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CA2618075A1 - Forward folding vehicle grill guard - Google Patents

Forward folding vehicle grill guard Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2618075A1
CA2618075A1 CA 2618075 CA2618075A CA2618075A1 CA 2618075 A1 CA2618075 A1 CA 2618075A1 CA 2618075 CA2618075 CA 2618075 CA 2618075 A CA2618075 A CA 2618075A CA 2618075 A1 CA2618075 A1 CA 2618075A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
guard
grill
bumper
grill guard
vertical
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2618075
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jeremy Jon Drever
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
PRO METAL INDUSTRIES Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by PRO METAL INDUSTRIES Ltd filed Critical PRO METAL INDUSTRIES Ltd
Priority to CA 2618075 priority Critical patent/CA2618075A1/en
Priority to CA 2639140 priority patent/CA2639140A1/en
Publication of CA2618075A1 publication Critical patent/CA2618075A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60RVEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R19/00Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions
    • B60R19/52Radiator or grille guards ; Radiator grilles

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Superstructure Of Vehicle (AREA)

Description

FORWARD FOLDING VEI-IICLE GRILL GUARD

This invention is in the field of vehicles, primarily trucks, and in particular a forward folding grill guard for protecting the front end of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND
The front end of a vehicle typically includes a grill with openings to allow air to flow through into the radiator. These grills are typically not particularly robust and can be relatively easily damaged. Grill covers or protectors are therefore popular.
These typically are fixed to the bumper or front end of the frame and extend upward to cover the grill and protect it from dainage.

Such grill covers can interfere with maintenance and the [ike required to be performed on the vehicle. For example in large trucks such as higliway tractors it is common to have a vehicle hood and grill combination that folds forward to open the engine compartment for access. In this case the coirunon prior art grill guard must he reinoved to open the hood.
It is also known to provide a arill guard that is attached to the bumper of the tntck, and where the bumper is pivotally attached to the truck frame such that the grill guard and buinper can be folded forward together. The grill and bumper and fraine inust be strttctured to resist sttock loading on the grill guard front c.ontact witli wild life or the like, and consequently the conibination of bumper and grill gttard is quite heavy and cumbersoine, and not easily maneuvered.

SUMMARY OF THE nfVEIrjTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a forward folding grill guard apparatus that overcomes problems in the prior art.

The present invention provides a bumper adapted to be rigidly attached to the front end of a vehicle frame such that same extends across the lower front portion of the vehicle, typically a large truck such as a hi;hway tractor or the like. A grill guard is pivotally attached to the bumper about a substantially horizontal pivot axis that is located vertically about mid way between the top and bottom of the buinper. The pivot axis is conveniently provided by right and left pivot brackets welded to the bumper, with pins extending t.hrough the brackets and through the bottom ends of corresponding right and left vertical guard nleinbers.

The bottom ends of the vertical guard members and the pivot brackets are configured such that portions of the vertical guard members above the pivot axis bear against Ihe bumper above the pivot axis when the gri(1 guard is in the up vertical position in front of the vehicle grill, and such that portions of the venical guard members below the pivot axis bear against the butnper below the pivot axis when the grill guard is in the lowered position extending horizontally forward from the bumper.

A lock mechanism is provided on the top of the biunper to engage the grill guard when in the vertical position to maintain the grill guard in that position. The grill guard, the bumper, and the pivotal conncction between them are structured such that the grill guard is supported sufficiently in both the vertical and horizontal positions that the lock mechanisni is not required to resist any rearward forces on the grill guard that would force the grill guard rearward toward the grill being protected. These rearward forces are resisted by the gritl guard, the bumper, and the pivotal connection between them. The lock mechanism is only required to prevent lhe grill guard from pivoting forward, and no significant stress is exerted on the lock mechanism, and same can thus be relatively light and econotnical, and easily operated to release and engage. The lock mechanism can be provided by an over-centering latch to quickly aiid easily engage and disengage a catch mentber mounted on the bumper.

