Abstract:
The wind blocker allows the simple and inexpensive manufacture of a wind blocker for the convertible C5 and C6 Corvette which utilizes illuminated text and/or artwork. The design of the wind blocker allows such text or artwork to be quickly and inexpensively applied based on customer requirements. The use of computer aided etching techniques allow the wind blocker to be cost effectively manufactured with custom artwork in quantities as low as one item. This allows the end customer to utilize any artistic design desired to create a completely custom, one-of-a-kind accessory for the customer&#39;s C5 or C6 Corvette.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to provisional application No. 61/447,096, filed on Feb. 27, 2011, which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a wind blocking device for a convertible automobile and particularly suited for a C6 convertible CORVETTE (model years 2005-present) and a C5 convertible CORVETTE (model years 1997-2004) as manufactured by General Motors. Several wind blocking devices have been manufactured for convertibles and for the C5 and C6 CORVETTE. However, due to deficiencies in the design of the wind blocking panel and its related mounting system, all other wind blocking devices for the C5 and C6 CORVETTE require the wind blocking device to be removed in order to operate the convertible top between the open and closed positions. The present invention, on the other hand, is unique in that it is designed and mounted in such a way that the convertible top can be opened and closed without disturbing the wind blocking device and the present invention also incorporates text or art work which may be abraded onto a solid transparent or translucent wind blocker and then illuminated for dramatic effect. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a wind blocker for a convertible automobile which allows the convertible top to be opened and closed without the necessity of removing the wind blocker. In a preferred embodiment, the wind blocker is made of a transparent or translucent material which is abraded with text or art work and illuminated for a dramatic artistic effect. 
     The present invention provides a device which comprises a solid panel, bends in the panel to follow the contour of the interior of a convertible C5 OR C6 CORVETTE as manufactured by General Motors, and a means for attaching the panel to such convertible. In one embodiment of the invention, the panel is of a transparent or translucent material with abrasions on the face of the panel and a means of illumination. The subject device is installed in a convertible automobile such that it projects upwards beyond a seat belt tower of the automobile and provides a customized artistic presentation while redirecting airflow through the passenger compartment of the automobile. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a preferred embodiment of the panel of the wind blocker. 
         FIG. 2  is a preferred embodiment of the panel of the wind blocker with various details identified. 
         FIG. 3  depicts one of the bends in the panel of the wind blocker. 
         FIG. 4  depicts another of the bends in the panel of the wind blocker. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the panel and a portion of a mounting assembly that is used to secure the panel to the convertible automobile. 
         FIG. 6  further illustrates the panel and a preferred embodiment of the mounting assembly that is used to secure the panel to the convertible automobile. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a frame bracket for a convertible automobile. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates several views of an anchor that is used to secure the frame bracket to the convertible automobile. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the panel bracket which is used to secure the panel to the frame bracket. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a panel bracket plate which is used to secure the panel to the panel bracket. 
         FIG. 11  further illustrates the panel bracket which is used to secure the panel to the frame bracket. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates the method of attaching the anchor to the convertible automobile. 
         FIG. 13  further illustrates the method of attaching the anchor to the convertible automobile. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates the method of attaching the frame bracket to the convertible automobile. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a modified frame bracket for a convertible automobile. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A convertible automobile wind blocking device comprising a solid panel  20  which projects upwards beyond a seat belt tower  18  of the convertible automobile, and that has a face  1 , two first bends  2  an equal distance from a centerline of the panel, two second bends  3  an equal distance from the centerline of the panel, an edge  4 , two sets of mounting holes  5 , a means of attaching the panel  20  to the automobile, an abrasion  19  in the face  1  and a means of illumination. Additionally, the panel has two cutouts  34  arranged to provide clearance for a seat latch of a convertible automobile. 
     The wind blocking device is made in the following manner. In the preferred embodiment, the panel  20  is made from an acrylic plastic. In the preferred embodiment, the panel  20  is cut and bent into a predetermined shape to fit behind seats of a convertible automobile and generally follow the contour of a rear passenger compartment of the automobile. In the preferred embodiment, the first bends  2  and the second bends  3  are 52 degrees and 48 degrees, respectively. However, it should be understood that any number of angles could be accommodated by the present invention to allow the panel  20  to follow the contour of the rear passenger compartment of the automobile. In the preferred embodiment, the abrasion  19  is customized text and/or an artistic design which is formed in the face  1  of the panel  20  by water pressure, sand blasting or laser etching, which allows each wind blocking device to be custom designed based upon a customer&#39;s requirements. 
