Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-25
2004-08-10
Morrow, Jason (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
C296S149000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06773054
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention pertains to the field of automobile doors, more particularly to removable sport utility vehicle doors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Light sport utility vehicles such as Jeeps® and the like, often comprise removable or convertible top assemblies. Many drivers prefer to disassemble or remove the top of the vehicle to give it an open or convertible-like feel. In addition to having removable tops, these vehicles often also have lightweight removable doors. The ease of removal of both the tops and the doors is often facilitated by their lightweight construction. Often both items are constructed of a fabric material stretched over and attached to a lightweight substantially rigid frame.
While the light tops and doors often help to maintain the contents of the vehicle, because of their lightweight construction, they offer little in the way of protection against anything other than elements such as rain. Drivers often ignore this risk, due to the fact that their very reason for owning such vehicles, is to enjoy their open feel.
Because of their sport utility nature, these vehicles are often capable of and utilized for activities such as trail-riding or rock-crawling. The goal of such activities is generally to cross vast amounts rugged terrain. During these rides, vehicles are regularly subjected to severe vibration in addition to changes in direction, pitch, and roll. Mainly, drivers rely on existing fabric doors to retain the contents of the vehicle and protect the occupants from debris or other hazards inherent to these activities.
Despite the lightweight construction, occupants can easily become overheated as these trail rides usually occur in hot and arid conditions. It is these conditions where the removal of the door is necessary to enhance the circulation of air through the vehicle. This practice has one major drawback as it exposes both drivers and passengers to the risks of losing belongings or injury from flying debris.
Because of the drawbacks of current removable door configurations, the foregoing suggests that improvements to removable vehicle doors are both desirable and possible.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An open mesh vehicle door includes a substantially rigid frame member, having at least one means to pivotally affix said door to a vehicle at a first end. The door includes a conventional latch means at a second end. The first end of the door and the second end of the door are connected by at least one horizontal frame member. The door further includes an open mesh webbing that is attached between any two opposing sides of said frame member. The open mesh webbing can also be attached to the remaining sides of the substantially rigid doorframe.
The open mesh door can help to maintain the contents of the vehicle, provide the occupants protection from debris, and increase the air circulation throughout the cabin of the vehicle. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a removable vehicle door.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable open mesh vehicle door.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a removable open mesh vehicle door for a sport utility vehicle or the like.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed disclosure of the invention and appended drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2460399 (1949-02-01), Schassberger
patent: 4070056 (1978-01-01), Hickman
patent: 4215895 (1980-08-01), Phillips
patent: 5009458 (1991-04-01), Shute
patent: 5290086 (1994-03-01), Tucker
patent: 5788317 (1998-08-01), Nation
patent: 5806906 (1998-09-01), Hammond
patent: 6135497 (2000-10-01), Sutherland et al.
patent: 6338522 (2002-01-01), LeBlanc
patent: 6505880 (2003-01-01), Castro
“Tank Tops and Jerzy Tops for Jeeps”, http://rockgearinc.com, printed from the internet Feb. 22, 2004.*
Pagan, Shawn, “Raingler Web Nets”, http://www.rockcrawler.com, printed from the internet Feb. 22, 2004.
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