This application was funded by an award from the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation under Contract #146-403-155.
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are utilized by various individuals and have become very popular within the last several years due to their ability to maneuver into rough terrain and remote areas. Most ATVs do not have a windshield and so, many times, when riding the ATV and maneuvering in remote areas that are populated by trees and dense vegetation, a driver's face or body will encounter undesirable objects, such as spider webs.
The present invention attempts to address this problem for drivers riding ATVs without windshields by fixing a pair of mountable telescoping rods devices on the front area of the ATV. The present invention is capable of clearing spider webs so that they do not encounter the driver's face. The height of the telescoping rods of the present invention may be adjusted, depending upon the height of the driver. Additionally, the present invention may be retracted and rotated so that it can be placed in a folded down or low profile position and further secured to the ATV. Thus, the presence of the present invention would not interfere with a user's enjoyment of the ATV, when the ATV is not in an area where spider webs or other similar obstacles would be a concern.
Reference to the figures discloses a mountable telescoping rods device and is not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention, as similar products and methods of use will become known by persons having ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the present disclosure.
The following description describes embodiments of a mountable telescoping rods device 10. In the following description, numerous specific details and options are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention 10. It will be appreciated, however, by one skilled in the art that the present invention 10 may be practiced without such specific details or optional components and that such descriptions are merely for convenience and that such are selected solely for the purpose of illustrating the present invention 10. As such, reference to the figures showing embodiments of the present invention 10 is made to describe the present invention 10 and not to limit the scope of the disclosure and claims herein.
The present invention 10 is generally utilized in conjunction with ATVs when used in rough terrain areas with dense vegetation. However, the present invention 10 could be utilized on other moving vehicles, such as bicycles, motorcycles, dune buggies, etc. The present invention 10, as shown in
Telescoping rod assemblies 11 are incorporated into many mechanical devices, and numerous types of telescoping assemblies may be compatible on the present invention 10. A simple and typical telescopic rod assembly 11 which may be used is shown in
When the telescoping rod assembly 11 is not in use, it can be collapsed into a retracted position and secured by a clip mechanism 53, also mounted on the ATV, as is shown in
In an advantageous embodiment, the telescoping rod assembly 11 is manufactured of a material which allows for flexibility of the extended inline tubes 20. An example of such flexible material is fiberglass or other materials with similar properties. This flexibility prevents the telescoping rod assembly 11 from breaking when it comes into contact with sturdy tree branches or other vegetation.
The telescoping rod assemblies 11 are connected to the ATV by means of a mounting bracket 30. The telescoping rod assembly 11 is secured into an opening 31 in a mounting bracket 30 by a set screw, glue, interference fit or other similar method. The mounting bracket 30 may be secured to the surface of the body of the ATV or to a bar structure 50 located on the ATV. The bar structure 50 may be circular or square or some other shape. Depending upon the location where the present invention 10 is mounted, the structure of the mounting bracket 30 may vary.
On many ATVs, a bar structure 50 is located on the ATV as a grill around the headlights, as a rack mounted on the front of the vehicle or in some other location. The present invention 10 is capable of mounting onto any of these bar structures 50, whether the bar structure 50 is mounted to the ATV in a horizontal, vertical or angular fashion. Many types of mounting assembly brackets 30 may be utilized to attach the present invention 10 to an ATV. By way of illustration and not limitations three embodiments of a mounting bracket 30 are described and shown in the illustrations. It is understood that other mounting brackets 30 capable of achieving the same function could be utilized by the present invention 10. The mounting bracket 30 is designed so that it may be mounted on a bar structure 50 or to any flat surface of the body of an ATV.
The embodiments of the mounting bracket 30 which is designed to accommodate a bar structure 50 is shown in
Attached to the second base section 34 is a pivot block mounting stand 36. This mounting stand 36 may be a stationary structure as is shown in
As shown in
Another advantageous embodiment of the present invention 10, as is shown in
When this embodiment of the present invention 10 is utilized, a user will have great flexibility on deciding where the present invention 10 may be mounted. The rotation capability of the mounting stand 36 coupled with the rotation capability of the pivot block 37 allow for the present invention to be mounted on virtually any bar structure 50 located on an ATV.
In
In most situations, the present invention 10 will be utilized in pairs while used in conjunction with an ATV in order to adequately prevent the user from exposure to spider webs. When the telescoping rod assemblies 11 are in the extended position, a netting 17 may be attached to each of the telescoping rod assemblies 11. The netting 17 would be attachable by means of hook-and-loop fasteners or another similar type of attachment means. The netting 17, which would serve as a temporary wind shield, may be moved to a higher or lower position, depending upon the needs of the driver of the ATV.
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