Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus – Product or preform repair or restoring means – Hand manipulable tool
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-29
2003-05-13
Ball, Michael W. (Department: 1733)
Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
Product or preform repair or restoring means
Hand manipulable tool
C156S094000, C264S036100, C425S013000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561778
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the repair of stone chips and related cracks in automotive windshields. More particularly this invention relates to a generally U shaped repair bridge which maintains and presses a resin injection head downwardly on a chip/crack on an underlying windshield. The bridge better controls and balances downward pressure about the chip/crack. The bridge additionally facilitates improved visibility of the chip/crack, and proper bridge position while dragging along the chip/crack.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The windshield chip/crack repair industry currently employs an X shaped bridge having a resin injection head and a finger pressure adjusting bolt on opposite ends of one cross arm, and suction cups on opposite ends of the other cross arm. One problem with this bridge is that it is difficult to drag along a chip/crack in a windshield in proper position, without the adjusting bolt passing over and pressing on the chip/crack. If the bridge is turned obliquely while dragged along the chip/crack to avoid pressing directly on the chip/crack there is an extremely narrow band between a flattened suction cup and the downwardly pressing adjusting bolt. Another problem is that the X shaped bridge does not apply a balanced force on opposite sides of the chip/crack. The X shaped bridge to a large degree blocks visibility of the chip/crack. Yet another problem with the X shaped bridge is that it is difficult to gauge downward force exerted by the pressure adjusting bolt on the windshield. A less experienced individual may inadvertently apply too great of a force on the windshield with the adjusting screw and thereby substantially elongate the chip/crack.
Within this specification chip/crack is defined to mean a chip and a related crack extending from the chip, or a crack alone, or a chip alone. Within this specification generally U shaped is defined so broadly as to include generally V shaped or any combination of a U and a V shape.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to disclose a better repair tool for the repair of an automotive windshield chip/crack. It is an object of this invention to disclose a bridge which is relatively easy to drag along and over a crack on a windshield without pressing the pressure adjusting bolt thereon directly down on the chip/crack. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a bridge which applies a balanced force on opposite sides of a chip/crack. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a bridge which utilizes a mechanism which facilitates regulating the downward force applied on a windshield to spread a crack. It is yet an additional object of this invention to disclose a bridge which utilizes two adjusting bolts, one on each opposite side of the chip/crack. When two adjusting screws are utilized each screw only presses downwardly with one half of the total force exerted at the resin injection head. It is a final object of this invention to disclose a repair bridge which is much easier to use to repair a windshield. A repair bridge which is easier to drag along in proper position, a repair bridge which inherently applies a balanced force on opposite sides of the chip/crack, a bridge which requires substantially less adjustment bolt force, and which is provided with an adjustment bolt force gauge so that even a novice will be able to apply optimum crack spreading force without enlarging the crack.
One aspect of this invention provides for a generally U shaped bridge for repairing a chip/crack on an underlying automotive windshield. The U shaped bridge comprises: a left arm portion having an unconnected end portion, a central portion, and a connected end portion; a right arm portion having an unconnected end portion, a central portion, and a connected end portion; and, a middle portion extending between and connecting the connected end portions of the arm portions. Two upright finger bolts are each matingly threaded through an unconnected end portion of one of the arms. Two plastic suction cups are each carried by a central portion of one of the arms. The suction cups are oriented to removably and slidingly adhere to the underlying automotive windshield. An upright resin injection head is matingly and adjustably screwed through a mid portion of the middle portion. The head has a discharge end portion directed to the underlying automotive windshield. The resin injection head is positioned above one end portion of the chip/crack; the suction cups are adhered on opposite sides of the chip/crack; and, the finger bolts are tightened down against the windshield thereby pressing the resin injection head down on, and marginally spreading the chip/crack. Then the injection head may be slid along and over the chip/crack to inject resin into the chip/crack.
In a preferred aspect of this invention each finger bolt includes a sprung pressure gauging end pin so that the downward pressure applied against the windshield may be adjusted to an acceptable range by turning the finger bolt until the end pin is partially depressed into the bolt.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5591460 (1997-01-01), Wanstrath et al.
patent: 5614046 (1997-03-01), Campfield
patent: 5670180 (1997-09-01), Mackey et al.
Ball Michael W.
Corcoran Gladys
Gallinger G. F.
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