GB2123759A - Vehicle fittings - Google Patents

Abstract

A removable insert for a vehicle roof is adapted to fit in place of a conventional removable sun roof, the insert 40 including a raised portion 42 for carrying markings, e.g., "Taxi", "Police", "L-driver", product or company names etc. The insert may additionally or alternatively incorporate various types of equipment, e.g. radio equipment, with an antenna mounted on the outside and a radio console carried on the inside. The removable nature of the insert of the present invention results in great versatility. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to vehicles Field of invention This invention relates to vehicles and concerns the display of information and/or the carrying of equipment by vehicles.

Background to the invention Many vehicles nowadays carry signs for displaying information or advertising material. For example taxis, emergency vehicles such as police cars, and driving school cars all generally carry signs commonly located on the vehicle roof for prominence and ready visibility.

Hitherto such signs have generally been permanently fitted to the vehicle e.g. by techniques which involve the formation of holes etc. in the vehicle body. There are a number of disadvantages associated with such permanent fittings: installation is time consuming and expensive; the permanent nature of the fitting means it is difficult to remove or change the sign; and the need to form holes in the vehicle body reduces the value of the vehicle.

Further, an increasing number of vehicles carry equipment such as radio equipment for commercial or private purposes. Although radio receiver/transmitter units may be removably fitted in a vehicle if required, radio antennas are generally permanently fitted to the vehicle body so that change or removal is difficult.

The present invention is concerned with an alternative approach to the display of information and/or the carrying of equipment on vehicles, which aims to overcome the disadvantages noted above.

The invention According to the present invention there is provided a removable insert for a vehicle roof, adapted to fit in place of a conventional removable sun roof, the insert including a raised portion for carrying markings.

The raised portion may have a variety of different shapes and configurations as desired. For example, the raised portion may be in the form of an upstanding wedge with a generally vertical surface at the front for markings. Further possibilities include upstanding rectangualr or pyramidal regions with markings on side surfaces thereof.

Any desired markings may be formed in appropriate manner on suitable surfaces of the raised portions, e.g. "Taxi", "Police", "L-driver", product or company names etc.

The raised portion may be retractable, with a suitable mechanism to enable the portion to pop up when required for use and retract when not needed.

In a variant of the invention the raised portion may comprise a rearwardly inclined surface designed to act as a wind deflector to improve the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle when used for towing purposes, e.g. towing a caravan.

The insert may additionally or alternatively incorporate various types of equipment, e.g. radio equipment, with an antenna mounted on the outside and a radio console carried on the inside.

Emergency lights, sirens, etc., may additionally or alternatively be carried.

The insert may be of any suitable material and is conveniently of moulded plastics material. This may be coloured, transparent, translucent etc., as desired. Other materials are also possible, e.g.

metal.

The insert incorporates fixings similar to those of the removable sun roof panel which it replaces and compatible with a particular existing opening in a vehicle roof. There are several different designs of removable sun roof currently available commercially. They are generally of fairly simple construction, e.g. having hooks, lugs etc., at the front edge of the sun roof panel to permit tilting and removal of the panel with respect to the roof, and an over-centre or similar catch at the rear to enable the panel to be locked in a raised position or locked in a closed position, pulled down onto a rubber seal surrounding the opening in the vehicle roof.

The removable nature of the insert of the present invention, which is designed to be used in place of an existing sun roof, results in great versatility.

Installation of a particular sign etc. in a vehicle is very simple. If the vehicle already has a removable sun roof it is merely necessary to remove the sun roof panel and replace it with the insert - an operation taking only a few moments.

Further, one particular insert can be readily removed when no longer required for use and replaced either by an alternative insert in accordance with the invention or by a sun roof panel. In this way the vehicle can be readily returned to its original condition if required with no permanent damage having been caused to the vehicle and hence no reduction to the value of the vehicie.

In cases where the vehicle does not have an existing removable sun roof, then one can be installed relatively easily, and in most cases this would be regarded as an improvement to the vehicle.

The present invention also includes within its scope a vehicle when fitted with an insert in accordance with the present invention.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a schematic view showing part of a car, illustrating a conventional removable sun roof; and Figures 2 to 6 illustrates different embodiments of inserts in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the drawings Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows part of a car 10 having a rectangular opening 12 formed in its roof for receiving a removable/tilting glass sun roof panel 14 of conventional construction. The panel 14 carries fixing means, including a pair of hooks 1 6 at the front edge thereof for co-operating with the front edge of the roof opening, and an over-centre catch arrangement 1 8 at the rear of the panel. When the panel 14 is fitted into the opening 12, it can be moved by use of catch 1 8 between an opened, tilted position and a closed position in which it is sealed down on a rubber sealing strip surrounding the inner edge of the opening 12. The panel 14 may also be completely removed from opening 12, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figures 2 to 6 illustrate a number of different embodiments of insert in accordance with the present invention, all adapted to be fitted into opening 1 2 in place of sun roof panel 14. All of the illustrated inserts include fixing hooks 1 6 and catch 1 8 similar to those of panel 14.

Figure 2 illustrates an insert 20 which includes a raised portion 22 of generally rectangular configuration, having slightly inclined side regions 24 on which markings may be made as illustrated.

For example, product or Company names can be indicated on these regions.

Insert 26 illustrated in Figure 3 is generally similar to the insert of Figure 2, and include a raised portion 28 in the form of a truncated rectangular pyramid. Any desired markings may be formed on the inclined side faces of the pyramidal portion and the illustrated embodiment is for use by a school of motoring.

The insert 30 illustrated in full lines in Figure 4 includes a retractable raised portion 36 with markings (Police in this case). The portion 36 may be moved by a mechanism (not shown) between the retracted position shown in full lines when it is not required for use and a raised position illustrated in dashed lines in which the marking is displayed in appropriate conditions, e.g. under emergency conditions.

Also illustrated in Figure 4 in dot dash lines, is a variant in which the raised portion comprises a rearwardly inclined surface 38 intended to act as a wind deflector to improve the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle to which the insert is fitted when the vehicle is used for towing purposes, e.g. towing a caravan.

The insert 40 illustrated in Figure 5 includes a raised portion 42 of wedge shaped configuration, having a generally vertical surface 44 at the front for markings (Mini-taxi in this case). The insert 40 also carries radio equipment, including a two-way antenna 46 attached to the upper surface and a two-way radio console 48 attached to the lower surface.

Insert 50 illustrated in Figure 6 is intended for use on a vehicle for emergency services, e.g. fire, and includes a generally rectangular raised portion 52 with appropriate markings. Insert 40 also carries a radio antenna 46 and console 48, as in the previous embodiment, and additionally carries an emergency lamp unit 54.

Claims (11)

1. A removable insert for a vehicle roof, adapted to fit in place of a conventional removable sun roof, the insert including a raised portion for carrying markings.

2. An insert according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion is in the form of an upstanding wedge with a generally vertical surface at the front for markings.

3. An insert according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion includes a rectangular or pyramidal region with markings on side surfaces thereof.

4. An insert according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion comprises a rearwardly inclined surface designed to act as a wind deflector.

5. An insert according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the raised portion is retractable.

6. An insert according to any one of the preceding claims, additionally incorporating equipment.

7. An insert according to claim 6, wherein the insert incorporates radio equipment with an antenna mounted on the outside and a radio console carried on the inside.

8. An insert according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising moulded plastics material.

9. A removable insert for a vehicle roof, adapted to fit in place of a conventional sun roof, the insert carrying equipment.

1 0. A removable insert for a vehicle roof, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, any one of Figures 2 to 6.

11. A vehicle when fitted with an insert in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.