AU2003271393A1 - Vehicle cover - Google Patents

Description

P001 Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: 2002953225 Lodged: 9 December 2002 Invention Title: VEHICLE COVER The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: VEHICLE COVER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to vehicle covers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For many years the advantages of car covers have been well known for protection of the exterior paintwork of a motor vehicle and also for protection of dashboards, upholstery and other interior appointments from the ravages of the sun.

Although many types of motor vehicle covers have been devised the most popular car cover remains the type which covers the entire vehicle and is elasticised about its lower extremities so as to grip the car under the front and rear bumper locations.

Sunshades are also popular to protect the interior of motor vehicles and these sunshades are normally stowed in a folded configuration and unfold in order that they may be placed over the front or rear windscreen or other windows of the motor vehicle. If placed on the inside of the windows these articles are often just wedged in place although if placed over the outside of the vehicle they are often held in place by shutting doors or windows on the peripheral edges of the devices.s The type of car cover above mentioned is difficult to apply to a motor vehicle and is best applied by two persons. Furthermore these types of car covers are bulky and difficult to load into a bag in order to facilitate storage.

Sunshades on the other hand usually only cover one window of a vehicle such as the front windscreen and are also difficult to store as they must be folded. They are cumbersome to attach and do not protect the external paintwork of the vehicle.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages with existing car covers sunshades or at least to provide the consumer with an alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a blind of dimensions of a width approximating the width of a motor vehicle and of a length approximating the bumper to bumper length of a motor vehicle, means to retract the blind into a covered compact stowage location adjacent a first end of the vehicle and means to facilitate attachment of the free end of the blind to a position adjacent a second end of the motor vehicle.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides vehicle which are adapted for simple compact stowage and simple deployment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Eight embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a partially extended blind in accordance with the present invention utilising two rubber bands biasing a pleated blind to a retracted position within a case; figure 2 is a perspective view of a pleated partially extended blind in accordance with the present invention using two cords stored on two rollers disposed end-to-end within a casing to control the blind; figure 3 is a perspective view of a partially extended blind in accordance with the present invention utilising one electrically operated roller to control two cords which in turn allow retraction or extension of a pleated blind within or from a casing; figure 4 is a perspective view of a partially extended blind in accordance with the present invention utilising two cords stored on two parallel rollers within a case to control a pleated blind; figure 5 is a perspective view of a pleated blind and casing in accordance with the present invention wherein magmatic strips rather than cords or elastic bands are utilised to bias the blind into a retracted position.

figure 6 is a perspective view of a pleated blind in a casing in accordance with the present invention wherein a multiplicity of wire springs at each end of each pleat position are used to bias the blind into a retracted position; figure 7 is a perspective view of a partially extended non-pleated blind in accordance with the present invention adapted to be driven in and out of an enclosed casing by a roller positively keyed to a central portion of the blind by a toothed belt and cog; figure 8 is a perspective view of a partially extended non-pleated blind in accordance with the present invention biased to a retracted position by a roller utilising a roller spring; figures 9 and 9a illustrate methods by which an end of the blind may be secured; and figure 10 illustrates a method by which a blind may be attached to a roller.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the embodiment of figure 1 it will be observed that the car cover includes an enclosed casing 1 having openable ends 2 through which pass rubber bands 3 which in turn are threaded through apertures in either side of pleated blind 4. The pleated blind may advantageously be fabricated from TeflonTM coated material, thermoplastic material or other suitable sun and weather resistant fabric in order that it may have an adequate service life when exposed to sun wind and rain on the exterior of a vehicle. It will be observed from figure 1 that in between each pleat of pleated blind 4 there is provided a rod 6 which should ideally be flexible but of sufficient rigidity to impart form stability to the blind. Ideally the rods may be fabricated from fibreglass or like construction material. Rods 6 may be provided with grooves adjacent their ends in order to receive circlips to maintain the rods in place within the material of the blind. The rod 5 at the free end of the blind is provided with hooks 7 or other attachment devices (not shown) in order that the free end of the blind may be attached to one end of a motor vehicle.

Ideally the casing 1 would be attached to the rear bumper or rear portion of a motor vehicle by clips 15 and therefore the front of the vehicle would be provided with eyes or holes in order to receive hooks 7. It will be appreciated that rubber bands 3 are intended to bias the blind to a retracted position within casing 1 when the blind is not locked into an extended position by attachment of hooks 7 to an end of the motor vehicle remote from the end to which casing 1 is attached.

Various different mechanisms apart from that depicted in figure 1 may be provided in order to bias the blind to a retracted position within casing 1 and other such arrangements are depicted in figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. For example in figure 2 the casing is provided with a base plate 16 which may be screwed directly to the upper surface of a motor vehicle bumper but more importantly the casing is provided with two rollers 8 mounted co-axially and side by side within the casing and each having a string or rope wound thereabout. Each of the two strings or ropes passes down one side of the blind through apertures therein to the final rod on the free end of the blind. The rollers may be rotated by any convenient means including a spring biasing the rollers to a position whereat the strings are fully wound on to the rollers and hence the blind retracted.

