Partition Shield for Automobile Interior

This invention relates to a partition device, and particularly relates to a security partition which can be installed to the backrest of the front seat or to the automobile frame and operative to protect the driver from possible attack from the rear by some one in the back seat area.

Common partition devices in automobiles such as police cruisers and taxis, consist of a permanent partition panel mounted to the frame of the automobile or the front seat to form a rigid fence-like partition between the front seat area and the back seat area. Such partitions are generally unsightly in appearance making the automobile interior appearing like a prison cell. Furthermore, such known partitions could not be easily operated by the driver.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which is operative to form a partition shield.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a partition device operative to separate the interior front seat area of the automobile from the back seat area.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a partition device which can be easily installed in an automobile.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a partition device which when installed in an automobile would not present an unsightly appearance in the automobile interior.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a partition device which can be operated easily and selectively by the automobile operator at the front seat area to be in a drawn up or opened position.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be more particularly set forth or will be apparent from the ensuing illustrative description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional rear perspective view of the left side of the partition device in an opened condition according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectioned rear perspective view of the right side of the partition device in a closed or drawn up condition according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation partial section view of the partition device according to the present invention in the opened condition.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation partial section view of the partition device according to the present invention in the closed condition.

FIG. 5 is a top elevation partial section view showing the side frame and top sections of the partition device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation section view showing the slider construction of the partition device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational section view of the partition device in the opened condition.

FIG. 8 is an elevational section view of hinged panels.

With reference to the drawings, the partition device according to the present invention comprises a mounting frame having two parallel upper portions each of which having a C-shaped cross section such that they form two slider rails 1. The lower portions of the mounting frame are in the form of two parallel steel mounting plates 3 which have an L-shaped cross section. The mounting frame may be mounted firmly to the automobile frame and/or the two sides of the backrest frame of the front seat of the automobile in a known manner such as by a plurality of screws or bolts. When the mounting frame is mounted to the front seat of the automobile the vertical side flanges of the plates 3 will wrap over the vertical corner of the side of the seat as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to provide a reinforcement therein.

Two extensible devices such as pneumatic pistons 2 having an arm operative to retract into or extend out of the piston, are provided at the two mounting plates 3.

An elongated casing 4 in the form of a cross bar having a U-shaped cross section as best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7 is secured perpendicularly to the side frame mounting plates 3 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 such that it rests snugly on top of the front seat backrest. The open side of the casing 4 faces upwards.

The partition shield of the partition device according to the present invention consists of a plurality of elongated rectangular panels 5 with neighbouring panels hingedly secured together along their longitudinal side edges such that the panels 5 may be collapsible in a fan-fold manner to form a stack of such panels for storage in the casing 4, or may be drawn upwards to form a shield above the front seat backrest bounded by the slider rails 1 and the casing 4 as best shown in FIG. 2. The panels 5 may be made of a stong material such as steel so that the shield can not be defeated with common weapons or even bullets fired from a firearm. Furthermore, the number of panels 5 is preferrably selected such that the shield in the drawn up condition has a corrugated surface as shown in FIG. 4 so that it is more resistant to impact as well as providing a deflection to a bullet fired at the shield. The end portions of the panels 5 have a T section as shown partially in FIG. 6. The T sections may be integrally formed in the panel 5 or by separate T section mounted to the ends of the panels 5. These T sections are engageable with the slider rails 1 in order that the panels 5 may be sliding up and down the slider rails to form the shield or be folded for storage in the casing 4. An L-shaped angle bar may be mounted on the uppermost panel 5 as shown in FIG. 7 such that one side of the angle bar extends upwards perpendicular to the casing 4. A circular top bar 6 is mounted to the top of the angle bar to facilitate ease of handling the shield. The top bar 6 may be provided with a felt-like or vinyl covering material for aesthetic as well as ease of handling purposes.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 a connecting bar 7 is pivotally connected at its upper end to a T section 8 mounted at the two ends of the uppermost panel 5 of the shield.

Two spring-biassed latches 9 are provided at the top of the slider rails 1. When the partition shield is raised or drawn upwards the latches 9 will automatically engage the T sections 8 of the uppermost panel 5 to lock the shield in the drawn up closed condition.

The bottom panel of the shield is firmly secured to the bottom of the casing 4 as shown in FIG. 7 such as by bolts or screws 10, in order that the bottom of the shield can be removed by force from the casing 4. Also, the T sections 8 are secured to the upper most panel 5 by bolts or rivets 11. Hinge pins 12 may be used to pivotally connecting panels 4 together.

A compressed air tank 13 for operating the pneumatic pistons 2 may be safely provided in the front seat area or in the trunk of the automobile. The condition of the air tank is monitored by a gauge 14. A two-way pneumatic switch 15 may be provided in a convenient location in the front seat area so that the driver can easily operate it to supply or cut off the compressed air through a distribution valve 16 and pneumatic lines 21 to pistons 2 to activate or de-activate the pistons 2 slectively.

A flexible cover 17 which may consist of two overlapping flaps with VELCO (trade mark) or similar easily opened securing means 18 are provided at the opening of the casing 4 to cover the folded shield and the top rod 6 such that the entire shield assembly is normally not visible and thus it does not affect the aesthetic appearance of the automobile interior.

The extensible arm 19 of the pistons 2 is pivotally secured to the lower end of the connecting bar 7. Hinge pins 22 may be used for connecting the connecting bar 7 to both the T section 8 and the extensible arm 19.

Small viewing holes 20 may be provided in the shield as shown in FIG. 2 so that the driver may view the back seat area when the shield is in the drawn up closed condition.

The partition device is normally in the opened condition with the shield folded and stored in the casing 4 and is inconspicuously covered with the cover 17. When it is necessary to close the shield, the two-way switch 15 is operated so that compressed air is applied to the pistons 2 through distribution valve 16 and air flow line 21. The extensible arms 19 of the pistons 2 will extend outwards, when activated, to push the top panel upwards thus drawing the panels 5 upwards to form the shield. The cover 17 will be forced opened by the force exerted by the top bar 6 so as to allow the panels to be drawn out of the casing 4. When the uppermost panel reaches the top of the slider rails 1, the T sections mounted at its ends will automatically engage the latches 9 which will lock the shield securely in the drawn up closed condition. It can be appreciated that, for security reason, the latches 9 are positioned on the side of the frame facing the front seat area such that when the partition shield is in the closed or drawn up condition, the latches 9 are not accessible to the back seat area.

To open the shield when the partition shield is in the drawn up or closed condition, the operator merely has to operate the two-way switch 15 to de-activate the pistons 2, then unlatches the uppermost panel from the latches 9 and pushed downwards on the top bar 6 until all the panels 5 are folded in a fan-fold manner within the casing 4. The cover 17 may then be operated to cover the shield assembly.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, for example, the partition device may be activated with a hydraulic oil pressure device or an electric motor instead of the compressed air system. Also, a steel plate may be mounted between the lower mounting plates 3 so that it covers the entire back of the front seat. The plate prevents some one in the back seat from attacking the driver by destroying or forcing through the back of the front seat.