Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-23
2001-11-13
Culbreth, Eric (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S759000, C280S781000, C280S783000, C280S800000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315325
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field
A weight distribution system for a vehicle, preferably a high-performance automobile is provided. Also provided is a method for weight tuning a vehicle and a method for retrofitting a vehicle with the described weight distribution system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Proper distribution of weight in a vehicle is critical to the performance of the vehicle. In automobiles, for instance, elaborate suspension systems are used to maintain an appropriate weight distribution to achieve optimal handling characteristics. In high performance vehicles, such as in racing automobiles, the criticality of proper weight distribution is magnified. Small differences in weight distribution will affect vehicle handling and may determine the outcome of the race. The appropriate weight distribution may depend on which track the vehicle is racing and on how the vehicle is equipped. A method of fine-tuning the weight distribution in a racing vehicle is therefore required.
Certain automobile racing authorities, such as NASCAR, set limits on how the weight distribution in a vehicle may be adjusted. Specifically, in many instances, motorized or remote-controlled adjustments are prohibited. At the present time, the weight balance of a vehicle is fine-tuned according to
FIG. 1
(prior art).
FIG. 1
shows a frame member that forms part of an automobile frame. Typically, two frame members
1
are disposed laterally in a car frame, typically extending from the back of a front tire well to the front of a rear tire well on both the left and right sides of the vehicle. The frame members
1
form weight trays
2
that are circumferentially disposed about weights
3
. The weights
3
are held in place within the weight trays by internal spacers
4
, external spacers
5
and retainers
6
. The spacers
4
and
5
are available in fixed lengths or can be cut to any length to accommodate a variety of sizes of weights
3
and to position the weights
3
within the weight tray
2
. Nevertheless, fine-tuning of the weight distribution in the weight tray
2
by this method is very difficult. This is a time-consuming process that often must be performed on race day. Therefore, a weight distribution system is desired that can easily adjusted and, when appropriate, can be automatically adjusted.
SUMMARY
A weight distribution system for fine-tuning the distribution of mass in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a weight tray, typically elongated, having an internal passage. Disposed in at least one end of the passage, and typically in both ends of the passage, are a screw element, typically a threaded bolt, that extends into an end of the internal passage. A retainer is removably attached to the same end of the passage, the retainer defining a hole through which the screw is rotatably retained. A primary weight is slidably disposed within the passage, the primary weight having a bore into which the screw extends. A screw engaging member, typically a nut or a threaded portion (i.e., a tapped portion) of the bore, that operably engages the threads of the screw, is disposed within the bore. The screw engaging member engages at least a portion of the bore to retain the screw engaging member in a substantially fixed position in the weight and to inhibit rotation of the screw engaging member. Additional weights may be attached to the primary weight to increase the weight in the weight tray. The primary weight, and/or all weights used in the system may further include interlocking portions that are suitably configured to interlock with a corresponding interlocking portion on another weight. In operation, when the screw is rotated, the primary weight will slide within the passage. The screw may be rotated manually or by a motor, that may be controlled from within the vehicle or remotely.
The primary weight(s) may be assembled from a first weight segment and a second weight segment, typically a substantially identically shaped weight segment, each of the segments having a channel that forms the bore when the two segments are assembled to form the primary weight. The weight distribution system may include one or more additional weights, each additional weight typically having an interlocking portion suitably configured to interlock with an interlocking portion of an adjacent weight. Each additional weight also may comprise two segments. In one use, the weight tray is attached to, or incorporated within an automobile frame. In this embodiment, the center of gravity of the automobile can be lowered by the insertion of high density first weight segments into a lower (toward the road surface) side of the passage in the weight tray. The second, lower density weight segment, that when combined with the high-density weight segment forms a weight, is inserted in an upper side of the passage, opposite the road surface. An automobile frame, modified with the above-described weight tray, is also provided, as is a method for retrofitting automobile frames with the above-described weight tray.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4322094 (1982-03-01), Bobard
patent: 5072801 (1991-12-01), Freymann et al.
patent: 5685563 (1997-11-01), Ottestad
Culbreth Eric
TDY Industries, Inc.
Viccaro Patrick J.
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