Roof mounted vehicle topper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994669-B2
Application number	US-201916555612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2019
Priority date	Mar 24, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

A roof mounted vehicle topper includes an electronic display, a housing for said electronic display, and a cross bar. The housing is mounted to the cross bar which is configured for mounting to the roof of a vehicle. At least a portion of the cross bar is hollow. A power source for said electronic display is located outside of said housing. Electrical wiring extends from said power source, through the hollow portion of said cross bar, to the electronic display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A roof mounted vehicle topper comprising:
an electronic display;
a housing for said electronic display;
a cross bar configured to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle, wherein at least a portion of said cross bar is hollow, and wherein said housing is mounted to said cross bar;
a first wiring aperture located at a first portion of the cross bar;
a second wiring aperture located at a second portion of the cross bar spaced apart from the first portion of the cross bar, wherein said hollow portion of said cross bar extends between said first wiring aperture and said second wiring aperture to provide a continuous passageway for electrical wiring extending from a power source for said electronic display located outside of said housing, through the first wiring aperture, the hollow portion of said cross bar, and the second wiring aperture, to said electronic display.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the cross bar comprises:
a center section having a first end and a second end, wherein said second wiring aperture is located at said center section;
a first side section extending from the first end of said center section, wherein the first side section has a proximal end which is connected to the center section, and a distal end which is located at an opposing end of said first side section; and
a second side section extending from the second end of said center section wherein the second side section has a proximal end which is connected to the center section, and a distal end which is located at an opposing end of said first side section;
wherein said center section, said first side section, and said second side section extend primarily in a single direction.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:
a receptacle located at said housing configured to receive a connector located at an end of said electrical wiring.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising:
a fascia piece configured to cover the second wiring aperture and the receptacle when installed.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein:
the center section comprises a series of additional apertures configured to accommodate fasteners for securing the vehicle topper to the cross bar by way of the mounting bracket.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein:
the center section is shaped as a hollow cuboid;
the first side section continuously increases in height from the proximal end to the distal end; and
the second side section continuously increases in height from the proximal end to the distal end.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:
a mounting bracket located at the housing and comprising an aperture configured to accommodate the electrical wiring.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising:
a first outer plate located at a first end of said first side section;
a second outer plate located at a second end of said second side section;
a first end cap mounted to said first outer plate; and
a second end cap mounted to said second outer plate.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein:
said center section, said first side section, and said second side section are sized to collectively span a width of the roof of the vehicle when installed.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:
said power source comprises a battery for the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a second electronic display located within said housing and positioned in a back to back arrangement with said electronic display.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the electronic display is a liquid crystal type display.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the electrical wiring comprises festoon cabling.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a front mounting bracket located at a front end of said housing;
a rear mounting bracket located at a rear end of said housing;
a front fascia piece configured for attachment to said front mounting bracket, wherein said front fascia piece is configured to cover said front end of said housing when said front fascia piece is secured to said front mounting bracket; and
a rear fascia piece configured for attachment to said rear mounting bracket, wherein said rear fascia piece is configured to cover said rear end of said housing when said rear fascia piece is secured to said rear mounting bracket.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:
said housing is mounted to said cross bar by way of at least one of said front mounting bracket and said rear mounting bracket.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein:
at least a segment of the electrical wiring extending from a location outside of the first wiring aperture, through the first wiring aperture, the hollow portion of said cross bar, and the second wiring aperture to a second location beyond the second wiring aperture is unitary.

17. A roof mounted vehicle topper comprising:
a first and second electronic display;
a housing for said first and second electronic display, wherein said first and second electronic displays are positioned in a back-to-back arrangement;
a first and second cross bar configured to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle, wherein at least a portion of at least one of said first and second cross bars is hollow;
a front mounting bracket located at a forward half of said housing for securing the housing to a center section of the first cross bar;
a rear mounting bracket located at a rearward half of said housing for securing the housing to a center section of the second cross bar;
an exit wiring aperture located in the center section of said at least one of said first and second cross bars;
an entrance wiring aperture located in a distal end portion of said at least one of said first and second cross bars, wherein said hollow portion of said at least one of said first and second cross bars extends between said entrance wiring aperture and said exit wiring aperture to form a continuous pathway for electrical wiring extending from a power source located outside of the housing, through said entrance wiring aperture, the hollow portion of at least one of said first and second cross bars, and the exit wiring aperture, to said first and second electronic displays;
a front fascia piece configured to cover a front end of said housing when said front fascia piece is installed; and
a rear fascia piece configured to cover a rear end of said housing when said rear fascia piece is installed.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:
an outer plate located at opposing ends of the first and second hollow cross bars; and
an end cap mounted to each of the outer plates.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein:
said power source comprises a battery for the vehicle.

20. A roof mounted vehicle topper comprising:
a first and second liquid crystal display (“LCD”);
a housing for said first and second LCDs, wherein said first and second LCDs are positioned in a back-to-back arrangement;
a first and second hollow cross bar configured to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle in a spaced apart arrangement and substantially parallel to one another;
a front mounting bracket located at a front end of said housing for securing the housing to a center section of the first hollow cross bar;
a rear mounting bracket located at a rear end of said housing for securing the housing to a center section of the second hollow cross bar;
a wiring aperture located in the center section of at least one of said first and second hollow cross bars;
electrical wiring extending from a battery for the vehicle, through a distal end of at least one

Assignees

• Mri Inc

Inventors

• Hornsby Eric
• Dunn William
• Brown Mike
• Bennett Doug

Classifications

• G09F21/042 Primary

  the advertising matter being fixed on the roof of the vehicles · CPC title

• B60R16/033

  characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36) · CPC title

• B60R13/00 Primary

  Elements for body-finishing, identifying, or decorating; Arrangements or adaptations for advertising purposes · CPC title

• G09F9/00

  Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements (in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00) · CPC title

• B60R2011/004

  outside the vehicle · CPC title