AU2006100310A4 - Retractable Vehicle Sun-Shade Tent - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 RETRACTABLE VEHICLE SUN-SHADE TENT The vehicle after parking while under the sun on a hot day, the temperature can reach up to 50C on the inside of vehicle, the seats and the interior, everything is too hot, even if you turn on the air conditioner fully, but you still suffer from the heat for over ten minutes. So how do you avoid such heat? This design was very different than other sunshade, that is place the sun-shade upon outside of the car and both side of the door windows. There is a hollow space that be created between the sun-shade and the car surface by attaching two or three support pipes on the inner surface of the cover. So it's very effectively to stop the sun light directly hitting the car surface, made a shade, lets the air circulate into the hollow space, greatly reduce the heat of inside the car.

When putting the sun-shade on the outside of the car, firstly, we should solve that the problem of the fixing point, because the cars have various kinds of brands, types, styles and structures, so this recquires us to find out their common point and to. make the sunshade suitable for most different vehicles to use.

After a large number of investigations, I found out that various kinds of cars all have the front bonnet and the rear boot, the structures are similar, the sunshade can be fixed on the front edge of the bonnet and at the lid of the boot, its to be their common point and key.

(if its to be fixed at the front and rear bumper-bar, the vehicle plate will be covered) the other fixing point is in the middle of the vehicle, that the fixed point are secured whether or not, it will decided that the sun-shade whether to be blown away in the strong wind.

The Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a cover device for a vehicle including: a flexible cover, one or more pull bars adapted for tightening the flexible cover, and adjustable attachment means for attaching said cover to said vehicle, said attachment means being adapted to hook onto a bonnet of the vehicle.

The present invention also provides a cover device for a vehicle including: a flexible cover, pull bar means adapted for tightening the flexible cover, a flexible pull bar, and adjustable attachment means for attaching the flexible pull bar to the cover in a spaced relation thereto, the arrangement being such that in use said flexible pull bar is positioned inside a boot of the vehicle so that at least a portion of the flexible pull bar bears under tension against an internal surface of the boot when the boot is in a closed position.

Preferably said flexible cover includes at least one sleeve adapted to receive a pull bar therein, said sleeve having an open end, channel means positioned at or near the end of the sleeve for forming a channel of an open length, cord means, within the channel and extending therefrom, and sliding clamp means, said sliding clamp means being slidably mounted on said cord means, the arrangement being such that in use said sliding clamp means locks the cord means in the channel and shortens the channel to a closed length less than the open length to thereby secure the open end of the sleeve in a closed position.

Preferably said flexible cover further includes at least one side cover, said side cover having strap means extending therefrom, the arrangement being such that in use said strap means are connected to a side mirror and or a door handle of the vehicle.

Preferably said cover device exhibits one or more of the following: a motif, a pattern, an advertisement, a unique identifier, a vehicle registration number or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 3 Further preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 the sketch map of the structure for the sun-shade's front fixing point; Figure 2 the sketch map of the parts (hook) for the section of figure 1; Figure 3 the sketch map of the structure for the front part of the sun-shade; Figure 4 the sketch map of the structure for the sun-shade's rear fixing point; Figure 5 the sketch map of the structure for the fixing method at the rear of tent; Figure 6 the sketch map of the structure for the sun-shade's middle fixing point; Figure 7 the sketch map of the part for the section (pipes bolt) of figure 6; Figure 8 the sketch map of the structure for the window sun-shade's fixing point; Figure 9 the sketch map of the part for the section (string lock) of figure 8; Figure 10 the sketch map of the side view for the window sun-shade of figure 8; Figure 11 the sketch map of the structure for adding the hail-resisting shield; Figure 12 the sketch map of the structure for the boot lid of old style car; Figure 13 the sketch map of the structure for the boot lid of new style car; Figure 14 the brief drawing of the whole side view for the car and the tent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS REGARD TO THE FIXING POINT AT THE VEHICLE'S FRONT When the vehicle bonnet is closed, the latching device inside bonnet) will lock with the vehicle's body frame, so that the bonnet cannot be opened accidentally. Meantime there is a clearance of about 5mm between the bonnet's front edge and the vehicle body frame.

Four (at least two) wide and flat "hooks" 11 (fig2) are designed to be inserted into this clearance C (figl), when the sun-shade is firmly tighten and locked at the rear of the boot lid, the four hooks can be fixed securely in the clearance at the front edge of the bonnet.

