CA2075793A1 - Vehicle side protector - Google Patents
Vehicle side protectorInfo
- Publication number
- CA2075793A1 CA2075793A1 CA 2075793 CA2075793A CA2075793A1 CA 2075793 A1 CA2075793 A1 CA 2075793A1 CA 2075793 CA2075793 CA 2075793 CA 2075793 A CA2075793 A CA 2075793A CA 2075793 A1 CA2075793 A1 CA 2075793A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- protector
- vehicle
- shield
- vehicle side
- removable vehicle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
- B60J11/00—Removable external protective coverings specially adapted for vehicles or parts of vehicles, e.g. parking covers
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
An removable vehicle side protector is disclosed, for providing protection against dents caused by adjacent car doors and the like. The protector is made of a lightweight, resilient material and can be folded in an accordion-like manner for convenient storage. When extended and mounted on aside of the vehicle, the protector provides protection over the entire side of the vehicle from fender to fender. When extended, the protector is capable of bending laterally to conform to the contour of a side of the vehicle. The protector can be fastened to the vehicle by virtually any combination of magnets, suction cups, or hooks.
An removable vehicle side protector is disclosed, for providing protection against dents caused by adjacent car doors and the like. The protector is made of a lightweight, resilient material and can be folded in an accordion-like manner for convenient storage. When extended and mounted on aside of the vehicle, the protector provides protection over the entire side of the vehicle from fender to fender. When extended, the protector is capable of bending laterally to conform to the contour of a side of the vehicle. The protector can be fastened to the vehicle by virtually any combination of magnets, suction cups, or hooks.
Description
~75~
The present invention relates to a light-weight removable apparatus for protecting the side of a vehicle from damage due to impact by adjacent vehicle's doors, shopping carts, etc. In particular, the present invention relates to a removable protector capable of being fitted to the side of a vehicle, which, when installed, affords protection to a substantial proportion of the side of the vehicle.
- Various removable vehicle side protectors are known in the art. For example, Canadian Patent No.
1,182,148 (Dion) discloses a portable bumper for protecting the side of a vehicle. This bumper includes 2 rigid of semi-rigid bumper members mounted on a flexible strip. A
set of support straps suspend the bumper at a desired height. One of the support straps is designed to be closed in a door or window of the vehicle, thereby securing the bumper at a desired height, as well as preventing theft of the bumper.
It will be noted, however, that the bumpers used in the Dion protector only cover a small area of the side of the vehicle, so that the degree of protection afforded to the side of the vehicle is limited.
United States Patent No. 4,707,009 (Barnett) discloses a vehicle protector comprising rigid side protector panels connected by a saddle band which passes over the roof of the vehicle. The rigid protector panels include two hinge portions, which permit the panels to be folded into a more compact form for storage. However, the presence of the large saddle band means that, even when folded, the vehicle protector will be large and cumbersome.
Additionally, the size and awkwardness of the design means that installation of the protector will be difficult for one person.
United States Patent Number 3,540,773 (Settle) discloses a vehicle side protector which comprises a flexible plastic sheet wound on a spring-tensioned roll . . .
:
.. . :
, ~57~3 permanently affixed to the interior of a vehicle door.
This arrangement allows the plastic sheet to be pulled from the roll and stretched over the exterior of the vehicle door. This arrangement is disadvantageous in that the rolls are unsightly, and occupy space within the interior of the vehicle. Thus installation of this type of protector is difficult or impractical on many modern vehicles. Furthermore, the usefulness of the protector is limited, because the plastic sheet would be able to prevent scratches in the vehicle's paint, but would provide virtually no protection against impact.
An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a highly effective, removable vehicle side protector which can be readily installed, and removed, by one person, and which can be collapsed into a compact unit.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a removable vehicle side protector comprising: a protective shield portion comprising a plurality of shield panels disposed edge-to-edge; lateral ; hinge means disposed between respective adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of collapsing longitudinally in an accordion-like manner for storage; longitudinal hinge means disposed between respective edge~ of adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of bending laterally, so as to substantially follow a contour of a side of the vehicle; and fastening means for securely fastening the protector to a side of the vehicle.
