US5228737A — Vehicle trunk lid holder

Claim 1

Independent Claim 183 words

A holder for a vehicle trunk lid which has lateral margin edges and with the vehicle having a trunk bottom panel and a compartment and a U-shaped rain gutter bordering said compartment and extending around at least a portion of said compartment and thereby bordering at least said portion of the upper periphery of said compartment, and wherein said U-shape has two upwardly extending and spaced-apart legs and a middle span extending in the space between said legs, a first clamp attachable to said trunk lid, a second clamp attachable to said rain gutter, a rigid rod attached to both said clamps and extending therebetween for holding said trunk lid in a selected open position, said second clamp including a clamping foot which is narrow and therefore of a size no wider than the spacing between said U-shaped gutter legs and thereby being clampable directly onto said middle span, and means for attaching said rod to said first and second clamps and with said rod being positioned completely outside said compartment and thereby extending only higher than the elevation of said rain gutter.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 183 words

A holder for a vehicle trunk lid which has lateral margin edges and with the vehicle having a trunk bottom panel and a compartment and a U-shaped rain gutter bordering said compartment and extending around at least a portion of said compartment and thereby bordering at least said portion of the upper periphery of said compartment, and wherein said U-shape has two upwardly extending and spaced-apart legs and a middle span extending in the space between said legs, a first clamp attachable to said trunk lid, a second clamp attachable to said rain gutter, a rigid rod attached to both said clamps and extending therebetween for holding said trunk lid in a selected open position, said second clamp including a clamping foot which is narrow and therefore of a size no wider than the spacing between said U-shaped gutter legs and thereby being clampable directly onto said middle span, and means for attaching said rod to said first and second clamps and with said rod being positioned completely outside said compartment and thereby extending only higher than the elevation of said rain gutter.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 83 words

The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second clamp is C-shaped and includes two arms and a middle portion extending between said arms, a screw threadedly extending through one of said arms and parallel to said middle portion, and said one of said arms including a length disposed to the side of said screw opposite from said middle portion, and said means for the attachment of said rod to said second clamp being on said length and positioned adjacent said gutter.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for the attachment of said rod to said second clamp is arranged to have said rod extend at an elevation only higher than an elevation of said clamping foot, and with said rod being completely outside said compartment.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment of said rod at said second clamp fixedly bottoms said rod at said clamp by being arranged to completely restrain said rod from any motion along its longitudinal axis and relative to said clamp.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 60 words

The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rod has a longitudinal axis, and said means for the attachment of said rod at said second clamp fixedly bottoms said rod on said means by being arranged to have the lower end of said rod in abutment with said means in the direction of said longitudinal axis of said rod.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein said attachment at said second clamp includes a spring-loaded sleeve-and-ball connection for quick attachment and release.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 170 words

A combined holder and vehicle having a trunk lid and a trunk compartment having a bottom panel and being upwardly open and bordered by a rain gutter extending along the top edge of said compartment, said gutter being U-shaped in cross-section and having two upstanding legs spaced apart and having a bottom panel extending in the space between said legs, said holder comprising a first clamp attachable to said lid, a second clamp being of a small size for extending into said space between said legs and to said bottom panel and being clampable onto said bottom panel, a rigid rod, and means for attaching said rod to each of said clamps and with said rod positioned to extend uprightly between said clamps and clear of contact with said trunk bottom panel and with said rod positioned to extend only at and higher than an elevation of said second clamp and with said rod positioned completely outside said compartment and thereby extending only at an elevation higher than said compartment.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 170 words

A combined holder and vehicle having a trunk lid and a trunk compartment having a bottom panel and being upwardly open and bordered by a rain gutter extending along the top edge of said compartment, said gutter being U-shaped in cross-section and having two upstanding legs spaced apart and having a bottom panel extending in the space between said legs, said holder comprising a first clamp attachable to said lid, a second clamp being of a small size for extending into said space between said legs and to said bottom panel and being clampable onto said bottom panel, a rigid rod, and means for attaching said rod to each of said clamps and with said rod positioned to extend uprightly between said clamps and clear of contact with said trunk bottom panel and with said rod positioned to extend only at and higher than an elevation of said second clamp and with said rod positioned completely outside said compartment and thereby extending only at an elevation higher than said compartment.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 74 words

The combined holder and vehicle as claimed in claim 7, including an articular joint included in said means of attachment between said rod and both said clamps, and said trunk lid having a marginal edge extending vertically above said gutter and with said first clamp attached to said marginal edge, and said joints being in vertical alignment to each other to thereby have said rod extend along a vertical plane for-and-aft of said vehicle.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 81 words

The holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second clamp is C-shaped and includes two arms and a middle portion extending between said arms, a screw threadedly extending through one of said arms and parallel to said middle portion, and said one of said arms including a length disposed to the side of said screw opposite from said middle portion, and said means for attachment of said rod to said clamp being on said length and positioned adjacent said gutter.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 43 words

The holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein said rod has a lower surface, and said means having a surface facing said rod surface and with said surfaces being in mutual abutment with each other for upwardly supporting said rod on said means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

The holder as claimed in claim 7, including a spring-loaded sleeve and ball connection included in one of the attachments of said rod to said clamps, for quick attachment and release of said connection.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-07-19	1997-01-18	1997-07-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-07-19	2001-01-18	2001-07-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-07-19	2005-01-18	2005-07-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Vehicle trunk lid holder

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