GB2191745A - Protective cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A magnetic material is incorporated in a pocket (1) of a multi-layer flexible sheet (5) or in the base (11, 20) of a tray (10, 23) (Figures 5 to 8) in order to permit the item to be fixed on the wing or some other part of a motor vehicle whilst a mechanic is working on the vehicle. The flexible sheet (5) lies alongside an absorbent layer or layers (4) of material detachable from the main sheet and serving to protect the vehicle body against accidental damage. The tray (23) may be weighted and pivotably mounted on the base (20) to adopt a level orientation at all times. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Protective cover This invention reiatesto atemporary protective coverfor a section of a vehicle body orthe like, and to a self-levelling tray for holding small tools and components.

In the servicing of motor vehicles, and in particular the engines thereof, it is commonly necessaryforthe mechanicto lean across the body work of the vehicle to gain access to the engine compartment. This practice gives rise to the possibility of damage to the vehicle paintwork by oil or dirtfrom the mechanics overalls, by buttons or zip fasteners on the overalls, or by tools carried in the pockets of the overalls. To tryto overcome this problem, use is frequently made of textile or plastics sheets which are spread over the relevant part of the vehicle wing. However, difficulties are experienced in holding the sheet in place on the wing and in ensuring that the sheet itself does not become a cause of damage to the vehicle paintwork by damaging pollutants becoming attached to the sheet.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved temporary cover.

According to one aspect ofthe present invention a temporary protective cover for a section of a vehicle body or the like comprises a flexible, preferably impervious, sheet having at one edge portion thereof an anchorage strip to hold the cover on said section of car body or the like, the underside ofthe sheet being provided with at least one detachable layer of an absorbent material.

Preferably, where the vehicle body is of conventional mild steel construction, the anchorage comprises at least one magnet. More suitably, the anchorage strip comprises a plastics material having a magnetic material incorporated therein, for example, in theform ofmagnatisedgranules.

The absorbent material may be cloth, for example, terry towelling material, or absorbent paper, suitably as a pad of sheets detachable one at a time as they become soiled. Attachment either of the towelling layer or of a paper sheet or pad of sheets maybe buy a hook and loop type of fastening strip, such as Velcro (Registered Trade Mark).

The outer surface of the cover may be provided with pockets to hold tools or components, and the outer surface also presents a location suitable for the printing of information or advertising material.

The absorbent material in the form of a cloth may be readily detached for washing, and spare cloth sheets may be provided to be used while the other sheets are being washed.

Another aspect of this invention provides a self-levelling tray suitable for holding tools or components adjacentto a mechanicworking on a motor vehicle, by attachment to a section ofthe motor vehicle body, comprising a base portion having therein at least one magnet permitting attachment to a metal surface, and having two upstanding arms adapted to pivotally mount therebetween an elongate tray having aweight attached thereto or incorporated therein, the weight being offset from the axis of the pivotal mountings in such a manner as to ensure that the tray remains with its tool receiving surface uppermost, irrespective of the position of the base portion.

Reference is made to the drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of one embodiment ofthe protective cover ofthe invention; Figure2 is a corresponding view of the detachable layer of absorbent material for use with the cover as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 1 of another embodiment of the cover; Figure 4 is a viewof a furtherembodiment; Figure 5 is a perspective view ofatool holding tray for use with the cover illustrated in Figures 1,3 and 4; Figure 6is an exploded perspective view of the tool holding tray according to the second aspect of the invention; and Figures 7and 8 are views of the assembled device of Figure 6 with the base attached to a vertical surface and to the underside of a horizontal surface, respectively.

Referring to Figure 1 ,the cover is formed from a rectangular sheet of flexible weldable plastics material byfolding back and edge welding atop edge portion 1 to form a sealed pocket encapsulating a strip of a flexible magnetised plastics material having magnetic granules incorporated into the plastics material, all the magnetic granules or particles having the same magnetic orientation.

Thus, the top portion 1 will adhere firmly to a steel sheet such as a vehicle body wing portion. One part of a two-part hook-and-loop tape (Velcro-Registered Trade Mark) is welded to the sheet immediately below the magnetic portion 1. The other part 3 of the tape is secured along the top edge of a rectangular sheet of towelling 4, suitably edge finished, which can then be attached to the underside of the main body 5 of the plastics sheet so that, in use, the towelling rests against the paintwork of the vehicle wing.

