Abstract:
A mountable telescoping rods device, including a mounting bracket capable of being mounted on a flat surface or onto a bar structure and a telescoping rod assembly mounted into the mounting bracket capable of rotating in an arc. A mounting bracket of the mountable telescoping rods device includes a mounting stand which also may be independently rotated to provide additional adjustment features for the telescoping rods. Typically use of the mountable telescoping rods device would be in conjunction with an all-terrain vehicle or other vehicle which is driven into rough terrain or remote areas so as to prevent the user from coming into contact with undesirable objects, such as spider webs.

Description:
This application was funded by an award from the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation under Contract #146-403-155. 
     SUMMARY 
     All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are utilized by various individuals and have become very popular within the last several years due to their ability to maneuver into rough terrain and remote areas. Most ATVs do not have a windshield and so, many times, when riding the ATV and maneuvering in remote areas that are populated by trees and dense vegetation, a driver&#39;s face or body will encounter undesirable objects, such as spider webs. 
     The present invention attempts to address this problem for drivers riding ATVs without windshields by fixing a pair of mountable telescoping rods devices on the front area of the ATV. The present invention is capable of clearing spider webs so that they do not encounter the driver&#39;s face. The height of the telescoping rods of the present invention may be adjusted, depending upon the height of the driver. Additionally, the present invention may be retracted and rotated so that it can be placed in a folded down or low profile position and further secured to the ATV. Thus, the presence of the present invention would not interfere with a user&#39;s enjoyment of the ATV, when the ATV is not in an area where spider webs or other similar obstacles would be a concern. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference to the figures discloses a mountable telescoping rods device and is not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention, as similar products and methods of use will become known by persons having ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the present invention mounted on a bar structure. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the present invention mounted on a bar structure in a low profile position. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention capable of being mounted on a flat surface. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-section of telescoping rods. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description describes embodiments of a mountable telescoping rods device  10 . In the following description, numerous specific details and options are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention  10 . It will be appreciated, however, by one skilled in the art that the present invention  10  may be practiced without such specific details or optional components and that such descriptions are merely for convenience and that such are selected solely for the purpose of illustrating the present invention  10 . As such, reference to the figures showing embodiments of the present invention  10  is made to describe the present invention  10  and not to limit the scope of the disclosure and claims herein. 
     The present invention  10  is generally utilized in conjunction with ATVs when used in rough terrain areas with dense vegetation. However, the present invention  10  could be utilized on other moving vehicles, such as bicycles, motorcycles, dune buggies, etc. The present invention  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , includes a telescoping rod assembly  11 , which is mounted via a mounting bracket  30  onto the front area of an ATV, near the steering mechanism. 
     Telescoping rod assemblies  11  are incorporated into many mechanical devices, and numerous types of telescoping assemblies may be compatible on the present invention  10 . A simple and typical telescopic rod assembly  11  which may be used is shown in  FIG. 7  and is a friction type unit where two or more tubes  20  are fitted together inline with each other. The telescoping rod assembly  11  is designed so that with a moderate pulling force applied to the end of the last tube  20  in succession, the tubes  20  will extend to the desired length. Each tube  20  has a first and second end  12 ,  13  and tapers from a larger diameter at the first end  12  to a smaller diameter at the second end  13 . The first tube  20  is the largest in diameter and each tube in succession is slightly smaller in diameter than the preceding tube. Each tube  20  has a first end  12  with an opening that extends through the length of the tube through to the second end  13 , parallel with the axis of the tube  20 . The second end  13  of each tube  20 , except for the last one in succession which may not, has an inward facing shoulder  15  on the inside diameter which is positioned to come into contact with an outward facing shoulder  14  located on the first end  12  of the next tube  20  in succession. The first end  12  of the first tube  20  in succession may not have an outward facing shoulder, as in the present invention it is mounted into a mounting bracket  30 . When the inline tubes  20  are placed in an extended position, the inward facing shoulder  15  and the outward facing shoulder  14  abut against each other and prevent the tubes  20  in the inline succession from pulling apart when extended. The outward facing shoulder  14  on the first end  12  of each of the tubes  20  is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the second end  13  of the preceding tube  20  in succession and thus causes friction and/or drag so that the extended tubes  20  do not easily slide back into a collapsed condition. In addition, a ring may be added to the outside diameter of the first end  12  of each tube  20  to apply friction or drag to the inner diameter of the preceding tube  20 . Other means of providing a telescoping function for inline tubes may be utilized by the present invention  10 . 
     When the telescoping rod assembly  11  is not in use, it can be collapsed into a retracted position and secured by a clip mechanism  53 , also mounted on the ATV, as is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     In an advantageous embodiment, the telescoping rod assembly  11  is manufactured of a material which allows for flexibility of the extended inline tubes  20 . An example of such flexible material is fiberglass or other materials with similar properties. This flexibility prevents the telescoping rod assembly  11  from breaking when it comes into contact with sturdy tree branches or other vegetation. 
     The telescoping rod assemblies  11  are connected to the ATV by means of a mounting bracket  30 . The telescoping rod assembly  11  is secured into an opening  31  in a mounting bracket  30  by a set screw, glue, interference fit or other similar method. The mounting bracket  30  may be secured to the surface of the body of the ATV or to a bar structure  50  located on the ATV. The bar structure  50  may be circular or square or some other shape. Depending upon the location where the present invention  10  is mounted, the structure of the mounting bracket  30  may vary. 
