Connector for connecting a windshield and an intrusion bar to a roll cage of an off-road vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227058-B2
Application number	US-202217854582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2022
Priority date	Jun 30, 2022
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A connector for connecting a windshield and an intrusion bar to a roll cage of an off-road vehicle. The connector includes: a clamp configured to be clamped to a front leg of the roll cage, the clamp being configured to clamp part of a windshield to the front leg of the roll cage, the clamp defining at least one aperture; and at least one fastener inserted through the at least one aperture, the at least one fastener being configured to engage the intrusion bar to connect the intrusion bar to the clamp. A windshield assembly for an off-road vehicle having a roll cage is also disclosed. The windshield assembly includes a windshield, an intrusion bar and a clamp for connecting the windshield and the intrusion bar to a front leg of the roll cage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector for connecting a windshield and an intrusion bar to a roll cage of an off-road vehicle, the intrusion bar being configured to at least partly block a windshield area of the off-road vehicle, the connector comprising:
a clamp configured to be clamped to a front leg of the roll cage,
the clamp being configured to clamp part of a windshield to the front leg of the roll cage,
the clamp defining at least one aperture; and
at least one fastener inserted through the at least one aperture, the at least one fastener being configured to engage the intrusion bar to connect the intrusion bar to the clamp.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the clamp defines an internal recess configured to receive part of the windshield therein.

3. The connector of claim 2 , wherein:
the clamp has a lateral inner end and a lateral outer end opposite the lateral inner end; and
an axis of each fastener of the at least one fastener extends between the lateral inner end and the internal recess.

4. The connector of claim 3 , wherein:
the at least one aperture is at least one first aperture and the at least one fastener is at least one first fastener;
the clamp defines at least one second aperture;
the connector further comprises at least one second fastener inserted through the at least one second aperture; and
an axis of each fastener of the at least one second fastener extends between the lateral outer end and the internal recess.

5. The connector of claim 2 , wherein:
the clamp has a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion;
the first portion defines the internal recess; and
in use:
the first portion is disposed on an upper side of the front leg of the roll cage; and
the part of the windshield received in the recess is held between the first portion and the upper side of the front leg of the roll cage.

6. The connector of claim 5 , wherein the first portion is fastened to the second portion to clamp the front leg of the roll cage therebetween by the at least one fastener.

7. The connector of claim 5 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to clamp a part of the intrusion bar therebetween, the at least one fastener being insertable through the part of the intrusion bar and extending through the first and second portions of the clamp.

8. The connector of claim 5 , wherein:
the windshield is a first windshield;
the connector is further configured to support a second windshield on the roll cage;
in use, to support the second windshield on the roll cage:
the first portion is disposed on a lower side of the front leg of the roll cage;
the second portion is disposed on the upper side of the front leg of the roll cage; and
part of the second windshield is supported by the second portion.

9. The connector of claim 8 , wherein:
the second windshield has an inner sealing member; and
in use, the inner sealing member abuts an outer surface of the second portion.

10. The connector of claim 1 , wherein:
the clamp comprises a first portion and a second portion fastened to the first portion; and
in use, the first portion and the second portion are configured to:
be disposed on opposite sides of the front leg of the roll cage to clamp the front leg of the roll cage therebetween;
hold part of the windshield between the first portion and the front leg of the roll cage; and
hold an end of the intrusion bar between the first and second portions.

11. The connector of claim 10 , wherein each of the first portion and the second portion has a concave shape to at least partly wrap about part of the front leg of the roll cage.

12. The connector of claim 10 , wherein each of the first portion and the second portion is generally C-shaped.

13. A windshield assembly for an off-road vehicle having a roll cage, the windshield assembly comprising:
a windshield;
an intrusion bar extending along part of the windshield; and
a clamp configured to be clamped to a front leg of the roll cage, the clamp connecting the windshield and the intrusion bar to the front leg of the roll cage.

14. The windshield assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
the clamp has an upper portion and a lower portion opposite the upper portion;
the upper portion defines an internal recess;
the upper portion is disposed on an upper side of the front leg of the roll cage; and
part of the windshield is received in the recess and is held between the upper portion and the upper side of the front leg of the roll cage; and
an end of the intrusion bar is held between the upper and lower portions of the clamp.

15. The windshield assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a fastener extending through the upper and lower portions of the clamp and the end of the intrusion bar to connect the intrusion bar to the clamp and to connect the upper and lower portions of the clamp to each other.

16. The windshield assembly of claim 15 , wherein:
the windshield defines an aperture;
the upper portion of the clamp extends in the aperture of the windshield; and
a longitudinal axis of the fastener extends through the aperture of the windshield.

17. The windshield assembly of claim 15 , wherein:
the fastener is a first fastener; and
the windshield assembly further comprises a second fastener extending through the upper and lower portions of the clamp to connect the upper and lower portions of the clamp to each other; and
a longitudinal axis of the second fastener does not extend through the windshield.

18. The windshield assembly of claim 17 , wherein:
the clamp defines a passage between the upper and lower portions of the clamp to receive the front leg of the roll cage therein; and
the passage is disposed laterally between the first and second fasteners.

19. A method for installing an intrusion bar and a windshield on a roll cage of an off-road vehicle, the windshield being one of a first windshield and a second windshield, the method comprising:
for installing the first windshield and the intrusion bar:
placing a first portion of a clamp on an upper side of a front leg of the roll cage;
holding part of the first windshield between the first portion and the upper side of the front leg;
placing a second portion of the clamp on a lower side of the front leg;
fastening the first portion to the second portion to clamp the front leg and the part of the first windshield between the first and second portions; and
fastening the intrusion bar to the clamp;

for installing the second windshield and the intrusion bar:
placing the second portion of the clamp on the upper side of the front leg;
placing the first portion of the clamp on the lower side of the front leg;
fastening the first portion to the second portion to clamp the front leg between the first and second portions;
supporting part of the second windshield on the second portion of the clamp; and
fastening the intrusion bar to the clamp.

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Couture Raphael
• Bilodeau Hubert
• Proulx Yanick

Classifications

• B60J1/02

  arranged at the vehicle front {, e.g. structure of the glazing, mounting of the glazing (on windscreen mounted antenna wire H01Q1/1271)} · CPC title

• B62D27/06

  readily releasable · CPC title

• B62D25/06

  Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) · CPC title

• B62D23/005

  with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like (B62D33/044 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J1/006 Primary

  characterised by fixation means such as clips, adhesive, etc. (incorporated in seal B60J10/70) · CPC title