Alternatively, a pad of absorbent paper sheets may be provided with the fastening strip 3 along the upper edge thereof, the sheets being detachable from the pad at a position immediately beneath the strip 3 in such a manner that a clean sheet of absorbent paper may be exposed to the vehicle body at each new use of the cover.

Figure 3 shows a modified form of the cover shown in Figure 1 in which pockets 6 are provided in the lower edge of the main body of the sheet 5, the pockets serving to receive tools or components which the mechanic needs to keep to hand in working on the vehicle. The pockets 6 are preferably gusseted and may be formed by welding of plastics material, preferably by folding up a lower portion of the sheet 5, webs 7 being inserted to provide the gussets.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, an additional sheet 8 is attached to the upper edge of the magnetic portion 1. The sheet 8 has gusseted pockets 9 provided in its free end, and is arranged to be suspended by the magnetic portion 1, within the engine compartment, to hold tools or components in a position more readily accessible to the mechanic working in the engine compartment and leaning againstthe outer surface ofthe sheet 5 in contact with the vehicle wing.

Figure 5 shows a plastics tool-or component-receiving tray 10 having magnets or magnetised plastics material incorporated into the base 11 thereof, the tray being attachable by magnetic attraction to the magnetic portion 1 of the cover or, if preferred, to an adjacent portion ofthe vehicle body. Separate compartments 12 maybe provided to separate different types of tool or component.

Referring now to Figures 6to 8, the self-levelling tool and componenttray comprises a base portion 20 incorporating one or more magnets or a magnetised plastics material therein to permitthe base to be attached to any mild steel surface on the vehicle. At each end of the base portion 20 a triangular arm 21, having a locating hole 22, extends perpendicularto the base portion 20. The tray portion 23 comprises an elongate channel member divided into separate compartments by dividing walls 24 and having at each end a lug 25 which can be rotatably received in the locating holes 22 ofthe arms 21. The tray 23 is provided with a weight in the lower portion thereof remotefrom the common axis ofthe lugs 25 to ensure thatthe open faces ofthe compartments remain uppermost when the base is attached to a vertical surface, as shown in Figure 7, or even to the underside of a horizontal surface, as shown in Figure 8. In use, a mechanic could attach the device to any surface of the vehicle adjacentto the part upon which he is working, and the tray would then be suitably arranged to receive components detached bythe mechanic, for example nuts and washers, orto hold components ready for installation.

Claims (17)

1. Atemporary protective cover for a section of a vehicle body orthe like; said cover comprising a flexiblemulti-layeredsheetwith atleastone detachable layer of absorbent material for contacting the vehicle body during use and anchorage means for holding the cover on the vehicle body.

2. Acoveraccordingtoclaim 1,whereinthe sheet has another layer with an edge portion containing magnetic means acting as the anchorage means.

3. A cover according to claim 1 ,wherein the edge portion informed by folding and welding to provide a pocketforthe magnetic means.

4. A cover according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the magnetic means is a plastics material containing magnetic particles or granules.

5. Acoveraccordingto anyoneofclaims2to4, wherein releasable fastening means is provided between the other layer and said at least one detachable layer.

6. A cover according to claim 5,wherein the fastening means comprises strips of hook and loop type fastening material.

7. A cover according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the other layer is impervious.

8. Acoveraccording to claims 1 to 7,whereinthe absorbent material is paperortowelling cloth.

9. A cover according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein a plurality of detachable layers of absorbent material are provided.

10. A cover according to any one ofthe preceding claims and further comprising a plurality of pockets for receiving tools or components.

11. A self-levelling tray device for holding tools and/or components adjacentto a vehicle body; said device comprising a base portion incorporating magnetic means for holding the device on a section of the body, a weighted tray pivotally supported by the base portion and adapted to adopt a generally level orientation irrespective ofthe relative position of the base portion.

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein the magnetic means comprises one or more magnets or a plastics material containing magnetic particles or granules.

13. A device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the tray has individual compartmentsforreceiving the tools or components.

14. Atray device for holding tools and/or components adjacent to a vehicle body; said device comprising a base portion incorporating magnetic means for holding the device on a section ofthe body, and a plurality of individual compartments for receiving the tools and/or components.

15. A cover substantiaily as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any one or more of Figures 1 to 4 ofthe accompanying drawings.

16. Atray device substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any one of more of Figures 5to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A device for use with a motor vehicle body during servicing orthe like; said device comprising flexible protective sheet material with pockets, or a compartmentalized tray for receiving tools and/or components and magnetic means associated with the sheet material or tray for location to a section of the vehicle body to fix the device in a convenient accessible position.