GB2269147A

GB2269147A - Vehicle body panel protector

Info

Publication number: GB2269147A
Application number: GB9311228A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Anthony Tyers; Elizabeth Ann Tyers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-01
Filing date: 1993-06-01
Publication date: 1994-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-01
Also published as: GB9216396D0; GB2269147B; GB9311228D0

Abstract

A panel protector assembly permanently fitted to vehicle body panels. Four panel protectors are normally required to adequately protect a vehicle. The panel protectors are for use when the vehicle is parked where other vehicles are likely to park adjacent. Typically, protective absorber 13 is physically extended from shroud 20 by means of grip bar 17 and attached at a fixing point by clips. Once the protective absorbers are extended the doors of an adjacently parked vehicle are unable to make contact with the vulnerable vehicle body panels covered by the protective absorbers. Before the vehicle is driven, the protective absorbers 13 are retracted under tension of a spring 7. The grip bars are located in the body shrouds. To prevent any protective absorbers being left extended whilst the vehicle is being driven an electrical warning device is installed to indicate a protective absorber in the extended position. <IMAGE>

Description

xESHICLE BODY PANEL PR0E3CTQR This invention relates to a vehicle body panel protector.

The automobile is now common place with an estimated 1.6 million new automobiles registered for use in the United Kiom every year.

Unfortunately many of these new vehicles will receive minor damage within a relatively short time period, whilst stationary unattended in car parks. This minor damage being caused by the adjacently parked vehicle door or doors being opened and accidentally making contact with sufficient force to damage the adjacent vehicles door panel or rear body panel. This minor damage reduces the value of the vehicle or if repaired a fee is payable.

This minor damage occurs because on certain vehicles the body trim that runs the length of the vehicle offers little or no protection to the body panels when the above incident occurs. Frequently the car parking area is marked out in such a way that there is inadequate space for vehicles parked adjacently in the lined parking bays to have the doors opened fully without making contact with the adjacent vehicles door or rear body panels.

According to the present invention there is provided on the vehicle where necessary a vehicle body panel protector, comprising a mount plate secured on the vehicle body panel, means of supporting a protective absorber in the form of an impact resilient flexible sheet on the mount plate, beneath a shroud, allowing the protective absorber to be extended through the shroud, over the vehicle body panel to a fixing point, and retract from the fixing point through the shroud as and when required.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Drawing 1/30 shows a front elevation of the mounting plate with the protective absorber fitted between the support plates.

Drawing 2/30 shows a plan view of the mounting plate with the protective absorber fitted between the support plates.

Drawing 3/30 shows a sectional plan view of the mounting plate with the protective absorber fitted between the support plates.

Drawing 4/30 shows a front elevation of the right hand support plate with the tension spring fitted along with the ratio toothed cogs.

Drawing 5/30 shows a sectional front elevation of the right hand support plate with the tension spring fitted along with the ratio toothed cogs.

Drawing 6/30 shows a front elevation of the tension rods attached to the support plates.

Drawing 7/30 illustrates by a sectional left hand side view the attachment of the protective absorber to the tension rods in particular the protective absorber attachment loop.

Drawing 8/30 illustrates again, the fitting of the protective absorber to the tension rods.

Drawing 9/30 shows how the attachment of the grip bar to the protective absorber is achieved providing a hinged joint.

Drawing 10j30 shows a right hand side elevation of the vehicle panel protector with a section through the body shroud and vehicle body panel.

Drawing ll/30 shows the assembled mounting plate with the body shroud removed.

Drawing 12j30 illustrates the left hand rear vehicle body panel protector with the protective absorber extended and attached to a fixing point.

Drawing 13/30 shows a front elevation of a contoured mounting plate.

Drawing 14/30 shows a left hand end elevation of a contoured mounting plate with clips and support plates fitted.

Drawing 15/30 shows a sectional left hand end view of a contoured body shroud.

Drawing 16/30 shows a front elevation of an adjustable mounting plate and associated sliding elements with the protective absorber removed.

Drawing 17/50 shows a left hand end elevation of an adjustable mounting plate with the body shroud and grip bar removed.

