Loading patent…
OwnerJoseph DiMario, John Helner +3inventors
InventorsJoseph DiMario, John Helner, Timothy Smith, Wesley Blanchard, Michael Pritchett
Estimating the term…
A transparency of a panel of the invention is secured to an recess in a vehicle by biasing the panel toward a hole in the recess defined by an end of a flange, and fixedly mounting the panel to the flange in less than 10 minutes. In one embodiment, the transparency is secured to the recess from a position within the vehicle. In another embodiment, the panel is replaced by providing access to the hole and moving the mounting devices toward the hole to engage the flange to fixedly secure the panel over the hole. When a prior art broken transparency is replaced, the broken transparency and the structural adhesive is removed, and a panel of the invention is mounted over the hole. When an unbroken panel of the invention is to be replaced, the inner trim from the recess is removed, and the mounting devices released from the flange.
1-19. (canceled)
A panel for covering an opening in a vehicle body, the panel having a flange around an edge portion of the opening in a body, the panel comprising:
The panel of claim 1, wherein the engaging member is spring biased.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the engaging member further comprises a coil spring mounted on each cylindrical shaped end between the sides of the engaging member and the upright members of the base with a positioning arm against the upright member and a positioning other arm against the opposite surface of the engaging member.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the first surface and the opposite surface of the engaging member are not parallel.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the transparency has a ceramic band fired on the inner marginal edge portion of the transparency.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the surface of the base is secured to the inner marginal edge portion of the transparency by an adhesive layer.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the surface of the base has a pair of keyways.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the opposite surface of the base has a slot for receiving the activating member.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the engaging member has a layer of a noise absorbent material or a material with a surface friction.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the distance between an outer surface of the panel and the opposite surface of the base is equal to the distance between an outer surface of the flange and an outer surface of the body with the opening.
The panel of claim 1, wherein a center to center spacing between adjacent mounting devices and spacing between a center of the mounting device and an adjacent side of the panel is no greater than about 10 inches with at least one mounting device at each side of the panel.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the transparency is coated.
The panel of claim 1, wherein the transparency is at least one of a double glazed or insulating unit.
A panel for covering an opening having a flange around an edge portion of the opening in a body, the panel comprising:
A panel for covering an opening having a flange around an edge portion of the opening in a body, the panel comprising:
A panel, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.