Deployable halo for open-air vehicle
A protection system for an open-air vehicle includes a left track, a right track, a front carrier, and a front plate. The tracks are fixed relative to a frame longitudinally forward of a cabin of the open-air vehicle. The tracks are elongated longitudinally and parallel. The front carrier is engaged with the tracks. The front carrier is slidable along the tracks between a front position and a rear position. The front plate is rotatable about the front carrier at a lower edge of the front plate. The front plate is movable with the front carrier between an undeployed position when the front carrier is in the front position and a deployed position when the front carrier is in the rear position. The front plate in the undeployed position is more horizontal and in the deployed position slopes upward from the front carrier in front of the cabin.
1 . A protection system for an open-air vehicle, the protection system comprising:
a left track fixed relative to a frame of the open-air vehicle, the left track positioned longitudinally forward of a cabin of the open-air vehicle, the left track elongated longitudinally relative to the open-air vehicle;
a right track fixed relative to the frame, the right track positioned longitudinally forward of the cabin, the right track parallel to the left track;
a front carrier engaged with the left track and the right track, the front carrier slidable along the left track and the right track between a front position and a rear position, the front position being forward of the rear position;
a front plate extending from a lower edge to an upper edge, the front plate rotatable about the front carrier at the lower edge, the front plate movable with the front carrier between an undeployed position and a deployed position, the front plate being in the undeployed position when the front carrier is in the front position, the front plate being in the deployed position when the front carrier is in the rear position, the front plate in the deployed position sloping upward from the front carrier in front of the cabin, the front plate in the undeployed position being more horizontal than in the deployed position; and
a U-member hingedly connected to the front plate at the upper edge, the U-member including a left arm elongated rearward from the front plate along a left side of the cabin, the U-member including a right arm elongated rearward from the front plate along a right side of the cabin.
2 . The protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a left linkage bar and a right linkage bar;
the left linkage bar elongated from a first end to a second end;
the first end of the left linkage bar hingedly connected to an end of the left arm of the U-member;
the second end of the left linkage bar hingedly connected to the frame of the open-air vehicle longitudinally behind the cabin;
the right linkage bar elongated from a first end to a second end;
the first end of the right linkage bar hingedly connected to an end of the right arm of the U-member; and
the second end of the right linkage bar hingedly connected to the frame of the open-air vehicle longitudinally behind the cabin.
3 . The protection system of claim 2 , further comprising a magnetic extension fixed relative to one of the left linkage bar or right linkage bar;
the magnetic extension positioned to magnetically attach to the frame of the open-air vehicle when the front plate is in the deployed position.
4 . The protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a hood fixed to the front plate;
wherein the hood is positioned to conceal the front plate when the front plate is in the undeployed position.
5 . The protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a cable elongated from a first end to a second end;
wherein the first end is accessible in the cabin;
the second end is attached to the front carrier; and
when the cable is in tension, the second end of the cable exerts a force pulling the front carrier toward the front position.
6 . The protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a top assembly mounted to the front plate;
the top assembly configured to expand from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration in response to the front plate moving from the undeployed position to the deployed position.
7 . The protection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotary actuator; and
a belt positioned to be driven by the rotary actuator;
wherein the front carrier is fixed to the belt.
8 . A protection system for an open-air vehicle, the protection system comprising:
a front plate extending from a lower edge to an upper edge, the front plate movable relative to a frame of the open-air vehicle between an undeployed position and a deployed position, the front plate in the deployed position sloping upward from the lower edge in front of a cabin of the open-air vehicle, the front plate in the undeployed position being more horizontal than in the deployed position; and
a top assembly mounted to the front plate, the top assembly configured to slide from a retracted configuration on the front plate to an extended configuration extending from the front plate in response to the front plate moving from the undeployed position to the deployed position.
9 . The protection system of claim 8 , wherein:
the top assembly includes a top carrier;
the front plate includes front-plate tracks; and
the top carrier is slidable in the front-plate tracks from a retracted position on the front plate to an extended position extending from the front plate.
10 . The protection system of claim 9 , wherein:
the top carrier includes an upper section and a lower section;
the upper section and the lower section are hingedly connected;
when the top carrier is in the retracted position, the upper section and the lower section are in the front-plate tracks; and
when the top carrier is in the extended position, the lower section is in the front-plate tracks, and the upper section is spaced from the front plate.
11 . The protection system of claim 10 , further comprising a top-carrier spring connecting the upper section and the lower section;
wherein the top-carrier spring is arranged to bias the upper section downward from being parallel to the front plate.
12 . The protection system of claim 9 , wherein:
the top assembly includes a top plate;
the top carrier includes top-carrier tracks; and
the top plate is slidable in the top-carrier tracks from a retracted position on the top carrier to an extended position extending from the top carrier.
13 . The protection system of claim 12 , wherein:
the top plate is a first top plate; and
the top assembly includes a second top plate slidable relative to the first top plate from a retracted position on the first top plate to an extended position extending from the first top plate.
14 . The protection system of claim 12 , wherein:
the top plate is a first top plate;
the top assembly includes a plurality of top plates including the first top plate;
the top plates are extendable from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration;
the top plates in the retracted configuration are stacked; and
in the extended configuration, the first top plate extends from the top carrier, and each top plate extends from a previous one of the top plates.
15 . The protection system of claim 14 , wherein the top plates in the extended configuration are attached to the frame of the open-air vehicle behind the cabin.
16 . The protection system of claim 12 , wherein:
the top assembly includes a shield plate rotatable relative to the top plate from an inboard position on the top plate to an outboard position extending from the top plate;
the top assembly includes a shield-plate spring connecting the top plate and the shield plate; and
the shield-plate spring is arranged to bias the shield plate toward the outboard position.
17 . The protection system of claim 16 , wherein:
the shield plate is a first shield plate;
the first shield plate in the outboard position extends leftward from the top plate;
the top assembly includes a second shield plate rotatable relative to the top plate from an inboard position on the top plate to an outboard position extending from the top plate; and
the second shield plate in the outboard position extends rightward from the top plate.
18 . The protection system of claim 9 , further comprising a cable elongated from a first end to a second end;
wherein the first end is accessible in the cabin;
the second end is attached to the top carrier; and
when the cable is in tension, the second end of the cable exerts a force pulling the top carrier to the retracted position.
19 . The protection system of claim 8 , further comprising a hood fixed to the front plate;
wherein the hood is positioned to conceal the front plate and the top assembly when the front plate is in the undeployed position and the top assembly is in the retracted configuration.
20 . A protection system for an open-air vehicle, the protection system comprising:
a left track fixed relative to a frame of the open-air vehicle, the left track positioned longitudinally forward of a cabin of the open-air vehicle, the left track elongated longitudinally relative to the open-air vehicle;
a right track fixed relative to the frame, the right track positioned longitudinally forward of the cabin, the right track parallel to the left track;
a front carrier engaged with the left track and the right track, the front carrier slidable along the left track and the right track between a front position and a rear position, the front position being forward of the rear position;
a front plate extending from a lower edge to an upper edge, the front plate rotatable about the front carrier at the lower edge, the front plate movable with the front carrier between an undeployed position and a deployed position, the front plate being in the undeployed position when the front carrier is in the front position, the front plate being in the deployed position when the front carrier is in the rear position, the front plate in the deployed position sloping upward from the front carrier in front of the cabin, the front plate in the undeployed position being more horizontal than in the deployed position; and
a hood fixed to the front plate, the hood being positioned to conceal the front plate when the front plate is in the undeployed position.