Drawing 18/50 illustrates the adjustable mounting plate following the contours of a body panel.

Drawing 19/30 shows a rear elevation of a two part body shroud.

Drawing 20/30 shows the attachment of the protective absorber to a two part grip bar to achieve a hinged joint.

Drawing 21/30 shows a left hand end elevation of an adjustable panel protector with a section through the body shroud and vehicle body panel.

Drawing 22/30 shows the adjustable tension rods used in conjunction with the adjustable mounting plate.

Drawing 23j30 shows the sliding element of the adjustable vehicle body panel protector along with the protective absorber attachment loop.

Drawing 24j30 shows the route taken by the protective absorber through the body shroud.

Drawing 25/30 shows the attachment clips fitted to a vehicle door panel.

Drawing 26/30 shows an attachment clip.

Drawing 27/30 illustrates the panel protectors fitted to the left hand side of a vehicle with the protective absorbers extended and measures to be taken to overcome an obstruction.

Drawing 28/30 illustrates the left hand side of a vehicle with the vehicle body panel protectors being used.

Drawing 29/30 illustrates the typical mounting position of the vehicle body panel protectors on a four door vehicle.

Drawing 30/30 illustrates the typical mounting position of the vehicle body panel protectors on a two door vehicle.

Referring to the drawings there are three variations of construction of the vehicle body panel protector shown. Other methods could be employed but these are not shown. The component parts of the vehicle body panel protector are manufactured from suitable materials to perform the functions required, and are of the correct tollerances and dimensions. These dimensions are dependent on the type and model of vehicle to be protected. Drawings 1/30 to 12/30 inclusive refer to a non adjusting flat mount plate type of vehicle body panel protector, the following method of construction is required. Mount plate 9 has fitted support plate 6 retained by fasteners 19 as shown in drawings 1/30 and 7/30. Support plate 6 has inserted round bushes 2 as shown in drawings 1/30 and 6/30.Tension rod 3 and tension rod 33 machined as shown in drawings 3/30, 5/30 and 6/30, have fitted guides 10 to the left hand end splines as shown in drawings 1/30, 3/30 and 7/30. The tension rods are then passed through bushes 2 of support plate 6 and retained by clips 1 as shown in drawing 6/30. The attachment loop of the protective absorber 13 in this case a flexible ribbed rubber sheet with impact resilient properties is achieved by bonding and forming one end of the sheet in a loop as shown in drawings 7/30 and 8/30.

This attachment loop is then fed over tension rod 3 and tension rod)33 as shown in drawings 5/30, 7/30 and 8j3G. Guides 1O are then fitted to the right hand end splines of both tension rods as shown in drawing 5/30. Toothed ratio cog 4 and guide 5 are then fitted via splines to tension rod 3 as shown in drawings 4/30 and 5/30. Spacer 11 and spacer 12 are then fitted to the tension rods as shown in drawings 4/30 and 5/30. Support plate 59 has fitted round bushes 2, spring 7 and toothed ratio cog 8 retained by clip 15 as shown in drawings 4/30, 5/30 and 10j30.The tension rods are then spread apart making the attachment loop of the protective absorber 13 taught between the two tension rods as shown in drawings 5/30, 7/30 and 8j30. These tension rods are then fed through bushes 2 of support plate 59 at the same time toothed ratio cog 8 is meshed with toothed ratio cog 4 as shown in drawings 1/30, 4/30 and 5/30. The tension rods are both retained in position by clips 1 and the support plate 59 is secured to mount plate 9 by fasteners 19 as shown in drawings 1/30 and 5/30. At this stage the protective absorber 13 with magnet 18 fitted as shown in drawing 10/30 is wound around both tension rods as shown in drawings 5/30, 7/30, 8/30 and 11/30. Two tension rods 3 and 33 are used in the arrangement as shown in drawings 5/30 and 6/30 to reduce the number of turns of the protective absorber 13 on the tension rods. By doing this the depth of the assembled vehicle body panel protector will be of an acceptable dimension and eye appealing when fitted to the vehicle body panel. Xhen the protective absorber 13 has been wound on tension rod 3 and tension rod 33 between guides 10, the spring 7 must be tensioned.This is achieved by turning tension rod 3 clockwise which at the same time turns toothed ratio cog 4 clockwise and toothed ratio cog 8 anti-clockwise. This turning action opposes spring 7 and tension is applied to the spring, this arrangement is shown in drawings 4/30, 5/30 and 10/30. Spring 7 is opposed until the protective absorber 13 is in the correct position to exit through body shroud 20 as shown in drawings 10/30 and 11/30. Body shroud 20 in this case a moulded plastic cover as shown in drawings 10/30, 11/30 and 12/30, with magnet switch 21 fitted is placed over the assembled mounting plate 9. The free end of the protective absorber 13 is pulled through the opening of body shroud 20 under tension as shown in drawings 10/30 and 11/30.Grip bar 17 in this case of a moulded plastic and formed as shown in drawings 9/30, 11/30 and 12/30 is. attached to the free end of the protective absorber 13 formed as shown in drawing 9/30 by means of rod 16 and clips 51, this produces a hinged joint as shown in drawing 9/30. Body shroud 20 is now fitted to mount plate 9 by fasteners 57 as shown in drawing 10/30. The double sided adhesive pad 14 is adhered to the rear of mount plate 9 as shown in drawings 2/30, 7/30 and 10/30. Seal 22 is now located on body shroud 20 along with plug 35 as shown in drawing 11/30. The vehicle body panel protector is now permanetly fitted to the flat vehicle body panel 60 by means of adhesive pad 14 as shown in drawings 10/30 and 12/30 although another method of attachment could be used.A vehicle body panel protector such as described is fitted where required as shown in drawing 12/30.

Obviously certain vehicles to be -protected by the vehicle body panel protector have contoured body panels. Drawings 13/30 to 15/30 inclusive refer to a non-adjusting contoured mount plate type of vehicle body panel protector. Referring to the previous description certain components are replaced and new components added. Mount plate 9 is replaced by contoured mount plate 28 as shown in drawings 13/30 and 14/30. The contour of the mount plate would correspond to that of a particular vehicle type and model. Support plates 6 and 59 are replaced by support plates 32 and 30 as shown in drawings 13/30 and 14/30. Fasteners 19 are replaced by brackets 26 and 27, with fasteners 25 and 31 as shown in drawings 13/30 and 14/30. Fasteners 57 are replaced by spring clips 23 and fasteners 24 as shown in drawings 13/30 and 14/30.Double sided adhesive pad 14 is replaced by double sided adhesive pad 29 as shown in drawing 14/30. Body shroud 20 is replaced by contoured body shroud 36 as shown in drawing 15/30. Seal 22 is replaced by seal 34 as shown in drawing 15/30. Cap 52 is added and attached to contoured body shroud 36 as shown in drawing 15/30. All other components from the previous description are used, and the construction method remains the same.

Vehicles of the same type and of similar design for example the two door saloon group or the four door saloon group, have door panels and body panels of approximately the same length and contour for their particular & OUp. Therefore to eliminate the need to use a different mount plate for each different vehicle type and model, the adjustable mount plate type of vehicle body panel protector is used, as shown in drawings loo/30 to 24/30 inclusive.The following construction method is used. Mount plate 37 and mount plate 38 are manufactured from a suitable material in this case a thin gauge metal, and formed as shown in drawings 16730, 17/30 and 23/30. Yunt plate 37 has attached clips 23 by fasteners 24 as shown in drawings loo/30 and 23/30. Ecunt plate 38 has attached clips 23 by fasteners 24, as shown in drawing 16j30. Attached to both mount plate 37 and mount plate 38 is sliding plate 39 as shown in drawings 16/30 and 23/30. The cut gauge can be seen as a series of vertical lines on the upper slots of sliding plate 39. Support plate 43 is fitted to mount plate 37 by fasteners 44 as shown in drawings 16/30, 23/30 and 24/30.Support plate 40 is fitted to mount plate 38 by fasteners 44 as shown in drawings 16j30, 17/30 and 23/30. Round bushes 2 are inserted into support plate 43 as shown in drawing 16/30. Round bushes 2 are inserted into support plate 40 as shown in drawings 16/30 and 17/30.

