Patent ID: 12187107

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS.1and2, a three wheeled recreational vehicle100, has a body104with a rider compartment108having a pair of side by side seats110,112therein defining a seating region114. The vehicle has a dashboard115and steering wheel116in front of the driver's seat110. An overhead framework120formed of tubular members124extends over the seating region and includes a forwardmost tubular cross member126above and forward of the seating region114. An accessory rail128is attached to the tubular cross member and accessories130extend therefrom including a visor and a camera. A soft top132wraps around the forwardmost tubular cross member126and extends rearwardly over the framework and is supported by and secured to the framework. The soft top providing a cover over the seating region.

Referring toFIGS.3and4, further detail of the framework, soft top132and accessory attachment means are illustrated. The framework120is formed of steel tubing members133welded together, including rearward upright members134, forward inclined members135, cross members137, and forward rearward members138, all welded together. The framework further includes attachment flanges140,142forwardly and rearwardly for attachment to the vehicle frame. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,695,746 and 9,527,532 illustrating three-wheeled vehicle frameworks and suitable attachment location for the overhead framework. These patents are owned by the owner of the instant application and are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

The soft top132may be formed of flexible waterproof fabric and has a forward edge that is looped over itself with a spacer placed therein and is stitched together to form an enlarged forward edge portion145as shown inFIG.4. The enlarged forward edge portion145is retained in the accessory rail128as described in further detail below. The side edge portions148and rear edge portions149of the soft top may be secured to the framework by snaps, hook and loop material, straps or other means known in the art.

Referring toFIGS.5-10, details of the accessory rail are illustrated. The accessory rail may be conveniently manufactured by extruding aluminum in the profile as best shown inFIGS.9and10. The rail has an axis al that runs lengthwise and further has three functional portions radially positioned about the rail: an soft top anchoring portion152for the forward edge portion of the soft top; an interface portion154for engaging the tubular cross member; and an accessory mounting portion156with T-slot157for attaching accessories. The soft top anchoring portion152defining slot153extends slightly less than the overall length of the rail, as best illustrated byFIG.8allowing entry regions159for the enlarged forward edge portion145of the soft top. The cross member interface portion154extends the entire length of the rail as does the accessory mounting portion156. Each of the three portions can be described as being C-shaped in the cross section or from the end view. The projections161,162or legs of the C-shape of the soft top anchoring portion converging and being arcuate, the projections163,164or legs of the C-shape of the tubular cross member interface portion diverging, and the projections165,166or legs of the C-shape of the accessory mounting portion having an interior right angle and directly confronting one another.

In addition to each functional portion being circumferentially spaced about the rail, each functional portion has a “shared” portion of the accessory rail with the adjacent functional portions, providing an efficiency in use of material and an elegance in the design. The soft top anchoring portion152share portions of a common leg162,163with the tubular cross member interface portion, the cross member interface portion and the accessory mounting portion share a common base portion168, and the soft top anchoring portion152and the accessory mounting portion share a common base portion170.

The rail will need minimal machining operations after extruding the rail and cutting it to size. The soft top edge anchoring portion will need the end portions machined off for providing the entry regions159, a base portion168common to the cross member interface portion and the accessory mounting portion will need holes172drilled, and the confronting projections of the accessory mounting portion will need material removed for forming the enlarged T-slot access174.

Referring toFIGS.5to6B, further detail of the assembly of the accessory rail128to the tubular cross member is illustrated. In embodiments, the cross member interface portion154of the accessory rail has a pair of spaced contact surfaces178,179on the two divergent projections163,164that extend the entire length or substantially the entire length of the accessory rail. In embodiments, the surfaces are shaped to be conforming or for otherwise providing a minimal or non-damaging engagement. For example, in embodiments, the contact portions have no sharp edges, corners, or projections that engage the surface of the tubular cross member. The accessory rail may be secured to the tubular cross member with threaded fasteners, such as screws182,182.1that are inserted through the holes172in the accessory rail and then is inserted into the tubular cross member126. The holes172may be positioned at the enlarged access174to the T-slot157. Referring also toFIGS.13and14, in embodiments, the screws may be received by threaded metal inserts185that are inserted into holes in the tubular cross member126and which are clamped to the wall186of the tubular cross member126utilizing a tool, known in the art and not shown, that outwardly collapses the thin walled portion187to clamp the insert to the interior wall surface188and the exterior wall surface189of the cross member. Such inserts are known as rivet nuts and may have anti-rotation features. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,651,080 and 9,028,185, each of which are incorporated by reference herein. The accessory rail128may have counterbores181,183at the holes172to allow the screws182,182.1to seat flush or have a reduced head projection.

