Abstract:
An accessory bumper for use on a host vehicle, such as a security vehicle, for providing collision protection when the host vehicle performs PIT maneuvers. The accessory bumper includes protective elements on front side of the vehicle, for protecting both the accessory bumper and also minimizing damage to the host vehicle&#39;s engine and other critical components necessary for the operation of the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Reference is made to and priority claimed from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/032,572, filed on Feb. 29, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to vehicle protection devices, and more particularly to a new protective accessory bumper designed to minimize damage to security vehicles undertaking precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuvers and engaging in other policing activities. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Police officers are trained to perform PIT maneuvers, in which a police vehicle tries to end a car chase by hitting a suspect&#39;s vehicle and causing the suspect driver to lose control and stop. PIT is an acronym variously understood for Precision Immobilization Technique, Pursuit Intervention Technique, Parallel Immobilization Technique, or Precision Intervention Tactic. PIT maneuvers are standard training for police forces across the United States and in many other countries, and when done properly, are believed to end car chases quickly and safely. 
         [0004]    It would be highly advantageous to provide a protective bumper to minimize costly damage to the bumper, engine, and cooling systems of the police vehicle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a protective accessory bumper designed to minimizing damage to police vehicles undertaking PIT maneuvers and other policing activities, as well as damage from animal collisions. The present invention generally comprises a shock-absorbing, removable wrap-around structure attached to the frame of a host police vehicle, and a grill guard structure fixedly attached to the wrap-around structure for providing additional protection to the host vehicle&#39;s radiator grill, headlights and front fenders. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a protective accessory bumper according to the invention suitable for use on a Ford Crown Victoria® host vehicle, including mounting hardware. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention configured for use on a Chevrolet Impala® host vehicle. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the present invention configured for use on a Ford Crown Victoria® host vehicle. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the present invention configured for use on a Dodge Charger® host vehicle. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the present invention configured for use on a Chevrolet Tahoe® host vehicle. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of the present invention deployed on a Ford Crown Victoria® host vehicle. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the present invention deployed on a Dodge Charger® host vehicle. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6C  is a perspective view of the present invention deployed on a Chevrolet Impala® host vehicle. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6D  is a perspective view of the present invention deployed on a Chevrolet Tahoe® host vehicle. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the protective strip applied to the striking surface. 
       
    
    
     DRAWINGS LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0017]    The following is a list of reference labels used in the drawings to label components of different embodiments of the invention, and the names of the indicated components.
     100  protective accessory bumper     102  tubular grill guard element     104  tubular grill guard backbone     106  lower assembly member     108  lower assembly fastening member     110  upper bumper support     111  lower bumper assembly     112  first lower assembly bracket     114  lower assembly extension member     116  second lower assembly bracket     118  wrap-around protective element     202  fastening or mounting assembly     204  mounting surface of the protective element     206  striking surface     208  protective strip     402  skid plate     502  auxiliary tubular grill guard support member     600  host vehicle     602  existing hole in vehicle bumper   
 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0037]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7 , a protective accessory bumper  100  comprises a wrap-around protective element  118  having at least one mounting surface  204  and a striking surface  206 . The protective element  118  may be a c-channel weldment or other structure (e.g. a casting or an extrusion), or any other suitable weldment or other structure. The protective element  118  may have a removable protective strip  208  applied to the striking surface  206 . The protective strip  208  may be a rubber strip, or any other suitable strip and consists of a “hill and valley” profile as shown more particularly in  FIG. 7 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 6A-D , the protective element  118  may be shaped so as to roughly conform to the profile of the front of a host vehicle  600  to which the protective accessory bumper  100  is attached. 
