Method and apparatus for attaching police push bars

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018201210-A1
Application number	US-201715407500-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 17, 2017
Priority date	Jan 17, 2017
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A push-bar assembly including a push-bar and a pair of push-bar supports. The push-bar supports are attached by a pair of upper brackets and a pair of lower brackets. The lower brackets include about which a mounting block attached to the push-bar supports pivot when the push-bar assembly is assembled to a vehicle. A clevis bracket and clevis pin are provided on lower bracket assemblies that secure a lower mounting block on the push-bar supports to a pair of lower bracket assemblies.

First claim

1 . A push-bar assembly comprising:
a push-bar; a pair of push-bar supports defining upper and lower openings; a pair of upper brackets attached to a vehicle rail, each including a rod receivable in one upper opening about which the push-bar supports pivot; a pair of lower brackets attached to a bumper below the vehicle rail, each including a clevis bracket and a pin receivable in one lower opening to secure the push-bar supports; and a pair of springs with each spring being attached between one of the pins and one of the lower brackets to bias the pin to a locked position.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The push-bar assembly of claim 1 wherein the pin is shifted to an unlocked position by sliding the pin against a biasing force applied by the spring to remove the pin from the lower opening to facilitate securing and releasing the push-bar support to and from the clevis bracket, respectively.

4 . The push-bar assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a precision immobilization technique bar attached to the push-bar supports.

5 . The push-bar assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a brush guard attached to the push-bar supports.

6 . The push-bar assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a grill guard attached to the push-bar supports.

7 . A push-bar assembly comprising:
a push-bar; a pair of push-bar supports defining upper and lower openings; a pair of upper brackets attached to a vehicle rail, each including a rod receivable in one upper opening about which the push-bar supports pivot; a pair of lower brackets attached to a bumper below the vehicle rail, each including a clevis bracket and a pin receivable in one lower opening to secure the push-bar supports; and a pair of solenoids operatively connected to one of the pins and one of the lower brackets to shift the pin between a locked position and an unlocked position.

8 . A push-bar assembly comprising:
a push-bar; a frame defining upper opening and a latch receiver; upper brackets attached to a vehicle rail including a rod receivable in the upper opening to pivot about the rod; lower brackets attached to a frame rail below a bumper, wherein the lower brackets include a latch received by the latch receiver to secure the push-bar to the lower bracket; and a spring biasing the latch to a locked position.

9 . (canceled)

10 . The push-bar assembly of claim 8 wherein the latch is shifted to an unlocked position by sliding the latch against a biasing force applied by the spring to remove the latch from the latch receiver to facilitate securing the frame to and releasing the push-bar support from the lower bracket.

11 . The push-bar assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
a precision immobilization technique bar attached to the push-bar.

12 . The push-bar assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
a brush guard attached to the push-bar.

13 . The push-bar assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
a grill guard attached to the push-bar.

14 . A push-bar assembly comprising:
a push-bar; a frame defining upper opening and a latch receiver; upper brackets attached to a vehicle rail including a rod receivable in the upper opening to pivot about the rod; lower brackets attached to a frame rail below a bumper, wherein the lower brackets include a latch received by the latch receiver to secure the push-bar to the lower bracket; and a solenoid operatively connected to the latch and the lower bracket for shifting the latch between a locked position and an unlocked position.

15 . A method of attaching a push-bar to a vehicle comprising:
assembling an upper bracket having a pivot pin to an upper rail above a grill opening; assembling a lower bracket including a clevis to a lower rail below the grill opening, wherein the lower bracket includes a clevis bracket including a pin and a spring; attaching a push-bar assembly to the pivot pin; pivoting the push-bar assembly on the pivot pin; assembling the push-bar assembly to the lower bracket; and latching the push-bar assembly to the lower bracket by moving the pin in a first direction against a biasing force provided by the spring to an open position.

16 . (canceled)

17 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
biasing the pin with the spring in a second direction opposite the first direction to a closed position.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the step of latching the push-bar assembly further comprises:
actuating a solenoid to move a pin in a first direction to an open position.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising:
actuating the solenoid to move the pin in a second direction opposite the first direction to a closed position.

20 . The method of claim 15 wherein the push-bar assembly includes a support frame attached to a push-bar, the support frame defining an upper opening for receiving the pivot pin and defining a latch receptacle that cooperates with a latch for latching the push-bar to the lower bracket.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Carremm Swadad A
• Jensen John W
• Bauch David James

Classifications

• B60R2019/522

  Bull bars · CPC title

• B60R19/54

  Obstruction removers or deflectors (B60R19/16, B60R21/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R19/26

  comprising yieldable mounting means ({B60R19/38 takes precedence;} springs, shock absorbers, or means for damping vibrations per se F16F) · CPC title

• B60R19/52 Primary

  Radiator or grille guards {; Radiator grilles (cooling aspects B60K11/08)} · CPC title

• B60R19/48 Primary

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title