Abstract:
A shield for protecting a radiator mounted behind the front grille of a motor vehicle has a grating vertically disposed between the grille and the radiator. The grating has a matrix of quadrangular opening tapering from front to rear in the shape of a truncated pyramid. The increasing of open area in the front face of the grating and the tapered walls of the openings maximize the rate of flow of air to the radiator. The small openings on the rear face of the grating reduce the possibility of stones and debris passing through the grating to the radiator. The grating is mounted by use of mating clips and buttons attached to the vehicle frame and to the grating so that the grating can be easily removed for cleaning or replacement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to automobile accessories and more particularly concerns a shield for protecting the radiator of a motor vehicle. 
     The front grilles and radiators of motor vehicles are typically presently protected or shielded by optional or after-market devices which cover the outer surface of the grille. Some of these devices are intended to be primarily decorative, so their openings are contoured to coordinate with and enhance the appearance of the grille. While they may be aesthetically pleasing, their openings are too large to prevent stones and other highway debris from passing through the grille and striking the face of the radiator. Others of these devices are intended to be primarily protective of the grille and radiator. While they may block stones and other debris from passing through the grille, their openings, if any, are generally too small or incorrectly shaped to permit a sufficient flow of air to the radiator. All of these devices cover the grille, and even the most aesthetically pleasing of them detract from the beauty of the vehicle&#39;grille as it appeared to the purchaser at the time of purchase. Their exposed covers are easily pierced, tom or otherwise damaged and, despite being accessible from the exterior, they are inconvenient to remove and clean. 
     It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield which does not cover the external details of the vehicle. Another object of this invention is to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield which is mounted between the vehicle front grille and radiator. A further object of this invention is to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield which is mountable on the vehicle frame rather than on the vehicle grille. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield which is easily removable from the vehicle for replacement or cleaning. It is also an object of this invention to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield which has openings small enough to effectively reduce occurrences of stones and debris striking the face of the radiator. Still another object of this invention is to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield with a percentage of open surface area sufficient to permit air to flow to the radiator at a rate useful to cool the radiator. An additional object of this invention is to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield which has openings which are contoured to increase the velocity of air flow to the radiator. Another object of this invention is to provide a motor vehicle radiator shield which is durably constructed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, a shield for protecting a radiator mounted behind the front grille of a motor vehicle has a grating vertically disposed between the grille and the radiator. A plurality of couplings has first and second mating members. The first members are mounted on the frame of the vehicle in a vertically planar pattern forward of the radiator. The second members are contoured to engage downwardly on and be supported by the first member. The second members are secured to the grating in a pattern horizontally coincident with the first members of the vertically planar pattern. Thus, the second members can be engaged on the first members to secure the shield in place between the vehicle grille and radiator. 
     Preferably, the grating has a matrix of quadrangular openings tapering from front to rear in the shape of a truncated pyramid. The increase of open area in the front face of the grating and the tapered walls of the openings maximize the rate of flow of air to the radiator. The small openings on the rear face of the grating reduce the possibility of stones and debris passing through the grating to the radiator. 
     To secure the second members to the grating, plugs contoured to be seated in the grating openings are dispersed in selected openings in the grating. In one embodiment, the second members may be clips secured to the plugs with the grating clamped therebetween by threaded engagement of shafts on the clips into holes in their respective plugs. The first members may take the form of tap screws with flanges projecting from their shanks for abutment against the frame of the vehicle. The clips have bodies with open-bottomed receptacles of T-shaped cross-section to receive the heads and shanks of the tap screws therein. In another embodiment, the buttons and clips may be interchanged so that the clips are the first members mounted to the vehicle frame and the buttons are the second members mounted on the gratings. In this embodiment, the clips will be open-topped to downwardly receive the buttons. 
     In a modified embodiment of the clips, mechanisms are also provided for locking the buttons in the clip receptacles. The locking mechanisms may, for example, be detents on leaf springs which are fastened to the clips. Indentations in the buttons engage with the detents to prevent the buttons from inadvertently separating from the clips. Mechanisms may also be provided on the clips to facilitate the user bending the leaf springs against bias to withdraw the detents from the indentations and permit disengagement of the buttons and the clips to detach the shield from the vehicle frame. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view illustrating the radiator shield mounted between the vehicle grille and radiator, 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the grating of the radiator shield; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the grating of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the plugs of the radiator shield; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the plugs of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the clips of the radiator shield; 
     FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of the clips of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the clips of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the buttons of the radiator shield; 
     FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of the buttons of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken in a vertical diametric plane of a first embodiment of the shield mounted to the vehicle frame; 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken in a vertical diametric plane of a second embodiment of the shield mounted to the vehicle frame; 
     FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken in a vertical diametric plane of modified clips of the radiator shield; and 
     FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the modified clips of FIG.  13 . 
