US 8,297,679 B2Granted

Mechanized or motored retractable enclosure panels and their support brackets

OwnerMichael P Heldinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Mechanized or motor activated retractable enclosure-panels and custom brackets for any style open-air-vehicle having roof structures, including cars and boats, is taught. Installation takes less than 20 minutes with no drilling required, in most cases. The system includes brackets to directly rotably support the panels. The brackets are bolted directly onto roof supports via preexisting roof-support bolt holes, or onto the track bar that comes with some specialty roofs. A mechanized and/or motorized back-panel completely protects passengers and cargo from the elements using vent flaps for complete corner coverage. Rotational mechanized activators include pull-chains, roller pulleys, and spring-mechanized activators that can be motorized. For vehicles not fitted with a roof structure, a support frame for supporting retractable, mechanized and/or motorized panels is designed. Only a single protective panel is required per vehicle side regardless of vehicle size. Only four brackets are required to support three panels.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A set of brackets, comprising:

a first front bracket directly securable to a driver's side front roof support of an open-air car and a first end of a spindle part of a driver's side protective panel directly supportable by said first front bracket;
a second front bracket directly securable to a passenger's side front roof support of the open-air car and a first end of the spindle part of a passenger's side protective panel's directly supportable by said first front bracket;
a first rear bracket directly securable to a driver's side back roof support of the open-air car and a second end of said spindle part of said driver's side protective panel and a first end of a spindle part of the rear panel directly supportable by said first rear bracket, and
a second rear bracket directly securable to a passenger's side back roof support of the open-air car and a second end of said spindle part of said passenger's side protective panel and a second end of said spindle part of said rear panel directly supportable by said second rear bracket,
said first and second front brackets and said first and second rear brackets each to be secured to one of said roof supports using only preexisting roof support bolt holes requiring no modification to the open-air car providing for only four brackets to support three protective panels.

2 more elements

Protective panels with supporting brackets for use in open-air cars, comprising:

a first front bracket directly securable to a driver's side front roof support on an open-air car and a first end of a spindle part of a driver's side protective panel directly supported by said first front bracket;
a second front bracket directly securable to a passenger's side front roof support of the open-air car and a first end of a spindle part of a passenger's side protective panel directly supported by said first front bracket;
a first rear bracket directly securable to a driver's side back roof support of the open-air car and a second end of said spindle part of said driver's side protective panel and a first end of a spindle part of a rear panel directly supported by said first rear bracket, and
a second rear bracket directly securable to a passenger's side back roof support of the open-air car and a second end of a spindle part of said passenger's side protective panel and a second end of said spindle part of said rear panel directly supported by said second rear bracket,
said first and second front brackets and said first and second rear brackets each to be secured to one of said roof supports using only preexisting roof support bolt holes requiring no modification to the open-air car providing for only four brackets to support three protective panels.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/176,986Filed 6 Jul 2011 · continuation in part
Priority: 22 Oct 2008
Published: US 2011/0260019 A127 Oct 2011
Granted: 30 Oct 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B60R 5/047
Collapsible or transformable: collapsible by rolling-up
B60J 5/08
Slidable; foldable: of roller-blind type made of rigid elements
B60R
Vehicle fittings and parts
B60J
Windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors, or similar devices for vehicles