And yet the same principle is still in use on modern armoured vehicles (example: Your text.. ). If you can detonate a HEAT warhead prematurely the effectiveness of it is greatly reduced.
German spaced armour skirts ("schürzen") were actually to protect against anti-tank rifle rounds striking vulnerable running gear components and thinner lower hull armour, but might have also hindered the effectiveness of American Bazookas.
The modern screens put on vehicles is by and far removed from the very crude and simple ones welded onto Soviet vehicles. The principle is the same but the execution and finesse is worlds apart.