    
    
     While the invention will be described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments or to the details of the construction or arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning first to FIG. 1, a motor vehicle radiator shield S is illustrated in its mounted orientation between the front grille G and the radiator R of the motor vehicle. The shield S consists of a grating  10  attached to selected portions of the motor vehicle frame F by a plurality of couplings  30 . Each coupling  30  consists of a first member  31  which is fixed to the vehicle frame F and a second member  33  which is attached to the grating  10 . As shown, the first members  31  are secured to portions of the vehicle frame F forward of the radiator R which are selected so that the first members  31  will lie in a common vertical plane  35 . In some instances, it may be desirable to add spacing members (not shown) to the existing frame if an insufficient number of common plane locations are not already available on the frame. The second members  33  of the couplings  30  are attached to the grating  10  in a pattern having axes  37  which are horizontally coincident with the first members  31 . Thus, by engaging the first and second members  31  and  33  of each of the couplings  30 , the grating  10  may be fixed in a vertical orientation in front of the radiator R and behind the grille G. As shown, the grating  10  should be spaced forward of the radiator R so that, if the grating  10  should become clogged by ice or debris, the face of the radiator R will still be exposed to air flow. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a preferred embodiment of the grating  10  is illustrated. The grating  10  consists of a matrix  11  of openings  13  which permit air to pass from the grille G through the shield S to the radiator R of the vehicle. As shown, the passages  13  have large front face openings  15  and smaller rear face openings  17  connected by tapered walls  19 . Preferably, the openings  15  and  17  are quadrangular so that the tapered walls  19  form passages  13  in the shape of truncated pyramids. This quadrangular configuration is preferred because it affords the maximum possibility for open area through the grating  10 , resulting in greater air flow to the radiator R. As shown, the front face openings  15  have abutting edges, resulting in a totally open front face on the grating  10 . However, the edges need not abut and any shape of opening could be used, such as triangular, circular or ovate, as long as not less than approximately fifty-nine percent of the front face area is open. The tapering size of the passages  13  increases the velocity of air flow to the radiator R. The angle of taper  21  seen in FIGS. 11 and 12 is approximately thirty degrees. However, any angle of taper  19  can be used provided that the shortest distance across the rear face openings is not more than approximately {fraction (3/16)} inch and the strength of the grating  10  is not compromised. If the percentage of open area is less than fifty-nine percent, the air flow to the radiator R will be less than desirable. If the shortest distance across the openings is more than approximately {fraction (3/16)} inch, the filtering capability of the grating  10 - will be greatly diminished. A matrix made of plastic having a thickness of 0.21 inches with square rectangular front openings spaced at ⅛ inch from each other and tapering at a one degree angle  39  to square rear face openings  17  with sides {fraction (3/16)} inches long is suitable. 
     In FIGS. 4 and 5, a preferred embodiment of a plug  40  for use with the grating  10  illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is seen. The plug  40  is sized and shaped to be seated in and fill a passage  13  through the grating  10 . Thus, for use with the grating  10  shown, the plug  40  takes the shape of a frustro-quadralateral pyramid having a front wall  41  matching the shape of the front face openings  15  of the grating  10 , a rear wall  43  shaped like the rear face openings  17  of the grating  10  and tapered sidewalls  45  contoured to be seated against the tapered walls  19  of the passages  13  through the grating  10 . The plugs  10  are also provided with a threaded hole  47 , as shown extending through the depth of the plug  10  at its axial center. 