The threaded metal inserts185have an exterior head or flange191engaged with the exterior surface189of the tubular cross member and projecting slightly radially outward therefrom. The gap193between the interface portion projections163,164accommodates the exterior head191of the threaded metal insert. The rail can be sized such that the screws182can be tightened to slightly flex the base portion and/or the two divergent projections163,164to bring the base portion into contact with the head of the threaded metal insert.

Referring toFIGS.4-10, the enlarged forward edge portion145of the soft top132is received in the slot153of the soft top anchoring portion152of the accessory rail128. The edge portion145is sized for retention in the slot with the slot opening194being less than the thickness of the enlarged forward edge portion. The enlarged edge portion may be inserted into the slot by way of the entry regions159, best shown onFIG.8.

Referring generally toFIGS.2-10, the accessory mounting portion156of the accessory rail128may be configured as a T-slot157, with the projections or legs165,166defining the slot and the slot opening197. In embodiments, the T-slot extends the entire length of the rail128or substantially the entire length of the rail. Referring additionally toFIGS.11and12, the accessory mounting portion provides a threaded, position adjustable connection point200by way of threaded fasteners204, which may be configured as a T-nut206or as a bolt208with a square head209. The threaded fasteners cooperate with and slidingly fit into the T-slot157such as at the T-groove access174.FIG.5illustrates the connection point200configured as male threaded member211, part of the bolt208that provides the adjustable positioning of accessories.

Referring toFIG.10, an end view of the accessory rail128and a generic accessory220are shown in isolation, that is, not connected to the tubular cross member for illustration purposes. A T-nut219slidably positioned in the T-slot157provides a threaded female connection. An accessory220, having an accessory mounting bracket222with a hole223is positioned at the T-nut and in contact with the accessory rail and a manual attachment screw member230with a male threaded shaft234, a flange236, and a manual handle238extends through a hole241in the accessory mounting flange and threadingly engages the T-nut. By manual rotation of the handle, the flange clamps the legs165,166of the accessory mounting portion between the T-nut and the flange, thereby locking the position of the accessory in place. Positional adjustment can be accomplished by slightly loosening the manual attachment screw member and sliding the T-nut and accessory axially on the accessory rail to a desired location where the screw member is again tightened.

Similarly, as illustrated inFIG.5, the bolt208with the square head can provide a threaded male member projecting from the accessory rail to which the accessory bracket222may be attached and retained with a nut. The square or rectangular head allowing positioning of the male threaded member by sliding the threaded member in the slot but not allowing rotation so that the accessory and female threaded connector may be easily attached.

Referring toFIG.4, the components herein may be provided as a kit250enclosed in packaging256, such as a cardboard box, and including instructions258for assembly and/or attachment to the recreational vehicle included in the kit. The components may be as shown inFIG.4, or any subset of the components.

Recreational vehicles with side by side seating also include utility vehicles and all terrain vehicles such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,730,551; 9,776,481; 8,596,405; 8,382,125; 7,819,220; and D711,778. These patents are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. These vehicles may have existing cross members extending forwardly and above the seating regions that may or may not be tubular. An existing recreational vehicle may have an existing rigid or soft roof and the accessory rail as disclosed herein may be utilized for adding accessories forward and above the seating region. Aspects of the invention herein are suitable for mounting accessories forward of the seating region on these vehicles and/or a soft top over the seating region. Also, sec U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,137,660; 6,543,830; and Pat. Publ. No. 2002/0089207. These patents and publication are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

All the features disclosed in this specification (including the references incorporated by reference, including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including references incorporated by reference, any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any incorporated by reference references, any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Although specific examples have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose could be substituted for the specific examples shown. This application is intended to cover adaptations or variations of the present subject matter. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be defined by the attached claims and their legal equivalents, as well as the following illustrative aspects. The above described aspects embodiments of the invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be considered limiting. Further modifications of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention.