CA1326503C - Windshield protector - Google Patents

Abstract

WINDSHIELD PROTECTOR
Abstract A device for the protection of a vehicle's windshield from heat, frost, rain, snow, and the like. The protector is preferably a layer of polyethylene which covers the outside of the windshield. The cover is held in place by two wings which are secured between the vehicle's doors and their frames. Placement of these wings within the door is facilitated through the use of handles or cords which attach to the wing and are long enough to permit the operator to keep their hand from the doorway due to the length of the handle or cord.

Description

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Thls inventio~ relates generally to protectors for vehlcles and more specifically to windshield protectors.
Because of the critical nature of the uindshield, its protection from the elements when the vehicle ls not in use has been a problem.
E~cessive exposure to sunlight causes the vehicle to ovlerheat and can cause damage to the materlal ln the interior. Snou, ice, and dew collect on the windshield and can dramatlcally decrease operator vlsion requiring an excessive amount of work in removlng it.

One critical problem which all screens must address ls their own security. The vehicle itself ls usually equipped with locks and the like. Without a method of securing a uindshield protector, the protectors are easily stolen which eliminates thelr effectiveness and commerclal viabllity. I

One approach to the problem uas described by United States Patent Number 4,202,396, issued to Levy on May 13, 1980, and entitled "Motor Vehicles and Sunshields". In thls approa~h, a collapslng cardboard type of screen is used on the interior of the vehicle. Although thls approach does protect the cars interior from direct sunlight, it does not address the problem of excessive heating or of exterior protection. The heat from the sunlight is merely caught between the cardboard screen and the windshield providing an oven approach whlch is released uhen the operator removes the screen, No protection is given for snou or ice collecting on the uindshield.

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Several other methods have been developed to provide exterior protec~lon to the windshleld. These lnclude Unlted States Patent number 2,359,496, issued October 3, 1944, to Taylor entitled 'IFrost Shield";
United States Patent number 3, 588,169, to Lunt, en~itled "Windshield Protector": and, United States Patent number 4,597,608, to Duffy, entitl ed "Au tomobi le Win dshiel d Cove r".
All of these devlces attempt to solve the ice problem with an exterior cover. Each though requires some physical modlfication to be done to the vehicle so that the shleld can be fastened to the vehicle.
Unfortunately, these ~asteners are not attractive to the vehicle oldner and di srupt the ve hicle' s line s. Ad ditlon ally, althou gh the scree n/
cover i6 fastened to the vehicle, the fasteners are available to any passer by who could readi ly dis engage the s creenJ cover and s teal i t.
Other approaches have been taken to fasten the screen/ cover to the vehicle without the requirement of modifying the vehicle. These include the use of ropes or the like to "tie" or fasten the covering to the vehicle by way of the door handles or other natural points on the vehicl e.
Included in thls group is Unl ted States Patent number 2,223 ,145, issued November 26, 1940, to Wise and enti tled "Windshield Cover"; United States Patent number 2,437,845, issued ~larch 16, 1948, to Wyeth and entitled "Windshield Cover"; United States Patent number 3,~74,437, issued April 1, 1975, to Black and entitled "Wlndshield Cover".

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In all of these slt~lations, the devlce is tied to an exterior part of the car making it extremely easy to steal the covering.
To eliminate the need for tying and make it easier for the operator to apply the covering 9 many devlces have been developed which use some adhesive type of device such as magnets or suction cups.
Included ln this group are: United States Patent 3,410,601, issued November 12, 1968, to Thompson for "Windshield Protectlve Device";
United States Patent number 1,473,029, issued ~ovember 6, 1923, to Faubert et al. for "Clear Vision Devlce"; United States Patent number 3,964,780, issued June 22, 1976, to Naidu for "Snow Protectors for Windshields"; United States Patent number 3,184,2649 issued May la, 1965, to Ealey et 81. for "Windshield Protector"; United States Patent number 3,042,111, issued July 3, 1962, to Wytovich for "Magnetic Windshield and Window Covers"; and United States Patent number 3,046,048, issued Julyl 24, 1962, to Cheney for "Magnetically Secured Windshield 5Over".
Besides being very susceptible to theft, many of these devices can damage the vehicle during removal. In the case of magnetie adhesion, when the magnet is drawn across the paint, a small amount of sand between the magnet and the paint can scratch the paint. Ihis, together with the lack of security for the device makes it unappealing ~o the user.
In order to solve the security factor, some devices have attempted to fasten the cover into the vehicle. This is usually done by having a flap or wlng of the material fit between the vehlcle's door and its frame. When the material is closed therein, a thief would have to unlock the door to remove the screen without destroying the screen.