The present invention is preferably shaped to cover a substantial proportion of the side of the vehicle from the back of the front wheel well to the front of the back wheel well (length), and from the rocker panel to the bottom of the door window (width), thus providing ,. - , - . :
., ~ ' , '.;"
~07579~
substantially complete protection for the side of the vehicle.
Preferably, the protector is secured to the side of the vehicle by magnets and/or suction cups. In the case of most vehicles, the bodies of which are formed of steel, magnets alone are capable of holding the protector in place. However, some vehicles are constructed with non-magnetic materials (e.g. aluminum or fibreglass), in which case suction cups can be advantageously employed.
Even in cases where magnets are used as the primary securing means, suction cups can be employed to assist the user in mounting the protector onto their vehicle.
The protector can be further secured to the vehicle by closing an anti-theft device in the door of the vehicle prior to extending the protective shield over the side of the vehicle.
The present invention folds and unfolds in an accordion-like manner and therefore is very compact and easily transportable.
The present invention can be easily installed on, or removed from the side of virtually any type of vehicle.
The f-ont surface of the protector provides an excellent surface on which advertising materials may be displayed, thereby allowing the protector of the invention to also serve as an advertising medium.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention mounted on a side of a vehicle;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the protector when partially extended;
.
.: . , ;
: , -: , -. ~ : . , ;, -. .
20757~3 Figure 3 is a top view of the present invention when fully folded for storage;
Figures 4 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention fully extended and bent to conform to the contour of a side of a vehicle; and Figures 5a through 5c are back side views of respective embodiments of the present invention, illustrating the placement of magnets, suction cups, and foam backing.
Referring to Figure 1, which shows a protector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention placed on a side of an automobile 2. It will be understood that the invention can fit almost any vehicle in a manner similar to that illustrated, and that use of the present invention is not limited to automobiles.
The protector 1 is generally comprised of an assembly of resilient shield panels 3 connected edge-to-edge to form a protective shield portion. The shield panels 3 are composed of a tough, resilient material to withstand impacts. Various plastic and polymer-based materials are known which can be suitably employed for this purpose. For example, shield panels 3 composed of Coreplast (Tradename), and between 2 and lOmm in thickness, have been found to provide a high degree of impact protection.
The shield portion of the protector 1 is provided with both lateral and longitudinal hinge lines, 4a and 4b respectively. The lateral hinge lines 4a are situated on alternating sides of the shield portion (as illustrated by the alternating solid and dashed lines in Figure 1), to allow the protector 1 to be folded and collapsed longitudinally, in and accordion-like manner, for storage.
When the protector 1 is fully extended, the longitudinal hinge lines 4b permit the protector to bend and conform to the contour of the vehicle.
. . .:;; ~:-: : ' : ' ' .
: , , - :. , ~
: . '- .i ' ~, ~ '' ' - ' .. : .
The protective shield portion can be formed of a plurality of separate panels 3 linked together by mechanical hinge members. Alternatively, the shield portion can b~e formed from a single sheet which is subdivided into panels by grooves. In this case, the thickness of the sheet is reduced sufficiently in the grooves to allow the material to flex, thereby permitting the protector 1 to bend and/or fold as required.
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the protector 1 when partially extended. As the protector 1 collapses longitudinally into a storage condition, adjacent shield panels 3 rotate, or pivot with respect to each other, in alternate directions, so that the protector 1 collapses in an accordion-like manner (as illustrated).
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the protector 1 is held on the side of the vehicle 2 by means of magnets 5 affixed to the back side of the protector 1. In order to prevent the magnets 5 from scratching or otherwise marring the surface of the vehicle, the magnets 5 can be provided with a resilient covering (formed of a rubber material, for example). In addition, - pads (not shown in Figure 2), which can, for example, be made of soft foam material, are mounted on the back of each of the shield panels 3 of the protector 1, so as to provide further protection against impact. Finally, an antitheft anchor 6, prevents theft of the protector 1.
The anchor 6 generally comprises a stopper 6a permanently attached to the protector 1 by a strong flexible attachment member 6b. In use, a door of the vehicle 2 is closed (and locked) with the stopper 6a inside ; the vehicle 2, and the attachment member 6b passing through the gap between the door and the frame of the vehicle 2.
The stopper 6a is too large to pass through the gap between the closed door ad the vehicle frame, and thus prevents unauthorised removal of the protector 1.
. .
.
, - : : - : ., ~- , : ,- ~ . :
Figure 3 shows a top view of the invention when fully collapsed. The compact nature of the invention when fully folded for storage, will be readily apparent. In - this condition, magnetic attraction between the magnets 5 on the shield panels 3 conveniently holds the protector 1 in the folded condition.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the protector 1 which illustrates the ability of the protector 1 to bend laterally to conform to the contour of the vehicle 2.
Longitudinal hinge lines 4b, which (as described previously) can be in the form of grooves in the front side of the protective shield portion, allow the protector 1 to conform to the convex shape of the vehicle. An additional advantage obtained by laterally bending the protector 1 is that the convex form obtained thereby provides added protection by stiffening the overall protector, and increasing its capacity to absorb, and distribute impact energy.
In addition, the curved shape of the protector renders the protector 1 more wind-resistant, and thus more likely to stay in place, even in high winds.
Figures 5a - 5c are back-side views of respective embodiments of the present invention, illustrating the placement of magnets 5, pads 7, and suction cups 8. It will be apparent, from these drawings, that there are a variety of ways by which the protector can be fastened to the side of a vehicle.
For example, Figure 5a illustrates an embodiments of the present invention in which the protector 1 is held on the side of the vehicle 2 entirely by magnets 5. The pads 7, which may be composed of a comparatively soft foam material, provides cushioning between the shield panels 3 and the surface of the vehicle, thereby reducing the risk of marring the surface finish thereof.
Figure 5b illustrates an embodiment in which the protector is primarily held by magnets, while a flexibly - .~ ' ' ~ ~'' ' .
.
The present invention relates to a light-weight removable apparatus for protecting the side of a vehicle from damage due to impact by adjacent vehicle's doors, shopping carts, etc. In particular, the present invention relates to a removable protector capable of being fitted to the side of a vehicle, which, when installed, affords protection to a substantial proportion of the side of the vehicle.
- Various removable vehicle side protectors are known in the art. For example, Canadian Patent No.
1,182,148 (Dion) discloses a portable bumper for protecting the side of a vehicle. This bumper includes 2 rigid of semi-rigid bumper members mounted on a flexible strip. A
set of support straps suspend the bumper at a desired height. One of the support straps is designed to be closed in a door or window of the vehicle, thereby securing the bumper at a desired height, as well as preventing theft of the bumper.
It will be noted, however, that the bumpers used in the Dion protector only cover a small area of the side of the vehicle, so that the degree of protection afforded to the side of the vehicle is limited.
United States Patent No. 4,707,009 (Barnett) discloses a vehicle protector comprising rigid side protector panels connected by a saddle band which passes over the roof of the vehicle. The rigid protector panels include two hinge portions, which permit the panels to be folded into a more compact form for storage. However, the presence of the large saddle band means that, even when folded, the vehicle protector will be large and cumbersome.
Additionally, the size and awkwardness of the design means that installation of the protector will be difficult for one person.
United States Patent Number 3,540,773 (Settle) discloses a vehicle side protector which comprises a flexible plastic sheet wound on a spring-tensioned roll . . .
:
.. . :
, ~57~3 permanently affixed to the interior of a vehicle door.
This arrangement allows the plastic sheet to be pulled from the roll and stretched over the exterior of the vehicle door. This arrangement is disadvantageous in that the rolls are unsightly, and occupy space within the interior of the vehicle. Thus installation of this type of protector is difficult or impractical on many modern vehicles. Furthermore, the usefulness of the protector is limited, because the plastic sheet would be able to prevent scratches in the vehicle's paint, but would provide virtually no protection against impact.
