Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A visual alignment aid device for connecting a ball of a hitch on a towing vehicle to a socket on a tongue of a trailer comprising; at least three components with a first component being a base component and a second one of said components having a mirror attached thereon and a third one of said components having means thereon adapted for attaching said third component to a rear of said vehicle, all three components are connected to each other by hinges to enable said components to move into angulated positions relative to each other to establish a correct line of vision between a driver of said vehicle and said ball and socket, means for arresting said components in their angulated positions, said second and said third components being collapsible entirely into said base component to nestle therein in a substantially flat configuration, wherein said hinges include color coding marks to indicate the relative rotational positions between said components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
159 words
A visual alignment aid device for connecting a ball of a hitch on a towing vehicle to a socket on a tongue of a trailer comprising; at least three components with a first component being a base component and a second one of said components having a mirror attached thereon and a third one of said components having means thereon adapted for attaching said third component to a rear of said vehicle, all three components are connected to each other by hinges to enable said components to move into angulated positions relative to each other to establish a correct line of vision between a driver of said vehicle and said ball and socket, means for arresting said components in their angulated positions, said second and said third components being collapsible entirely into said base component to nestle therein in a substantially flat configuration, wherein said hinges include color coding marks to indicate the relative rotational positions between said components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 1, wherein the means for attaching to a vehicle are suction cups.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 1, wherein the means for attaching are magnets.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 1, wherein the means for arresting are strings having beads thereon which are each attached at one of their ends to said other two components and sections of said strings are received in notches provided on said base component.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 1, wherein the means for arresting is the provision of friction between said hinges and said components.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 5, wherein the friction is provided by using rotatable hinges including friction material therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 5, wherein the friction is provided by using spring tension clips being rotatable around sections of said components.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 1, wherein all of said components are made of flat material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 1, wherein at least two of said components have a U-shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 7, wherein the base component is a rectangular frame and said spring tension clips rotate each around one of the shorter sides of said rectangular frame.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 5, wherein said means for arresting are spring tension clips which are integral with said second and third components.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The visual alignment aid device of claim 11, including means for adjusting the friction between said hinges.