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US3815948A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Deflector wall

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-11-24
•
Granted: 1974-06-11
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Expires: 1992-11-24
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Abstract

Abstract When towing a travel trailer, recreational vehicle or motor home, complex wind disturbances are created immediately in front of the trailer. These wind disturbances often induce instability in the trailer which is transmitted to the towing vehicle thereby making handling of the rig difficult and sometimes dangerous. To minimize the instability in trailer towing due to wind disturbances at the front thereof, a removable deflector wall extends to form a wedged shaped wind deflector to streamline the movement of air around and past the front of a towed trailer. This deflector wall includes two panels one hingedly mounted to each of the opposite leading vertical corners of the trailer. The panels are stored when not in use against the trailer sides or track pairs. In one configuration of the deflector wall, an upper and lower section is employed.

Inventors

  • 👤 T Alford

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 13:35
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D35/00; B62D35/001; B62D35/002

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 128 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle having opposite leading corners at the juncture of opposed side walls and a front wall and further including a structural member positioned from the front wall, comprising in combination: a wall section including a first panel for attachment to one leading corner of the recreational vehicle and a second panel for attachment to the opposite leading corner of the vehicle, storage track pairs individually disposed on one side wall of the recreational vehicle to receive one of the panels in each track pair of storage thereof, and a center support mast mounted to the structural member of the recreational vehicle and forming an apex and support for the two panel sections when extended from said track pairs to a deflector position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 128 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle having opposite leading corners at the juncture of opposed side walls and a front wall and further including a structural member positioned from the front wall, comprising in combination: a wall section including a first panel for attachment to one leading corner of the recreational vehicle and a second panel for attachment to the opposite leading corner of the vehicle, storage track pairs individually disposed on one side wall of the recreational vehicle to receive one of the panels in each track pair of storage thereof, and a center support mast mounted to the structural member of the recreational vehicle and forming an apex and support for the two panel sections when extended from said track pairs to a deflector position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
A deflector wall for the recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the two panels of the wall section are pinned together at said center support mast when in a deflector position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 40 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said panels are planar and when extended into a deflector position form a substantially wedge shaped configuration across the front of the recreational vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 1 including a full length hinge at each leading edge of the recreational vehicle for attachement of the respective panel of the wall section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 189 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle having opposite leading corners at the juncture of opposed side walls and a front wall and further including a structural member positioned from the front wall, comprising in combination: a lower wall section including a first panel for attachment to one leading corner of the recreational vehicle and a second panel for attachment to the opposite leading corner of the vehicle, storage track pairs disposed on each side wall of the recreational vehicle to receive one of the panels in each track pair for storage thereof, an upper wall section including a first panel for attachment to one leading corner of the recreational vehicle and a second panel for attachment to the opposite leading corner of the vehicle, and a center support mast mounted to the structural member of the recreational vehicle and forming an apex and support for the two panels of the lower section when extended from said track pair to a deflector position and having a flange fastened thereto to form a ledge for support of the two panels of the upper section when in an extended deflection position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 189 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle having opposite leading corners at the juncture of opposed side walls and a front wall and further including a structural member positioned from the front wall, comprising in combination: a lower wall section including a first panel for attachment to one leading corner of the recreational vehicle and a second panel for attachment to the opposite leading corner of the vehicle, storage track pairs disposed on each side wall of the recreational vehicle to receive one of the panels in each track pair for storage thereof, an upper wall section including a first panel for attachment to one leading corner of the recreational vehicle and a second panel for attachment to the opposite leading corner of the vehicle, and a center support mast mounted to the structural member of the recreational vehicle and forming an apex and support for the two panels of the lower section when extended from said track pair to a deflector position and having a flange fastened thereto to form a ledge for support of the two panels of the upper section when in an extended deflection position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 37 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein the two panels of the lower section and the two panels of the upper section are pinned together at said center support mast.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 46 words
A deflector wall for a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of the panels of the upper and lower sections are planar and when extended into a deflector position form a substantially wedge shaped configuration across the front of the recreational vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 90 words
A deflector wall for removable attachement to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vehicle, comprising in combination: a first panel for pivotal attachment to one leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a second panel for pivotal attachment to the opposite leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a support mast fastened to a trailer coupling member and including a panel support, and separable pivot means for attaching the first and second panels together at said support mast when attached to the respective vertical corners of the recreational vehicle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 90 words
A deflector wall for removable attachement to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vehicle, comprising in combination: a first panel for pivotal attachment to one leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a second panel for pivotal attachment to the opposite leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a support mast fastened to a trailer coupling member and including a panel support, and separable pivot means for attaching the first and second panels together at said support mast when attached to the respective vertical corners of the recreational vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 46 words
A deflector wall for removable attachment to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 8 including track pairs fastened to the outer side walls of the recreational vehicle on opposite sides thereof for storage of said first and second panels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 45 words
A deflector wall for attachment to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vehicle as set forth in in claim 9 wherein said panels are pivotally attached to the leading vertical corners of the recreational vehicle by hinges extending the full width of the panel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 48 words
A deflector wall for removable attachment to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 8 wherein each said panel comprises two sections hinged together for storage of one section against the trailer side wall and the second section against the front wall.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 60 words
A deflector wall for removable attachment to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein the sections for storage against the trailer front wall include a horizontally hinged insert for pivoting into an extended position with said section in a stored position as an awning for a front window of the recreational vehicle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 155 words
A deflector wall for removable attachment to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vechicle, comprising in combination: a first lower panel for pivotal attachment to one leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a second lower panel for pivotal attachment to the opposite leading vertcial corner of the recreational vehicle, a support mast fastened to the trailer coupling member and including a panel support, first separable pivot means for attaching the first and second lower panels together at said support mast when attached to the respective vertical corners of the recreational vehicle, a first upper panel for pivotal attachment to one leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a second upper panel for pivotal attachment to the opposite leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, and second separable pivot means for attaching the first and second upper panels together at said support mast when attached to the respective vertical corners of the recreational vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 155 words
A deflector wall for removable attachment to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vechicle, comprising in combination: a first lower panel for pivotal attachment to one leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a second lower panel for pivotal attachment to the opposite leading vertcial corner of the recreational vehicle, a support mast fastened to the trailer coupling member and including a panel support, first separable pivot means for attaching the first and second lower panels together at said support mast when attached to the respective vertical corners of the recreational vehicle, a first upper panel for pivotal attachment to one leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, a second upper panel for pivotal attachment to the opposite leading vertical corner of the recreational vehicle, and second separable pivot means for attaching the first and second upper panels together at said support mast when attached to the respective vertical corners of the recreational vehicle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 49 words
A deflector wall for removable attachment to the leading vertical corners of the recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 13 wherein each said upper panel comprises two sections hinged together for storage of one section against the trailer side wall and the second section against the front wall.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 60 words
A deflector wall for removable attachment to the leading vertical corners of a recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 14 wherein the section for storage against the trailer front wall includes a horizontally hinged insert for rotating into an extended position with said section in a stored position as an awning for a front window of the recreational trailer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2984512A Cited
US3239267A Cited
US3425740A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-06-10 1977-12-10 1978-06-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-06-10 1981-12-10 1982-06-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-06-10 1985-12-10 1986-06-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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