In addition, a "smaller support pipe" (12) this pipe is hidden in the larger support pipe,13.) is inserted firmly into a clearance between the bonnet and the sun-shade, so it makes the tent more tighten and leaves more hollow space at the vehicle front. Figl As for the different brands of the car the front edge of the bonnet may have different arcs (some are inward arc, some are outward arc), so according to the actual requirement, the length of two hook straps (14) should be adjustable, and the other two straps should be fixed length (fig3). The end of the hook's strap connected with a long pull bar which is hidden in a hollow at the start of the tent. It is needed to be pointed out that the hooks should be made by the plastic material which is to be pliant and solid, even better is the inside coated with rubber, any metal hooks will cause damage to the paint of the vehicle's surface.

REGARD TO THE FIXING POINT AT THE VEHICLE'S REAR The fixing point at the boot lid, also consists of four (at least two) flat straps, but the hooks are not used as the fixing point at the rear. A "stoping bar" F (fig5) is used to connect with four flat straps B (fig5), it's part be placed at one side of the lock inside the boot, and the left part of four flat straps (19) be placed in the outside of the boot, then to close the boot's lid and to pull out the four flat straps tightly, they are tensed to connect with other four flat straps A (fig5) (four straps link to the end of tent with a "long pull bar" G) Through a pair of the "side lock" (18&l Thus, the rear fixing point was completed. Fig4 However, its better that the length of four rear straps (part A) must be adjustable due to different structures of the various cars and different heights of the boot lid. The inside stopping bar also can be adjusted to change its position B(fig5) The stopping bar should have pliant soft performance, it can be bend flexible, because there are different curves structures on the edge of the different car's boot, the bar should attached itself on the edge of the boot when its tensed.

This design mainly focuses on the new style of the cars when the boot lid is in "low position" when the lid is closed. (Fig 12) For the old style of the cars, (that the lid is in "high position" when the lid is closed, Figl 3) the fixing mode may be slightly different, namely, the "4 straps 1 bar" (part B) will not be used. Only "part A" is used; adjust the length of the straps, the place the plug (18) (the end of straps) into the boot, close and lock the lid, finally, insert the spare small pipes (12) into a hollow space which on the edge of the lid to tighten up the tent (for some circumstances, the part B may still need to be used, depending on the size of the car structures).

REGARD TO THE FIXING POINT AT THE VEHICLE'S MIDDLE There are six fixing points on the car top (three on left and three on right), which will avoid the sun-shade being blown away by the wind, and reduce the risk of being stolen.

(if two "support pipes" are placed on top of the car, the fixing points is four, left two and right two).

The structure of the sun-shade on the car top is the three polyethylene foam pipes in parallel which are joined with the sunshade by the ribbons, so as to support the tent and leave a hollow space between the tent and the car top. (fig6) The three pipes are wrapped with a fabric and are fixed at the named positions by the ribbons (20) which are sewn on the inner surface of the sun-shade, so as to bind the supporting pipes, each pipes will be fixed by four ribbons, while the pipes can also be taken off according to needs.

The dimensions between the three parallel pipes are different; the dimensions between the front pipe to the middle pipe is longer than that between the middle pipe to the last pipe, its dependent on the positions of the fixing points and the door size of the vehicle.

After both sides of each pipe was bound with ribbons on the tent, that left ribbon would be fastened to a object of the small olive form, (or a object of sniall cylinder form).

10(fig7) which is called the "wind-resisting bolt". (made by plastic). To open the car door, place the "wind resisting bolt" under the frame of the car top, then close and lock the door. In this way the "wind resisting bolt" will hold the sun-shade and no wind can blow it away. There is one bolt in each side of the front door and two bolts in each side of the rear door. (the rear door is longer than the front door) That's why the dimensions between the three parallel pipes are different.

The support pipes are "two in one", the smaller one (12) is put into the bigger hollow one The smaller one can be drawn from the big one and put into the place where it is needed (for example; the front hollow of the tent or the back of the hatch-back car), thus it can increase the hollow space and the tent can be fixed more tightly.

