Patent Application
20060263527
There are no related applications.
This application did not received any federal research and/or development funds.
The present invention relates to a method for applying a urethane or polyurethane solution to restore and clear headlights, lamps or other such lights on an automobile. This solution is contained within and applied via a customized applicator and container specially designed for its intended purpose. The applicator comprises a container for storing the urethane and an applicator head for applying the urethane onto a surface to be refinished.
Automobile headlights, headlight covers and tail lights, tend to accumulate scratches, pitting, scoring and the like resulting in a cloudy appearance. A film of grit and grime may build up on the exterior surface of the lamp. When wiped or washed off, this grit may cause additional scoring across the lamp surface. The lamp surface may become yellowish in appearance over time leaving the lamp with a dull, dingy appearance. Often this yellowing is a result of smog, dirt, UV exposure and other weather-related factors. For purposes of this application, headlights, headlight covers, tail lights, lens and lens covers are used interchangeably.
Automobile headlights comprise a lamp energized by a power system in the automobile along with a lens covering to protect the lamp. This lens is constructed in a manner to easily pass light therethrough. The aforementioned scratches, pitting, scoring, clouding and the like reduce the effectiveness and efficiency of the automobile headlight which may in turn affect the headlight's performance necessitating replacement of the headlight. It has been realized that a smoothly shaped translucent surface of a headlight lens allows light from the lamp to pass through. Uneven portions of lens will reflect, refract, diffuse, distort or otherwise adversely affect the direction and intensity of the light produced by the lamp to cause a reduction in the performance of the lamp. If the surface of the lens is reconditioned, the light passing properties of the lens may be restored.
Most of the U.S. patents addressing the aforementioned problem only discuss methods or solutions for cleaning the lens or lens covers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,831,049 relates a cleaning compound within an applicator pad that is used to clean headlights and taillights of automobiles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,521 discloses a headlight cleaning system that operates by spraying the cover with washing liquid. In similar fashion, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,913,166; 3,934,301; and 5,083,339 all disclose devices for cleaning headlights of automobiles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,761 discloses a complicated method for applying a UV varnish to car headlight reflectors. This process included selecting a varnish with a particular ambient temperature, heating the surface and the varnish, and maintaining those temperatures for a set time period. Moreover, it is believed that this process will not work on headlights having glass lenses.
While the aforementioned devices may provide an adequate means for fulfilling their singular purpose, they do not offer the user anything more. The cleansing devices mentioned in the prior art merely serve to cleanse the covers of headlight and tail lights not repair or recondition the surface to removed imperfections that adversely affect the performance of the lamp. Also significant is the lack of inventions that restore head and tail lights. Thus, there exists a continuing need for new and improved applications for the covers of head and tail lights. While the prior art provides a limited range of uses, no invention offers the user the efficiency, flexibility and ease of use present in the current method. To this end, the automotive head and taillight restoration and cleansing method substantially departs from the prior art.
The current invention presents a vast improvement over the disadvantages of the previously mentioned prior art. Thus, this method serves an unmet objective. It provides a solution and applicator that enhances, restores and protects the appearance and clarity of the various surfaces that cover head, tail and other exterior automotive lights. This method's dual purposes are extremely efficient enabling the user to save money, time, and effort. In addition, the flexibility of the novel angled sponge applicator ensures easy application on any type of vehicle lamp cover or lens to reduce the number of surface imperfections present on the lens cover thereby increasing the performance of the lens or lens cover. And, the customized applicator also allows the user to simply apply the solution to various surfaces: smooth, textured, plastic, or glass without creating air bubbles or other imperfections that will deteriorate the light projected through the lens. In addition, the effective solution works equally well on all types of vehicles and kinds of surfaces. Preferably, the urethane that is used in this process is sold by the Helmsman corporation as “Spar Urethane”.
The present comprises two primary parts, a method and an apparatus for restoring a lens or lens cover. A method is provided by which an operator of a motor vehicle can quickly recondition and repair a lens or lens cover to remove impurities that exist therein. The method includes first preparing the surface to be reconditioned by thoroughly cleansing it to remove dirt, grime and foreign objects. Next, an oxidizer remover may be applied to the surface that is to be treated. The oxidizer remover may comprise a slightly caustic solution such as a cleaning product that includes ammonia, vinegar or other the like. The surface area may then be wiped dry; or, alternatively rinsed with clean water and wiped dry. A layer of urethane or polyurethane is then applied to fill in the scratches, scoring and the like. After drying, additional layers of polyurethane may be applied to as necessary to create a smooth lens surface.
The applicator includes a container and an applicator tip. The applicator tip includes sponge arranged at an angle to the container. An opening is provided near the center of the sponge for flowing polyurethane from the container onto the surface to be treated. The applicator tip filters the solution smoothly from the container to the desired surface thereby assuring a smooth coating of urethane absent any air bubbles or other impurities that adversely affect the projection of light from the lamp through the lens or lens cover. The sponge also ensures that the solution is massaged into the scratches and abrasions on the surface while guaranteeing that a uniform layer of the solution is deposited across the remaining surface. Finally, the sponge polishes the surface to ensure a smooth, hard finish.
These two parts combine to create an effective method and device for both restoring headlights and the like of automobiles. When applied, the sponge dispenses the polyurethane solution smoothly over the surface. With minimal effort, the surface is cleaned and the imperfections and yellowish film eradicated by the solution. This method returns the cover to a new appearance. It also has a maintenance function as it serves to block further ultraviolet rays and thereby prevents future yellowing. Also important, no other invention restores the covers of headlights so that they look like new. This method does just that by filling in scratches, imperfections and abrasions on the surface of the cover. The polyurethane solution then dries to an invisible or translucent finish that enhances the amount of light emitted. Finally, the solution is effective on various surfaces, including plastic, polycarbonate and glass.
The above explanations are provided to illustrate the utility of the invention. And, by no means necessary were these explanations intended to limit the application of this invention to other purposes.
It is an object of the invention to provide a solution that may be deposited onto an exterior surface of a lamp assembly, lens or lens cover to restore the surface to a like new appearance. That is, the solution fills cracks, pitting, and the like to create a smooth translucent surface allowing an optimum amount of light to pass therethrough.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus that will easily and inexpensively allow a user to restore a headlight lens and/or lens cover to like new without the need for replacing the headlight lens and/or lens cover.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus comprising a container for storing a polyurethane solution and an applicator for applying the solution onto a surface of an automobile light to increase the efficiency of the light transmitting properties.
These and other objects of the invention and advantages of the invention will be set forth, appear in part or become apparent after considering the specification and accompanying drawings. It is to be realized that the following embodiments of the invention have been represented in their simplest form for ease in understanding the invention.
As can more clearly be seen in
The applicator head 61 further includes a rubber boot 64 that overlaps neck 52 which includes a thread 51. The applicator head 61 may be removed by simply pulling the applicator head 61 away from the container 50. In this manner, the polyurethane may be periodically replenished. The applicator head 61 further includes a base 66 to which the applying element 62 is attached.
It should be noted that the aforementioned method for restoring headlights should be interpreted broadly to include the application of the urethane by brushes, sponges or the like. Further, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
