AU724718B3

AU724718B3 - Car shelter

Info

Publication number: AU724718B3
Application number: AU27681/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mei-Hui Lee
Original assignee: MEI HUI LEE
Current assignee: MEI HUI LEE
Priority date: 2000-04-11
Filing date: 2000-04-11
Publication date: 2000-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2006-04-11

Description

P/00/012 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: "CAR SHELTER" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: la TITLE: CAR SHELTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a car shelter, and more particularly to one that is provided outside the car to cover its roof from heat, dust, impacts from hailstone and/or other foreign matters, and is easy to be folded up for storage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The prior art of the present invention, generally available in the market, has a fly-sheet provided either in the front or rear bumper or in the boot and in use is close to the rear windshield. A magic tape is provided either at the front or rear base; and a corresponding magic tape is also provided at the exposed edge of the fly-sheet. When in use, the fly-sheet is pulled out to cover up the roof and received by the magic tape provided at the other end, so that the entire fly-sheet as a minimum could cover up the front windshield, or the front windshield and the roof at the same time.

The prior art is limited only to keeping away the sunlight and dust.

Insufficient tension of the fly-sheet fails to effectively protects the roof, hood and compartment from falling matters, e.g. hailstones, so that the body of the car is vulnerable to such impacts. Some car owners may erect certain canvas shelter where the car is parked, such improvements fails to become popular due to the higher erection cost and additional space required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a car shelter including the following features:.

a fly-sheet; a frame, comprising three foldable poles, each pole having two end sections and a middle section; i) each of the two pole places at the end of the length of fly-sheet have provided two moveable spaced horizontal extensions; and ii) the pole placed at the centre of the fly-sheet is provided with two movable spaced vertical extensions; c) three reinforcement ribs provided at the ends and centre of the fly-sheet; the reinforcement ribs are adapted to be rivetted to the frame; and d) a multiple of pedestals; the top of each pedestal having an insertion point adapted to receive the respective extensions of the poles of the frame and the base of each pedestal adapted to attached to a car through the use of suction; wherein each pole of the frame is connected to a corresponding reinforcement rib; and wherein when in use the fly-sheet covers part of or the length of a car and is vertically spaced above the car.

Preferable the car shelter, is such that; each of the foldable pole of the frame have two pivotal joints; 3 the pivotal joints each having a locking pin and receiving hole to secure the ends of the poles when in use; (ii) said locking pin can be retracted and secured into a groove located rearwardly with respect to the locking pin; (iii) each end of the pivotal joint is inserted into the end of the corresponding section of pole and fixed with a bolt; the extensions of the foldable poles are fixed into the insertion points of the pedestals with a bolt.

More suitable the car shelter has the additional features wherein; each middle section of the foldable poles is U-shaped and-adapted to receive the respective extensions; the U-shaped section also having a multiple of fixation holes in the side wall opposite the opening, to allow for relative movement of the extensions; the extensions are pivotally mounted in a connection bracket, connected to the U-shaped section by bolts passing through corresponding threaded holes in both the connection bracket and the U shaped section; the extensions are adapted to pivot in a ninety-degree arc, so as to be received by the U-shaped section; a stopper is provided on each extension, at the end of said arc.

When not in use, the shelter can be folded up as a whole unit for easy storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of the fly- 4 sheet and reinforcement ribs of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing the structure of a frame and a pedestal of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure of a joint to the frame of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the structure of a pivot support to the frame of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is another view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a view of the appearance of another preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 8 is a view of the present invention as folded up.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a fly-sheet 1, a frame 2 and a multiple of pedestal 3.

The length and the width of the fly-sheet 1 are equal to or slightly larger than those of a car. In the front, middle and rear of the fly-sheet 1, a reinforcement rib 11 is provided to correspond with the frame 2 and is connected to the frame 2 with rivets 12.