     In the preferred embodiment, a means of illumination is a strip of light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are readily known in the art and which are affixed to the edge  4  of the panel  20 . Affixing the LED strip to the edge  4  of the panel  20  allows light to pass through the panel  20  and become diffused at the abrasion  19  such that the abrasion  19  is illuminated to observers. In the preferred embodiment, the means of attaching the panel  20  to the convertible automobile comprises a panel bracket plate  6 , a panel bracket  8 , a frame bracket  12 , an anchor  15 , four screws  9 , two nuts  30  and a bolt  10 . The panel bracket plate  6  comprises a flat metal plate with mounting bosses  7  arranged in such a way as to align with one set of the holes  5  in the panel  20 . The panel bracket  8  comprises a stamped sheet metal plate comprising a bottom tab  23 , a front tab  24  and a side tab  25 , with holes  16  in the front tab  24  arranged in such a way as to align with the mounting bosses  7  of the panel bracket plate  6  and holes  21  arranged in such a way as to align with threaded studs  26  the frame bracket  12 . In the preferred embodiment, the bottom tab  23  and the side tab  25  form an angle of approximately 90 degrees and the bottom tab  23  and the front tab  24  form an angle of approximately 102 degrees. However, it should be understood that any number of angles could be accommodated by the present invention to allow the panel bracket  8  to align with both the panel  20  and the frame bracket  12 . The panel bracket  8  is installed onto the panel  20  by attaching the panel bracket  8  to a front side of the panel  20  with the holes  16  of the panel bracket  8  aligned with one set of the holes  5  of the panel  20 . The panel bracket plate  6  is installed onto the panel  20  by attaching the panel bracket plate  6  to a rear side of the panel  20  opposite the panel bracket  8  with the mounting bosses  7  of the panel bracket plate  6  aligned with one set of the holes  5  of the panel  20 . Screws  9  are affixed to the mounting bosses  7  by installing the screws  9  through the holes  16  in the panel bracket and the corresponding set of holes  5  in the panel  20 . A seat belt tower trim  17  is removed from a seat belt tower  18  pursuant to the manufacturer&#39;s directions. An anchor  15  is inserted into an existing slot  27  on the seat belt tower  18  as depicted in  FIG. 7 . The seat belt tower trim  17  is then reinstalled on the seal belt tower  18 . The frame bracket  12  comprises a sheet metal stamping which is bent to fit the contours of the seat belt tower  18  of the automobile, two tabs  13 , a hole  22 , a spacer  14  and two threaded studs  26 . The frame bracket  12  is attached to the automobile by placing the frame bracket  12  over the seat belt tower  18  and pressing it down onto the seat belt tower  18  until the tabs  13  engage an edge of the seatbelt tower  18 . A bolt  10  is inserted through the hole  16  and affixed to the anchor  15 . The anchor  15  is adapted to fit snugly inside the existing slot  27  in the seat belt tower  18 . Inserting the bolt  10  into the anchor  15  causes flanges  28  on the anchor  15  to press firmly against inside edges of the existing slot  27  in the seat belt tower  18 . Raised lips  29  on the flanges  27  prevent the removal of the anchor  15  from the existing slot in the seat belt tower  18  without first removing the bolt  10 . The panel bracket  8  is attached to the frame bracket  12  by aligning the holes  21  with the threaded studs  26  and tightening bolts  30  onto the threaded studs  26  such that the panel bracket is situated between the frame bracket  12  and the bolts  30 . 
     The present invention can be easily adapted to another a-convertible automobile by modifying the frame bracket  12 . A preferred embodiment of the invention for another convertible automobile the is the same as the previous embodiment except that the anchor  15  is not used and the a modified frame bracket  31  is used in place of the frame bracket  12 . The modified frame bracket  31  comprises a sheet metal stamping which is bent to fit the contours of a frame member  11  of a convertible automobile, and two threaded studs  32 . The modified frame bracket  31  is attached to the convertible automobile by attaching two sided high bonding strength tape which is known by one knowledgeable in the art to a bottom  33  of the modified frame bracket  31  and placing the modified frame bracket  31  over the frame member  11  and pressing it down firmly onto the frame member  11 . The panel bracket  8  is attached to the modified frame bracket  31  in the same fashion as the panel bracket  8  is attached to the frame bracket  12 . 
     Although a preferred embodiment uses a transparent or translucent acrylic panel, it should be understood that the panel  20  of the wind blocking device can be manufactured from any number of materials capable of redirecting air flow through the passenger compartment of the Corvette and which are known in the art, i.e., ABS plastic, plexi-glass, lexan, aluminum, screen mesh, and so forth. Additionally, while the preferred embodiment utilizes an LED strip for illuminating a transparent or translucent panel  20 , it should also be understood that the means of illuminating the abrasion  19  could be any number of means of illumination known in the art and such illumination can be white, a single color, or multi-colored. The means of illumination can be powered by its own independent power source or powered by the automobile&#39;s power system. In either case, the means of illumination can utilize its own switch to control the flow of electricity. However, if powered by the automobile&#39;s power system, the means of illumination can also be connected to the automobile&#39;s electrical system such that the automobile&#39;s electrical system controls the flow of electricity such that the means of illumination may be always on, on when the vehicle&#39;s ignition switch is in the “accessory” or “on” position, or on when one or more of the automobile&#39;s lights are on, such as the parking lights, brake lights or head lights. 
     Although it is anticipated that the abrasion  19  will be formed by water pressure, sand blasting or laser etching, it should also be understood that the invention is not dependent on any particular manner of forming the abrasion  19 . The formation of the abrasion  19  can be accomplished by any number of methods known to one skilled in the art. 
     It should be understood that the geometry of the panel  20  in  FIG. 1  is based upon the contours of a particular convertible automobile. The geometry of the panel  20  can be manufactured with a wide range of geometries capable of fitting behind passenger seats of the convertible automobile by one skilled in the art.  FIG. 5  through  FIG. 14  depict the preferred embodiment of the means for affixing the panel  20  to a convertible automobile. 
     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be understood that variations or modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.