Flashing trail marker

Description

PRIORITY

The instant application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/714,316 filed Sep. 6, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention is in the field of devices for trail marking used, for example, by hunters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various devices have been invented to assist hunters and the like to mark trails and assist in finding wounded game. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,379 discloses a passive reflector “push-pin” type of device to be attached to a tree by way of a sharpened pin projecting from the device. U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D445,710 and D514,971 disclose ornamental designs for “push-pin” type trail markers. Despite the usefulness of “push-pin” devices, most locations do not allow any hunting device that breaks the bark of a tree.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,335 discloses a passive reflector device to be clipped to a tree branch. U.S. Design Pat. No. D357,428 discloses an ornamental design for a passive reflector device to be clipped to a tree branch. However, passive reflector trail markers requires a flashlight for optimum visibility.

The TRAILSTAR brand trail marker provided an improved trail marker consisting of a battery powered flashing light attached to a lanyard by way of a ring. The TRAILSTAR brand trail marker is attached to a tree branch by looping the lanyard around the tree branch. However, the TRAILSTAR brand trail marker suffers from a number of disadvantages. For example, it is difficult to loop the lanyard of the TRAILSTAR brand trail marker around a branch of a tree with gloved hands. It would be an advance in the art of trail marking if a trail marker were invented that provided a battery powered flashing light with a means for attaching the light to a tree branch or the like that solved the problems associated with the use of lanyard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention is a solution to the above-mentioned problems. More specifically, the instant invention is an improved battery powered flashing light trail marker of the type having an elongated body containing an electrically powerable light source in electrical communication with an electric battery by way of a switch and flashing circuit so that when the switch is closed the light source flashes light from one end of the elongated body, the elongated body having a longitudinal axis and means for attaching the elongated body to a tree branch or the like, wherein the improvement comprises: the means for attaching the elongated body to a tree branch or the like being a clip comprising a spring, a linear member and a clamping member pivotally attached to the linear member, the spring positioned to press against both the linear member and the clamping member so that one end portion of the clamping member is biased by the spring into contact with one end portion of the linear member, the linear member having a longitudinal axis, the second end portion of the linear member being attached to the second end of the elongated body so that the longitudinal axis of the elongated body and the longitudinal axis of the linear member are parallel or coincident

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a prior art battery powered flashing light trail marker incorporating a lanyard as a means for attaching the trail marker to a tree branch or the like; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of a battery powered flashing light trail marker according to the instant invention incorporating an alligator clip for attaching the trail marker to a tree branch or the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, therein is shown a prior art battery powered flashing light trail marker 10 of the type having an elongated body 11 containing an electrically powerable light source in electrical communication with an electric battery by way of a switch and flashing circuit so that when the switch is closed the light source flashes light 14 from one end 17 of the elongated body 11, the elongated body having a longitudinal axis 15 and means (the lanyard 13) for attaching the elongated body 11 to a tree branch or the like attached to the second end 16 of the elongated body 11 (by way of ring 12).

Referring now to FIG. 2, therein is shown a battery powered flashing light trail marker 20 of the type having an elongated body 21 containing an electrically powerable light source in electrical communication with an electric battery by way of a switch and flashing circuit so that when the switch is closed the light source flashes light from one end 31 of the elongated body 21, the elongated body 21 having a longitudinal axis 30. The improvement of the instant invention over the prior art relates to the means for attaching the elongated body to a tree branch or the like. The improvement of the instant invention comprises a clip comprising a spring 32, a linear member 22 and a clamping member 24 pivotally attached to the linear member 22 by pin 23, the spring 32 being positioned to press against both the linear member 22 and the clamping member 24 so that one end portion 28 of the clamping member 22 is biased by the spring 32 into contact with one end portion 27 of the linear member 22, the linear member 22 having a longitudinal axis 29, the second end portion 25 of the linear member 22 being attached to the second end 26 of the elongated body 21 so that the longitudinal axis 30 of the elongated body 21 and the longitudinal axis 29 of the linear member 22 are parallel or coincident. Preferably, the elongated body 21 is cylindrical in shape. Preferably, the electrically powerable light source is a light emitting diode. The teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,287, herein fully incorporated by reference, provide detailed guidance with regard to building a flashing LED light system. Preferably, the clip of the instant invention is an alligator clip.

A preferred embodiment of the instant invention as shown in FIG. 2 can be made by removing the o-ring from the tire valve receiving recess of a STREET GLOW brand tire valve LED light (available from Amazon.com), applying epoxy adhesive into the recess and then inserting a Radio Shack part number 270-3478 alligator clip (available from RadioShack.com) into the recess. The STREET GLOW brand tire valve LED light comprises a twist on/off switch. In use, the switch is turned on and the alligator clip is attached to a tree branch or the like.

The instant invention is a significant improvement over the prior art use of a lanyard to attach a flashing light assembly to a tree branch or the like. As discussed above, a lanyard is difficult to loop around a tree branch with gloved hands. A lanyard is likely to become tangled with the lanyards of other devices carried in the same pocket and may catch on brush or tree bark resulting in a lost device or a safety hazard. The clip is more compact than the lanyard. The clip is easier and faster to attach and detach from a tree branch or the like. And, since the clip is rigidly attached to the elongated body, the clip allows the elongated body to be oriented in a relatively fixed position to optimize the orientation of light emitted from the elongated body.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it should be readily apparent that although the invention has been described above in relation with its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the instant invention is not limited thereby but is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents that are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.