Patent ID: 6884159
Filing Date: 2005-04-26
Classification: B60H,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A hose assembly, for use in conjunction with a vehicle having a dashboard having an air outlet vent, comprising: a substantially hollow boot, having a first end and a second end, each end of the boot having an opening, wherein the first end of the boot is selectively attachable to the air outlet vent on the dashboard; a flexible, hollow length of hose, having a first end and a second end, each end of the hose having an opening, wherein the first end of the hose is selectively attachable to the second end of the boot, and wherein air which exits the air outlet vent is conducted through the hose, and exits the second end of the hose through the opening at the second end of the hose, wherein the vehicle air vent has a louver having slats, wherein the boot has a pair of opposed gripper hooks extending longitudinally through the boot and selectively protruding through the first end of the boot for selectively engaging the slats of the air vent, in order to secure the hose assembly to the air vent, wherein the length of hose comprises a first segment of hose and a terminal segment of hose, each segment having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first segment is selectively attachable to the second end of the boot, wherein the second end of the first segment is selectively attachable to the first end of the second segment, thereby providing a longer hose, capable of reaching areas within the vehicle that are further from the air outlet vent; a Y-shaped splitter for directing the conditioned air which exits the vent into two different pathways, in order to more precisely direct the air to particular locations within the vehicle, said Y-shaped splitter having two arms and a neck, wherein each of the arms has a first end closer to the neck and also a second end, wherein the neck is selectively attachable to the second end of the terminal segment of hose; an intermediate segment of hose having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the intermediate segment is selectively attachable to the second end of the first segment, and wherein the second end of the intermediate segment is selectively attachable to the first end of the terminal segment, thereby providing a longer hose, capable of reaching areas within the vehicle that are further from the air outlet vent; and two branching segments of hose, wherein the second end of each of the arms of the Y-shaped splitter is selectively attachable to one of the branching segments of hose, in order that the conditioned air exiting the vent is more efficiently directed to particular locations within the vehicle, wherein the boot has at least one finger hold, so that the boot may be easily maneuvered during selective attachment to and detachment from the air vent of the vehicle, wherein the boot has a flexible flange at its first end for preventing air which exits the air outlet vent from leaking at the point of contact between the boot and the air outlet vent, wherein the first end of each of the segments of hose has a twist-lock connector, wherein the second end of the boot and the second end of the first segment and the intermediate segment each have a twist lock ridge, wherein the twist-lock connector on the first segment of hose selectively engages the twist lock ridge on the second end of the boot, and thereby selectively attaches the first segment of hose to the boot, and wherein the twist-lock connector on the remaining segments of hose are each used for selectively engaging the twist-lock ridge on the adjoining segment of hose, thereby selectively attaching each of said segments to each other.