2341408 1 PORTABLE HAZARD-WARNING DEVICE
2 FIELD OF THE INVEM110
3 The present invention relates to a hazard-warning device, and more 4 particularly, to an multi-purposes hazard-warning device which includes a pivotable head used as a flashlight, a shank portion having lights disposed therein and three 6 light-reflective legs pivotably connected to a sleeve slidably mounted to the shank 7 portion.
8 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIO
9 A warning device known to the applicant is disclosed in the U. S. Patent No. 4,922,223 to Prevot, entitled as "Emergency Identifier For Yehicles" issued on 11 May, 1, 1990. The warning device disclosed in the referenced U. S. Patent No.
12 4,922,223 has a large volume and complicated structure, so that the device cannot be 13 used conveniently. That is to say, the device occupies the space of the trunk of the 14 vehicle and has only one feature which can be used when an emergent case happens on the road, the user will not use the device in a general situation such as to find 16 something in the dark. Although the device has warning words shown in the board 17 thereof, the board is deemed to be so large that it tends to be blow down by the wind 18 especially when standing the device on the shoulder portion of the highway. This 19 could be dangerous to the cars Passing by.
The present invention intends to provide a portable hazard-warning device 21 which has a compact size and a plurality of functions so that the device of the 22 present invention can be used in many situations. Three light- reflective legs are 23 pivotally connected to the device so that they can be expanded to form a triangle. A 24 flashlight head is pivotably connected to the device so that the device can,be used as a flashlight in the dark.
I The warning device ftuther has lights disposed in the transparent shank 2 portion thereof so that it can be seen from a far distance when standing on the road 3 and provides sufficient time to react properly for the vehicles followed behind.
4 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 6 hazard-warning device comprising a shank portion having lights received therein and 7 a flange extending radially outward therefrom. A neck portion is rotatably connected 8 to the first end of the shank portion and a flashlight head is pivotally connected to 9 the neck portion. Two buttons are respectively attached to the shank portion to control the flashlight head and the lights.
11 A sleeve is slidably mounted to the shank portion and limited between the 12 flashlight head and the flange. Three legs each have the first end thereof pivotally 13 connected to the sleeve and three expanding rods are respectively and pivotally 14 connected between the legs and the second end of the shank portion.
A first cap is threadedly connected to the second end of the shank portion 16 and a second cap is attached to the three legs and sized to receive the respective three 17 second ends of the three legs.
18 The main object of the present invention is to provide a portable hazard 19 warning device which can be used as a triangle frame, a flashlight and a light emitting warning device.
21 Further objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will 22 become apparent from the following detailed description with appropriate reference
23 to the accompanying drawings.
24 IREIRE DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAMUNGS
Fig. I is an exploded view of the warning device in accordance with the 26 present invention; 2 I Fig. 2 is an illustrative view to illustrate the flashlight head pivotally 2 connected to the neck portion; 3 Fig. 3 is an illustrative view to illustrate the engagement between the neck 4 portion and the flashlight head; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the warning device in 6 accordance with the present invention, wherein the three legs are retracted toward 7 the shank portion, and 8 Fig. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the warning device in 9 accordance with the present invention, wherein the three legs are expanded outwardly to form a triangle.
I DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMEN
12 Please referring to Figs. I to 3, the hazard-warning device in accordance 13 with the present invention comprises a shank portion. 10 having lights I I and 14 batteries 12 received therein and the shank portion 10 is made of transparent material so that light can be seen via the shank portion 10 when the lights I I are turned on.
16 The shank portion 30 has a serrated outer periphery and a flange 13 extending 17 radially outward therefrom. A first button 13 and a second button 14 are respectively 18 attached to the shank portion 10.
19 A neck portion 20 composed of two parts is connected to a base 200 which is rotatably connected to the first end of the shank portion 10. The neck portion 20 21 has a skirt portion 23 in which the base 200 is received, two flanges 231, 232 and a 22 first rib 233 respectively extending radially inward therefrom. The base 200 has two 23 annular grooves 204, 205 respectively defined therein so as to receive the two 24 flanges 231, 232 therein and a second rib 206 extends radially outward from the base 200 so that the neck portion 20 is limited when the first rib 233 contacts the second 26 rib 206. A flashlight head 21 has a tongue 210 extending thereftom which has a hole 3 1 211 defined therethrough. Each of the two parts of the neck portion 20 has two tubes 2 201 extending inwardly therefrom to each of which a ring member 202 is mounted.
3 The two tubes 201 are received in the hole 211 with a bolt 2110 extending through 4 the two tubes 201 and the hole 211 so that the flashlight head 21 is pivotable corresponding to the neck portion 20. Each of the ring members 202 has a serrated 6 inner surface 203 and the tongue 210 further has two apertures 212 each of which 7 has a spring 22 and a pin 220 received therein so that when the flashlight head 21 is 8 pivotably connected to the neck portion 20, the pins 220 will contact the serrated 9 inner surfaces 203 of the two ring members 202 so provide a closed circuit if the first button 13 is pushed.
11 A sleeve 30 is slidably mounted to the shank portion 10 and limited 12 between the flashlight head 21 and the flange 13. The sleeve 30 has two holes 31 13 defined therethrough which communicate with the first button 13 and the second 14 button 14 when the sleeve 30 is positioned close to the first end of the shank portion 10 so that the user may operate the two buttons 13, 14 through the two holes 3 1. The 16 sleeve 30 further has an enlarged end 301 defined thereto which is disengagably 17 engaged with the flashlight head 21 to position the flashlight head 21 in an upright 18 position.
19 Three legs 40 each have the first end thereof pivotally connected to the sleeve 30 and three expanding rods 41 are respectively and pivotally connected 21 between the legs 40 and the second end of the shank portion 10, so that when the 22 sleeve 30 is moved toward the flashlight head 21, the three legs 40 are moved close 23 to the shank portion 10 as shown in Fig. 4. A first cap 50 is threadedly connected to 24 the second end of the shank portion 10 so as to replace batteries 12 when needed. A second cap 51 is attached to the three legs 40 and sized to receive the respective 26 three second ends of the three legs 40 as shown in Fig. 4. A transverse plate 60 is 4 I detachably connected between two of the three legs 40 to form a triangle as shown in 2 Fig. 5, wherein the transverse plate 60 has two stubs 61 extending from two ends 3 thereof and the two of the three legs 40 each have a hole 401 defined through the 4 second end thereof so as to receive the stubs 61 therein.
Accordingly, the warning device in accordance with the present invention 6 has a plurality of functions, which can be performed as a flashlight, a triangle frame 7 and a light emitting warning device. It is to be noted that the device has a compact 8 size as shown in Fig. 4 so that it occupies a limited space and can be used as a 9 directing rod when the lights are tamed on in the dark. Each of the three legs 40 and the transverse plate 60 are covered with light reflective material so that they can be I I seen from a long distance.
12 The invention is not limited to the above embodiment but various 13 modification thereof may be made. It will be understood by those skilled in the art 14 that various changes in form and detail may made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.