TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to specialized attachments which can connect to a plate, such as a license plate, or novelty plate to a vehicle, while supporting one or more emblems which may be illuminated and which may be secured to the attachments on the license plate in multiple possible locations or directly on novelty plates. In this manner, the user of the attachments may easily position the emblem, choosing from multiple possible options for aesthetic preference or to meet legal requirements for the display of the license plate.

BACKGROUND

All fifty United States and many countries and provinces worldwide require government-issued license plates be attached to the rear of the motor vehicles operating within their borders. In addition, some states and countries require license plates to be attached to the front of the vehicles as well.

Because of these requirements, motor vehicle manufacturers typically provide a standard method and space for attaching such license plates to the vehicles. In jurisdictions where license plates are not required in the front, car owners often choose to attach a decorative plate, sometimes called a vanity plate or novelty plate, to the front of the vehicle in the space provided by the manufacturer of the vehicle for a license plate.

Vehicle owners often choose to decorate around the license plate or novelty plate with a stylized frame that surrounds the plate and adds aesthetic appeal. Such frames are typically rectangular in shape, with the frame surrounding an open area through which the plate can be viewed. The frame is frequently attached to the vehicle with screws or other connecting mechanisms which hold the license plate on the vehicle.

License plate frames are available in a wide variety of designs. By way of example, U.S. Design Pat. D602,831 and D602,832 describe particular designs for license plate frames. A license plate frame sold by Chroma Graphics allows the user to select a two-dimensional ornament and place that ornament in one of several pre-determined locations on the frame with a permanent adhesive. Because of the nature of the adhesive mechanism, the ornament does not have the flexibility of extending beyond the license plate frame, and can-not be so easily removed and repositioned after it is initially stuck to the frame.

U.S. Design Pat. D593,917 describes a stylized frame with decorations related to the game of golf. The golf Design Pat. '917 is an example of a frame which includes a three-dimensional emblem attached to a border of the frame, which emblem extends beyond the borders of the rectangular base frame. While frames with three-dimensional emblems have an aesthetic appeal, the emblems may present problems if a portion of the emblem extends beyond the space allowed on the vehicle for a license plate, possibly resulting in the emblem encountering a vehicle component, such as a part of a bumper, tail light, or body flair. Such stylized frames which fit some vehicles may not fit others, making it desirable that the frame itself have flexible components to fit various spaces.

U.S. Design Pat. D488,752 describes a stylized novelty license plate with a three-dimensional emblem attached to it, this kind of novelty plate does not have the flexibility of extending beyond the novelty license plate, and the emblems cannot be removed and repositioned after it is initially stuck to the frame.

Many government entities require that particular information on the license plate, such as the identity of the state issuing the plate, the number associated with that particular vehicle, or the tags that are often provided as proof of current registration, be viewable without being obscured by a frame.

Depending on the particular license plate and regulations of the applicable government entity, the identifiers that cannot be obscured are in different places on different license plates.

For frames with emblems that extend into or over portions of the license plate, problems may occur when the emblem obscures a portion of a license plate which is legally required to be visible.

As a result, some license plate frames are acceptable for some vehicles and not for others, or meet legal requirements in some jurisdictions and not in others. It is desirable to have an attachment suitable for connecting a license plate to a vehicle, which attachment can be customized by placing two or three dimensional decoration or emblem on the attachment in one of multiple possible positions. In this manner, the owner of the vehicle can select a position for the emblem which is aesthetically pleasing, permits the plate to be viewed without obscuring important information on the plate, and fits into the allowed space on the vehicle and also the owner vehicle can select a have the emblem illuminated in different color, using the removable LED light.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a method of decorating a license plate or novelty plate on a vehicle which method allows a user to place an interchangeable emblem or ornamental feature which can also be illuminated on the attachment in a location chosen by the user on or behind the license plate or novelty plate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide attachments for securing a plate to a vehicle which attachment can be easily customized by the user to support a two or three dimensional emblem chosen by the user in a location and orientation which is aesthetically pleasing to that user. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide attachments which can be customized by the user to support an emblem in a location that does not obscure information presented on the plate held in place on the vehicle by the frame.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide attachments on which a user can select a location for an emblem to avoid interference with adjacent components of the vehicle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an interchangeable attachment that can provide housing for an optional LED light and also the base for interchangeable 2D or 3D art that will sit on top of a replaceable cover top.

These objects are achieved by a device consisting of an attachment or attachments, one or more specialized emblems, and an attachment mechanism for connecting an interchangeable emblem and house and optional LED light in the attachment's base in a manner which allows the user to choose the location for the emblem. The attachment mechanism provides flexibility for positioning the emblem and allows the emblem to be removed from the frame and attached in a different position in another attachment and connection means for connecting the attachment to a vehicle between the license plate and novelty plate or directly on a novelty plate and the vehicle. Numerous attachment mechanisms are possible.

The main attachment that may house an optional LED light and the removable and interchangeable 2d or 3d emblems can be either connected directly to a novelty license plate via glue or adhesive or connected also via glue or screws when connected to the side and lower front attachments which are placed behind the license plate by a connection mechanism which may be one of several known in the prior art for connecting two components together, typically involving a screw placed through a hole in the attachment, a hole in the plate, and a hole in the vehicle in a place suitable for mounting a required license plate.

The emblem or emblems may be of a variety of designs, shapes and sizes, including but not limited to fanciful patterns, logos, or replicas of sports equipment, animals, or other objects. The user may select an emblem which appeals to that user.

The emblem is then attached to the base attachment with one or more attachment mechanisms. Because of the flexibility of the attachment mechanism, the emblem may be attached to the license plate in one of multiple possible positions. Depending on the specific configuration of the emblem, the emblem may be attached to the bottom, top left side, or right side, left middle, or right side of a license plate, via attachments or directly into a novelty license plate. Matching or contrasting emblems may be selected and attached at different positions on the same license plate. If the user decides that a different position would be advantageous, the emblem can be removed and repositioned in a new location with respect to the attachment or plate.