An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a highly effective, removable vehicle side protector which can be readily installed, and removed, by one person, and which can be collapsed into a compact unit.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a removable vehicle side protector comprising: a protective shield portion comprising a plurality of shield panels disposed edge-to-edge; lateral ; hinge means disposed between respective adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of collapsing longitudinally in an accordion-like manner for storage; longitudinal hinge means disposed between respective edge~ of adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of bending laterally, so as to substantially follow a contour of a side of the vehicle; and fastening means for securely fastening the protector to a side of the vehicle.
The present invention is preferably shaped to cover a substantial proportion of the side of the vehicle from the back of the front wheel well to the front of the back wheel well (length), and from the rocker panel to the bottom of the door window (width), thus providing ,. - , - . :
., ~ ' , '.;"
~07579~
substantially complete protection for the side of the vehicle.
Preferably, the protector is secured to the side of the vehicle by magnets and/or suction cups. In the case of most vehicles, the bodies of which are formed of steel, magnets alone are capable of holding the protector in place. However, some vehicles are constructed with non-magnetic materials (e.g. aluminum or fibreglass), in which case suction cups can be advantageously employed.
Even in cases where magnets are used as the primary securing means, suction cups can be employed to assist the user in mounting the protector onto their vehicle.
The protector can be further secured to the vehicle by closing an anti-theft device in the door of the vehicle prior to extending the protective shield over the side of the vehicle.
The present invention folds and unfolds in an accordion-like manner and therefore is very compact and easily transportable.
The present invention can be easily installed on, or removed from the side of virtually any type of vehicle.
The f-ont surface of the protector provides an excellent surface on which advertising materials may be displayed, thereby allowing the protector of the invention to also serve as an advertising medium.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention mounted on a side of a vehicle;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the protector when partially extended;
.
.: . , ;
: , -: , -. ~ : . , ;, -. .
20757~3 Figure 3 is a top view of the present invention when fully folded for storage;
Figures 4 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention fully extended and bent to conform to the contour of a side of a vehicle; and Figures 5a through 5c are back side views of respective embodiments of the present invention, illustrating the placement of magnets, suction cups, and foam backing.
Referring to Figure 1, which shows a protector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention placed on a side of an automobile 2. It will be understood that the invention can fit almost any vehicle in a manner similar to that illustrated, and that use of the present invention is not limited to automobiles.
The protector 1 is generally comprised of an assembly of resilient shield panels 3 connected edge-to-edge to form a protective shield portion. The shield panels 3 are composed of a tough, resilient material to withstand impacts. Various plastic and polymer-based materials are known which can be suitably employed for this purpose. For example, shield panels 3 composed of Coreplast (Tradename), and between 2 and lOmm in thickness, have been found to provide a high degree of impact protection.
The shield portion of the protector 1 is provided with both lateral and longitudinal hinge lines, 4a and 4b respectively. The lateral hinge lines 4a are situated on alternating sides of the shield portion (as illustrated by the alternating solid and dashed lines in Figure 1), to allow the protector 1 to be folded and collapsed longitudinally, in and accordion-like manner, for storage.
When the protector 1 is fully extended, the longitudinal hinge lines 4b permit the protector to bend and conform to the contour of the vehicle.
. . .:;; ~:-: : ' : ' ' .
: , , - :. , ~
: . '- .i ' ~, ~ '' ' - ' .. : .
The protective shield portion can be formed of a plurality of separate panels 3 linked together by mechanical hinge members. Alternatively, the shield portion can b~e formed from a single sheet which is subdivided into panels by grooves. In this case, the thickness of the sheet is reduced sufficiently in the grooves to allow the material to flex, thereby permitting the protector 1 to bend and/or fold as required.
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the protector 1 when partially extended. As the protector 1 collapses longitudinally into a storage condition, adjacent shield panels 3 rotate, or pivot with respect to each other, in alternate directions, so that the protector 1 collapses in an accordion-like manner (as illustrated).