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132~03 This arrangement is described by United States Patent number 2,851,303, lssued September 9, 1958, to ~cQueen for "Windshleld Protector". In this device, the screen is contained upon a roller ~hich is attached to the steering wheel and enclosed within the vehicle. A
simllar approach was described in United States Patent number 4,635,993, issued January 13l 1987, to Hooper et al. for "Automobile Windshleld Cover". This devlce had two wings wlth padded ends whLch could be placed withln the vehicle to attach the screenJ cover to the vehicle.
The problem with both the McQueen and Hooper et al. approach is that during application of the cover, it is physically impo6slble to obtain a secure fit across the windshield itself (the ob~ect of all the lnventions). Once one end o$ the screen ls placed ln posltion, the other end ls moved lnto position and the vehicle's door is opened. The operator then must hold the wing extendlng into the interior of the lS vehicle while the operator closes the vehicle's door. The closing of the door creates a rush of air that naturally $lows under the windshield cover and loosens it. The operator is further distracted by the fact that the vehicle's door is closing only a fraction of an inch from thelr own fingers. This, besides being dangerous, is also dlstracting causing the operator to have less than full concentration.
Another lmportant deflciency with all of the prior art is their choice of materials. Usually this materlal is a single sheet of plastic or the like ~hich becomes brittle and sti$f when sub~ected to th~ cold (as would be found in a snow screen situation). Once the screen has been used a couple of times~ it has elther been torn or the operator loses patience with lts stiffness and either discards it or does not use it.

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` 132~3 It ls clear from the forgolng that an efflcient, safe, and secure mechanlsm does not exist ~hlch will permlt the protectlon of the front wi~dshleld of a vehlcle.

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~32~3 In the present invention, a sheet of material iB used to cover ~he windshield itself. Attached, or as part of an exteneion of the cover, are two wings which are susceptible to being S pressed between the vehicle's door and its frame when the door i~ cloeed. A ribbon, strap, or elongated piece of material ie attached to each wing for the operator to hold during the closure of the door. The strap has sufficient length to permit the operator to extend it past the rear of, or under, the door,thereby making sure that the operator~s hand is in a safe position.
According to one aspect cf the present invention, a combination comprises a vehicle haviny at least two doors with respective door frames, an interior, and a windshield; and, a protective device secured to said vehicle and having a single sheet of flexible material being wider than the windshield of said vehicle, edges of eaid sheet clamped betwPen respective ones of said door and said door frame and terminating within said vehicle interior, a first strap of material having two ends, the first end of said first strap attached to a first one of said edges of said single sheet of flexible material, the second end of said first strap being adapted for manual grasping, and wherein said second end is clamped between respective ones of said door and said door frame and hangs freely on the exterior of said vehicle, and a second strap of material having two ends, the first end of said second strap attached to a second edge of said single sheet of flexible material, the second end of eaid second strap adapted for manual grasping and wherein said second . ' , t :: -' ': `'~