     A preferred embodiment of the clips  50  which can, with slight modifications hereinafter explained, be used as either the first or second members  31  and  33  of the couplings  30  illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown in FIGS. 6,  7  and  8 . Each clip  50  consists of a body  51  defining a receptacle  53  having a T-shaped cross-section  55 . A threaded shaft  57  extends outwardly from the receptacle wall  59  opposite the supporting leg of the T-shaped cross-section  55 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 9 and 10, a preferred embodiment of the buttons  60  for use with the clips  50  is illustrated. The buttons  60  may, with slight modifications hereinafter explained, be used as a second or first member  33  or  31  of the coupling  30 . As shown, the buttons  60  may each consist of a tap screw  61  having a shank  63  extending to a head  65 . An annular flange  67  about the shank  63  defines an annular recess  69  between the shank  63  and the head  65 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 11, a first embodiment of the coupling  30  in which a clip  50  is used as the second member  33  of the coupling  30  and the button  60  is used as the first member of the coupling  30  is illustrated. The plug  40  is inserted into a passageway  13  in the grating  10  and the threaded shaft  57  of the clip  50  is engaged in the threaded hole  47  of the plug  40  until the clip  50  is firmly engaged against the grating  10  with the T-shaped opening  55  in the clip  50  at the bottom of the clip  50 . The tap screw  61  of the button  60  is threaded into the motor vehicle frame F until the button flange  67  is firmly abutted against the motor vehicle frame F. The clip  50  can thus be downwardly engaged on the button  60  with the head  65  of the button  60  sliding into the cross portion of the T-shaped cross-section  55  of the receptacle  53  and the shank  63  of the button  60  sliding into the leg of the T-shaped cross-section  55  of the receptacle  53 . Thus, the button  60  supports the clip  50  and the grating  10  from the motor vehicle frame F. 
     Another embodiment of the coupling  30  is illustrated in FIG.  12 . In this embodiment, the roles of the clip  50  and the button  60  are interchanged. Therefore, opposite to the embodiment of FIG. 11, the button  60  has a threaded shaft  68  and the clip  50  has a tap screw  52 . The button  60  has its threaded shaft  68  engaged in the plug  40  and the clip  50  has its tap screw  52  threaded into the motor vehicle frame F. In this embodiment, the clip  50  is drawn tightly against the motor vehicle frame F with the open end of the receptacle  53  at the top so that the button  60  can be downwardly engaged in the clip  50 . Thus, the clip  50  secured to the motor vehicle frame F supports the button  60  secured to the grating  10 . 
     To mount the grating  10  to the motor vehicle frame, the grating  10  is first inserted between the grille G and the radiator R in its desired vertical condition. Appropriate points on the frame F in substantially a common plane and within the perimeter of the grating  10  are identified. Three, four or five such points dispersed across the grating  10  are sufficient, though more could be used. If a sufficient number of coplanar locations are identified, they are marked to receive the first members  31  of the couplings  30 . If an insufficient number are available, spacers (not shown) can be used to extend the vehicle frame F into coplanar locations. The horizontally axially corresponding passages  13  through the grating  10  are then seated with plugs  40  and the second members  33  of the couplings  30  are threadedly engaged in the plugs. The first members  31  of the couplings  30  are screwed into the motor vehicle frame F at the identified locations. The clips  50  and buttons  60  are tightened to their relative position using the tap screws  61  or  52  and threaded shafts  57  or  68  as described in relation to FIGS. 11 and 12. The second members  33  can then be downwardly engaged on the first members  31  of the couplings  30  to secure the grating  10  in vertical position in front of the radiator R. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 13 and 14, a modified clip  70  and button  90  are usable to lock the grating  10  in place. The modified clip  70  is similar to the previously described clip  50  except that the depth of the receptacle  71  is greater than the depth of the head  65  of the button  60 . The increased depth affords space for a leaf spring  73  which is secured to the clip  70 , as shown by a screw  75 . The free end of the leaf spring  73  has a detent  77  which is aligned and cooperable with an indentation  99  provided in the head  95  of the modified button  90 . The leaf spring  73  is shaped so that, in its normal state, the detent  77  is engaged in the indentation  99  to lock the button  90  in place in the clip  70 . A retractor  81  is slidable by the user between the leaf spring  73  and the head  95  of the button  90  to bend the leaf spring  73  against bias and withdraw the detent  77  from the indentation  99 . The retractor  81  may slide up and down in grooves  83  in the clip  70 . If it is desirable to lock the grating  10  in place, the modified clip  70  and button  90  may be used in place of one or more of the clips  50  and buttons  60 . 
     Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a motor vehicle radiator shield that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art and in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit of the appended claims.