Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Storm-front shield – apron – or robe
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2001-02-27
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Storm-front shield, apron, or robe
C296S180100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193298
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to wind baffles, and more particularly, to wind baffles for convertible automobiles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wind baffle which is adapted to be removably installed behind the front seats of a convertible automobile which is adjustable for different heights of the seats and which is adjustable to different angles to eliminate glare.
A problem which has existed since the introduction of convertible automobiles has been that, as the automobile moves in a forward motion, 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 head rests 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; and the occupants' belongings are blown around the front seat area and possibly from the front seat compartment of the automobile.
Various attempts have been made to solve the aforementioned problems. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,481, it was suggested to provide a sheet of rigid, transparent material 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, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,725, it was suggested to provide a substantially vertical rod 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 has been shown to be adjustable in length in order to make the wind baffle compatible with cars having differing seat heights.
Moreover, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,637, it was suggested to provide a baffle sheet which is removably attachable to the bucket seats or a bench seat of a convertible automobile utilizing strap means. The strap means include, for example, belts for wrapping around a portion of the bucket or bench seats of the automobile. To provide further support during use, the baffle sheet has been formed to extend downward to the automobile floor and be either permanently or temporarily affixed to the floor of the automobile.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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 head rests 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 quite 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 in order 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 in order to eliminate such glare.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wind baffle which prevents wind currents from passing from the rear of a convertible automobile between the front seats and headrests into the front seat compartment wherein the height of the wind baffle is adjustable and wherein the wind baffle is prevented from pivoting around the horizontal axis of the baffle sheet.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wind baffle which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is simple to install.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a wind baffle which can be tilted in order to eliminate glare created by the lights of the dashboard of the automobile.
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 which 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. A substantially vertical rod assembly is also included having a first end affixed to the baffle sheet and a second end attachable to either the floor or the rear seat of said convertible automobile for enabling the baffle sheet to be positionally adjustable in the vertical direction in order to be compatible with cars having varying seat heights.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the affixing means includes two straps which are inserted through apertures in the baffle sheet and which are secured to portions of the headrests of the front seats of the automobile. The vertical rod assembly includes a tube having a first end affixed to the baffle sheet and a second free end, an extension tube having a first end which is slidably insertable into the second free end of the tube and a second end which extends from the second free end of the tube and means for locking the extension tube at a desired position in the tube.
The straps are wrapped around the bar attaching the headrests to the front seats of the convertible automobiles. 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.
In order to affix the baffle sheet to the front seats of the convertible automobile, a first end of each of the straps is fed through the slots of the baffle sheet which are then wrapped around a portion of each headrest. The first end of each strap is fastened to the second end of each strap in a snug manner to thereby secure the baffle sheet to the front seats. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first end of each strap is fastened to the second end of each strap by Velcro®.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2514082 (1950-07-01), Menrath
patent: 4850637 (1989-07-01), Carlino
patent: 5024481 (1991-06-01), Swersky
patent: 5211718 (1993-05-01), Gotz et al.
patent: 5219201 (1993-06-01), Gotz et al.
patent: 5253916 (1993-10-01), Moore et al.
patent: 5702150 (1997-12-01), Reuter et al.
patent: 5707099 (1998-01-01), Schrader et al.
patent: 5791725 (1998-08-01), Swersky
patent: 5899521 (1999-05-01), Pfertner et al.
patent: 5927791 (1999-07-01), De Voe
Collard & Roe PC
Dayoan D. Glenn
Murray Mickki D.
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