Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – With distinct wind deflector
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-21
2001-07-10
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
With distinct wind deflector
C296S085000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257653
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wind baffles for convertible automobiles.
2. Prior Art
The present invention relates to a wind baffle which is removably installed behind the front seats of a convertible automobile. The baffle is adjustable for different heights of the seats and is adjustable to different angles to eliminate glare.
A problem that has existed since the introduction of convertible automobiles has been that, as the automobile moves forward, air flows over the windshield and heads of the occupants of the front seat area, thus producing a lower air pressure zone in the front seat area. Consequently, reverse air currents travel between the front seats and headrests, producing turbulence. These reverse air currents can have a number of negative effects on the occupants' driving experience. For example, the hair styles of the occupants are disturbed; the occupants experience difficulty in carrying on a normal conversation; the occupants are chilled on cool days; the occupants' belongings are blown around the front seat area and possibly blown from the front seat compartment of the automobile; and wind roar makes conversation or listening to music quite difficult.
Various attempts have been made to solve the aforementioned problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,481, shows a sheet of rigid, transparent material mounted behind the front seat compartment via an adjustable horizontal rod having ends attachable to the respective inner side body surfaces of the automobile in order to prevent wind currents from passing from the rear of the automobile into the front seat compartment.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,725, shows a substantially vertical rod attached to the above arrangement having one end attachable to the sheet and the other end attachable to the floor or back seat of the automobile in order to further stabilize the sheet while the car is in motion. This vertical rod is adjustable in length in order to make the wind baffle compatible with cars having differing seat heights.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,637, shows a baffle sheet that is removably attachable to the bucket seats or a bench seat of a convertible automobile utilizing straps such as belts for wrapping around a portion of the bucket or bench seats of the automobile. To provide further support during use, the baffle sheet extends downward to the automobile floor and is either permanently or temporarily affixed to the floor of the automobile.
The devices described above, however, have several disadvantages. For example, as the reverse air currents contact the rigid sheet of the first device, the sheet is caused to rotate around the horizontal rod attached to the sheet. As such, the upper portion of the sheet becomes pressed against the headrests of the front seats thereby bothering the occupants of the car. Another disadvantage is that the sheet must be custom-made to fit a specific car. That is, the sheet must to be cut so that the top of the sheet reaches a desired point.
A disadvantage of the second device is that, in view of the multiple parts needed to construct the device, it is costly to manufacture. Moreover, the multiple parts cause the device to be relatively heavy and therefore difficult to maneuver and install.
A disadvantage of the third device is that, since the baffle sheet extends downward to the automobile floor, it is non-adjustable in the vertical direction and therefore cannot be adjusted to be compatible with cars having varying seat heights. Further, as the sheet is typically formed from a transparent plastic material, a glare is often created at night by the lights from the dashboard. However, since the strip is not adjustable and is permanently fixed to the floor of the automobile, the sheet cannot be tilted to eliminate such glare.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wind baffle that prevents wind currents from passing from the rear of a convertible automobile between the front seats and headrests into the front seat compartment. It is another object to provide a baffled sheet having an adjustable height. It is a further object to have a baffle sheet that is prevented from pivoting around its horizontal axis.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wind baffle that is inexpensive to manufacture and simple to install.
These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent from the following description, are achieved by the wind baffle of the present invention which comprises a baffle sheet and means for affixing the baffle sheet in place behind the front seats of the convertible automobile to prevent wind currents from passing from the rear of the convertible automobile to the front seat compartment. The affixing means include at least one strap that is attachable to the baffle sheet and to either a portion of at least one of the front seats or to a roll bar of the convertible automobile. In addition, horizontal support legs are attached to the baffle sheet so that it rests firmly against the back of the front seats.
In a preferred embodiment, the affixing means includes two straps that are inserted through apertures in the baffle sheet. The straps are then wrapped around the bar attaching the headrests to the front seats of the convertible automobile. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the straps are wrapped around the headrests of the front seats or to a roll bar of the convertible automobile.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3002784 (1961-10-01), Bagg
patent: 4850637 (1989-07-01), Carlino
patent: 5707099 (1998-01-01), Schrader et al.
patent: 5791725 (1998-08-01), Swersky
Collard & Roe P.C.
Pape Joseph D.
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