- 132~3 end i6 clamped between respective ones of said door and said door frame and hangs freely on the exterior of said vehicla.
According to another aspect of the invention, there i6 provided a method of securing a protective device having a main body and two wings to a windshield of a vehicle having two doors, the method comprising opening a first door of said vehicle;
placing a fir&t wing of said protective dev:ice in a first door frame; maintaining the first wing in the vicinity of the first door frame through the use of a first strap attached to said first wing, said first strap ending in an end portion adapted for manual grasping, said first strap having sufficient length to extend past a back of the first door frame; closing the first, door, thereby clasping the first wing between the first door and the first door frame and leaving the end portion of said first strap having free on the exterior of said vehicle; opening a second door of said vehicle; placing a second wing of said protective device in the vicinity of a second door frame;
stretching the main body of said protective device over said windshield by applying a pulling force on said second wing while maintaining the second wing in the vicinity of the second door frame through the use of a second strap attached to said second wing, said second strap ending in an end portion adapted for manual grasping, said second strap having sufficient length to extend past a back of the second door frame; and closing the second door, thereby clasping the second wing~between the second door and the second door frame and leaving the end portion of said second strap having free on the exterior of said vehicle.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, th~ cover .
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~2~3 is composed of a multilayer arrangement with one of the layers being polyethylene 50 as to create a thermal blanket against the window and yet remain flexible even when subjected to extremes in heat and cold. Another layer on the polyethylene i~ chosen so that it may be printed upon by the distributor to identify the product in market or to convey some saying. Preferably, both sides of the polyethylene have this same layer.
Because of the length of strap or the like, the operator can make sure that the covering remains taut during closure of the door without worry about their own safety. Since the cover is taut, the cover is less likely to incur wind damage or permit moisture to get beneath the cover and freeze upon the windshield.
In one embodiment of the invention, the wings are made extra large so that they provide a screen for the windows within the vehicle's doors. This not only provides more protection for the interior of the vehicle but it also provides for privacy should the operator of the vehicle, such as a long distance trucker, want to sleep.
The sandwich approach to the cover of the invention in the preferred embodiment also permits the cover to provide added strength without creating a material which is brittle or stiff.
In the preferred embodiment, the entire assembly i6 ~ormed from a single piece of material of polyethylene. Hence, the body, wings, and straps/handles all are formed of the same unit. This eliminates the need to perform any gluing or other attaching of the straps/handles to the wings.
The invention together with various embodiments thereof will be more fully described by the drawings and their accompanying descriptions.

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26~3 Figure 1 ls a frontal vlew of an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a cutaway view of an embodlment of the lnvention illustratlng the sandwlch of the cover or body of the wlndshield protector.
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as it is attached to a vehicle.
Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as it is r attached to a vehicle whereln the side windows are provided some protection through the use of the extended wings.

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- 1~26~03 In flgure 1, an embodiment o$ the lnvention is illustrated. The main body 10 of the windshield protector is larger than the windshield it is to protect. This not only provides for a complete covering but .,j .
reduces the availability of wind damage since the body is kept secure to ~"! 5 the vehicle.
Wlngs 11a and 11bl in this embodiment, are an extension of the maln body 10. Other embodiments of the invention call for the physical attachment of the ~ings to the main body. Wings 11a and 11b have ~ sufficient length to permit them to be closed between the vehicle's door !
~' lO and the frame. The exterior edges of wings 11a and 11b may be made ` thicker by folds or the like to reduce the possibility of a thief sllpping the wings froln the door.
Straps 12a and 12b permit the operator to securely hold the respective wings 1la and 11b in place during the closure of the door.

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î 15 Straps 12a and 12b have an overall length so that when the door is completely closed, parts of straps 12a and 12b extend from the rear of .:, the vehicle's door.

In one embodiment of the invention, the straps are attached to the :-..
repective wings through the use of a yoke of material. This permits the even application of force to the protector when the protector is being placed upon the vehicle.
In this manner, the protector, which can also be used for a windshield billboard in advertiaing manner, can be securely and safely fastened to the vehlcle. Thereby eliminating the possibility of theft and of wind damage to the protector.

