Accessory support device for vehicle windshield and method of installing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An accessory support panel for installation within a motor vehicle, said panel comprising:
- (a) a shaped sheet of laminated safety glass for mounting on a body portion of said motor vehicle, said glass sheet having an inner and an outer surface and at least partially defining a boundary between a passenger compartment within said vehicle and an external portion of said vehicle;
(b) at least one bracket means configured and adapted for removably mounting said accessory support panel upon said glass sheet, said at least one bracket means secured to said inner surface of said glass sheet along an upper portion thereof; and
(c) an accessory support panel mounted along said upper portion of said glass sheet by said at least one mounting bracket means, said panel configured and adapted for installation thereon of one or more vehicle accessory means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Attached onto a windshield of laminated safety glass for an automobile in the upper region of its face inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle is a shaped panel extending preferably over its entire width, which serves as a support and/or casing for various functional elements such as sun visors, a rear view mirror, speakers and/or automobile clock. This shaped panel, which is equipped with these functional elements, is attached to windshield before mounting it onto the body of the vehicle. In this way, the work done on the vehicle assembly line is simplified.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An accessory support panel for installation within a motor vehicle, said panel comprising:
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(a) a shaped sheet of laminated safety glass for mounting on a body portion of said motor vehicle, said glass sheet having an inner and an outer surface and at least partially defining a boundary between a passenger compartment within said vehicle and an external portion of said vehicle; (b) at least one bracket means configured and adapted for removably mounting said accessory support panel upon said glass sheet, said at least one bracket means secured to said inner surface of said glass sheet along an upper portion thereof; and (c) an accessory support panel mounted along said upper portion of said glass sheet by said at least one mounting bracket means, said panel configured and adapted for installation thereon of one or more vehicle accessory means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An accessory support panel for installation within a motor vehicle, said panel comprising:
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(a) a windshield mounted upon a body portion of said vehicle, said windshield having an inner and an outer surface and at least partially defining a boundary between a passenger compartment within said vehicle and an external portion of said vehicle, said windshield comprising, on an interior portion thereof at a location adjacent that at which said panel is to be installed, a layer of an opaque coating material adapted to prevent direct observation of said panel therethrough from outside said vehicle; (b) at least one bracket adhesively secured to said inner surface of said windshield along an upper portion thereof, each said bracket configured and adapted for removably mounting said accessory support panel upon said inner surface of said windshield , wherein each said bracket comprises a substantially planar base portion having an upper end and a lower end, each said end provided with outwardly projecting flange means configured and adapted for engaging corresponding flange means on an under surface of said panel to retain said panel in a predetermined position upon said windshield, said base portion of each said bracket defining at least one aperture configured to permit a portion of said adhesive to pass therethrough when said bracket is pressed therein to facilitate attachment between said bracket and said coated windshield portion; and (c) an accessory support panel removably mounted upon said brackets along said upper portion of said inner surface of said windshield, said panel extending substantially completely across the width of said windshield and configured and adapted for installation thereon of at least one vehicle accessory means selected from sun visors, mirrors, switches for controlling illumination within said passenger compartment, a clock and speakers.
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20. A method for detachably installing a vehicle accessory support panel within a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, said method comprising:
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(a) preparing a shaped sheet of laminated safety glass, said glass sheet adapted for installation on a body portion of said vehicle, and extending at least partially within said passenger compartment; (b) coating at least a peripheral portion of said glass sheet with an opaque material, said opaque material comprising at least one layer of a colored enamel; (c) placing at least one discrete deposit of an adhesive compound upon said enamel coating along an upper peripheral portion of said glass sheet; (d) pressing bracket means into each said deposit of adhesive compound such that at least a portion of said adhesive compound extrudes through at least one aperture defined by said bracket means to facilitate attachment between said bracket means and said glass sheet; (e) removably mounting said accessory support panel upon said glass sheet by said bracket means; (f) installing said glass sheet having said support panel mounted thereupon into frame means defined by said motor vehicle body portion; and (g) connecting one or more vehicle accessory means located upon said panel to corresponding actuation means located within said passenger compartment to permit the operation of said accessory means.
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Specification