While the invention is ciaimed in the concluding portions hereof. preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detailed dcscription which may be best understood ui conjunction with the accompanying diagrat-ns where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like nunibers, and where:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the grill guard apparatus of the present invention with the griil guard in the raised venical position;

Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 with the grill guard in a lowered horizontal position;

Fig. 3 is a scheniatic side view of the connection of the grill guard to the bumper, with the grill guard in the raised vertical position;

Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of the connection of the grill guard to the bumper, with the grill guard in the lowered horizontal position;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of a laich for use in maintaining the grill guard in the raised vertical positioti;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the latch of Fig. 5 with the catch member raised and engaged in the catch rod mounted to the bumper;

Fig. 7 is a sidc view of the latch of Fig. 5 with the catch member raised and engaged in the catch rod mounted to the bumper;

Fig. 8 is a front view of ~the latch of Fig. 5 with the catch tnember lowered and disengaged from the catch rod mouttted to the bumper;

Fig. 9 is a schernatic side view of an alternate configuration of the connection of the grill guard to the bumper, with the grill guard in the raised vertical position;

l0 Fig. 10 is a schematic side 'view of the alternate configuration of Fig. 9, with the grill guard in the lowered horizontal position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTiONOF THE ILLUSTRATED F.MBODIMF.NTS

Figs. I and 2 illustrate a grill guard apparatus 1 of the present invention such as would be used on a large vehicle such as a highway tractor. A bumper 3 is attached to the front end of the tractor frame ui a conventional manner such that same extends across the lower front portion of the tractor. Right and left pivot brackets 5 are welded to the middle portion of the buniper 3.

A grill guard 7 comprises right and left vertical guard members 9 and upper and lower horizontal guard members 11. The grill guard 7 is pivotally attached to the bumper 3 by pivot pins 13 extending through pivot holes defined by the brackets 5 and through corresponding pivot holes in the bottom ends of corresponding right and left vertical guard members 9 of the grill guard 7. The grill guard 7 can thus pivot about a horizontal pivot axis PA that is defined by the pivot pins 13 from the raised vertical position of Fig.
I to the lowered horizontal position of Fig. 2.

The bottom ends of the vertical guard members 9 and the pivot brackets 5 are configured and oriented with respect to the bumper 3 as schematically illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 where the brackets 5 are shown ui dotted lines. Upper hearing portions 15 of the vertical guard mernbers 9 that are above the pivot axis PA bear against the bumper 3 above the pivot axis when the grill guard is in the raised vertical position in front of the vehicle grill, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

When the gril guard is lowered to the horizontal position of Fig. 4, lower bearing ends 17 of the vertical guard members 9 that are below the pivot axis PA bear against the bumper 3 below the pivot axis PA to prevent further dowrrward inovement of the grill guard 7 and hold the grill guard 7 in the lowered position extending horizontally forward from the bumper 3.

A lock mechanism 21 is provided on the top of the bumper 3 to engage the grill guard 7 when in the vertical position of Fig. 3 to maintain the grill guard 7 in that position. The grill guard 7, the btunper 3. and the pivotal conncction between theni through the pivot brackets 5 are all structured robustly such that the gill guard 7 is well supported in both the vertical and horizontal positions. The lock mechanism 21 is therefore not required to resist any rearward forces RF on the grill guard 7 that would force the grill guard 7 rearward toward the grili bein g protected. These rearward forces RF are resisted by the upper hearing portions 15 of the vertical guard tnerrtbers 9 that are above the pivot axis PA grili guard bearing against the bumper 3. The lock mechanism 21 is only required to prevent the grill guard 7 froni pivoting forward, a.nd thus no significant stress is exerted on the lock inechanism 21, and same can thus be relatively light and economical, and easily operated to release and engage.

The lock mechanism 21 in Figs. 3 and 4 is provided simply by a bar 23 welded to the center of the bumper 3 and extending upward, with a pui hole 25 defined in the top end.
Corresponding flanges 27 are welded to a horizontal cross member 11 of the grill guard 7 at the center of the grill ouard 7, and a pin 29 is inserted through holes in the flanges 27 and through the pin hole 25 to keep the grill guard in the raised vertical position of Fig. 3.

