed and/or washed out,
and the user may loose the visual directions, potentially causing
hazardous driving conditions.
[0008] The extent of this problem has not been appreciated. Thus,
there is a need for a visor or sunshade that has a means for
attaching it to the GPS unit and which shields the glare of the
bright sunlight from the display screen of said GPS unit, thus
allowing a comfortable and clear reading by the driver of the
information on said display screen. During night time driving, the
lighted display screen of the GPS unit can reflect itself off the
front windshield and cause diminished visibility of the road,
especially on dark streets or unlit highways. There has been no
recognition of this problem. Thus, there is a need for a shade on
the GPS screen to block that reflection that appears on the
windshield at night to provide the car driver with a good
visibility of the road. The invention improves driving safety both
during bright sunlight and at night.
[0009] The reception of satellite signals by a GPS unit can be
improved by the use of an external or supplemental antenna, which
can provide a stronger signal reception and/or a faster signal
acquisition. A better signal reception can also reduce the risk of
losing the signal lock. The performance of an antenna is dependent
in part on its physical orientation, which is related to the
radiation pattern of the antenna. There are many commercially
available supplemental or external GPS antennas that can be
purchased from the GPS unit manufacturers, such as Garmin and
Magellan, and from GPS accessories manufacturers, such as Gilsson
Technologies.TM., 2576 Barrington Court, Hayward, Calif. 94545. An
external or supplemental GPS antenna generally comprises a housing
containing an antenna unit that is linked by a coaxial cable to a
coaxial connector. The coaxial connector in turn is attached to the
external antenna jack of a GPS unit to transfer the signals
received by the antenna to the GPS unit. A correct orientation of
the antenna is needed for a good reception of satellite signals. A
typical GPS antenna is a flat microstrip (or patch) antenna that
provides a better reception when it is placed horizontally because
satellite signals come from above. When used in a motor vehicle,
the supplemental GPS antenna is usually placed horizontally on the
roof of the vehicle, attached to the windshield, or placed
horizontally on the dashboard, and is connected to the GPS unit by
a long cable. There is a need to simplify the hook-up and
attachment of the supplemental antenna to the GPS unit, and to
maintain the approximately horizontal position for the antenna.
[0010] Despite the clear need for driving safety and convenience,
there has been no recognition in the art of the problems solved by
the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] This invention relates to a GPS device, including a portable
GPS device, comprising a GPS unit comprising a visual display
screen, a visor (or sunshade or screen shade), and an optional
attachment means, as required, to attach the visor to the GPS unit
to prevent bright light such as originates from an external source
from shining onto the visual display screen of said GPS unit to
improve the viewing of the information that is displayed on the
display screen. By "visor", it typically means a flat piece of
material that can be placed above the GPS display screen, and
optionally, additional pieces placed on the two vertical sides of
the display screen, to prevent bright light from shining onto the
display screen and interfering with the driver's reading of
information on said display screen that can cause distraction and
driving hazard. Said visor can be a permanent or removable part of
said GPS device. Alternatively, said visor can be a separate
article that can be attached to a GPS unit, to improve the viewing
under bright light of the information on the visual display screen.
As used herein, "GPS unit" refers to the basic unit without a visor
and "GPS device" refers to a GPS unit with a visor, either
attached, or as part of a combination. GPS unit can comprise any
device providing a GPS capability that has a viewing screen subject
to a bright light, including those devices that have other
capabilities.
[0012] This invention also relates to a visor for a GPS device,
including for a portable GPS device, comprising a GPS unit and a
visor that is attached to the upper part of said GPS unit to shield
the bright light emitted by the GPS display screen that otherwise
can reflect from the front windshield of a motor vehicle during
nighttime driving causing reduced visibility of the road and
distraction to the viewer, said visor is attached to said GPS unit
by an attachment means. Said visor can be a permanent or removable
part of said GPS device. Alternatively, said visor can be a
separate article that can be attached to a GPS unit, to improve the
visibility of the road during nighttime driving. In this invention,
the visor for daytime driving can optionally, and desirably, be
used as the nighttime shade for the GPS device.
[0013] The present invention also relates to a visor that comprises
a supplemental antenna, desirably associated with a visor that is
parallel to the ground so that the antenna is parallel to the
ground, to provide improved reception of signals from the GPS
satellites by assuming a near horizontal orientation.
[0014] This invention also relates to the method of using such
visor to improve the viewing of the visual display screen of GPS
devices and/or to improve the nighttime visibility of the road
and/or to improve the reception of the satellite signals, when the
GPS device is in use. This invention also relates to an article of
manufacture that provides such GPS device and/or such visor; to the
provision with the GPS device and/or the visor of instructions for
use; and wherein such visor can carry an indicia that, e.g., either
identifies the visor, describes its use, etc. It is important to
provide instructions that indicate the problems to be solved and
the improved safety that result from following the instructions to
provide the user with an appropriate incentive for using the
invention.
[0015] In this document, the term "about" is presumed to modify all
numerical values, it being understood that exact numerical values
are not required unless it is specifically stated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment
of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present invention,
comprising a GPS unit having a recessed longitudinal groove on its
top side and its detached visor, said visor having a long flexible
lip at the proximal edge of its bottom face that is a mate for and
can be inserted into the indented groove of the GPS unit to attach
the visor to the GPS unit;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a side view of the GPS unit and the detached
removable visor of FIG. 1, showing the recessed groove on the top
side of the GPS unit and the mating lip that extends from the
bottom face, at the proximal side of the visor;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the GPS device of FIG. 1
with the lip of the visor already fully inserted into the groove of
the GPS unit to attach the visor to the GPS unit;
[0019] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present
invention, comprising the GPS unit comprising two vertical recessed
flat grooves at its vertical sides, and a visor having two hinged
flat stems (or flat shafts) that mate with and can be inserted into
the vertical grooves of the GPS unit to attach the visor to the GPS
unit;
[0020] FIG. 5 is the magnification of the cut away area of FIG. 4
to provide an enlarged view of the hinges that permit the said flat
stems to be flattened against the visor;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the GPS device of FIG. 4
with the stems of the visor already secured into the grooves of the
GPS unit to attach the visor to the GPS unit;
[0022] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present
invention, comprising a GPS unit having three hollow receptacles on
its top front side, and a visor having two clips and a flat guide
that can be inserted and snugly fitted into the mating receptacles
of the GPS unit to affix the visor to the GPS unit;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mating portions of
the GPS unit of FIG. 7 and its visor showing a side view of a clip
at its proximal edge, and the mating portion of the GPS unit with
the corresponding hollow receptacle at its top front side, taken
along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the mating portions of
the visor with the flat guide at its proximal edge, and the GPS
unit with the corresponding hollow receptacle at its top front
side, taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a GPS
device with a permanently attached visor of the present invention,
with a hinge to permit the visor to swing from a closed position in
which the visual display screen cannot be viewed to an open
position in which the visual display screen can be viewed, the
visor being in the open position;
[0026] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the GPS device of FIG.