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the protector 1 is held on the side of the vehicle 2 by means of magnets 5 affixed to the back side of the protector 1. In order to prevent the magnets 5 from scratching or otherwise marring the surface of the vehicle, the magnets 5 can be provided with a resilient covering (formed of a rubber material, for example). In addition, - pads (not shown in Figure 2), which can, for example, be made of soft foam material, are mounted on the back of each of the shield panels 3 of the protector 1, so as to provide further protection against impact. Finally, an antitheft anchor 6, prevents theft of the protector 1.
The anchor 6 generally comprises a stopper 6a permanently attached to the protector 1 by a strong flexible attachment member 6b. In use, a door of the vehicle 2 is closed (and locked) with the stopper 6a inside ; the vehicle 2, and the attachment member 6b passing through the gap between the door and the frame of the vehicle 2.
The stopper 6a is too large to pass through the gap between the closed door ad the vehicle frame, and thus prevents unauthorised removal of the protector 1.
. .
.
, - : : - : ., ~- , : ,- ~ . :
Figure 3 shows a top view of the invention when fully collapsed. The compact nature of the invention when fully folded for storage, will be readily apparent. In - this condition, magnetic attraction between the magnets 5 on the shield panels 3 conveniently holds the protector 1 in the folded condition.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the protector 1 which illustrates the ability of the protector 1 to bend laterally to conform to the contour of the vehicle 2.
Longitudinal hinge lines 4b, which (as described previously) can be in the form of grooves in the front side of the protective shield portion, allow the protector 1 to conform to the convex shape of the vehicle. An additional advantage obtained by laterally bending the protector 1 is that the convex form obtained thereby provides added protection by stiffening the overall protector, and increasing its capacity to absorb, and distribute impact energy.
In addition, the curved shape of the protector renders the protector 1 more wind-resistant, and thus more likely to stay in place, even in high winds.
Figures 5a - 5c are back-side views of respective embodiments of the present invention, illustrating the placement of magnets 5, pads 7, and suction cups 8. It will be apparent, from these drawings, that there are a variety of ways by which the protector can be fastened to the side of a vehicle.
For example, Figure 5a illustrates an embodiments of the present invention in which the protector 1 is held on the side of the vehicle 2 entirely by magnets 5. The pads 7, which may be composed of a comparatively soft foam material, provides cushioning between the shield panels 3 and the surface of the vehicle, thereby reducing the risk of marring the surface finish thereof.
Figure 5b illustrates an embodiment in which the protector is primarily held by magnets, while a flexibly - .~ ' ' ~ ~'' ' .
.
2~75~93 mounted suction cup near one corner is used to facilitate mounting of the protector 1. When the protector 1 is to be mounted onto the side of the vehicle, the suction cup 8a is first applied to the side of the vehicle 2. The suction cup 8a then allows the protector 1 to be easily lifted and rotated into position at which time the magnets 5 adhere to the vehicle side. The advantage of employing a suction cup in this case, is that the inherent flexibility and elasticity of the suction cup permits a substantial range of adjustment of the position of the protector, prior to adhesion of the magnets, without marring the surface of the vehicle.
Figure 5c, illustrates an embodiment in which the protector is entirely secured by suction cups 8. This embodiment would be of particular utility in the case of vehicles having non-magnetic bodies (i.e. composed of aluminum, fibreglass, etc).
It will thus be clear that magnets and suction cups can be used alone, or in combination to ensure secure mounting of the protector on the side of the vehicle.
It will be apparent from Figure 1, that the protector 1 of the invention can be suitably adapted to serve as an advertising medium. In this case, an advertisement can been applied to the front surface of the shield panels 3. Application of the advertisement may be by any of a variety of known methods, including silk-screening, bill-board paper, etc.
It will therefore be apparent to those skilled in the art that there are a variety of ways in which the protector may be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention.
For example, it will be apparent that, in order to facilitate bi-directional folding of the protector, the lateral and longitudinal hinge lines must be substantially . ~ . j . . ~ , . ~ .
20~5793 straight. However, those skilled in the art will recognise that they need not be parallel. For example, providing either the lateral, or the longitudinal hinge lines with a slight radial orientation will yield a protector having a curved fan-like shape, or a tapered shape, respectively.