         [0038]    The protective accessory bumper  100  further comprises a tubular grill guard extending from at least one of the at least one mounting surfaces  204  of the protective element  118 . The grill guard may comprise a tubular grill guard backbone  104  having a first end and a second end, the first end extending from one end of the protective element  118  and a second end extending to the opposite end of the protective element  118 . As shown in  FIGS. 6A-D , the tubular grill guard backbone  104  may be shaped so as to roughly conform to the profile of the hood of the host vehicle to which the protective accessory bumper is attached. The grill guard may also include at least one tubular grill guard element  102  having two ends, the element  102  extending from at least one of the at least one mounting surfaces  204  of the protective element  118  to the tubular grill guard backbone  104 . All embodiments of the invention suggest the use of four two-ended tubular grill-guard element  102 . The grill guard may further comprise at least one auxiliary tubular grill guard support member  502 , as shown more particularly in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0039]    The protective accessory bumper  100  may further include a fastening or mounting assembly  202  for mounting the wrap-around protective element  118  to the frame of the host vehicle. The mounting assembly  202  may include an upper bumper support  110  and a lower bumper assembly  111 . The lower bumper assembly  111  may comprise a lower assembly member  106  having a first end and a second end, a first and a second lower assembly brackets  112   116 , a lower assembly extension member  114 , and a lower assembly fastening member  108 . The arrangement of the mounting assembly and the type of fastening supports used are largely dependent on the arrangement of mount points about the front and side surfaces of the host vehicle&#39;s frame.  FIGS. 6A-D  illustrate how the mounting assembly  202  uses existing holes in the host vehicle&#39;s bumper, such as air gaps or fog lighting holes  602 , allowing the relevant mounting parts to penetrate through the vehicle bumper and attach to the frame of the vehicle. In the case of  FIG. 6C , showing an embodiment of the invention as designed for a Chevy Impala©, access holes were drilled into the existing vehicle bumper in order to attach the relevant mounting members and brackets to the vehicle. 
         [0040]    For illustration purposes, in the embodiment of the invention shown more particularly in  FIG. 3 , the lower assembly member  106  is attached to the first lower assembly bracket  112  at the member&#39;s first end. The member  106  extends horizontally below the protective element  118  and attaches to a second assembly bracket  112  at the member&#39;s second end. The lower assembly member  106  is attached to the protective element  118  near the center of the member  106  by two vertical supports in spaced apart relation that are bolted to an underside of the protective element  118 . Two lower assembly extension members  114  are located below the protective element  118 , one on each side of the lower assembly member  106 . Each extension member  114  has a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the second lower assembly bracket  116 , and the second end of the extension member  114  connected to the underside of the protective element  118 . At least one lower assembly fastening member  108  fastens the lower assembly  111  to the host vehicle&#39;s frame. In  FIG. 5 , the lower bumper assembly  111  comprises two extension members  114  in spaced apart relation, each member  114  having a first end and a second end, the first end attached to a first lower assembly bracket  112  and the second end attached to the underside of the protective element  118 . 
         [0041]    The upper bumper support  110  may comprise a single flat, linear plate fastened to the host vehicle as shown in  FIG. 5 , or two flat, linear plates in parallel spaced apart relationship, each plate having a first end and a second end, the first end attached the mounting surface  204  of the protective element  118  and the second end attached to a first lower assembly bracket  112  as shown more particularly in  FIG. 3 , or to a vertical support that forms part of the lower bumper assembly  111 , as shown more particularly in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0042]    The embodiments of the invention described herein are examples of the various ways in which the present invention may be practiced and should not be construed as limiting the invention to these embodiments. The mounting assembly  202  may comprise any combination of direct linkages as shown in  FIG. 2 , buttress-type linkages as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , and also tensioned linkages as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 .  FIG. 1  further illustrates that the mounting means may be disassembled into a number of component parts for easy storage and transportation. In some embodiments, such as the one shown more particularly in  FIG. 4 , a skid plate  402  may also be affixed to the mounting hardware to protect portions of the host vehicle&#39;s underside from damage by debris and scraping. 
         [0043]    The protective accessory bumper may be constructed from aluminum, steel, titanium, composite material, or any other suitable material. Preferably the protective accessory bumper should extend across the front of the host vehicle  600  from one front wheel well to the other. 
         [0044]    With respect to the above description, the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention include variations in size, shape, form, use, function, assembly, materials, and manner of operation and are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art. All equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0045]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes 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, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.