Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus – Product or preform repair or restoring means – Hand manipulable tool
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-28
2001-10-16
Nguyen, Nam (Department: 1722)
Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
Product or preform repair or restoring means
Hand manipulable tool
C425S013000, C264S036210, C156S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302670
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for repairing breaks in windshields.
2. Brief Description of the Art
From time to time, a vehicle windshield will break, such as due to an object impacting against the windshield. A bulls-eye break may occur where the outer layer of safety glass incurs a break in the shape of an inverted cone. Other break shapes and cracks may be incurred in addition to or instead of the bulls-eye break. The inside layer of safety glass is typically unbroken. U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,217, issued Oct. 15, 1996, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, illustrates an apparatus usable to repair a break in a vehicle windshield. The apparatus disclosed in the '217 reference includes a support apparatus for supporting an injector held against the windshield so that repair material may be applied to the break site. A repaired windshield is desirable over replacement of the windshield which can be quite costly, and time consuming.
There are concerns arising in connection with repaired windshields. One area of concern relates to the ease of use of the windshield repair apparatus. In particular, the ease in which the site is prepared, and the ease of application of the repair material are concerns. Accessibility to the site for the application of the repair material, and removal of the impurities (e.g., air, moisture, dirt) from the break site and from the repair material are concerns. Additionally, the stability of the support apparatus which supports the injector is also a concern. Ease of handling of the windshield repair apparatus is a further concern. Providing a simplified structure for ease of use and reducing manufacturing costs is also a concern. A goal of the repair process is to leave an optically invisible or virtually invisible repair site. Minimizing material waste is also a concern.
There is a need in the prior art for an apparatus which addresses the above concerns and other concerns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a windshield repair apparatus including a support apparatus or bridge for holding an injector adjacent to a break area of a windshield. The windshield repair apparatus includes a suction cup for mounting the bridge to the windshield.
A preferred bridge includes a base member pivotally connected to a pivot support member with the suction cup including a connection member comprising a yoke extending upward from the suction cup to pivotally connect the suction cup to the pivot support member of the bridge. Preferably, the yoke includes at least two side members which are adapted to receive the pivot support member of the bridge therebetween such that the bridge is permitted to pivot vertically about a pivot axis towards and away from the windshield and wherein the side members of the yoke prevent the pivot support member from rotating in a horizontal orientation substantially parallel to the windshield.
Preferably, the base member of the bridge is pivotally connected to the pivot support member such that the base including the injection holder is rotatable in a horizontal orientation substantially parallel to the windshield which allows for movement of the injector away from the break area while the pivot support member maintains its stationary horizontal position in connection with the connection member of the suction cup.
Alternatively, a preferred bridge includes a registration system which allows for accurate replacement of the injector over the break area following rotation of the base member from a rotated position back to its original position. Preferably, the registration system is engageable with the pivotally mounted base member of the bridge for retaining the base member of a bridge in the original position and selectively permitting rotation of the base member of the bridge from the original position to a rotated position upon the manual retraction of the registration system by the user to release the base from connection with the pivot support member. Preferably, the registration system includes a locking pin disposed within the base member of the bridge which is biased for engagement with a corresponding locking cavity formed in the pivot support member such that the locking pin is securely disposed within the locking cavity of the pivot support member when the base is in the original position. The locking pin is manually retractable by a user out of connection with the locking cavity such that the base member of the bridge is pivotable to the rotated position. A preferred locking pin includes a top handle portion to facilitate gripping of the locking pin by a user to permit retraction of the locking pin out of the locking cavity within the pivot support member. Preferably, the pivot support member includes a ramp section adjacent to the locking cavity wherein upon rotation of the base member of the bridge from the rotated position to the original position, the locking pin engages the ramp which serves to force the locking pin upward against the biasing force such that when the base member of the bridge reaches the original position, the locking pin is forced downward to extend into the locking cavity to secure the base member of the bridge in the original position.
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Beveridge Keith A.
Bickford Jay L.
Petersen Paul S.
Thomas Jonathan P.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Nguyen Nam
Nguyen Thukhanh T.
TCG International Inc.
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