Additionally, while the hinge lines must be generally straight, no such limitation exists at the perimeter of the protector. Thus while the embodiments illustrated and described above are generally rectangular in form, it will be apparent that virtually any shape may be satisfactorily employed.
Furthermore, the above described embodiments employed magnets and/or suction cups to mount the protector on the side of the vehicle. However, it will be readily apparent that various fastening means my be satisfactorily used. For example, hooks (either fastened directly to the protector or via elastic members to provide added flexibility) can be provided, to secure the protector to the vehicle by directly engaging the vehicle body.
Finally, it will be apparent that the protector according to the present invention can be sized to suit different sizes of vehicles, simply by adding or subtracting suitable numbers of shield panels 3. For example, it would be a simple matter to manufacture the protector in a size suitable of large vehicles. Having obtained such an oversized protector, a user could then readily cut the protector along a longitudinal and/or a lateral hinge line to remove excess shield panels 3, and thereby reduce the size of the protector 1 to suit the user's vehicle.
Alternatively, an existing protector 1 can be extended, for example by bonding new shield panels 3 to the protector 1 along an edge of the protector, which edge then becomes another hinge line of the now enlarged protector.
.
.
.
. . , - . . , - - .
.
.
.. ~ ... .
Figure 5c, illustrates an embodiment in which the protector is entirely secured by suction cups 8. This embodiment would be of particular utility in the case of vehicles having non-magnetic bodies (i.e. composed of aluminum, fibreglass, etc).
It will thus be clear that magnets and suction cups can be used alone, or in combination to ensure secure mounting of the protector on the side of the vehicle.
It will be apparent from Figure 1, that the protector 1 of the invention can be suitably adapted to serve as an advertising medium. In this case, an advertisement can been applied to the front surface of the shield panels 3. Application of the advertisement may be by any of a variety of known methods, including silk-screening, bill-board paper, etc.
It will therefore be apparent to those skilled in the art that there are a variety of ways in which the protector may be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention.
For example, it will be apparent that, in order to facilitate bi-directional folding of the protector, the lateral and longitudinal hinge lines must be substantially . ~ . j . . ~ , . ~ .
20~5793 straight. However, those skilled in the art will recognise that they need not be parallel. For example, providing either the lateral, or the longitudinal hinge lines with a slight radial orientation will yield a protector having a curved fan-like shape, or a tapered shape, respectively.
Additionally, while the hinge lines must be generally straight, no such limitation exists at the perimeter of the protector. Thus while the embodiments illustrated and described above are generally rectangular in form, it will be apparent that virtually any shape may be satisfactorily employed.
Furthermore, the above described embodiments employed magnets and/or suction cups to mount the protector on the side of the vehicle. However, it will be readily apparent that various fastening means my be satisfactorily used. For example, hooks (either fastened directly to the protector or via elastic members to provide added flexibility) can be provided, to secure the protector to the vehicle by directly engaging the vehicle body.
Finally, it will be apparent that the protector according to the present invention can be sized to suit different sizes of vehicles, simply by adding or subtracting suitable numbers of shield panels 3. For example, it would be a simple matter to manufacture the protector in a size suitable of large vehicles. Having obtained such an oversized protector, a user could then readily cut the protector along a longitudinal and/or a lateral hinge line to remove excess shield panels 3, and thereby reduce the size of the protector 1 to suit the user's vehicle.
Alternatively, an existing protector 1 can be extended, for example by bonding new shield panels 3 to the protector 1 along an edge of the protector, which edge then becomes another hinge line of the now enlarged protector.
.
.
.
. . , - . . , - - .
.
.
.. ~ ... .