10, taken along the line 11-11, with the visor being in the open
position;
[0027] FIG. 12 is an exploded side view of the hinge portion of the
top part of the GPS device of FIG. 10 comprising the top part of
the GPS unit and the visor, said visor being in the open
position;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the GPS device of FIG. 10
with the visor being in the closed position to protect the visual
display screen;
[0029] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a GPS
device with a permanently attached, retractable visor of the
present invention, with the visor being in the open position;
[0030] FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of the GPS device
of FIG. 14, taken along the line 15-15, showing the part of the top
side of said GPS device having the housing situated underneath the
top side, and two tracks that allow the mating stops of the visor
to move along the tracks in order for the visor to take either the
open or closed position;
[0031] FIG. 16 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment
of a removable visor of the present invention, comprising a
flexible grooved element to be permanently attached to the top side
of a GPS unit, and a visor having a flexible long lip at the
proximal edge of its bottom face, said flexible long lip can be
inserted into the mating groove of the grooved element that is
affixed to the GPS unit to attach the visor to the GPS unit;
[0032] FIG. 17 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device of the present invention, comprising a
GPS unit and a visor that is attached to the GPS unit by loop-and
hook Velcro.TM.-like strips as attachment means (FIG. 17 also
illustrates an alternative embodiment of the removable visor of
FIG. 16 comprising a removable visor and the attachment means
comprising two mating Velcro-type strips (instead of the lip and
groove fastening system), with one strip permanently being affixed
along the proximal edge of the visor, and the mating strip being
permanently affixed to the top side of the GPS unit using an
adhesive layer);
[0033] FIG. 18 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of the GPS device of FIG. 17, comprising the GPS unit of
FIG. 17 having an additional Velcro-type strip that is permanently
affixed to the top back side of the GPS unit using an adhesive
layer, in addition to the Velcro-type strip that is permanently
affixed to the top side of the GPS, and a visor having additional
Velcro elements that are permanently affixed to the flexible
periphery members that are extended from the proximal edge, in
addition to the Velcro-type strip that is permanently affixed to
the bottom face along the proximal edge of the visor;
[0034] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the removable visor of FIG.
18 that is attached to the GPS unit, viewed toward the backside of
the GPS unit;
[0035] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of a removable visor having a flat and flexible, typically elastic
strap with Velcro ends which are used for adjustably wrapping the
strap around the sides of a GPS unit to tightly attach the visor to
the GPS unit;
[0036] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the removable visor of FIG.
20, showing the elastic strap tightly wrapping around the sides of
a GPS unit with the two ends of the strap being firmly joined
together by the mating Velcro surfaces, viewed toward the back side
of the GPS unit;
[0037] FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of the removable visor of FIG. 16, with the flexible
grooved element being replaced by a multiple grooved element having
a plurality of Ziploc.TM.-type grooves said grooved element capable
of being permanently attached to the top side of a GPS unit, and
the visor having a flexible long strip of mating Ziploc-type ribs
at the proximal edge of its bottom face, so that said mating strip
can be pressed and interlocked into the grooves of the grooved
element that is affixed to the top side of the GPS unit to attach
the visor to the GPS unit;
[0038] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of a visor element comprising side shields of the present
invention;
[0039] FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present
invention, comprising a GPS unit, a visor, a suction cup mount, and
a cradle; said GPS unit comprises an indented slot at the bottom
side and an indented slot at the top side to receive the two
protruding elongated notches of the cradle to attach the GPS unit
to the cradle; said cradle also comprises a round socket comprising
a hemi-spherical receptacle to receive the spherical ball of the
suction cup mount, and a top box comprising the receptacle to
receive the clip of the visor; said visor comprises a clip that is
extended from the proximal edge in a position that allows the clip
to be inserted and snugly fitted into the receptacle of the cradle
to attach the visor to the cradle; said suction cup mount comprises
a body connecting at one end to the circular, concave base, and at
the other end to the spherical ball, said base is adapted with the
polymeric suction cup connected with the lever that can pull the
center of the polymeric cup up to provide suction or push the
center of the polymeric cup down to release the suction;
[0040] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a generic
visor comprising a flat external GPS antenna, said visor can be
attached to a GPS unit using a suitable attachment means (not
shown), said visor comprising a GPS antenna, a coaxial antenna
cable, and a coaxial connector to connect the antenna to an
external antenna jack of the GPS unit;
[0041] FIG. 26 is the magnification of the cut away area of FIG. 25
to provide an enlarged view of the cover that is partly cut away to
show the flat antenna that is contained inside the cover;
[0042] FIG. 27 is a exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a
GPS device having a visor with an external antenna of the present
invention, comprising a GPS unit and a visor, wherein the GPS unit
comprises two hollow receptacles and an external coaxial antenna
jack at the top front side of the GPS unit, and the visor comprises
a flat GPS antenna that is linked to a coaxial connector and two
clips, said clips and the coaxial connector are attached to the
proximal edge of the visor in positions that allow the clips and
the connector to be inserted and snugly fitted into the mating
receptacles and the external antenna jack, respectively, of the GPS
unit to attach the visor to the GPS unit; and
[0043] FIG. 28 is the magnification of the cut away area of FIG. 27
to provide an enlarged view of the cover that is partly cut away to
show the flat antenna, the short coaxial antenna cable, and part of
the hemi-cylindrical element that are contained inside the
cover.
[0044] These drawings are not drawn to scale and are intended for
illustrative purposes only.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0045] This invention relates to a GPS device that is an
improvement over existing GPS units, including a portable GPS
device, comprising a GPS unit comprising a visual display screen,
and a visor or a sunshade or a screen shade (hereinafter "visor")
that is attached to said GPS unit to prevent bright light such as
originates from an external source from shining onto the visual
display screen, hereinafter also referred to as "display screen",
said visor typically being attached to said GPS unit by an
attachment means. By "visor" it typically means a flat piece of
material that can be placed above the GPS display screen, and
optionally, additional pieces placed on the two vertical sides of
the display screen, to prevent bright light from shining onto the
display screen and interfering with the driver's viewing of
information on said display screen that can cause distraction and
thus create a driving hazard. Said bright light can be bright
sunlight or bright artificial light that shines onto said visual
display screen from above and/or from a side of said display
screen. Said visor can be a permanent or a removable part of the
GPS device, with the removable visor being temporarily attached to
the GPS unit when needed. Alternatively, said visor can be a
separate article that can be permanently or temporarily attached to
a GPS unit, to improve the viewing of the display screen by a user
under bright light of the information on the visual display screen.
For the purpose of this invention, a "GPS unit" is any GPS
apparatus, including any commercially available GPS unit, which
does not have a visor, while the term "GPS device" designates a GPS
apparatus that comprises a removable or permanent visor. For the
purpose of this invention, "GPS unit" also includes a GPS unit with
mobile or cellular telephone capability and/or other computer
capabilities, to serve both as a GPS unit and a mobile phone unit
and/or a personal digital assistant (PDA) unit. This invention also
relates to the method of using such GPS device or visor to improve
the viewing of the information that is displayed on the visual
display screen of GPS units/devices and/or the improvement of the
view through a windshield at night.
[0046] Thus, in another embodiment of the present invention, the
sun visor can be used as a nighttime shade for the GPS device to
eliminate or reduce the reflection of the lighted display screen
from surfaces around the display screen, including the front
windshield of a motor vehicle, in order to improve the road
visibility and/or eliminate the distraction caused by the
reflection, especially on dark streets or unlit highways. Thus this
invention also relates to the method of using such visor to improve
the viewing of the information that is displayed on the visual
display screen of GPS devices and/or to improve the nighttime
visibility of the road, when the GPS device is in use. Again, it is
surprising that the problems found by applicants have not been
addressed heretofore. The invention makes a major contribution to
highway safety.