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1326~3 Figure 2 hlghllghts the preferred embodiment's sandwlch approach to the prote~tor. The protector 20 ls composed of an lnterlor layer 22 oE polyethylene which provldes flexlbility and durability even durlng extremes in temperature. Attached to either side of interior layer 22 are layers of material which permanently accept ink. This permlts the : . .
printing of slogans and other commercial messages, as well as messages of help, onto the windshield pro~ector. With this capability, the pxotector becomes a windshield billboard and becomes less expensive since commercial businesses will subsidize their distribution.

` lO Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the lnvention after lt has been attached to a vehicle 30. Beneath the screen/ protector 31 lies the vehlcle's 30 wlndshield. Door 32 pinches the wlng 34 between the door and the frame to prevent the unauthorized removal of the windshleld protector.
To further secure the windshield protector, the vehicle's wlndshield wipers can be used to secure the protector by placlng the ~ protector under them.
;~ Handle or strap 33 extends past the rear portion of door 32 permitting the operator to keep the screen 31 snug durlng the closure of door 32. The strap 33 is sufficiently long so that lts extends well past the door. In thls embodiment, the length ls at least six (6) inches to provide for sufficient safety.
Flgure 4 illustrates another embodiment of wlndshleld protector after it has been applied to vehlcle 40. Again the protector portion 41 covets the ~itdehield Oe vehicle 40. Wlng 44 exteDde into the vehlcle , , ,;

1 326~03 and is plnched bet~een door 42 and its frame. In this embodiment, the length oiE the wing 44 is ex~ended so that lt covers at least some of side windoN 45.
~; This provides added protection to the interlor of the car from sun damage and also gives any restlng operator some additional privacy.
It is clear from the forgoing that this invention provides a ~ significant improvement over the prior art ln its generation of a ?1 windshield screen/ protector which is secure ~rom thef~, resistant to `; wind damage, safe for the operator to apply, does not damage the vehicle -~ 10 lt is to protect, pliable even in extreme temperatures, and yet ~, inexpensive to construct.
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Claims (6)

1. A method of securing a protective device having a main body and two wings to a windshield of a vehicle having two doors, the method comprising:
opening a first door of said vehicle;
placing a first wing of said protective device in a first door frame;
maintaining the first wing in the vicinity of the first door frame through the use of a first strap attached to said first wing, said first strap ending in an end portion adapted for manual grasping, said first strap having sufficient length to extend past a back of the first door frame;
closing the first door, thereby clasping the first wing between the first door and the first door frame and leaving the end portion of said first strap hanging free on the exterior of said vehicle;
opening a second door of said vehicle;
placing a second wing of said protective device in the vicinity of a second door frame;
stretching the main body of said protective device over said windshield by applying a pulling force on said second wing while maintaining the second wing in the vicinity of the second door frame through the use of a second strap attached to said second wing, said second strap ending in an end portion adapted for manual grasping, said second strap having sufficient length to extend past a back of the second door frame; and, closing the second door, thereby clasping the second wing between the second door and the second door frame and leaving the end portion of said second strap hanging free on the exterior of said vehicle.

2. The method of securing a protective device according to claim 1 further comprising the step of securing a base of said main body using at least one windshield wiper of said vehicle.

3. A combination comprising:
a vehicle having at least two doors with respective door frames, an interior, and a windshield; and, a protective device secured to said vehicle and having, a single sheet of flexible material being wider than the windshield of said vehicle, edges of said sheet clamped between respective ones of said door and said door frame and terminating within said vehicle interior, a first strap of material having two ends, the first end of said first strap attached to a first one of said edges of said single sheet of flexible material, the second end of said first strap being adapted for manual grasping, and wherein said second end is clamped between respective ones of said door and said door frame and hangs freely on the exterior of said vehicle, and, a second strap of material having two ends, the first end of said second strap attached to a second edge of said single sheet of flexible material, the second end of said second strap adapted for manual grasping and wherein said second end is clamped between respective ones of said door and said door frame and hangs freely on the exterior of said vehicle.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said single sheet of flexible material contains polyethylene foam.

5. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said single sheet of flexible material has at least two layers therein.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said single sheet of flexible material is a three layer sandwich arrangement and wherein one of said layers is composed of a polyethelene foam.