Impact absorbing truck grille guard

• US 6,682,111 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kritter Gitter, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kritter Gitter, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Lonnie Ray II, McCoy, Michael Lee, Houseman, Terrance Lane, Cauble, Merrill Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Stephen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORROW, JASON S
• Application Number:
  US10/194,492
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 224/490, 293/38, 293/39, 293/114, 293/118, 293/129, 293/131, 293/132, 293/133, 293/138, 293/139, 293/140, 293/115, 293/142, 293/143, 293/144, 293/145, 293/146, 293/147, 293/148, 293/152, 293/153, 293/154, 293/155, 526/33, D12/171, D12/170, 166/89.17, 280/770
• US Class Current: 293/115
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/46 spring- or pivotally-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/52 Radiator or grille guards ; Radiator grilles cooling aspects B60K11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/522 Bull bars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0074 Utility vehicles

Abstract

An impact absorbing truck grille guard having a rear frame consisting of a matrix of triangular tubes, the rear frame having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward end, the forward end of the rear frame defining a forwardly opening deflection space; a front frame having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward animal impact surface, the upper and lower ends of the front frame being respectively fixedly attached to the upper and lower ends of the rear frame, the front frame consisting of a rectangular array of hollow collapsible tubes, the front frame being adapted for, upon animal impact, deflecting rearwardly into the forwardly opening deflection space; and a truck mounting bracket fixedly attached to the lower end of the rear frame, the truck mounting bracket being adapted for fixed attachment to a truck front end and for cantilevered upward extension of the front and rear frames.

Claims

1. An impact absorbing truck grille guard comprising:

(a) a rear frame having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward end, the forward end of the rear frame defining a forwardly opening deflection space;

(b) a front frame comprising a web of bars and having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward animal impact surface, the upper and lower ends of the front frame being respectively fixedly attached to the upper and lower ends of the rear frame, the front frame being capable of deflecting rearwardly into the forwardly opening deflection space; and

(c) truck mounting means fixedly attached to the lower end of the rear frame and being capable of upwardly cantilevering the rear and front frames, the rear frame being capable of deflecting rearwardly;

each bar among the web of bars comprising a hollow tube, each tube having front and rear surfaces, each tube having a longitudinal dimension extending from its front surface to its rear surface, each tube being capable of deformation upon impact, shortening said dimension.

2. The impact absorbing truck grille guard of claim 1 wherein the web comprises a rectangular array.

3. An impact absorbing truck grille guard comprising:

(a) a rear frame having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward end, the forward end of the rear frame defining a forwardly opening deflection space;

(b) a front frame comprising a web of bars and having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward animal impact surface, the upper and lower ends of the front frame being respectively fixedly attached to the upper and lower ends of the rear frame, the front frame being capable of deflecting rearwardly into the forwardly opening deflection space; and

(c) truck mounting means fixedly attached to the lower end of the rear frame and being capable of upwardly cantilevering the rear and front frames, the rear frame being capable of deflecting rearwardly;

the truck mounting means comprising an articulating joint capable of facilitating pivoting motion of the rear and front frames between the upwardly cantilevered position and a substantially horizontal engine cowl opening position.

4. An impact absorbing truck grille guard comprising:

(a) a rear frame having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward end, the forward end of the rear frame defining a forwardly opening deflection space;

(b) a front frame having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward animal impact surface, the upper and lower ends of the front frame being respectively fixedly attached to the upper and lower ends of the rear frame, the front frame being capable of deflecting rearwardly into the forwardly opening deflection space; and

(c) truck mounting means fixedly attached to the lower end of the rear frame, the truck mounting means comprising a laterally extending clevis having a front arm and a rear arm, the front arm of the laterally extending clevis being adapted for fixed attachment to truck bumpers, the rear arm of the laterally extending clevis being adapted for fixed attachment to truck spring hangers, truck chassis members, or to truck tow hook arms.

5. The impact absorbing truck grille guard of claim 4 wherein the front arm of the laterally extending clevis comprises a mounting plate.

6. The impact absorbing truck grille guard of claim 5 wherein the rear arm of the laterally extending clevis comprises a plurality of left and right clevis arms, said arms being adapted for nesting receipt of truck spring hangers or truck chassis members.

7. The impact absorbing truck grille guard of claim 6 wherein the rear frame comprises a matrix of triangulating tubes.

8. The impact absorbing truck grille guard of claim 7 further comprising pivot stopping guy spanning between and being operatively connected to the rear frame and the mounting plate.

9. The impact absorbing truck grille guard of claim 8 further comprising a manually releaseable safety latch fixedly attached to the plate, said latch being adapted for securing the front and rear frames in their upwardly cantilevered position.