[0047] Thus, in one aspect of this invention there is provided a
GPS device that comprises a GPS unit comprising a visual display
screen, a visor, and an optional attachment means, as required, to
attach the visor to the GPS unit to shield any bright light from
shining onto the display screen of said GPS unit, to improve the
viewing of the information that is displayed on the display screen.
In this aspect, the visor is an integral part of the GPS device as
sold, with the visor being attached to the GPS unit using an
attachment means. In another embodiment, the visor can also
eliminate or reduce the reflection of the lighted display screen
from the motor vehicle's front windshield in nighttime driving that
can cause reduced visibility of the road and distraction to the
viewer.
[0048] The visor of the present invention can have any suitable
shape such as rectangular, square, semicircular, semi-elliptic,
semi-oval, and the like. Typically, the visor has a generally
rectangular or square configuration having four edges, comprising a
proximal edge that is closest to the GPS unit when the visor is
attached to the GPS unit, two lateral edges that are adjacent to
the proximal edge and a distal edge that is farthest away from the
GPS unit. In a desirable embodiment, the visor has rounded corners
at the ends of the distal edge. It is desirable to avoid sharp
edges for safety reasons. Similarly, for safety reasons, soft
flexible visors are desirable. The visor comprises a top face that
is oriented away from the GPS unit, and a bottom face that is close
to the display screen of the GPS unit. The present invention
provides visors of different dimensions that fit the different
sizes of the various GPS units. Since the top side of most common
commercial GPS units has a length of from about 8 cm to about 17
cm, and the length of the top side of a mobile telephone unit,
smart phone unit, and personal digital assistant (PDA) unit with
GPS capability is generally from about 3 cm to about 20 cm, the
length of the proximal edge of the visor can vary accordingly, from
a minimum of from about 3 cm to about 8 cm to a maximum of from
about 15 cm to about 20 cm. The width of the visor, which is the
distance between the proximal edge and the distal edge, can be
either about 3 cm, about 5 cm, about 6 cm, about 7 cm, about 8 cm,
about 9 cm, about 10 cm, about 12 cm, or about 15 cm. The visor has
a thickness of from a minimum of from about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm to
a maximum of from about 5 mm to about 15 mm. The visor of the
present invention can optionally comprise side shields that are,
e.g., vertically folded downward from the lateral sides of the
visor, said side shields can be folded against the bottom face
using, e.g., hinges at the edge of the lateral sides for
storage.
[0049] The visor can be made of material such as plastic film,
polymeric film, molded plastic, polymeric foam, paper, cardboard,
laminated materials, composite material, wood, and the like. In a
desirable embodiment, the visor is flexible and is made of a
resilient material. Flexible visors are desirable so they can be
adapted to different shapes of the top side of the different GPS
units. Desirable materials for visor are plastics that can include
thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene, polyethylene,
polystyrene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, ethylene vinyl
acetate copolymers, acrylate-modified ethylene vinyl acetate
polymers, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, and combinations thereof.
[0050] In one embodiment, the visor faces, especially the top face,
have a matte finish, not shiny or glossy, to minimize light
reflection that can reach the driver's eyes and disturb the viewing
of the information that is displayed on the display screen and the
road. In desirable embodiments, the visor faces, especially the top
face, can be smooth, coarse, rough, finely granular, finely
textured, felted, flocked, velvety, and the like. The visor is
typically made of opaque, not transparent, material to minimize the
transmission of light to the display screen of the GPS unit. The
visor can have any color, but is typically a dark color such as
black, dark blue, dark red, dark purple, crimson, dark green, and
the like, including combinations of such colors. Visors with
ornamental designs can be desirable.
[0051] In a useful embodiment, the visor of the present invention
can be removed from the GPS unit for storage when it is not needed,
said visor being temporarily attached to the GPS unit when needed,
using an attachment means. Non-limiting examples of attachment
means that are useful in the present invention for attaching the
removable visor to the GPS unit are one or more lip and groove
pairs, one or more interlocking rib-and-groove Ziploc.TM.-type
connectors, one or more clip and receptacle pairs, loop and hook
mating Velcro.TM.-type fasteners, and the like. The interlocking
rib-and-groove Ziploc.TM.-type connectors or male and female
connectors are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,284 issued
Aug. 29, 1967 to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,079 issued Apr. 21,
1981 to Sutrina et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,345 issued Dec. 14,
1982 to Scheibner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,584 issued Dec. 10, 1991 to
Dais et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,727 issued Aug. 25, 1992 to Dais
et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,100 issued Jul. 15, 1997 to Porchia et
al.; and the references cited therein. The Velcro-type fasteners
are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,339 issued Jan. 15,
1991 to Provost et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,499 issued Aug. 23, 1994
to Kennedy et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,100 issued Jul. 15, 1997 to
Porchia et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,016 issued May 26, 1998 to
Provost; and the references cited therein. Non-limiting examples of
loop and hook mating Velcro-type fasteners include Velcro strips,
and Sticky Back.TM. Velcro strips that have an adhesive layer on
their backside, said adhesive layer is protected by a release paper
strip to prevent the adhesive from prematurely sticking to a
surface other than the intended surface, said Velcro strips are
available from, e.g., Velcro USA Inc., Manchester, N.H. 03108.
Another example of an attachment means is the GPS placement means
or mounting means that is used to mount the GPS unit to, e.g., a
location in a vehicle. The visor is also attached to a part of the
placement means and is positioned in such as way that the visor can
shield the bright light from shining onto the visual display screen
of the GPS unit when the GPS unit is mounted in the mounting means.
Non-limiting examples of GPS placement means or mounting means
useful in the present invention are suction cup mount, non-skid
friction mount, dashboard mount, maritime mount, and the like. A
non-limiting example of a part of the mount that can be used to
attach the visor is the cradle of the mount that holds the GPS
unit.
[0052] In another embodiment, the visor of the present invention is
an integral part of the GPS unit and is not removable from the GPS
unit, with the visor being attached to the GPS unit using an
attachment means. Non-limiting examples of attachment means that
are useful in the present invention for attaching the non-removable
visor to the GPS unit include hinges that connect the visor to the
GPS unit, or a housing or slot in the GPS unit to hold and retain a
retractable visor, where it is intended that the visor stay
associated with the GPS unit. Hinge means allow one to orient the
visor in a more horizontal configuration. The visor can be molded
into the case of the GPS unit, but that makes the unit more
awkward.
[0053] In another aspect of the present invention there is provided
a GPS visor set for a GPS unit comprising a visor and an attachment
means that is used to attach the visor to the GPS unit. A
non-limiting example of an attachment means comprises a strap with
Velcro sides, said strap is attached to the visor and can tightly
wrap around the sides of a GPS unit when the two Velcro ends firmly
join together in order to attach the visor to the GPS unit. A
non-limiting example of a suitable Velcro strap is the One-Wrap
straps.TM. that are available from Velcro USA Inc., Manchester,
N.H. 03108. The strap can be an elastic band with mating
Velcro-type strips that are stitched or otherwise attached to the
opposite sides at the ends of the strap, said strap is stretched
and attached to the visor and thus can tightly wrap around the
sides of a GPS unit when the two Velcro ends firmly join together,
in order to attach the visor to the GPS unit. Non-limiting example
of suitable elastic materials that can be used to construct the
strap herein are knit elastic bands of different widths that are
available from Dyno Merchandise, Pompano Beach, Fla. 33064. Another
non-limiting limiting example of an attachment means that is useful
in the present invention is one or more of the various types of
plastic releasable cable ties with suitable widths and lengths.
These releasable straps typically comprises an elongate strap and a
locking head with an opening that receives the free end of the
strap, said head having a mechanism to lock the strap tightly in
place, when the strap is wrapped around an object, such as a bundle
of electric cables or the sides of a GPS unit, and pulled tightly
through the head to tie the strap around the object. The releasable
ties are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,233 issued Sep.
30, 1975 to Caveney et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,444 issued Nov. 16,
1976 to Bailey; U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,280 issued Dec. 2, 1980 to
Kreiseder; U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,250 issued Mar. 16, 1993 to Caveney;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,904 issued May 16, 1995 to Sampson; U.S. Pat.
No. 6,185,791 B1, issued Feb. 13, 2001 to Khokhar; and the
references cited therein. Other non-limiting examples of the
attachment means including one or more mating Velcro strips, one or
more Ziploc strips, or similar connectors, wherein one member or
more members of a connector is permanently affixed to the GPS unit
by an adhesive layer, while one or more mating members of the
connector is attached to the visor, e.g., by stitching or adhesive,
and the visor is then temporarily attached to the GPS unit. Since
commercially available GPS units can have many designs, some of
which can have an on/off button and other switches located at the
top side of the GPS unit, the removable visor of the present
invention allows for appropriate modifications by either providing
openings that allow the user to access those buttons and switches
when using, or before using the visor, or making the visor from
materials that permit removing portions to form such openings.
[0054] In another embodiment, the visor of the present invention
can be designed to be used as a protecting cover for the display
screen.
[0055] The present invention also relates to a visor that comprises
a supplemental antenna to provide an improved reception of signals
from the GPS satellites, desirably by assuming a near horizontal
orientation. In this aspect of the invention, the visor serves as
the housing for a small and flat GPS antenna such as a microstrip
(or patch) antenna that then approximately assumes the same
orientation of the visor. Since in use the visor is normally set in
a near horizontal position, the antenna also assumes a near
horizontal orientation for a good reception of the satellite
signals that are emitted from up high. This supplemental signal
reception is particularly useful for GPS units that comprise a thin
body and for very thin cell phones, which require that the internal
antenna be oriented more or less in a vertical position that may
not be the best orientation for many usage conditions. An antenna
in a near horizontal orientation is particularly advantageous,
e.g., in a city setting having rows of tall buildings that allow
mainly satellite signals that come from above, and not
horizontally. When the visor is an integral part of the GPS unit
and is not removable from the GPS unit, the antenna is linked
internally to the GPS unit, and can optionally be the sole antenna
of the GPS device. When the visor is removable from the GPS unit,
the visor also comprises a short coaxial antenna cable with a
coaxial connector to connect the antenna to an external antenna
jack of a GPS unit, to transfer the signals received by the
external antenna of the visor to the GPS unit, and therefore, the
bulkiness of a long antenna cable is avoided. The current invention
thus provides a compact arrangement of the external antenna with
the desired near-horizontal orientation when in use. The provision
of an antenna in a visor that can be easily replaced allows for
upgrading the antenna easily. GPS antennae that are useful in the
present invention can have a variety of configuration, from a
coiled wire encapsulated in a solid housing to miniature GPS patch
antennae and GPS microstrip antennae, as described in, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 5,943,018 issued Aug. 24, 1999 to Miller; U.S. Pat. No.
5,245,745 issued Sep. 21, 1993 to Jensen et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
5,272,485 issued Dec. 21, 1993 to Mason et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
6,100,855 issued Aug. 8, 2000 to Vinson et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
6,842,145 issued Jan. 11, 2005 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,919,844 issued
Jul. 19, 2005, both to Ryken, Jr. et al. and the references cited
therein. Compact and small dielectric patch antennae that are very
suitable for use in the visor of the present invention are
available from, e.g., Toko America, Inc., 1250 Feehanville Drive,
Mount Prospect, Ill. 60056 or Alpha Micro Components Ltd,
Springfield House, Cranes Road, Sherborne St John, Hants, RG24 9LJ,
UK. For instance, the AP12-A GPS ceramic patch antenna that has
approximate dimensions of 14 mm.times.14 mm.times.6 mm (height) can
be readily enclosed in a GPS visor of the present invention.
[0056] The present invention also relates to a GPS visor set for a
GPS unit comprising a visor; an attachment means that is used to
attach the visor to the GPS unit; and a supplemental GPS antenna
that can connect to a GPS unit comprising an external antenna jack
to provide an improved reception of GPS satellite signals.
[0057] The present invention also relates to a method for improving
the viewing of the information on the display screen of a GPS unit
under bright light, e.g., by temporarily or permanently placing a
visor above the display screen of the GPS unit or by appropriately
attaching the visor(s) to the GPS unit by an attachment means, said
visor being as described hereinabove. The visor optionally
comprises side shields that are placed at the two vertical sides of
the display screen to reduce bright light that shines to the sides
of the display screen.
[0058] The present invention also importantly relates to a method
of using the visor for eliminating or reducing the reflection of
the lighted display screen of a GPS unit from the automobile's
front windshield in nighttime driving. This reflection can create a
significant safety hazard.
[0059] The present invention also relates to a method of using a
visor that comprises one or more supplemental antennae to provide a
stronger reception and/or a faster acquisition of satellite GPS
signals. E.g., antennae can be positioned so as to maximize
reception from satellites near the horizon as well as those more
directly overhead.
[0060] The present invention also relates to an article of
manufacture comprising a GPS device comprising a GPS unit, a visor,
an attachment means for temporarily or permanently attaching the
visor to the GPS unit, and optionally an external GPS antenna, that
are all described hereinabove, optionally in association with
instructions for use the visor to improve the viewing the
information that is displayed on the display screen of a GPS unit
under bright light and/or to eliminate or reduce the reflection of
the lighted display screen of the GPS unit from the motor vehicle's
front windshield in nighttime driving and/or to provide a stronger
reception and/or a faster acquisition of satellite GPS signals.
Instructions which explicitly state the problems that will be
solved by using the invention improve the chances that the
invention will be used properly to avoid the safety problems. The
present invention also relates to an article of manufacture
comprising a visor set comprising a visor and an attachment means
for temporarily or permanently attaching the visor to a GPS unit,
and optionally an external GPS antenna that can connect to a GPS
unit comprising an external antenna jack to provide an improved
reception of GPS satellite signals, optionally in association with
instructions for use of the visor to improve the viewing of the
display screen of a GPS unit under bright light and/or to eliminate
or reduce the reflection of the lighted display screen of the GPS
unit from the motor vehicle's front windshield in nighttime driving
and/or to obtain a stronger reception and/or a faster acquisition
of satellite GPS signals.
[0061] The present invention also relates to the association of a
set of instructions for use with the visor, the GPS device, the
method, or the article of manufacture described hereinabove. The
set of instructions desirably provides the information on how to
use the visor to obtain a better view of the information that
appears on the visual display screen under bright light and/or a
better view of the road during nighttime driving due to the absence
of the reflection of the lighted display screen on the windshield
and/or to obtain a stronger reception and/or a faster acquisition
of satellite GPS signals. The set of instructions can be printed,
e.g., on one or more of: the package, the accompanying instruction
flyer or booklet, and/or communicated via print and/or electronic
mass media, e.g., newspapers, magazines, radio, television,
internet, circulars, and the like. The instructions can be in
words, or illustrative images and/or icons including in combination
with words.
[0062] This invention further relates to a visor set, a GPS device
comprising a visor, and/or an article of manufacture comprising
said visor set or said GPS device comprising a visor, wherein the
visor carrying one or more indicia showing, e.g., a logo, emblem,
symbol, motif, sign, figure, mark, icon, decoration, pictogram,
insignia, design, image, and/or brand name, said indicia can be in
light color, such as pastel or white, dark color, multicolor, or
mixtures thereof.
[0063] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of
example hereinafter with reference to the drawings. Similar
reference numbers denote corresponding features throughout the
drawings. The elements of one embodiment can be combined with those
of other elements, or can be used alone.
[0064] FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment
of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present invention,
comprising the GPS unit 101 and the removable visor 111. The GPS
unit 101 comprises the display screen 102, the vertical side 106,
and a recessed longitudinal groove 108 on the top side 103 of the
GPS unit 101, said indented groove 108 being a part of the
attachment means to attach the removable visor 111 to the GPS unit
101. The removable visor 111 comprises the top face 112, the bottom
face 113, the proximal edge 114 that is closest to the GPS unit 101
when the visor 111 is attached to the GPS unit 101, two lateral
edges 115 and 116 that are adjacent to the proximal edge 114, and
the distal edge 117 that is farthest away from the GPS unit 101,
with the visor further having the long flexible lip 118 that
extends from the bottom face 113 of the visor 111 along the
proximal edge 114 as the other part of the attachment means, said
lip 118 can be inserted and snugly fitted into the groove 108 of
the GPS unit 101 to attach the visor 111 to the GPS unit 101. Visor
111 can be removed from GPS unit 101 when not needed by the user by
moving lip 118 out of groove 108.
[0065] FIG. 2 is a side view of the GPS unit 101 and the detached
removable visor 111 of FIG. 1, showing the side 106 of said GPS
unit 101 and the recessed groove 108 on the top side 103 of the GPS
unit 101, and the edge 115 and the lip 118 that extends from the
bottom face 113 at the proximal edge 114 of the visor 111.
[0066] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the GPS device of FIG. 1
with the lip 118 of the visor 111 already fully inserted into the
groove 108 of GPS unit 101.
[0067] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present
invention, comprising the GPS unit 201 and the visor 211. The GPS
unit 201 comprises the display screen 202 and two vertical recessed
flat grooves 208 and 209 at its vertical sides 205 and 206, said
grooves 208 and 209 being a part of the attachment means to attach
the removable visor 211 to the GPS unit 201. The visor 211
comprises the top face 212, the bottom face 213, the proximal edge
214 that is closest to the GPS unit 201 when the visor 211 is
attached to the GPS unit 201, two lateral edges 215 and 216 that
are adjacent to the proximal side 214, and the distal edge 217 that
is farthest away from the GPS unit 201. The visor further comprises
two hinged flat stems (or flat shafts) 228 and 229 that are
attached near the ends 218 and 219 of the proximal edge 214 via
hinges 238 and 239 along edges 215 and 216, said flat stems 228 and
229 being the other part of the attachment means, said hinges 238
and 239 allow the stems 228 and 229 either to assume approximately
perpendicular positions with respect to the bottom face 213 such
that stem 228 and 229 can be inserted and snugly fitted into the
vertical grooves 208 and 209 of the GPS unit 201 to attach the
visor 211 to the GPS unit 201, or to be folded flatly next to the
bottom face 213 parallel to the proximal side 214, in the same
manner as the two temples of a pair of eye glasses fold next to the
glasses' lens for storage. The circle area 5 of the visor 211 is
partly cut away near the end 218 of the proximal side 214 to show
the hinge 238.
[0068] FIG. 5 is the magnification of the cut away area 5 of FIG. 4
to provide an enlarged view of the hinge 238 that permit the said
flat stems to be flattened against the bottom face 213 of visor
211.
[0069] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the GPS device of FIG. 4
with the stems 228 and 229 of the visor already secured into the
grooves 208 and 209 of the GPS unit 201.
[0070] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present
invention, comprising the GPS unit 301 and the visor 311. The GPS
unit 301 comprises the display screen 302 and three hollow
receptacles 307, 308, and 309 at the top front side 303 of the GPS
unit, with the receptacles 307, 308, and 309 being a part of the
attachment means to attach the removable visor 311 to the GPS unit
301. The visor 311 comprises the top face 312, the bottom face 313,
the proximal edge 314 that is closest to the front 303 of the GPS
unit 301 when the visor 311 is attached to the GPS unit 301, two
lateral edges 315 and 316 that are adjacent to the proximal edge
314, and the distal edge 317 that is farthest away from the GPS
unit 301, with the visor further having two mating clips 327 and
328, and a flat mating guide 329 as the other part of the
attachment means, said mating clips 327 and 328 and said flat guide
329 being attached to the proximal edge 314, or as extensions of
the proximal edge 314, in positions that allow the clips 327 and
328 and the guide 329 to be inserted and snugly fitted into the
mating receptacles 307, 308, and 309, respectively, of the GPS unit
301 to attach the visor 311 to the GPS unit 301.
[0071] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of visor 311 with clip 327
extended from its proximal edge 314, and the mating hollow
receptacle 308 at the top front side 303 of the GPS unit 301, taken
along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7. (Clip 327 and receptacle 307 have the
same arrangement.) Clip 328 (and 327) is made of a resilient
material such as plastic or metal so that it is springy such that
the lever 348 (347 for 327) can be pressed close to the main member
338 (337 for 327) by pivoting around the tip 368 (tip 367 for 327).
The lever 348 (347 for 327) can also be pressed close to the main
member 338 (337 for 327) by pressing the handle 358 (357 for 327).
When clip 328 is inserted into the receptacle 308, the upper tip
398 of receptacle 308 presses on lever 348 which bends down close
to the main member 338 and allows clip 328 to enter the receptacle
308. Once clip 328 is completely inserted into receptacle 308,
lever 348 rebounds and is locked inside receptacle 308 by the notch
378 that is latched to the notch 396 of the opening 398. Clip 327
can be similarly locked into receptacle 307 and the latch 329
inserted into the receptacle 309, so that visor 311 is securely
affixed to the GPS unit 301. Visor 311 can be removed from GPS unit
301 for storage by unlocking clip 327 from receptacle 307, and clip
328 from receptacle 308, by pressing handles 357 and 358 close to
the main members 337 and 338, respectively, with the user's thumbs
and fingers and pulling clips 327 and 328 from the receptacles 307
and 308.
[0072] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of visor 311 with the flat
guide 329 extended from its proximal edge 314 and the mating hollow
receptacle 309 at the top front side 303 of the GPS unit 301, taken
along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7. The flat guide 329 does not have a
locking mechanism like clips 327 and 328, and is used to further
secure visor 311 to GPS 301.
[0073] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a GPS
device with a permanently attached visor of the present invention,
comprising the GPS unit 401 and the movable visor 411, with hinges
to permit the visor to swing from a closed position in which the
display screen cannot be viewed to an open position in which the
display screen can be viewed, the visor being in the open position.