The frame 2 is comprised of three poles 21, 22 and 23 that are laterally connected at the front, middle and rear positions in conjunction with the reinforcement rib 11 and rivets 12. Each of said poles 21, 22, and 23 consist of three sections joined by two pivotal joints 24 that permit the end sections of each pole to be locked into place and also to allow them to be folded up when the car shelter is not in use. The middle section of the front and the rear poles 21 and 23, a U-shaped section opening to one side is respectively provided and the corresponding extension 211, 231 can pivot on the same plane as the opening. Each of said extensions 211, 231 is foldable and capable of moving along said poles 21, 23 for position adjustment. An open U-shaped section is also provided on one side at the middle section of the pole 22, and two vertical extensions 221, at a certain height, are capable of moving along the pole 22.

Furthermore, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the pivotal joint 24 is essentially comprised of two pivots 241, 242 facing each other and are connected by inserting a pin 245 into a pivoting ear 244 from the pivot 242 sandwiched by two pivoting ears 243. Both a hole 246 and a locking pin 249 are respectively provided at the ends of the pivots 241, 242. The locking pin 249 is provided in the pivot 242 and is capable of moving along a slide 247 to be secured in a groove 248. The locking pin 249 is inserted into a receiving hole 246 from the pivot 241 so to fix both pivots 241 and 242 in position. The two farther ends of the pivots 241, 242 are respectively connected and fixed to poles 21, 22 and 23 respectively with bolts 240.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the central pole 22 is provided with a moving vertical extension 221 pivoted to the middle section of the pole 22 where 6 forming an opening U-shaped section (the same design is provided for the front and rear poles 21 and 23 forming a U-shaped section and pivoted to two horizontal extensions 211 and 231, differing from that for the pole 22 only in the direction of the U-shaped section, and thus will not be repeated here), multiple pairs of fixation holes 222 for adjustment are provided on the wall of the pole 22, the support 221 is pivoted a connection bracket 223 that can be received by the U-shaped section of the pole 22. Threaded holes 2231 are provided on the connection bracket 223 and corresponding to those fixation holes 222, and secured with a pair of bolts 224. The end of the poles 22 indicates a ninety-degree arc 2211 and a stop 2212 is protuding from the arc 2211 end to restrict the folding angle to ninety degrees and to only one folding direction. Therefore, the support 221 when extended is vertical to the pole 22. While folding up, the vertical extension 221 is received in the U-shaped section of the pole 22 without consuming too much space. The position of the support 221 relative to the pole 22 can be adjusted by selecting the proper pairs of fixation holes 222 corresponding to the threaded holes 2231 in the connection bracket 223 to be secured with the bolts 224.

The pedestal 3 related to a suction attachment means having its top provided with an insertion 31 and a fixation bolt 32 is provided for in the side of the insertion 31. At least three pairs of pedestal 3 are provided by for attachment on the roof, hood and boot of the car body. Furthermore, a lateral section 311 is each provided to the insertion 31 of the pedestal 3 respectively for the hood and the boot attachment points.

7 Now referring to Figs 5 and 6, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lateral extensions 211 and 231 and the vertical extensions 221 from those three poles 21, 22 and 23 of the frame 2 are respectively received by the lateral section 311 from the insertion 31 at the top of the pedestal 3 and the body of the insertion 31; and said three poles 21, 22 and 23 are secured with fixation bolts 32 provided in the side of the insertion 31 while those three pairs of pedestal 3 are respectively attached onto both sides of the front of the hood, the centre of the roof and the rear of the boot by suction. Furthermore, in the production of the fly-sheet 1 a reinforcement rib 11 is provided to correspond with the poles 21, 22 and 23 of the frame 2 and secured with a rivet 12 so that for those pedestals 3 respectively suctioned onto both sides of the front of the hood, the centre of the roof and the rear of the boot to erect those poles 21, 22 and 23 to cover up the car with better tension. Whereas, the pole 22 at the centre is provided at a certain height and those poles 21 and 23 respectively provided in the front and the rear of the car are.laterally extended for an additional length, the entire fly-sheet 1 indicates a configuration that its centre is higher than its front and rear while both of the front and the rear ends of the fly sheet 1 are slightly higher than the hood and the boot in inclination. The flysheet 1 yields a better protection for the car by not only preventing the roof of the car from impact by falling foreign matter, but it is the inclination which facilitates preventing water, frost or other foreign matter from accumulating on the fly-sheeetl. Furthermore, the relative positions of the pedestals 3 respectively suctioned onto the hood, the roof and the boot of the car as well as of those extensions 211, 221 and 231 can be adjusted. For example, in the case of a car with a sun roof so that the range of suction by the pedestals 3 at both sides of the roof is not in normal status, those fixations holes 222 for adjustment relative to those threaded holes 2231 (as shown in Fig. 4) provided on the connection bracket 223 to the top of the vertical extension 221 may be used in conjunction with the locking bolts 224 to adjust the proper position of the vertical extensions 221 in relation to the space on both sides of the roof for easy insertion into the pedestals 3 for attachment onto the roof.

Further more, the shelter comprised of the fly-sheet 1 incorporated with the frame 2 of the present invention is not necessarily to be completely provided at the top of the car. As illustrated in Fig. 7, both of the fly-sheet and the frame 2 are laterally placed above the roof while the front pole 21 and its extension 211 are fixed to the side of the roof in conjunction with the pedestal 3. Furthermore, both poles 22, 23 together with their extensions 221 and 231 respectively, are spread up by a pole (not illustrated) separately erected on the ground thus to form a shelter permitting one man to move under the shelter.

As illustrated in Fig. 8 and referred to in Fig. 3 those three poles 21, 22 and 23 are made into a multiple of foldable sections due to joints 24 and pivoting structure are laterally provided to those poles 21, 22 and 23 and their extensions 211, 221 and 231. When not in use, the lateral poles 21, 22 and 23 can be folded by taking advantage of the joint 24 to have the locking on 249 to retract and escape from the hole 246 to fold up those two 9 pivots 241 and 242. Meanwhile, by the pivoting structure said extensions 211, 231 and the vertical extension 221 can be also folded for storage and further folded up or wound up together with the fly-sheet 1 by reducing the width, length and volume. An additional fastener may be provided either separately or connected to the fly-sheet 1 to fasten the wound up fly-sheet 1 and the embedded frame 2.

Claims

1. A car shelter including the following features: a fly-sheet; a frame, comprising three foldable poles, each pole having two end sections and a middle section; i) each of the two pole places at the end of the length of fly-sheet have provided two moveable spaced horizontal extensions ii) the pole placed at the centre of the fly-sheet is provided with two movable spaced vertical extensions. c) three reinforcement ribs provided at the ends and centre of the fly-sheet; the reinforcement ribs are adapted to be rivetted to the frame; and d) a multiple of pedestals; the top of each pedestal having an insertion point adapted to receive the respective extensions of the poles of the frame and the base of each pedestal adapted to attached to a car through the use of suction; wherein each pole of the frame is connected to a corresponding reinforcement rib; and wherein when in use the fly-sheet covers part of or the length of a car and is vertically spaced above the car.

2. A car shelter, as claimed in claim 1, wherein; each of the foldable pole of the frame have two pivotal joints; 11 the pivotal joints each having a locking pin and receiving hole to secure the ends of the poles when in use; (ii) said locking pin can be retracted and secured into a groove located rearwardly with respect to the locking pin; (iii) each end of the pivotal joint is inserted into the end of the corresponding section of pole and fixed with a bolt; the extensions of the foldable poles are fixed into the insertion points of the pedestals with a bolt.

3. A car shelter as claimed in claim 1, wherein; each middle section of the foldable poles is U-shaped and adapted to receive the respective extensions; the U-shaped section also having a multiple of fixation holes in the side wall opposite the opening, to allow for relative movement of the extensions; the extensions are pivotally mounted in a connection bracket, connected to the U-shaped section by bolts passing through corresponding threaded holes in both the connection bracket and the U shaped section; the extensions are adapted to pivot in a ninety-degree arc, so as to be received by the U-shaped section; a stopper is provided on each extension, at the end of said arc. Dated this twenty seventh day of July 2000. LEE, Mei-Hui By his Patent Attorneys FISHER ADAMS KELLY