Spring 7, toothed ratio cog 8 are fitted to support plate 40, retained by clip 15 as shown in drawings 16/30, 17730 and 21/30. Guides 10 are fitted to the left hand splines of tension rod 41, and tension rod 42 as shown in drawing 22/30. These tension rods are then passed through bushes 2 of support plate 43 and retained by clips 1 as shown in drawing 16/30. At this point guides 10 are fitted to the right hand splines of tension rod 41 and tension rod 42 as shown in drawings 16/30 and 17/30. Toothed ratio cog 4, guide 5 and spacer 11 are all fitted to tension rod 41 as shown in drawing 16/30. Spacer 12 is fitted to tension rod 42 as shown in drawing 16/30.Tension rod 41 is now passed through bush 2 of support plate 40, and toothed ratio cog 4 is meshed with toothed ratio cog 8, tension rod 41 is retained by clip 1 as shown in drawing 16/30. Tension rod 42 is also fed through round bush 2 of support plate 40 and is retained by clip 1 as shown in drawing 16/30. At this stage the assembly is offered into position on the vehicle body panel and mount plate 37 and 38 are adjusted via sliding plate 39.Once the length is determined lock screws 53 of tension rods 41 and 42 are locked in position as shown in drawings 16/30 and 22/30. Mount plate 37 and 3a are formed to the contour of the body panel and fasteners 44 of support plate 40 and 43 are secured as shown in drawing 18/3ç. The length of tension rod 41 between guides 10 is used to size the protective absorber sheet 13 as shown in drawing 23/30. Once the protective absorber 13 is sized it is fitted to tension rods 41 and 42 by the attachment loop of the protective absorber, as in the previous examples tension rod 41 and tension rod 42 are spread making the attachment loop taught between both tension rods as shown in drawings 18/30, 23/30 and 4/3. The protective absorber 13 with magnet 18 fitted is then wrapped around both tension rods 41 and. 42 as shown in drawings 21/30 and 24/30. Spring 7 must now be tensioned, this is achieved by turning tension rod 41 in a clockwise direction this turning action tensions spring 7 via toothed ratio cogs 4 and 8 as shown in drawings 16/30, 17j30 and 24/30.Now grip bar halves 48 and 49 of the correct size, trimmed if necessary are assembled and attached to the free end of the protective absorber 13 by rod 16, clips 51, plate 50 and fasteners 58 as shown in drawings 20/30 and 21/30, producing a hinged joint. To eliminate error when cutting grip bar halves 48 and 49, a cut gauge is embossed into sliding plate 39 and both grip bar halves. When the length of the mount plate and support plate assembly is adjusted as explained earlier, the guide studs of mount plate 37 and 38 move along the cut gauge of sliding plate 39 (if the mount plate assembly is extended). The final position of the guide studs can then be used as a measurement te cut both grip bar halves 48 and 49 as shown in drawings 16/30 and 20/30.At this point body shroud halves 46 and 47 manufactured of a suitable material in this case a moulded plastic and of the correct dimensions and contour are trimmed if necessary using the cut gauge as shown in drawing 19/30. Body shroud halves 46 and 47 could be manufactured with enough depth to accept the most extreme adjusted contour of both mount plates 37 and 38. llhen the contour of both mount plates are set then body shroud halves 46 and 47 could be trimmed to the contour accordingly (this is not shown). Plug 35 is now fitted to body shroud 46 as shown in drawing 19/30, magnet switch 21 is also fitted to body shroud 46 as shown in drawing 21/30.

Body shroud half 46 is now fitted to mount plate 38 by clips 23 with grip bar half 48 in position as shown in drawings 21/30 and 24/30.

Body shroud half 47 is also fitted to mount plate 37 as shown in the drawing 24/30. Plugs 52 are now fitted to body shroud halves 46 and 47 as shown in drawings 21/30 and 24/30. Seal 54 is located on body shroud halves 46 and 47 as shown in drawings 21/30 and 24/30. Double sided adhesive pads 45 are now adhered to mount plates 37 and 38 as shown in drawings 17/30 and 18/30. The vehicle body panel protector is now permanently fitted into position on the vehicle body panel 60 or 61 by use of the adhesive pads 45 as shown in drawings 17/30, 21/30 and 25/50.