REGARD TO THE FIXING POINT FOR THE WINDOW SUN-SHADE Each side of the car's window sun-shade L have eight fixing points so as to avoid being blown away by the wind. There are five fixing points on top of the sun-shade, which do not need to be untied each time after use; there are three other fixing points on the bottom of the sun-shade which need to be untied each time after use (figS) There are three fixing points on the top of the cover and they are tied at the mouth of the three support pipes, by tensing the string lock through the "eye let" form the mouth of the cloth wrap outside the pipe. (fig9). Other two fixing points are connected to the edge of the tent by bind with string through the "eye let". There are also three fixing points at the bottom of the window cover which are fixed to the two door's handles and on outside the rear-view mirror by tightening the string. (fig8) Due to the fixing points being set almost vertically from top to bottom and the plane of the window is seen tilted from the side, so generally, the window cover would not touch the car window surface, thus, the air can circulate between the window and the window's cover, it effectively reduces the heat from the sun. (figlO) REGARD TO THE OTHER ATTENTIONS POINTS Adding hail resisting cloth as required: In some countries and regions, the hail often attacks the car and leaves many holes on the car's body. This tent can resist the hail and reduce the damage to it's minimum. Through sewing special shield cloth to the needed section so as to cover the front and rear bumper and the side exposed part. The shield cloth can be turned over and turned back when it is needed. (figl 1) Classifications according to the vehicles types and different sizes: The sun-shade can be classified in to large, medium and small three different manufactured sizes, as the engine capacity and body measures. Because the size of the structural part has been found to be quite similar regardless of the various brands (for the same type of cars) according to the results of investigation.

Besides, for different styles of cars (the "Sedan", the "Hatch" and the "Two doors" cars) the main parts sizes are quite different, so classifications should be made in the manufacturing process and the distribution for sell.

Through conducting positioning measurement to the five parts of the car body for more than thirty different types and brands, I found that the common dimension points between them, so as to facilitate the classified manufacture in the future. I have made a sample of the sun-shade tent according to the measurement of the medium size cars. The outcome has a satisfied effect, it's light and easy to use easy to fold and roll to store in the boot.

The folding guide: The reason that to fold and store the tent, there are three (or two) support pipes and two long pull bars (at both ends of the tent) which should be cut out at it's middle, therefore, when its needed to retract the tent, first turn up the side cover, then folding from the middle of the pull bars and support pipes, roll up starting from both sides of the tent, so that it can be stored inside the boot after use in a convenient way.

C Protection of the vehicle surface: Protective measures should be adopted to avoid the lacquer layer which touches the hard fittings, being damaged. The jointing points of the layer and the fittings should be waxed more often, add the soft protective layer on the fitting, so as to avoid wearing the surface ofthe car.

The sun-shade tents can beautify the environment, and they can be printed with different motifs, patterns, unique identifiers, vehicle registration numbers, scenery, flowers, animals and advertisements in multiple colours.

Claims (4)

1. A cover device for a vehicle including: a flexible cover, one or more pull bars adapted for tightening the flexible cover, and adjustable attachment means for attaching said cover to said vehicle, said attachment means being adapted to hook onto a bonnet of the vehicle.

2. A cover device for a vehicle including: a flexible cover, pull bar means adapted for tightening the flexible cover, a flexible pull bar, and adjustable attachment means for attaching the flexible pull bar to the cover in a spaced relation thereto, the arrangement being such that in use said flexible pull bar is positioned inside a boot of the vehicle so that at least a portion of the flexible pull bar bears under tension against an internal surface of the boot when the boot is in a closed position.

3. A cover device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said flexible cover includes at least one sleeve adapted to receive a pull bar therein, said sleeve having an open end, channel means positioned at or near the end of the sleeve for forming a channel of an open length, cord means, within the channel and extending therefrom, and sliding clamp means, said sliding clamp means being slidably mounted on said cord means, the arrangement being such that in use said sliding clamp means locks the cord means in the channel and shortens the channel to a closed length less than the open length to thereby secure the open end of the sleeve in a closed position.

4. A cover device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 further including at least one side cover, said side cover having strap means extending therefrom, the arrangement being such that in use said strap means are connected to a side mirror and or a door handle of the vehicle. A cover device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, said cover device exhibiting one or more of the following: a motif, a pattern, an advertisement, a unique identifier, a vehicle registration number or the like. Dated this 20th day of April 2006 Hou-En Ying By his Patent Attorneys Halford Co