Figure 3 depicts an embodiment similar to that of figure 2 but wherein a single roller is utilised which roller is controlled by an electric motor 9 and a microswitch 10 rather than relying upon a spring or other means to rotate the roller to facilitate extension or retraction of the blind.

Figure 4 discloses an embodiment similar to that of figure 2 but wherein the rollers are mounted in a parallel non-coaxial manner in order that each of the two strings passing down either side of the blind may be controlled by a separate roller thereby facilitating usage of longer blinds and strings.

Figure 5 depicts an embodiment of the present invention incorporating a pleated blind wherein the lateral extremities of each pleat of the blind are provided with magnetic strips which are attracted to the polarity of the magnetic strip on the adjacent pleat of the blind. In this way strings and rollers are not needed to facilitate orderly retraction of the blind back into the casing as the magnetic strips will bias the blind to a closed position with each pleat orderly folded against an adjacent pleat.

Yet a further method of biasing the pleated blind to a retracted position within a casing is depicted in figure 6 wherein a small wire spring 11 is provided adjacent each end of rods 6 which springs have two legs one of which passes onto a pleat of the blind on one side of the rod 6 and the other of which passes onto a pleat of the blind on the opposing side of rod 6. It will be appreciated that if these springs are biased to a position whereat each of the legs of the spring is parallel to the other the springs will serve to retract the blind and cause it to adopt an orderly folded position within the casing when the free end of the blind is not attached to an end of the vehicle remote from the casing.

Figure 7 depicts a non-pleated blind controlled by a single roller within a casing with a gear 13 provided centrally on the roller adapted to mesh with a toothed belt 12 running centrally down the blind. The gear 13 positively meshes with toothed belt 12 so that when the roller is controlled by a motor or other means the blind is wound on to the roller in a controlled fashion. Peripheral discs 14 are provided adjacent either end of the roller in order to insure that the blind does not ride off the ends of the roller.

A further embodiment of the present invention incorporating a roller and spring wound thereabout to bias the roller to a retracted position is depicted in figure 8. It will be appreciated that this embodiment also utilises peripheral discs 14 with a non-pleated blind.

Figures 9 and 9a depict methods by which that end of the blind which is attached to a casing may be secured. Attachment is by way of a split pin passing through a hole in both the casing and the end of the blind. Figure 10 simply depicts a method by which a blind may be attached to a roller by screws.

It will be appreciated that many embodiments of the present invention may be devised apart from those above depicted without departing from the scope and intent of the invention. For example the casing for the blind may comprise the bumper moulding itself and the blind may emerge from a slot in the top of the rear bumper. These embodiments above depicted are for retro-fitting to vehicles whereas neater installations may be achieved if the vehicle is specifically designed for the invention.

It will be appreciated that when a blind is retracted into a casing it provides a relatively unobtrusive installation on the rear bumper of a motor vehicle and may be deployed in seconds.

Claims (15)

1. A vehicle cover which includes: a blind of dimensions of a width approximating the width of a motor vehicle and of a length approximating the bumper to bumper length of a motor vehicle; means to retract the blind into a covered compact stowage location adjacent a first end of the vehicle; and means to facilitate attachment of the free end of the blind to a position adjacent a second end of the motor vehicle

2. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 1, in which the blind is pleated and in which the fold lines between pleats run across the width of the blind.

3. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 2 in which a rod is provided in the blind extending across the width of the blind between two adjacent pleats.

4. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 2 in which each rod: is grooved adjacent each end; and is held in place in the blind by circlips which are retained in each groove.

A vehicle cover as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, including a casing adapted for attachment to a vehicle at or adjacent a bumper.

6. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 5, in which the means to retract the blind includes at least one elastic band one end of which is attached, directly or indirectly, to the casing and the other end of which is attached to the blind at a position which is remote from the casing.

7. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 5 in which the means to retract the blind includes at least one roller which is fixedly but rotatably mounted to the casing; at least one cord or the like one end of which is attached to a roller and the other end of which is attached to the blind at a position which is remote from the casing; and means for rotation of each roller in a direction which retracts the cord into the casing.

8. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 7 in which there are two cords or the like, each of which is attached to the same roller.

9. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 7 in which there are two cords or the like, each of which is attached to one of two separate rollers.

10. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 9 in which the two separate rollers are mounted coaxially and side by side.

11. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim9 in which the rollers are mounted parallel and side by side.

12. A vehicle cover as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 in which the means to retract the blind includes a magnetic strip provided on at least one pleat, which magnetic strip is attracted to a magnetic strip whis is provided on an adjacent pleat.

13. A vehicle cover as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 in which the means to retract the blind includes a wire spring having two legs, one leg of which passes onto a pleat of the blind on one side of the rod and the other leg of which passes onto a pleat of the blind on the opposing side of the same rod.

14. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 1, in which the means to retract the blind includes a roller which is fixedly but rotatably mounted and in which an end of the blind is attached to the roller.

15. A vehicle cover as claimed in claim 14 in which the means to retract the blind further includes: a toothed belt running centrally down the blind; and a gear wheel which is adapted for meshing with the toothed belt. DATED 31 December 2003 AVETIK BARSAMIAN WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA PNF/AJE