I built a windshield Rock CHIP guard.. Patent

[Gladiation]

My very first mod was this custom rock chip guard, it has saved my windshield many times so far especially here in the oil field with all the tractor trailers driving offroad here. I tried a variety of materials, plexi glass was too blurry so i found a thinner plastic and mount it with velcro and they easily remove for cleaning. wipers also work with them, i have cracked two of these thus far and I'm confident my windshield would have been destroyed without them.

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[Hootbro]

Why the word "Patent" in the thread title?

 

[Jhoude19]

cool idea, could see issues with any water or mud finding its way between the panel and windshield though making it difficult to see.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Why the word "Patent" in the thread title?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ wondered that with the concentration on long videos. Just a guess.

cool idea, could see issues with any water or mud finding its way between the panel and windshield though making it difficult to see.

My fear in Iowa - wind ripping it off........

So you have to put Velcro on the glass? Hmm, wonder how that works scraping ice and snow off in the winter - have to be clear out at the edges of the glass.

 

[ZTMAN]

Any reason why you did not make one to cover the entire windshield?

 

[Hootbro]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ wondered that with the concentration on long videos. Just a guess.

Unless he has an actual issued patent number, any other language does not afford him protection of the idea.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If he thinks the word "Patent" alone offers him any legal protection, he is mistaken. In the USA, you either have a issued patent number or not. Using other terms outside having a issued patent number like "Patent Pending" or other such nonsense, has no legal protection or standing. People can legally copy and manufacture up until the day someone obtains a issued patent number. Most smart entrepreneurs/inventors do not show product publicly until after a issued patent number is obtained. Also does not stop the situation that someone else can take his idea and get a patent issued to them before him.

Yup - totally agree. I was mentioning more as an attitude based on the long multiple videos and such as if this was a thought for being monetized like youtube videos. (post a ton of links to videos in various places, get clicks and views, make money)

I worked in an EE company - a couple of the guys there had dozens of patents - in their name, the company name, etc.
And it's not simple - the guy that wrote up the legal paper work for the patent apps and processes literally had to be set up with the same word processing app and the exact same printer and font - if the lawyers papers didn't match ours exactly, of the word-wrap was different, there could be problems. So what we created and sent to the attorney had to print the same way on both ends.
Until you have that number and it's registered, anyone can run in and beat you to the punch or manufacture a product until they can't. (in our case, we were talking many millions of dollars, many)
I also know of a guy who had his idea manufactured by a company in China - until a year later when he started seeing his machines show up in Harbor Freight and other stores under other names. He got smart, bought his own factory over there, tightly controlled things, changed his design and the knock-offs are still using his old designs. So even a patent isn't going to be perfect - good luck when a factory owned in certain other countries copies and sells here. Expensive as heck to fight.

I agree with you 100%.

And in real life, your name is Professor Pat Pending.......... (we'll see if anyone gets that)

 

[Hootbro]

...........

And in real life, your name is Professor Pat Pending.......... (we'll see if anyone gets that)

I edited my original post before you quoted me as it got a little too lippy. I work in aviation manufacturing as an engineer and deal with patents in my day job quite often. I just see a lot of people on the interwebs using terminology that has no correct context or legal meaning. Not trying to slam the OP if it comes off that way.

One of biggest pet peeves is seeing people get Copyright, Trademark and Patent all intertwined when they all have different legal meanings.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I edited my original post before you quoted me as it got a little too lippy. I work in aviation manufacturing as an engineer and deal with patents in my day job quite often. I just see a lot of people on the interwebs using terminology that has no correct context or legal meaning. Not trying to slam the OP if it comes off that way.

One of biggest pet peeves is seeing people get Copyright, Trademark and Patent all intertwined when they all have different legal meanings.

Bummer, I suppose I can't write and article and use your post above in my article if I make any money from it or if it impacts your ability to make money.........

I ran into the photo/copyright bit when we had our retail store. There's of course fair use, but sometimes it depends on not only what the item was of or about - the subject or subject matter, but where it was taken and more. It gets complicated to be sure. A former employee got all ticked and threatened us with legal action because I had photos of some samples she had made for us on our web site. We furnished the book or pattern and all fabrics or materials to make the project with the agreement all of those items would be theirs, we displayed the sample in the store for as long as we deemed needed. Could be days, weeks or more. She said we had no right to use the photos of HER samples. Yeah, we did. Taken in our store of things displayed in our store. No person or names were used, no faces ever shown.
She was hot. Too bad. I confirmed - photo taken in our store - as long as no person was in it, we could use it. It was of an item made for our purposes and the designer already had a copyright on the pattern used.
Had the photo been taken on private property belonging to someone else, it may have been different.

 

[brancky3]

Meh, I'll just accept the inevitable cracks because South Carolina has free glass replacement.

 

[PyrPatriot]

If you have a patent on it you should get insurance for it as well

 

[PyrPatriot]

Meh, I'll just accept the inevitable cracks because South Carolina has free glass replacement.

Does that include an OEM windshield that has the cool little Jeep decal?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

We've had rock chips and sometimes cracks in about half of our vehicles. Two of my wife's Grand Cherokees over the years ended up with new windshield, my F250 cracked clean across the middle after a rock chip and using defrost one really cold day, my SX4 has a chip repaired by safelite, my WJ has a chip repaired by same, I'm sure I'm leaving one or two out.

Good question on the glass - doe the replacements have that Jeep image in the lower right corner?

 

[Up venture]

Neat idea simple and relatively inexpensive. I think if I were to make one I would want industrial cam lock suction cups to hold and it foam seals around. I would probably use a AR polycarbonate or acrylic. Acrylic is clearer but more scratch resistant but more likely to crack. AR polycarbonate is stronger but more prone to scratches. I'm guessing you must have adhesive backed velcro so the suction cups would eliminate the goo and need to have velcro permanently fixed to the windshield. Foam would help keep debris from getting between the 2 surfaces. Wiper use would likely not be recommending without some modifications.

 

[spazzyfry123]

Meh, I'll just accept the inevitable cracks because South Carolina has free glass replacement.

Ditto for Florida!

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