Patent Application
20170088390
The present disclosure relates to vehicle accessories, and more specifically, to devices and/or methods for guiding longitudinal flexible members such as hoses, cords and/or cables around wheels or tires of vehicles.
While vehicles are designed to last for many years, maintenance and repair are common undertakings associated with vehicle use. Such maintenance and/or repair may involve washing, painting, removal/replacement of various parts, etc. In performing these undertakings, it is often necessary to utilize tools having hoses, cords, and/or cables that are susceptible to being caught, snagged, or tangled when drawing the various hoses, cords, or cables around the vehicle to access other remote locations. For example, while washing a car, garden hoses are often drawn around the car to rinse dirt or soap off of the trim of the vehicle. As the hose is drawn about the vehicle, the hose can become trapped underneath a tire thereof, inhibiting additional movement about the vehicle until the hose is freed, wasting time and effort.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide a steadfast device that prevents longitudinal flexible members such as hoses, cords, and cables from becoming trapped as they are drawn around a vehicle while simultaneously guiding them about the vehicle.
The present disclosure is directed to a guide member for use in connection with a wheel of a vehicle. The guide member includes a wall extending from a lower surface to an upper surface. The lower surface defines a support plane. The wall has an inner surface and an outer surface. The base extends from the lower surface of the wall. The base has a top surface and a bottom surface. The base is disposed transverse to the wall at a non-perpendicular angle to define a space between the bottom surface of the base and the support plane defined by the lower surface of the wall. The inner surface of the wall and the top surface of the base define a receiving pocket configured to receive a wheel of the vehicle therein, whereby the outer surface of the wall guides a longitudinal flexible member around the wheel of the vehicle.
In some embodiments, the wall and the base may be integrally formed.
In certain embodiments, the outer surface of the wall is smooth and brimless.
In some embodiments, the wall defines a thickness that tapers from the lower surface toward the upper surface thereof. The upper surface of the wall may be flat. The upper surface of the wall, the inner surface of the wall, and the top surface of the base may be configured to contact a wheel of the vehicle when such wheel is fully seated in the receiving pocket.
In certain embodiments, the base tapers away from the wall to a blunt tip. The blunt tip may be centrally disposed along a centerline of the guide member. The blunt tip may be rounded.
In some embodiments, the base, the wall, or both the base and the wall may include surface texturing. The top surface of the base portion may include surface texturing configured to increase friction with a wheel of the vehicle when such wheel of the vehicle is received in the receiving pocket. The surface texturing may include one or more embossed characters.
In certain embodiments, the wall may be arcuate and extend radially around the base.
In some embodiments, the inner surface of the wall may be perpendicular to the support plane and the outer surface of the wall may be disposed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the support plane.
In certain embodiments, the receiving pocket may be configured to receive therein a wheel of the vehicle sized between about 14 inches in diameter to about 24 inches in diameter.
In some embodiments, the wall, the base, or both the wall and the base define a hanging feature.
In certain embodiments, the base defines a substantially triangular shaped profile.
According to one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a guide member including a wall and a base. The wall has an inner surface and an outer surface. The base extends from the inner surface of the wall. The base has a top surface and a bottom surface. The inner surface of the wall and the top surface of the base are disposed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to one another to define an angled receiving pocket. The receiving pocket is configured to receive a wheel of a vehicle therein. The outer surface of the wall is positioned to guide a longitudinal flexible member around such wheel when such wheel is received in the receiving pocket.
In certain embodiments, the guide member further includes surface texturing on one or both of the wall or the base.
In some embodiments, the base tapers from the inner surface of the wall to a blunt tip.
Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims that follow.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, together with a general description of the disclosure given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure, wherein:
Embodiments of the presently disclosed devices are described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. As used herein, the term “distal” or “leading” refers to that portion of the device that is farther from the user, while the term “proximal” or “trailing” refers to that portion of the device that is closer to the user.
Turning now to
The guide member 10 includes a wall 12 and a base 14 secured to the wall 12. The guide member 10 has a top surface 10a, a bottom surface 10b, a first side surface 10c, and a second side surface 10d. The first and second side surfaces 10c, 10d extend distally from a proximal end 10e of the guide member 10 toward one another (e.g., taper inwardly) and connect at a distal end or a distal tip 10f of the guide member 10. The distal tip 10f may be blunt and/or rounded to reduce the risk of damaging the wheel “W” when the guide member 10 is secured to the wheel “W” as described in greater detail below. The first and second side surfaces 10c, 10d may each be substantially L-shaped and disposed in mirrored relation to one another on opposite sides of the guide member 10.
The wall 12 of the guide member 10 extends radially around (e.g., along an arcuate or radial trajectory) a proximal end of the base 14 between a radial angle “β” of the guide member 10. The radial angle “β” of the guide member 10 is defined between the first and second side surfaces 10c, 10d of the guide member 10 as seen in
The wall 12 connects to a base 14 at a connecting corner 16. The wall 12, base 14 and/or the connecting corner 16 may be integrally and/or monolithically formed. The base 14 extends distally from the wall 12 to the distal tip 10f of the guide member 10. In embodiments, the base 14 may define a substantially triangular shaped profile. The distal tip 10f may be centrally disposed along a centerline “CL” (
In use, the guide member 10 is positioned adjacent to a wheel “W” so that the guide member 10 and the wheel “W” can be approximated. Approximation of the wheel “W” and the guide member 10 enables the wheel “W” to be received within the receiving pocket 18. With the wheel “W” fully seated within the receiving pocket 18 of the guide member 10, the base 14 of the guide member 10 extends beneath the wheel “W” and the wall 12 of the guide member 10 abuts the wheel “W.”
As seen in
In some embodiments, the guide member 10, or portions thereof, may include surface texturing to facilitate wheel gripping/securement of the guide member 10 to the wheel “W” and/or to increase frictional engagement with the support surface “S” to limit movement of the guide member 10 when force (e.g., from a hose or the like) is imparted thereon. For example, the surface texturing may include one or more embossed characters (e.g., letters), grooves, knurling, or the like extending from one or more surfaces of the guide member 10.
In certain embodiments, the guide member 10, or portions thereof, may include a hanging feature such a hole, hook, or the like defined therein and/or extending therefrom that enables ready storage of the guide member 10. For example, as seen in
Any of the presently disclosed embodiments of the guide member, or one or more components thereof, may be formed of any suitable metallic, polymeric, and/or ceramic material. In embodiments, the guide member, or one or more components thereof, may be formed using any suitable formation and/or securing technique including injection molding, welding, adhering, fastening, etc.
Persons skilled in the art will understand that the structures and methods specifically described herein and shown in the accompanying figures are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, and that the description, disclosure, and figures should be construed merely as exemplary of particular embodiments. It is to be understood, therefore, that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise embodiments described, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. Additionally, the elements and features shown or described in connection with certain embodiments may be combined with the elements and features of certain other embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, and that such modifications and variations are also included within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the subject matter of the present disclosure is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described.