The GPS unit 401 comprises a front side 499 comprising the display
screen 402, two vertical sides 403 and 404, the top side 405, and
the curved transition portion 406 that joins the top side 405 and
the front side 499, said vertical side 403 having the a portion of
the top end designated 408, said top end portion 408 having a
protruding cylindrical post 481, a semispherical protrusion member
483 that is situated above post 481, and a semispherical protrusion
member 485 that is situated at the same level but toward the front
side 499 with respect to post 481, with the distances 481-483 and
481-485 being approximately equal, and similarly said vertical side
404 having a portion of the top end designated 409, said top end
portion 409 having a protruding cylindrical post 482 (hidden), a
semispherical protrusion member 484 (hidden) that is situated above
post 482, and a semispherical protrusion member 486 (hidden) that
is situated at the same level but toward the front side 499 with
respect to post 482, with the distances 482-484 and 482-486 being
approximately equal, the top transition portion of the front side
406 has a quarter-cylindrical curvature 407 having the 481-482
center line as its central axis (said 481-482 center line is
designated as 487 center line in FIG. 11), with cylindrical posts
481 and 482 serving as a part of the attachment means to
permanently attach the movable visor 411 to the GPS unit 401, said
top portion of the transition portion 406 intersects the top end
408 at the end of the quarter-circle 407. The visor 411 comprises
the top face 412, the bottom face 413, the proximal edge 414 that
is closest to the GPS unit 401, two lateral edges 415 and 416 that
are adjacent to the proximal edge 414, and the distal edge 417 that
is farthest away from the GPS unit 401, with the visor further
having two flat triangular sections 421 and 422 that are vertically
bent at the ends 418 and 419 of edge 414 along edges 415 and 416
respectively such that triangular section 421 partially covers the
top end portion 408 of the GPS unit 401 and triangular section 422
partially covers the top end portion 409 of the GPS unit 401; said
triangular section 421 has two cylindrical apertures 491 and 493
with said aperture 491 snugly fitting around the protruding
cylindrical post 481 of the top end 408 of the GPS unit 401 to form
the 491/481 hinge and said aperture 493 snugly fitting around the
semispherical protrusion member 483 at the top end side portion 408
of the GPS unit 401 when the visor is horizontal and around the
protrusion member 485 when the visor is vertical, with the distance
between the centers of 491-493 and the distance between the centers
of 481-483 being approximately equal, and said triangular section
422 has two cylindrical apertures 492 and 494 with said aperture
492 snugly fitting around the protruding cylindrical post 482 of
the top end portion 409 of the GPS unit 401 to form the 492/482
hinge, and said aperture 494 snugly fitting around the
semispherical protrusion member 484 of the top end 409 of the GPS
unit 401 when the visor is horizontal and around the protrusion
member 485 when the visor is vertical, with the distance between
the centers of 492-494 and the distance between the centers of
482-484 being approximately equal, and said protrusion members 483
and 484 thus locking the visor 411 in the open position, with
cylindrical apertures 491 and 492 thus serving as the other part of
the attachment means. Triangular sections 421 and 422 can pivot
around the protruding cylindrical hinges 491/481 and 492/482,
respectively, to allow the visor 411 to swivel with respect to the
vertical sides 403 and 404 to assume the open position when
apertures 493 and 494 latch in over the semispherical protrusion
members 483 and 484, respectively, and allow the visor 411 to
assume the closed position when apertures 493 and 494 latch in over
the semispherical protrusion members 485 and 486, respectively. The
visor 411 can have dimensions that allow said visor 411 to fully
cover the front face 499 of the GPS unit 401 to provide protection
for the display screen 402 of the GPS 401 when said visor 411 is in
the close position.
[0074] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the GPS device
of FIG. 10, taken along the line 11-11, with the visor being in the
open position, showing the fitting of the aperture 491 around the
protruding cylindrical post 481, the fitting of the aperture 492
around the protruding cylindrical post 482, the fitting of the
aperture 493 over the semispherical protrusion member 483, and the
fitting of the aperture 494 over the semispherical protrusion
member 484, and the 481-482 center line, which is designated as 487
center line.
[0075] FIG. 12 is an exploded side view of the hinge portion of the
top part of the GPS device of FIG. 10 comprising the top part of
the GPS unit and the visor at the point of attachment, said visor
being in the open position, showing the quarter-circle 407 being
concentric with the protruding cylindrical post 481, which, when
fully assembled, allows the visor 411 to rotate around the posts
481 (and 482) and to assume the horizontally open position when
aperture 493 fits over the semispherical protrusion member 483 (and
aperture 494 fits over the semispherical protrusion member 484),
and to assume the vertically closed position when aperture 493 fits
over the semispherical protrusion member 485 (and aperture 494 fits
over the semispherical protrusion member 486).
[0076] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the GPS device of FIG. 10
with the visor 411 being in the closed position to protect the
display screen 402, showing the fitting of the aperture 493 over
the semispherical protrusion member 485 while the semispherical
protrusion member 483 is not engaged.
[0077] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a GPS
device with a permanently attached, retractable visor of the
present invention, with the visor being in the open position,
comprising the GPS unit 501 having a front side 505 comprising the
display screen 502, and a top side 504, the top of said front side
505 having the opening 506 that communicates with the housing (or
casing, or slot) 507 (hidden, but shown in FIG. 15) that is located
below the top side 504 and that can receive the retractable visor
511, said visor 511 can move freely through the opening 506 of the
housing 507 on the top of front side 505, said visor 511 having the
top face 512, the bottom face 513, the proximal edge 514 (hidden),
two lateral edges 515 and 516 that are adjacent to the proximal
edge 514, and the distal edge 517 that is farthest away from the
GPS unit 501, said proximal edge 514 is retained inside the slot
506 and has two stops 524 and 525 (hidden) on the bottom face 513
at the corners of the proximal edge 514 to prevent the retractable
visor 511 from being fully removed from the opening 506 and the
housing 507, said stops 524 and 525 can move along two tracks 534
and 535 to allow the visor to assume the open position (when the
stops 524 and 525 touch the structure defining opening 506) and
allow the visor to retract to the fully retracted position. The
housing 507 and the stops 524 and 525 serve as the attachment
means. When not in use, the visor 511 can be pushed back to the
fully retracted position and stored inside housing 507 such that
only a small part of the distal edge 517 remains outside of the
opening 506 so that the visor 511 can be pulled out for use when
needed.
[0078] FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of the GPS device
of FIG. 14, taken along the line 15-15 of FIG. 14 showing the part
of the top side of the GPS unit 501 having the housing 507 situated
underneath the top side 504 and two tracks 534 and 535 that allow
the stops 524 and 525 of visor 511 to move along the tracks in
order for the visor 511 to take either the open or closed
position.
[0079] FIG. 16 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment
of a removable visor set of the present invention, comprising a
flexible grooved element 601 to be permanently attached to the top
side of a GPS unit, and a visor 611 having a flexible long mating
lip that can be inserted and snugly fitted into the groove of the
grooved element. The grooved element 601 comprises a long recessed
groove 602 on the top side 603, and a flat bottom side 604 having
an adhesive layer 605 for permanently affixing the grooved element
to the top side of a GPS unit, said adhesive layer is initially
covered with the release paper (or the release film strip) 606 to
protect the adhesive from prematurely sticking to a surface other
than the intended top side of the GPS unit. The grooved element 601
will be permanently affixed to the top side of a GPS unit. The
visor 611 comprises the top face 612, the bottom face 613, the
proximal edge 614 that is closest to the grooved element 601, two
lateral edges 615 and 616 that are adjacent to the proximal edge
614, and the distal edge 617 that is farthest away from the GPS
unit, with the visor further comprising the long lip 622 that
extends from the bottom face 613 of the visor 611 along the
proximal edge 614. Said lip 622 can be inserted and snugly and
matingly fitted into the groove 602 of the grooved element 601 to
attach the visor to the GPS unit. The grooved element 601 with
groove 602 and mating lip 622 serve as the attachment means for
this embodiment of the present invention. Visor 611 can be removed
from the GPS unit when not needed by the user by moving the lip 622
out of groove 602. Since commercially available GPS units can have
many designs, some of which can have on/off button and other
switches located at the top side of the GPS unit, the removable
visors of the present invention will allow for modifications with
appropriate openings so that the user can access those buttons and
switches when using, or before using the visor.
