Brakes – Vehicle – Ground-engaging
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-04-24
Butler, Douglas C. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Vehicle
Ground-engaging
C188S006000, C188S016000, C303S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220397
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to motor vehicle anti skid devices and, more specifically, to an apparatus attached to the undercarriage of a motor vehicle and activated by a user within the motor vehicle to extend until at least a portion thereof engages an icy surface whereby the apparatus will provide a resistance to lateral movement by the motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous devices which modify the existing systems of steering, acceleration and especially braking, such as the anti locking braking system, for attempting to avoid the loss of control of a motor vehicle on wet and icy surfaces exist. These systems do not have the sole purpose of engaging upon entering hazardous icy portions of a roadway to resist lateral forces acting on a vehicle when on the icy surface which would normally cause the vehicle to skid and possibly spin.
A conventional motor vehicle
10
is illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2
without an anti ice skidding apparatus as disclosed by the present invention. This vehicle
10
is traveling on a roadway
12
and is approaching a patch of ice
14
. As can be seen from
FIG. 2
, when the motor vehicle
10
reaches and begins to travel over the patch of ice
14
, the tires
16
lose a great deal of traction. While on this patch of ice, lateral forces as indicated by the dashed arrows labeled with the numeral
18
act thereon causing the vehicle
10
to skid and slide. The lateral forces
18
arc due to the limited amount of traction and cause the motor vehicle
10
to slide as indicated by the dashed outline of the motor vehicle indicated by the numeral
20
. When a motor vehicle
10
is subject to and unable to resist these lateral forces the motor vehicle may slide off the roadway
12
and into objects such as trees
22
on the side of the roadway
12
, slide into another motor vehicle sharing the roadway
12
or even spin out. Any of these situations may cause painful and possibly critical injuries to the occupants of the vehicle
12
.
It is thus desirable to provide a device which may be attached to an undercarriage of a motor vehicle and is selectively deployed by the operator of the motor vehicle to provide a resistance to lateral movement of the vehicle. It is further desirable to provide a device which is able to control the direction of a motor vehicle while on an icy surface. It is still further desirable to provide a device which will not impede the momentum of the motor vehicle while resisting the lateral forces encountered while traveling on an icy surface. It is even further desirable to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus which is able to provide a breaking force for aiding the motor vehicle in braking on an icy surface.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to motor vehicle anti skid devices and, more specifically, to an apparatus attached to the undercarriage of a motor vehicle and activated by a user within the motor vehicle to extend until at least a portion thereof engages an icy surface whereby the apparatus will provide a resistance to lateral movement by the motor vehicle.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus that will overcome the shortcomings of prior art devices.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus able to be connected to an undercarriage of a motor vehicle and resist lateral forces without impeding the forward momentum of the vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus able to be deployed for engagement with a surface on which the motor vehicle is traveling from within a motor vehicle.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus wherein the deployment device uses an actuator switch connected to a hydraulic piston.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus wherein the hydraulic piston is connected to an extender for a chassis bearing shaft.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus wherein the chassis includes a plurality of sharp edged discs arrayed in a serial alignment.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus wherein the chassis bearing shaft mounts astride the disc chassis.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus having a vertically mounted hydraulic piston connected to the disc chassis and divergent vertically mounted chassis bearing shafts also connected to the disc chassis.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus having a blade which is hydraulically deployed and is used as a brake for a motor vehicle while on an icy surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus that is simple and easy to use.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an anti ice skidding apparatus that is economical in cost to manufacture.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
An anti ice skidding apparatus for providing resistance to lateral forces acting on a vehicle is disclosed by the present invention. The anti ice skidding apparatus includes a disc chassis, a device for engaging a roadway pivotally connected to the disc chassis and a device for securing the disc chassis to an underside of the vehicle. A device is connected to the securing device for pivoting the securing device between a first position maintaining the disc chassis and engaging device at a distance above the roadway and a second position placing the engaging device in engagement with the roadway. The engaging device is able to engage the roadway and provide additional resistance to lateral forces acting on the vehicle when in the second position. The engaging device may be one of a plurality of rollers or a blade which will engage with icy surfaces on the roadway and cut a groove in the icy surface to provide additional resistance to the lateral forces acting on the vehicle. The plurality of rollers and the blade each include a sharp edge extending around a periphery thereof, the sharp edge acting to cut a groove on any icy or soft surfaces over which the vehicle passes when in the second engaged position.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
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Butler Douglas C.
Kroll Michael I.
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