Altemativelv a latch cati be used to provide the lock mechanism, such as is shown in Figs. 5 - 8. The latch 41 is also shown mounted on the grill guartl 7 in Figs_ I and 2. The latch 41 comprises a dowrtward extetiding catch member 43 and a rotatable handle 45 mounted to a block 47. The handle 45 rotates about bolt 44, and the catch member 43 is connected to the eccentric pin 46_ The block 47 is configured to conform to one of the horizontal guard members 11, and to be welded to the center of the lower horizontal guard member I1 as can be seen in Fig. 2. A corresponding horizontal catch rod 49 is mounted to the bumper, and in the illustrated embodiment is conveniently provided by a U-bolt 51 mounted to holes in the top of the bumper 3.

The latch 41 is configured as illustrated in Fig. 5 such that when the handle 45 is in the position of Fig. 8, the catch member 43 is in a lowered position so that when the grill guard is raised to the vertical position of Fig. .1, the face 53 of the catch member 43 is adjacent to the catch rod 49 and the lip 55 of the catch member 43 is below the catch rod 49. Rotating the handle 45 to the position of Figs 6 and 7 moves the catch member 43 up so that the lip 55 engages the catch rod 49 and prevents the grill guard from nioving down. Rotating the handle 45 in the opposite direction releases the catch rod 49.

As the handle 45 is rotated the eccentric pin 46 moves up and over the rotational axis of the handle 45 at bolt 44, and then slightly down as illustrated in Fig. 6.
This over centering action maintains ttte latch 41 in the closed position. The latch niember 43 and catch rod 49 are positioned such that when the lip 55 is engaged on the rod 49 a.s in Fig.
6, the lip 55 exerts an upward force UF on the catch rod 49. and thus a downward force DF is exerted on the handle 45 at the eccentric pin 46 which keeps the handle 45 from rotating upward in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 and 10 illustrate an alternate configuration of the bottom ends of the vertical guard members 109, tlte pivot brackets 105, and bumper 103. Upper bearuig portions 115 of the vertical guard members 109 that are above the pivot axis PA bear against the bumper 103 above the pivot axis PA when the grill guard is in the raised vertical position in front of the vehicle grill, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

When the grill guard is lowered to tiie horizontal position of Fig. 10, lower bearing ends 117 of the vertical guard members 109 that are below the pivot axis PA engage apertures 118 in the bumper 103 to prevent further downward movement of the grill guard and hold the grill guard in the lowered position extending horizontally forward from the bumper 103.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modification.s will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, aud accordingly, all such suitable changes or niodifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are interided to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

CA 2618075 2008-01-14 2008-01-14 Forward folding vehicle grill guard Abandoned CA2618075A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2618075 CA2618075A1 (en) 2008-01-14 2008-01-14 Forward folding vehicle grill guard
CA 2639140 CA2639140A1 (en) 2008-01-14 2008-08-08 Forward folding vehicle grill guard

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2618075 CA2618075A1 (en) 2008-01-14 2008-01-14 Forward folding vehicle grill guard

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2618075A1 true CA2618075A1 (en) 2009-07-14

Family

ID=40900645

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2618075 Abandoned CA2618075A1 (en) 2008-01-14 2008-01-14 Forward folding vehicle grill guard
CA 2639140 Abandoned CA2639140A1 (en) 2008-01-14 2008-08-08 Forward folding vehicle grill guard

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2639140 Abandoned CA2639140A1 (en) 2008-01-14 2008-08-08 Forward folding vehicle grill guard

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (2) CA2618075A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11230241B2 (en) 2013-04-10 2022-01-25 Holt Sales and Service, Inc. Quick release grill guard and associated systems and methods
US11603059B2 (en) 2013-04-10 2023-03-14 Holt Sales and Service, LLC Quick release grill guard and associated systems and methods

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11230241B2 (en) 2013-04-10 2022-01-25 Holt Sales and Service, Inc. Quick release grill guard and associated systems and methods
US11603059B2 (en) 2013-04-10 2023-03-14 Holt Sales and Service, LLC Quick release grill guard and associated systems and methods
US11691582B2 (en) 2013-04-10 2023-07-04 Holt Sales and Service, LLC Quick release grill guard and associated systems and methods
US11951922B2 (en) 2013-04-10 2024-04-09 Holt Sales and Service, LLC Quick release grill guard and associated systems and methods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2639140A1 (en) 2009-07-14

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Dead