Locking boot for vehicle wheel

• US 9,963,105 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KenBen NYC, LLC
• Original Assignee: KenBen NYC, LLC
• Inventors: Gordon, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne L
• Application Number:
  US15/710,083
• Time in Patent Office: 230 Days
• Field of Search: 70 14, 70 19, 70225, 70226, 180287, 188 32
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/09 by restraining wheel rotation, e.g. wheel clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off

Abstract

A vehicle locking boot includes a horizontal support arm and a first vertical support arm extending. from the horizontal support arm. The first vertical support arm includes a front engagement protrusion extending therefrom. A receiving sleeve extends from the horizontal support arm at a base of the first vertical support arm, A horizontal extension portion is coupled to the horizontal support arm A second vertical support arm, extends from the horizontal extension portion along a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the horizontal support arm. The second vertical support arm includes a rear engagement protrusion extending therefrom. The front engagement protrusion faces the rear engagement protrusion. A keypad is disposed on the first engagement portion. The keypad is configured to lock and unlock the horizontal extension portion. A lug nut blocking plate is coupled to the first vertical support arm above the first engagement protrusion.

Claims

1. A vehicle locking boot, comprising:

a horizontal support arm;

a first vertical support arm extending from the horizontal support arm along a direction orthogonal to an upper surface of the horizontal support arm, wherein the first vertical support arm comprises a front engagement protrusion extending therefrom;

a receiving sleeve extending from the horizontal support arm at a base of the first vertical support arm along a direction parallel to an extending direction of the horizontal support arm;

a horizontal extension portion coupled to the horizontal support arm;

a second vertical support arm extending from the horizontal extension portion along the direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the horizontal support arm, wherein the second vertical support arm comprises a rear engagement protrusion extending therefrom, and wherein the front engagement protrusion faces the rear engagement protrusion,

wherein an entire surface of the first vertical support arm facing the second vertical support arm forms a 90°

angle with the horizontal support arm, wherein an entire surface of the second vertical support arm facing the first vertical support arm forms a 90°

angle with the horizontal support arm;

a keypad disposed on the first vertical support arm, wherein the keypad is configured to lock and unlock the horizontal extension portion; and

a lug nut blocking plate coupled to the first vertical support arm above the front engagement protrusion, wherein the lug nut locking plate has an octagonal shape,

wherein the horizontal extension portion is coupled to an internal track formed in the horizontal support arm, wherein the horizontal extension portion is configured to slide along the internal track to move the rear engagement protrusion to varying distances from the front engagement protrusion, and wherein the horizontal extension portion has a rectangular shape and includes at least two vertical members configured to slide along the track along a horizontal extending direction of the extension portion,

wherein a distal end of the horizontal extension portion with respect to the second vertical supporting arm is concealed within the receiving sleeve when the front engagement protrusion is in contact with the rear engagement protrusion, and wherein the receiving sleeve includes a sidewall facing away from the first vertical support arm to prevent foreign objects from entering the receiving sleeve along the horizontal extending direction,

wherein the horizontal support arm has a first thickness along the direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the horizontal support arm, wherein the receiving sleeve has a second thickness along the direction orthogonal to the upper surface support arm, and wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness.

2. The vehicle locking boot of claim 1, wherein the lug nut blocking plate comprises a lug nut blocking pad disposed on lug nut blocking plate.

3. The vehicle locking boot of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the horizontal support arm extends along a first horizontal plane, wherein an upper surface of the receiving sleeve extends along a second horizontal plane, and wherein the first horizontal plane is spaced apart from the second horizontal plane along the direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the horizontal support arm.

4. The vehicle locking boot of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the lug nut blocking plate is at least 10 inches.

5. The vehicle locking boot of claim 4, wherein a diameter of each of the front engagement protrusion at a first end of the front engagement protrusion opposite the rear engagement protrusion is at least 2 inches, and wherein a diameter of the rear engagement protrusion tapers to 1 inch at a second end of the front engagement protrusion facing the rear engagement protrusion.

6. The vehicle locking boot of claim 1, wherein an entire upper surface of the horizontal support arm and an entire upper surface of the receiving sleeve extend entirely along the horizontal extending direction in parallel with each other.