Vented roof panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524554-B2
Application number	US-201916287934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A vented roof panel is provided for an overhead portion of a roll-over protection system of an off-road vehicle. The vented roof panel comprises a planar member that includes a shape and a curvature that match the overhead portion to enable closely attaching the vented roof panel to the roll-over protection system. The planar member is formed of any of various plastics, such as injection molded plastic, or other similar materials. An air scoop including an air inlet port is centrally disposed in the planar member. The air inlet port is disposed in a forward-facing portion of the air scoop and configured to direct an airstream from outside to underneath the vented roof panel. The vented roof panel may be attached to tubular frame members comprising the roll-over protection system by way of one or more suitable fasteners.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vented roof panel comprising:
an overhead portion of a roll over protection system of a vehicle comprising a cab enclosure;
a planar member that includes a shape and a curvature that match the overhead portion;
an air scoop including an air inlet port is centrally disposed in the planar member having a shape and curvature that matches the overhead portion whereby the air scoop is configured as part of the overhead portion and positioned between a driver side and a passenger side of the vehicle;
the air inlet port or forward-facing portion of the air scoop, wherein the air inlet port is configured to direct an airstream from outside to inside the vehicle; and
a front lip extending from the driver side to the passenger side, along the width of the vented roof panel.

2. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , wherein the shape and the curvature facilitate closely coupling the vented roof panel to the overhead portion of the roll-over protection system.

3. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , wherein the planar member is configured to provide head protection to occupants of the vehicle.

4. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet port is configured to direct an airstream from outside to inside the vehicle.

5. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , wherein the air scoop comprises the air inlet port or a forward facing panel.

6. The vented roof panel of claim 5 , wherein the forward-facing panel is configured to give a practitioner a choice of creating a custom air inlet port or leaving the forward-facing panel intact.

7. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , wherein the front lip is swept at a substantially similar oblique angle as a windshield portion of the roll-over protection system.

8. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , wherein the front lip is configured to protect occupants in a cab enclosure of the vehicle from falling rocks and other debris.

9. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , wherein the front lip is configured to operate similarly to a visor that blocks at least a portion of the sun's rays from hindering a driver's vision.

10. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , further comprising a rear lip extending along the width of the vented roof panel.

11. The vented roof panel of claim 10 , wherein the rear lip comprises a strip portion of the vented roof that is angled at or near a substantially 90-degree angle with respect to a top portion of the vented roof panel.

12. The vented roof panel of claim 10 , wherein the rear lip overhangs one or more tubular frame members comprising a rear portion of the roll-over protection system.

13. The vented roof panel of claim 12 , wherein the rear lip is configured to hide the one or more tubular frame members from direct view.

14. The vented roof panel of claim 10 , wherein the rear lip is configured to provide a drip line for water runoff from the top portion of the vented roof panel.

15. The vented roof panel of claim 1 , further comprising a side lip that extends along each of a driver side and a passenger side of the overhead portion.

16. The vented roof panel of claim 15 , wherein each side lip includes an angled portion that overhangs one or more tubular frame members comprising the roll-over protection system.

17. The vented roof panel of claim 15 , wherein each side lip is disposed at or near a 90-degree angle with respect to a top portion of the vented roof panel.

18. The vented roof panel of claim 17 , wherein each of the side lips is configured to hide one or more tubular frame members comprising the roll-over protection system from direct view.

19. The vented roof panel of claim 17 , wherein each of the side lips is configured to provide a drip line for water runoff from the top portion of the vented roof panel.

Assignees

• Gordon Robby

Inventors

• Gordon Robby

Classifications

• B60H1/00407

  for open or convertible vehicles · CPC title

• B60H1/30 Primary

  Air scoops · CPC title

• B60H1/262

  Openings in or on the vehicle roof · CPC title