     On many ATVs, a bar structure  50  is located on the ATV as a grill around the headlights, as a rack mounted on the front of the vehicle or in some other location. The present invention  10  is capable of mounting onto any of these bar structures  50 , whether the bar structure  50  is mounted to the ATV in a horizontal, vertical or angular fashion. Many types of mounting assembly brackets  30  may be utilized to attach the present invention  10  to an ATV. By way of illustration and not limitations three embodiments of a mounting bracket  30  are described and shown in the illustrations. It is understood that other mounting brackets  30  capable of achieving the same function could be utilized by the present invention  10 . The mounting bracket  30  is designed so that it may be mounted on a bar structure  50  or to any flat surface of the body of an ATV. 
     The embodiments of the mounting bracket  30  which is designed to accommodate a bar structure  50  is shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6  and may be comprised of a first and second base section  34 ,  35 , with each base section  34 ,  35  having a groove or channel  33  within its body to cradle a portion of the bar structure  50 . The channel  33  may be V-shaped or some other similar shape. Both the first and second base sections  34 ,  35  partially surround the bar structure  50  and connect together via two or more fasteners  39 , for example screws, bolts or other similar devices. The fasteners  39 , when tightened, create friction on the bar structure  50 , therefore restricting the movement of the mounting bracket  30   
     Attached to the second base section  34  is a pivot block mounting stand  36 . This mounting stand  36  may be a stationary structure as is shown in  FIG. 5  and may be formed as a solid piece to the base  32 . In this embodiment, a pivot block  37  is secured to the mounting stand  36  by means of a shaft, bolt, pin, axle or other type of securing mechanism  38 . The telescoping rod assembly  11  is mounted into the pivot block  37  portion of the mounting bracket  30 . The pivot block  37  and thus the telescoping rod assembly  11  is capable of rotating within an arc if the securing mechanism  38  is rotated so as to loosen the connection point between the mounting stand  36  and the pivot block  37 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 6  disclose an advantageous embodiment of the present invention  10  wherein the pivot block  37  and the mounting stand  36  are each capable of rotation. In this embodiment, the securing mechanism  38  for the mounting stand  36  and the pivot block  37  is comprised of two anchor pins  43 , a pull spring  44 , and a guide pin  45 . The two anchor pins  43  apply pressure to the mounting stand  36  and the pivot block  37  by connection to the pull spring  44 . Once assembled, the mounting stand  36  and the pivot block  37  are pulled together by the pull spring  44  connected to each of the anchor pins  43 . The guide pin  45  rotates freely in both the mounting stand  36  and the pivot block  37  and is used to maintain centrality of the two parts. This securing mechanism  38  allows for the pivot block  37  to be slightly withdrawn from and retracted to the mounting stand  36 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a notched surface  41  is present on one of the surfaces of the mounting stand  36  and a notched surface  42  is also present on the pivot block  37 . The pivot block  37  and the mounting stand  36  are further aligned by the mating of the corresponding notched surfaces  42 ,  41 . With this embodiment, the telescoping rod assembly  11  which is secured to the pivot block  37  can be manually rotated by the user and maintained in a selected position by merely grasping and applying slight pressure to the telescoping rod assembly  11 . Once a selected position is obtained, the notched surfaces of the pivot block and the mounting stand  42 ,  41  maintain the position of the telescoping rod assembly  11 . 
     Another advantageous embodiment of the present invention  10 , as is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , includes the ability of the mounting stand to be rotated. In this embodiment, the mounting stand is not a formed part of the base  32  but rather is a separate unit which is secured to the base  32  through a separate attachment mechanism  47 . By way of illustration and not limitation, an attachment mechanism  47  to secure the mounting stand  36  to the base  32  can be achieved by a threaded rotary pin  51  placed through an opening on the base  32  that extends into the mounting stand  36 . A compression spring  52  may also be mounted on the rotary pin  51 , applying friction pressure between the mounting block  36  and the base  32 , creating a tension strong enough to resist easy rotation of the mounting stand  36 . Additionally, the two mating surfaces of the mounting stand  36  and the base  32  may have mating notches present on them, similar to those shown on the mounting stand  36  and the pivot block  37 , capable of providing better control for maintaining the exact location of the rotating mounting stand  36 . 
     When this embodiment of the present invention  10  is utilized, a user will have great flexibility on deciding where the present invention  10  may be mounted. The rotation capability of the mounting stand  36  coupled with the rotation capability of the pivot block  37  allow for the present invention to be mounted on virtually any bar structure  50  located on an ATV. 
     In  FIG. 3 , a mounting bracket  30  is shown which may be directly mounted onto a flat surface, such as the body of an ATV. The design of the mounting bracket  30  is similar to the previously described embodiments, except the base  32  is comprised on only one section and does not have a channel  33  within the base  32 . Instead, the mounting bracket  30  is fastened directly to the body surface of the ATV via bolts or fasteners of various types or any other similar fastening mechanism. 
     In most situations, the present invention  10  will be utilized in pairs while used in conjunction with an ATV in order to adequately prevent the user from exposure to spider webs. When the telescoping rod assemblies  11  are in the extended position, a netting  17  may be attached to each of the telescoping rod assemblies  11 . The netting  17  would be attachable by means of hook-and-loop fasteners or another similar type of attachment means. The netting  17 , which would serve as a temporary wind shield, may be moved to a higher or lower position, depending upon the needs of the driver of the ATV.