Claims (11)
1. A removable vehicle side protector comprising:
a protective shield portion comprising a plurality of shield panels disposed edge-to-edge;
lateral hinge means disposed between respective adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of collapsing longitudinally in an accordion-like manner for storage;
Longitudinal hinge means disposed between respective edges of adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of bending laterally, so as to substantially follow a contour of a side of the vehicle; and Fastening means for securely fastening the protector to a side of the vehicle.
a protective shield portion comprising a plurality of shield panels disposed edge-to-edge;
lateral hinge means disposed between respective adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of collapsing longitudinally in an accordion-like manner for storage;
Longitudinal hinge means disposed between respective edges of adjacent shield panels to facilitate rotation of said adjacent shield panels with respect to one another, whereby said protective shield is capable of bending laterally, so as to substantially follow a contour of a side of the vehicle; and Fastening means for securely fastening the protector to a side of the vehicle.
2. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shield panels are formed of a tough, semi-rigid material.
3. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shield portion is fabricated as a single sheet of resilient material having lateral and longitudinal grooves forming said lateral and longitudinal hinge means.
4. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 3, wherein alternate ones of said lateral grooves are formed on respective alternate sides of said shield portion.
5. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastening means includes a magnet disposed on a side of a respective shield panel.
6. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastening means includes a suction cup disposed on a side of a respective shield panel.
7. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the protective shield is collapsed for storage, magnets disposed on respective adjacent shield panels magnetically fasten to each other, thereby retaining the protective shield in a collapsed storage condition.
8. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising cushioning means disposed on a side of said shield portion, for reducing the risk of marring a surface finish on the side of the vehicle.
9. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising anti-theft means for preventing removal of said protector, when said protector is mounted on a side of a vehicle.
10. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 9, wherein said anti-theft means comprises an anchor disposed at a free end of a flexible connection member affixed to said protector, said flexible connection member being adapted to fit through a gap between a closed door and a frame of said vehicle, and said anchor being sized so as to prevent same from passing through said gap.
11. A removable vehicle side protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shield portion is adapted to serve as a display means for advertisements or the like.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2075793 CA2075793A1 (en) | 1992-08-11 | 1992-08-11 | Vehicle side protector |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2075793 CA2075793A1 (en) | 1992-08-11 | 1992-08-11 | Vehicle side protector |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2075793A1 true CA2075793A1 (en) | 1994-02-12 |
Family
ID=4150289
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2075793 Abandoned CA2075793A1 (en) | 1992-08-11 | 1992-08-11 | Vehicle side protector |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2075793A1 (en) |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2882303A1 (en) * | 2005-02-21 | 2006-08-25 | Karin Irene Ep Morin Docter | SIDE BODY PROTECTIONS FOR VEHICLES WITH INTEGRATED ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM |
| EP1752327A1 (en) * | 2005-08-08 | 2007-02-14 | Sinergia S.N.C. Di Rossi Luca & C. | Car cover |
| CN105882579A (en) * | 2016-05-26 | 2016-08-24 | 杨策 | Automobile side face anticollision protecting plate |
| DE202019002113U1 (en) * | 2019-05-14 | 2020-08-17 | Lars Köthe | Multi-layer coating for substrate surfaces |
| EP3750727A1 (en) * | 2019-06-14 | 2020-12-16 | Leif Carøe Andersen | Door protection |
-
1992
- 1992-08-11 CA CA 2075793 patent/CA2075793A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2882303A1 (en) * | 2005-02-21 | 2006-08-25 | Karin Irene Ep Morin Docter | SIDE BODY PROTECTIONS FOR VEHICLES WITH INTEGRATED ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM |
| WO2006087483A3 (en) * | 2005-02-21 | 2006-10-19 | Karin Morin-Docter | Protection for body of parked vehicles |
| EP1752327A1 (en) * | 2005-08-08 | 2007-02-14 | Sinergia S.N.C. Di Rossi Luca & C. | Car cover |
| CN105882579A (en) * | 2016-05-26 | 2016-08-24 | 杨策 | Automobile side face anticollision protecting plate |
| DE202019002113U1 (en) * | 2019-05-14 | 2020-08-17 | Lars Köthe | Multi-layer coating for substrate surfaces |
| EP3750727A1 (en) * | 2019-06-14 | 2020-12-16 | Leif Carøe Andersen | Door protection |
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| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |