# US 10,864,799 B1 · Air delivery systems and methods for a vehicle passenger compartment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,799 B1 - Document ID: US10864799B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/161,697 - Filed: 2018-10-16 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-27 - Applicants: Michael W. Kirkpatrick - Inventors: Michael W. Kirkpatrick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864799B1 ## CPC - B60H 1/26: Ventilating openings in vehicle exterior; Ducts for conveying ventilating air - B60H 1/00407: {for open or convertible vehicles} - B60R 21/13: Roll-over protection (electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01) - B62D 21/17: forming fluid or electrical conduit means or having other means to accommodate the transmission of a force or signal - B62D 23/005: {with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like (B62D33/044 takes precedence)} - B62D 21/183: {specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts (tubular skeleton B62D23/005)} - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A vehicle includes a body mounted with a chassis, the body having a passenger compartment, a seat in the passenger compartment for supporting an occupant in a sitting position, and a roll over protection structure for the passenger compartment. The roll over protection structure includes an inlet coupled in gaseous communication to an air source, an outlet coupled in gaseous communication to a vehicle occupant wearable, and an airflow pathway through the roll over protection structure coupling the inlet to the outlet in gaseous communication. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus, comprising: a roll cage for an open passenger compartment of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) comprising an openwork of structural tubing configured to extend around the open passenger compartment for protecting an occupant of the open passenger compartment and other than the roll cage the open passenger compartment is not enclosed, being open to the atmosphere, enabling ambient air from the atmosphere to rush through the open passenger compartment, when the roll cage is connected to the ATV, the roll cage further including an air inlet to the roll cage, an outlet, and an airflow pathway through the structural tubing coupling the inlet to the outlet in gaseous communication; the inlet coupled in gaseous communication to a filtered breathing air source via a first conduit, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises an air pump; the outlet coupled in gaseous communication to a helmet via a second conduit; and the filtered breathing air source configured to convey filtered breathing air suitable for breathing through the first conduit to the inlet and through the airflow pathway through the structural tubing from the inlet to the outlet and from the outlet through the second conduit to the helmet, and the helmet configured to deliver the filtered breathing air to the occupant when the occupant is in the open passenger compartment and is wearing the helmet when the ambient air is not favorable for breathing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the second conduit includes a first end and a second end; and the first end is coupled in gaseous communication to the outlet and the second end is coupled in gaseous communication to the helmet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the first conduit includes a first end and a second end; and the first end is coupled in gaseous communication to the inlet and the second end is coupled in gaseous communication to the breathing air source. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises a filtered air pump. ### Claim 5 Apparatus, comprising: an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) including an open passenger compartment; a roll cage comprising an openwork of structural tubing built around the open passenger compartment for protecting an occupant of the open passenger compartment and other than the roll cage the open passenger compartment is not enclosed, being open to the atmosphere, enabling ambient air from the atmosphere to rush through the open passenger compartment, the roll cage further including an air inlet to the roll cage, an outlet, and an airflow pathway through the structural tubing coupling the inlet to the outlet in gaseous communication; the inlet coupled in gaseous communication to a filtered breathing air source via a first conduit, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises an air pump; the outlet coupled in gaseous communication to a helmet via a second conduit; and the filtered breathing air source configured to convey filtered breathing air suitable for breathing through the first conduit to the inlet and through the airflow pathway through the structural tubing from the inlet to the outlet and from the outlet through the second conduit to the helmet, and the helmet configured to deliver the filtered breathing air to the occupant when the occupant is in the open passenger compartment and is wearing the helmet when the ambient air is not favorable for breathing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the second conduit a first end and a second end; and the first end is coupled in gaseous communication to the outlet and the second end is coupled in gaseous communication to the helmet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the first conduit includes a first end and a second end; and the first end is coupled in gaseous communication to the inlet and the second end is coupled in gaseous communication to the breathing air source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises a filtered air pump. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: providing a roll cage for an open passenger compartment of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) comprising an openwork of structural tubing configured to extend around the open passenger compartment for protecting an occupant of the open passenger compartment and other than the roll cage the open passenger compartment is not enclosed, being open to the atmosphere, enabling ambient air from the atmosphere to rush through the open passenger compartment, when the roll cage is connected to the ATV, the roll cage further including an air inlet to the roll cage, an outlet, and an airflow pathway through the structural tubing coupling the inlet to the outlet in gaseous communication; coupling the inlet in gaseous communication to a filtered breathing air source via a first conduit, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises an air pump; coupling the outlet in gaseous communication to a helmet via a second conduit; and the filtered breathing air source configured to convey breathing air suitable for breathing through the first conduit to the inlet and through the airflow pathway through the structural tubing from the inlet to the outlet and from the outlet through the second conduit to the helmet for enabling the helmet to deliver the breathing air to the occupant when the occupant is in the open passenger compartment and is wearing the helmet when the ambient air is not favorable for breathing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the second conduit includes a first end and a second end, and the step of coupling the outlet in gaseous communication to the helmet via the second conduit comprises coupling the first end in gaseous communication to the outlet, and coupling the second end in gaseous communication to the helmet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the first conduit includes a first end and a second end, and the step of coupling the inlet in gaseous communication to the breathing air source via the first conduit comprises coupling the first end in gaseous communication to the inlet, and coupling the second end in gaseous communication to the breathing air source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises a filtered air pump. ### Claim 13 A method, comprising: providing an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) including an open passenger compartment and a roll cage comprising an openwork of structural tubing built around the open passenger compartment for protecting an occupant of the open passenger compartment and other than the roll cage the open passenger compartment is not enclosed, being open to the atmosphere, enabling ambient air from the atmosphere to rush through the open passenger compartment, the roll cage further including an air inlet to the roll cage, an outlet, and an airflow pathway through the structural tubing coupling the inlet to the outlet in gaseous communication; coupling the inlet in gaseous communication to a filtered breathing air source via a first conduit, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises an air pump; coupling the outlet in gaseous communication to a helmet via a second conduit; and the filtered breathing air source configured to convey breathing air suitable for breathing through the first conduit to the inlet and through the airflow pathway through the structural tubing from the inlet to the outlet and from the outlet through the second conduit to the helmet for enabling the helmet to deliver the breathing air to the occupant when the occupant is in the open passenger compartment and is wearing the helmet when the ambient air is not favorable for breathing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the second conduit includes a first end and a second end, and the step of coupling the outlet in gaseous communication to the helmet via the second conduit comprises coupling the first end in gaseous communication to the outlet, and coupling the second end in gaseous communication to the helmet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the first conduit includes a first end and a second end, and the step of coupling the inlet in gaseous communication to the breathing air source via the first conduit comprises coupling the first end in gaseous communication to the inlet, and coupling the second end in gaseous communication to the breathing air source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the filtered breathing air source comprises a filtered air pump.