U.S. patent application number 12/843332 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-03 for method and apparatus for preventing a build up of snow or dust.
Invention is credited to Craig McCONNELL.
Application Number | 20110023915 12/843332 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43513991 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110023915 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McCONNELL; Craig |
February 3, 2011 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING A BUILD UP OF SNOW OR DUST
Abstract
An apparatus for preventing a build up of snow or dust. The
apparatus includes a plurality of air nozzles positioned around a
periphery of a target area to be kept clear of snow or dust. Each
of the nozzles directs a stream of air away from the target area. A
deflector is positioned around a periphery of the target area. The
deflector deflects the stream of air from each nozzle across the
target area, wherein an air curtain is formed preventing snow or
dust from landing on the target area.
Inventors: |
McCONNELL; Craig; (Edmonton,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIS & BUJOLD, P.L.L.C.
112 PLEASANT STREET
CONCORD
NH
03301
US
|
Family ID: |
43513991 |
Appl. No.: |
12/843332 |
Filed: |
July 26, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/34 ;
15/313 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60S 1/54 20130101; B60S
1/60 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
134/34 ;
15/313 |
International
Class: |
B60S 1/00 20060101
B60S001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 28, 2009 |
CA |
2 672 388 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for preventing a build up of snow or dust,
comprising: a plurality of air nozzles positioned around a
periphery of a target area to be kept clear of snow or dust, each
of the nozzles directing a stream of air away from the target area;
a deflector positioned around a periphery of the target area, the
deflector deflecting the stream of air from each nozzle across the
target area wherein an air curtain is formed preventing snow or
dust from landing on the target area.
2. The Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target area is a
light.
3. The Apparatus of claim 2, wherein the deflector is transparent
in order to prevent the deflector from obscuring visibility of the
light.
4. The Apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the air nozzles are
duck bill nozzles.
5. The Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deflector has drainage
holes to drain liquids away from the target area.
6. The Apparatus of claim 1, wherein an air source providing air to
the air nozzles is independent of other air systems.
7. The Apparatus of claim 6, wherein the air source has a battery
as a power source.
8. The Apparatus of claim 7, wherein the battery provides power
solely to the air source.
9. A method for preventing a build up of snow or dust, comprising:
directing stream of air from a plurality of air nozzles across a
target area to form an air curtain which prevents snow and dust
from landing on the target area.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The method and apparatus described are intended to prevent a
layer of snow or dust from obscuring surfaces, such as vehicle tail
lights or road side signs.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There have been a number of apparatus developed for the
purpose of removing a layer of snow or dust from vehicle tail
lights or head lights. Examples of such apparatus include U.S. Pat.
No. 3,915,385 (Hassinger) with an invention entitled "Vehicle
headlamp washing system" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,630 (Long) with an
invention entitled "Blast wiper for motor vehicle lights".
[0003] These apparatus teach how to remove snow or dust after it
has accumulated on the motor vehicle lights. The apparatus are
incapable of proactively preventing such an accumulation of snow or
dust from occurring.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to one aspect there is provided an apparatus for
preventing a build up of snow or dust. The apparatus includes a
plurality of air nozzles positioned around a periphery of a target
area to be kept clear of snow or dust. Each of the nozzles directs
a stream of air away from the target area. A deflector is
positioned around a periphery of the target area. The deflector
deflects the stream of air from each nozzle across the target area,
wherein an air curtain is formed preventing snow or dust from
landing on the target area.
[0005] According to another aspect there is provided a method for
preventing a build up of snow or dust. The method includes
directing stream of air from a plurality of air nozzles across a
target area on a surface to form an air curtain which prevents snow
and dust from landing on the target area.
[0006] In the description which follows, the method and apparatus
will be illustrated and described with reference to a tail light on
a vehicle. It must be noted that the same principles apply to
headlights, running lights, or any other kind of lights. However,
the teachings are not restricted to lights. There is no reason why
the target area could not be a logo on a vehicle, a license plate,
or any other portion of the vehicle that one may wish to keep clear
of snow or dust. It will also be apparent that the same principles
could be used to keep road side signs and other surfaces clear of
snow or dust.
[0007] Where the target area is a light, it is preferred that the
deflector be transparent in order to prevent the deflector from
obscuring the visibility of the light.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] These and other features will become more apparent from the
following description in which reference is made to the appended
drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and
are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an apparatus being used
to prevent snow or dust from obscuring a tail light.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the tail light
illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view, in section, of the tail
light illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a duck bill nozzle used
in the tail light illustrated in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] An apparatus for preventing a build up of snow or dust
generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described
with reference to FIG. 1 through 3. The apparatus will be described
with reference to lights on a vehicle. This is for purposes of
illustration only. The example selected could have been a logo on a
vehicle, a road side sign or another analogous application.
Structure and Relationship of Parts:
[0014] Referring to FIG. 2, an apparatus 10 for preventing a build
up of snow or dust includes a plurality of air nozzles 12
positioned around a periphery 14 of a target area, such as a light
16, on a vehicle to be kept clear of snow or dust. Referring to
FIG. 4, the air nozzles 12 are preferably duck bill nozzles. Duck
bill nozzles are commercially available at relatively low cost. The
"duck bill" of the nozzle opens under air pressure, but closes
tightly without air pressure. Referring to FIG. 2, each of the
nozzles 12 directs a stream of air away from the light 16.
[0015] A deflector 18 is positioned around the periphery 14 of the
light 16 and held in place by mounting screws 19. The mounting
screws 19 used to hold the deflector 18 in place, can be the same
mounting screws that are used to hold light 16 in place. Referring
to FIG. 3, the deflector 18 deflects the stream of air from each
nozzle 12 across the target area (light 16) to create an air
curtain 20 that prevents snow or dust from landing on the light 16.
The deflector 18 is transparent in order to prevent the deflector
18 from obscuring visibility of the light 16. Drainage holes 22 on
the deflector 18 allows for the draining of condensation, melted
snow on deflector and any other liquids away from the light 16.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, an air source 24 provides air to the
air nozzles 12. It is preferred that the air source 24 be
independent of any air system used to operate other vehicle
systems. The air source 24 has its own battery 26, so that it is
capable of continuing to function when the vehicle is parked and
not running.
Operation:
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, power is supplied to air source 24 from
battery 26. Air is supplied from the air source 24 to the air
nozzles 12, preferably, duck bill nozzles. Referring to FIG. 2,
each air nozzle 12 directs a stream of air away from the target
area, which in this case is light 16. Referring to FIG. 3, the
deflector 18 deflects the air from air nozzles 12 such that it
creates an air curtain 20 that covers the target area (the light
16) and prevents snow and dust from reaching the light 16. Drainage
holes 22 located on the deflector 18 allow for the drainage of
liquids away from the light 16 to prevent the freezing of the
liquid on the light 16 or deflector 18.
[0018] In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in
its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are
included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A
reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not
exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is
present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and
only one of the elements.
[0019] The following claims are to be understood to include what is
specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually
equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. Those skilled in
the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications
of the described embodiments can be configured without departing
from the scope of the claims. The illustrated embodiments have been
set forth only as examples and should not be taken as limiting the
invention. It is to be understood that, within the scope of the
following claims, the invention may be practiced other than as
specifically illustrated and described.
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