[0080] FIG. 17 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device of the present invention, comprising the
GPS unit 701, and the visor 711 that is attached to the GPS unit by
loop-and-hook Velcro-like strips as attachment means. The GPS unit
701 comprises the display screen 702, a top side 703, and a Velcro
strip 704, e.g., a hook strip or a loop strip, which is permanently
affixed to the top side 703 using the adhesive layer 705. The visor
711 comprises the top face 712, the bottom face 713, the proximal
edge 714, two lateral edges 715 and 716 that are adjacent to the
proximal edge 714, and the distal edge 717 that is farthest away
from the GPS unit 701, and a mating Velcro-type strip 724, e.g., a
loop strip or a hook strip, which is permanently affixed to the
bottom face 713 along the proximal edge 714. In use, the visor 711
is attached to the GPS unit 701 by pressing the Velcro-type strip
724 to Velcro-type strip 704 such that the visor 711 provides the
shielding for the display screen 702.
[0081] An alternative embodiment of the removable visor of FIG. 14
comprises visor element 711 and the attachment means comprising two
mating Velcro-type strips, with one strip permanently being affixed
along the proximal edge 714 of the visor element 711, and the
mating strip to be permanently affixed to the top side of a GPS
unit using an adhesive layer. Said adhesive layer is initially
covered with a release paper strip to protect the adhesive from
prematurely sticking to a surface other than the intended top side
of the GPS unit. Once assembled, this GPS device will function in
the same manner as the GPS device of FIG. 17.
[0082] FIG. 18 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of the GPS device of FIG. 17, comprising the GPS unit
701 of FIG. 17 now designated as 701a comprising the Velcro-type
strip 706 that is permanently affixed to the top of the back side
709 of the GPS unit 701a using the adhesive layer 707, in addition
to the Velcro-type strip 704a that is permanently affixed to the
top side 703a of the GPS unit 701a using the adhesive layer 705a;
and the visor 711a that is similar to the visor 711 of FIG. 17,
comprising the Velcro-type strip 724a that is permanently affixed
to the bottom face 713a along the proximal edge 714a, said visor
711a additionally comprising Velcro elements 744, 745, and 746 that
are permanently affixed to the flexible periphery members 734, 735,
and 736 that are extended from proximal edge 714a, said Velcro
elements 744, 745, and 746 being affixed on the side of the bottom
face 713a, said Velcro elements 744, 745, and 746 are to be
attached to strip 706 to strengthen the attachment of the visor
711a to the GPS unit 701a. An article of manufacture comprising the
visor 711a and adhesive-back Velcro-type strips 704a and 706a (with
appropriate protective release paper strips) can be used to provide
shielding benefit for commercially available GPS units. This
embodiment that has additional means to attach the visor to the top
back side of the GPS unit is particularly useful to secure the
visor to the desired position when the GPS unit has a thin body
and/or a narrow top side.
[0083] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the GPS device of FIG. 18
when assembled, with the removable visor 711a of FIG. 18 being
attached to the GPS unit 701a by the Velcro-type attachment means,
as viewed toward the backside of the GPS unit.
[0084] FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a removable visor set of the present invention,
comprising the visor 811 having the top face 812, the bottom face
813, the proximal edge 814 having the casing (or a sheath) 824 to
contain an attachment means in the form of a flat and flexible,
typically elastic, belt-like strip 831 that has two ends 832 and
833, said strip 831 is inserted into the casing opening (or slit)
829 of the casing 824; wherein said ends 832 and 833 can be joined
together by each having one of a pair of mating Velcro surfaces 834
and 835, respectively, said strap with Velcro ends is used for
adjustably wrapping the strap around the sides of a GPS unit to
tightly attach the visor 811 to a GPS unit, such as GPS unit 801
that is shown in FIG. 21.
[0085] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a typical GPS unit 801 when
it is assembled with the removable visor set 811 of FIG. 20,
comprising the flat, elastic strip 831 that tightly wraps around
the top, lateral, and bottom sides 802, 803, 805, and 804 of the
GPS unit 801, with the two ends of the strip, 832 and 833, being
firmly joined together by the mating Velcro surfaces 834 and 835,
viewed toward the back side 809 of the GPS unit.
[0086] FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of the removable visor set of FIG. 16, wherein the
flexible grooved element 601 is replaced by a multiple grooved
element 901 having a plurality of Ziploc-type grooves, the element
901 is capable of being permanently attached to the top side of a
GPS unit, and a visor element 911 having a flexible long strip of
mating Ziploc-type ribs that can be pressed and interlocked into
the mating grooves of the grooved element. The grooved element 901
has a multitude of long flexible Ziploc-type grooves 903 on the top
side 902, and a flat bottom side 904 having an adhesive layer 905
for permanently affixing the grooved element to the top side of a
GPS unit, said adhesive layer is initially covered with the release
paper strip 906 to protect the adhesive from prematurely sticking
to a surface other than the intended top side of the GPS unit. The
visor 911 has the top face 912, the bottom face 913, the proximal
edge 914 that is closest to the GPS unit, two lateral edges 915 and
916 that are adjacent to the proximal edge 914, and the distal edge
917 that is farthest away from the GPS unit, with the visor 911
further having a flexible long strip 922 comprising a plurality of
flexible Ziploc-type ribs 923 that extends from the bottom face 913
of the visor 911 along the proximal edge 914, wherein said
Ziploc-type ribs 923 have a mating fit with the grooves 903 of the
grooved element 901. Once the grooved element 901 is permanently
affixed to the top side of a GPS unit, the proximal edge 914 for
the visor 911 can be pressed against the top side of the GPS unit
so that the ribs 923 can snugly fit and interlock into the mating
grooves 903 of the grooved element 901 on top of the GPS unit to
attach the visor 911 to the GPS unit. Visor 911 can be removed from
the GPS unit when not needed by the user, by pealing ribs 923 of
the proximal edge 914 from the grooves 903 on the top of the GPS
unit.
[0087] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of a visor element comprising side shields of the present
invention, comprising the visor 1011 having the top face 1012, the
bottom face 1013, the proximal edge 1014, two lateral edges 1015
and 1016 that are adjacent to the proximal edge 1014, and the
distal edge 1017, said visor additionally comprises triangular side
shields 1055 and 1056 that are vertically bent downward from edges
1015 and 1016, respectively, said side shields 1055 and 1056
intersect the visor at line segments 1065 and 1066 of the edges
1015 and 1016, respectively. Optionally, the side shields 1055 and
1056 can be folded against the bottom face 1013 using the optional
hinges 1075 and 1076, respectively that can be attached at line
segments 1065 and 1066. The visor 1011 can be attached to the GPS
unit 1001 using any suitable attachment means, typically the
attachment means given herein.
