Canopy for lightweight vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022266918-A1
Application number	US-202117182610-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2021
Priority date	Feb 23, 2021
Publication date	Aug 25, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A canopy for a lightweight vehicle comprising a canopy main panel mountable to a hollow front canopy downspout-strut. The main panel including a first water channel extending, a second water channel extending, a forward water channel integrally and fluidly connected to the first water channel and the second water channel. The main panel additionally including at least one water egress orifice formed in a bottom of an intermediate portion of the forward water channel, and a spout extending from a perimeter of each egress orifice, the spout integrally formed with and extending from an underside of the main panel, wherein each spout is structured and operable to extend into a water ingress opening in the front canopy downspout-strut of the vehicle when the canopy main panel is mounted to the front canopy downspout-strut.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A canopy for a lightweight vehicle, said canopy comprising:
a canopy main panel mountable to a hollow front canopy downspout-strut and at least one rearward canopy strut of the vehicle, wherein the main panel comprises:
a first main longitudinal water channel extending along a first longitudinal edge portion of the canopy main panel;
a second main longitudinal water channel extending along a second longitudinal edge portion of the canopy main panel;
a forward lateral water channel extending along a forward lateral edge portion of the canopy main panel and integrally and fluidly connected to a forward end of the first main longitudinal water channel and a forward end of the second main longitudinal water channel;
at least one water egress orifice formed in a bottom of an intermediate portion of the forward lateral water channel; and
at least one spout extending from a perimeter of the at least one egress orifice, the at least one spout integrally formed with and extending from an underside of the canopy main panel, wherein the at least one spout is structured and operable to extend into a water ingress opening in the front canopy downspout-strut of the vehicle when the canopy main panel is mounted to the front canopy downspout-strut.

2 . The canopy of claim 1 , wherein the main panel further comprises a passenger handle assembly, the passenger handle assembly comprising:
at least one handle retention structure integrally formed with or connected to an underside of the canopy main panel; and a handle pivotally and retractably disposed and retained within the at least one handle retention structure.

3 . The canopy of claim 1 , wherein the main panel further comprises a rearward lateral water channel extending laterally along a rearward end portion of the canopy main panel and integrally and fluidly connected to a rearward end portion of the first main longitudinal water channel and a rearward end portion of the second main longitudinal water channel, the rearward lateral water channel structured and operable to direct water into the end portions of the first and second main longitudinal water channels, wherein the rearward end portions of the first and second main longitudinal water channels are open along a rearward edge of the canopy main panel such that water can exit the first and second main longitudinal water channels via the open end portions.

4 . The canopy of claim 3 , wherein the main panel further comprises a recessed extension connection section that extends from the rearward lateral water channel to a rearward end of the canopy main panel, the recessed extension connection section having a recessed top surface relative to a top surface of the canopy main panel extending forward of the rearward lateral water channel.

5 . The canopy of claim 4 further comprising a canopy extension panel connectable to the recessed extension connection section of the canopy main panel such that the rearward lateral water channel is disposed between the canopy extension panel and the canopy main panel, and a top surface of the canopy extension panel is coplanar with the top surface of the canopy main panel.

6 . The canopy of claim 5 wherein the canopy extension panel comprises;
a first extension longitudinal water channel extending along a first longitudinal edge portion of the canopy extension panel and fluidly connected to the first main longitudinal water channel, the first extension longitudinal water channel comprising a termination end structured and operable to direct water to exit the first extension longitudinal water channel at a distal end of a sidewall of the first extension longitudinal water channel; and
a second extension longitudinal water channel extending along a second longitudinal edge portion of the canopy extension panel and fluidly connected to the second main longitudinal water channel, the second extension longitudinal water channel comprising a termination end structured and operable to direct water to exit the second extension longitudinal water channel at a distal end of a sidewall of the second extension longitudinal water channel.

7 . A canopy system for a lightweight vehicle, said canopy system comprising:
a hollow front canopy downspout-strut comprising:
a header comprising at least one water ingress opening in a connection face of the header such that the water ingress opening is fluidly connected with an internal lumen of the front canopy downspout-strut;
a first downspout leg extending from a first end of the header and mountable to at least a first portion of a body of the vehicle such that a distal end of the first leg is directed away from a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
a second downspout leg extending from a second end of the header and mountable to at least a second portion of a body of the vehicle such that a distal end of the second leg is directed away from the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and
a canopy, the canopy comprising:
a canopy main panel mountable to the front canopy downspout-strut, wherein the main panel comprises
a first main longitudinal water channel extending along a first longitudinal edge portion of the canopy main panel;
a second main longitudinal water channel extending along a second longitudinal edge portion of the canopy main panel;
a forward lateral water channel extending along a forward lateral edge portion of the canopy main panel and integrally and fluidly connected to a forward end of the first main longitudinal water channel and a forward end of the second main longitudinal water channel;
at least one water egress orifice formed in a bottom of an intermediate portion of the forward lateral water channel; and
at least one spout extending from a perimeter of the at least one egress orifice, the at least one spout integrally formed with and extending from an underside of the canopy main panel, wherein the at least one spout is structured and operable to extend into the water ingress opening in the header of the front canopy downspout-strut of the vehicle when the canopy main panel is mounted to the front canopy downspout-strut such that water flowing through the forward lateral water channel will flow through the at least one water egress orifice and into the internal lumen of the front canopy downspout-strut header whereafter the water will through the first and second downspout legs and be discharged from the distal ends thereof.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the main panel further comprises a passenger handle assembly, the passenger handle assembly comprising:
at least one handle retention structure integrally formed with or connected to an underside of the canopy main panel; and a handle pivotally and retractably disposed and retained within the at least one handle retention structure.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the main panel further comprises a rearward lateral water channel extending laterally along a rearward end portion of the canopy main panel and integrally and fluidly connected to a rearward end portion of the first main longitudinal water channel and a rearward end portion of the second main longitudinal water channel, the rearward lateral water channel structured and operable to direct water into the end portions of the first and second main longitudinal water channels, wherein the rearward end portions of the first and second main longitudinal water channels are open along a rearward edge of the canopy main panel such that water can exit the first and second main longitudinal water channels via the open end portions.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the main panel further comprises a recessed extension connection section that extends from the r

Assignees

• Textron Inc

Inventors

• Zaremba Matthew James
• Kuglar Jacob Rutledge
• Campbell Stephen Christopher

Classifications

• B60J7/106

  readily detachable hard-tops (storage compartment for collapsible flexible tops B60J7/20) · CPC title

• B62D21/183 Primary

  specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts (tubular skeleton B62D23/005) · CPC title

• B62D25/07 Primary

  having water drainage or guide means integral with roof structure · CPC title

• Y10S280/05

  Motorized golf carts · CPC title

• B60R11/00 Primary

  Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title