[0088] An alternative embodiment of the visor element of FIG. 23
comprises the visor 1011 and side shields 1055 and 1056 all being a
contiguous flat piece of a resilient material, where said flat
piece is folded along edges 1065 and 1066 to form the visor 1011
and the two side shields 1055 and 1056.
[0089] FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a GPS device with a removable visor of the present
invention, comprising the GPS unit 1101, the visor 1111, the cradle
1141, and the suction cup mount 1171. The GPS unit 1101 comprises
the display screen 1102, the top side 1103, the bottom side 1104,
the indented slot 1105 at the top side 1103, and the indented slot
1106 (hidden) at the bottom side 1104. The visor 1111 comprises the
top face 1112, the bottom face 1113, the proximal edge 1114 and the
clip 1115 that is extended from the proximal edge 1114 in a
position that allows the clip 1115 to be inserted and snugly fitted
into the receptacle 1148 of the cradle 1141 to attach the visor
1111 to the cradle 1141, with said clip 1115 comprising the main
member 1116 and the lever 1117, said lever having the notch 1118
and the handle 1119. For use, the clip 1115 is locked into the
receptacle 1148 to attach the visor 1111 to the cradle 1141 in
order for visor 1111 to provide the shielding to the display screen
1102 of the GPS unit 1101. Visor 1111 can be removed from the
cradle 1141 when not needed by the user unlocking clip 1115 from
receptacle 1148 by pressing the handle 1119 close to the main
member 1116 with the user's thumb and fingers, then pulling the
clip 1115 of visor 1111 from the receptacle 1148. The cradle 1141
comprises the body 1142 comprising the upper prong 1143 and the
lower prong 1144, said prongs 1143 and 1144 together clamp the GPS
unit 1101 firmly by the top side 1103 and the bottom side 1104,
respectively, of the GPS unit 1101, said upper prong 1143 comprises
the protruding elongated structure 1145 and said lower prong 1144
comprises the protruding elongated structure 1146, with said
structure 1145 having a slightly shorter length than the length of
the mating indented slot 1105, and said structure 1146 having a
slightly shorter length than the length of the mating indented slot
1106. Said structures 1145 and 1146 snap snugly into the indented
slots 1105 and 1106, respectively, when the GPS unit 1101 is placed
in the cradle 1141 to firmly lock the GPS unit 1101 to the cradle
1141. The cradle 1141 additionally comprises the top box 1147
comprising the receptacle 1148 to receive the clip 1115 of the
visor 1111, and the round socket 1152 comprising a hemi-spherical
receptacle 1153 to receive the spherical ball 1179 of the suction
cup mount 1171. The suction cup mount 1171 comprises the body 1172
connecting at one end to the circular, concave base 1173, and at
the other end to the spherical ball 1179, said base 1173 is adapted
with the polymeric suction cup 1174 which is connected with the
lever 1175 that can pull the center of the polymeric cup 1174 up to
provide suction or push the center of the polymeric cup 1174 down
to release the suction. To assemble the GPS device of FIG. 24 for
use, the ball 1179 on the end of the mount 1171 is fitted into the
round receptacle 1153 on the cradle 1141, and the ball and the
receptacle are pressed firmly until they snap together. The suction
cup 1174 is placed on the windshield of a motor vehicle, and the
lever 1175 is flipped back toward the windshield to affix the mount
1171 onto the windshield. The bottom side 1104 of the GPS unit 1101
is pressed into the bottom prong 1144 of the cradle 1141 and then
the top side 1103 of the GPS unit 1101 is snapped into the top
prong 1145. The visor 1111 is then affixed to the cradle 1141 by
snapping the clip 1115 into the receptacle 1148 to provide
shielding for the display screen 1102.
[0090] Instead of the windshield, the mount 1171 can alternatively
be affixed onto a dashboard of a motor vehicle via a non-skid
friction mount with a smooth surface or a mounting disk with a
smooth face that is affixed to the dashboard with an adhesive
layer.
[0091] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a generic
visor 1211 comprising an external GPS antenna (such as a flat
microstrip antenna), with a portion of the top cover of the visor
being partly cut away to show the flat antenna contained inside,
said visor can be attached to a GPS unit using any suitable
attachment means (not shown), typically the attachment means given
herein. Visor 1211 comprises the top face 1212, the bottom face
1213, the proximal edge 1214, two lateral edges 1215 and 1216 that
are adjacent to the proximal edge 1214, and the distal edge 1217.
The top face 1212 comprises the flat GPS antenna 1221 that is
protected by the cover 1222, the coaxial antenna cable 1223, and
the coaxial connector 1224 to connect the antenna to an external
antenna jack of the GPS unit. The circle area 26 of the visor 1211
shows the cover 1222 that is partly cut away to show the flat
antenna 1221 contained inside the cover 1222.
[0092] FIG. 26 is the magnification of the cut away area 26 of FIG.
25 to provide an enlarged view of the cover 1222 that is partly cut
away to show the flat antenna 1221 that is contained inside the
cover 1222.
[0093] FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of
a GPS device having a visor comprising an external GPS antenna of
the present invention, comprising the GPS unit 1301 and the visor
1311, with a portion of the top cover of the visor being partly cut
away to show the flat antenna contained inside. This GPS device is
an adaptation of the GPS device of FIG. 7, wherein the GPS unit
1301 comprises the display screen 1302, two hollow receptacles 1307
and 1308, and an external coaxial antenna jack 1309 at the top
front side 1303, with the receptacles 1307 and 1308, and the
external antenna jack 1309 being one part of the attachment means
to attach the removable visor 1311 to the GPS unit 1301. The visor
1311 comprises the top face 1312, the bottom face 1313, the
proximal edge 1314, and two clips 1327 and 1328 that are extended
from the proximal edge 1314, said top face 1312 comprising the flat
GPS antenna 1321 that is protected by the cover 1322, the coaxial
antenna cable 1323, and the coaxial connector 1324 to connect the
antenna to the external antenna jack 1309 of the GPS unit 1301,
with the antenna cable 1323 being protected and strengthened by the
hemi-cylindrical element 1325 that is firmly attached to the visor
1311. Clips 1327 and 1328 and the coaxial connector 1324 are
attached to the proximal edge 1314 in positions that allow the
clips 1327 and 1328 and the connector 1324 to be inserted and
snugly fitted into the mating receptacles 1307 and 1308, and the
external antenna jack 1309, respectively, of the GPS unit 1301 to
attach the visor 1311 to the GPS unit 1301, with the clips 1327 and
1328, the fortified connector 1324, and the element 1325 being the
other part of the attachment means. The circle area 28 of the visor
1311 shows the cover 1322 that is partly cut away to show the flat
antenna 1321, the short coaxial antenna cable 1323, and the
hemi-cylindrical element 1325 that are contained inside the cover
1322.
[0094] FIG. 28 is the magnification of the cut away area 28 of FIG.
27 to provide an enlarged view of the cover 1322 that is partly cut
away to show the flat antenna 1321, the short coaxial antenna cable
1323, and part of the hemi-cylindrical element 1325 that are
contained inside the cover 1322.
[0095] The above description discloses, by way of example, some
typical embodiments of the present invention. However, persons of
ordinary skill in the art are capable of creating numerous
modifications within the scope of the claims. Changes in specifics
of form and details can be made to the above-described embodiments.
The claims and not the examples are the measure of the protected
invention.
* * * * *