Another method of attaching the vehicle body panel protector to the vehicle body panel could be used (this is not shown).

Magnet switch 21 and magnet 18 are used to complete a simple electrical safety display circuit. Another switching method could be used but this is not shown.

Attachment clips 55 manufactured from a suitable material in this case a moulded plastic as shown in drawing 26y30 are fitted, by a suitable method, to the vehicle body panel. A typical attachment point is shown in drawings 25/30, 29j30 and 30/30. Clip 55 is common to all types of vehicle body panel protectors described earlier.

Retrieval tool 56 as shown in drawings 11/30 and 24/30 is used if the tension spring 7 breaks and fails. The tool is located into the recess at the right hand end of tension rods 3 or 41 as shown in drawings 3/30, 5/30, 10/30 and 17730. Plug 35 is first removed from the appropriate body shroud to allow access to the tension rod. Once the retrieval tool is located in the tension rod it is rotated to retract the extended protective absorber.

iwhen a vehicle with near and off side vehicle body panel protectors fitted, the near side being shown in drawings 29/30 and 30/30 is parked, where other vehicles are likely to be parked adjacent and the hazard of door contact from these vehicles is high, then the vehicle body panel protectors are used to protect the vehicle body panels. Grip bar 17 as shown in drawing 12/30 or grip bar assembly 48 and 49 as shown in drawing 25/30 is grasped by the hands and physically pulled, this. pulling action will allow protective absorber 13 to extend as shown in drawing 12/30 between guides 10 from body shroud 20, 36 or body shroud halves 46 and 47 dependent on the type fitted to the vehicle.As the protective absorber is extracted tension rods 3 and 33 as shown in drawing 6/30 or tension rods 41 and 42 as shown in drawing 16j30 rotate simultaneously in bushes 2 of the relevant support plates. Toothed ratio cog 4 will rotate clockwise and at the same time rotate toothed ratio cog 8 in an anticlockwise direction as shown in drawing 4/30. The rotating motion of toothed ratio cog 8 tensions spring 7 as shown in drawings 4/30 and 5/30. Magnet 18 passes and activates magnet switch 21 which completes an electrical circuit to a warning device (not shown).Protective absorber 13 is extended by the grip bar assembly until the grip bar is in position to use the retaining clips 55 attached to the vehicle body panel as shown in drawings 25/30 and 26j30. Once in position the grip bar is secured to retaining clips 55, the attachment is made easier by means of the hinged joint assembly of the grip bar and protective absorber as shown in drawings 9/30 and 20/30. The action of spring 7 keeps the protective absorber 13 taught when the grip bar assembly is attached to clips 55. This procedure is carried out on all the vehicle body panel protectors fitted on the vehicle.

On occasions where an obstacle is present such as a vehicle door mounted rear view mirror the protective absorber 13 can be notched as shown in drawing 27/30. It is also possible to reposition the attachment clips 55 below the obstacle (this is not shown).

To lower protective absorber 13 grip bar 17 as shown in drawing 12/30 or grip bar assembly 48 and 49 as shown in drawing 25/30 is again grasped by the hands and manipulated to disconnect it from retaining clips 55.

At this point spring 7 as shown in drawing 4/30 which at this stage of the operation is under tension, revolves toothed ratio cog 8 clockwise which in turn revolves toothed ratio cog 4 anticlockwise as shown in drawing 5/30. As toothed ratio cog 4 turns tension rod 3 or 41 dependent on the type fitted will also rotate this rotating action spins the attachment loop of the protective absorber 13, this spinning action revolves tension rod 33 or 42 dependent on the type fitted. As the attachment loop spins the protective absorber will coil on the tension rods between guides 10 as shown in drawings 1/30, 4/30, 5/30, 7/30 and 8/30. During this stage of the operation as protective absorber 13 is retracted magnet 18 will pass and activate switch 21 making an open electrical circuit to the warning device. Prctective absorber 13 will continue to coil on the tension rods 3 and 33 or 41 and 42 until the grip bar assembly locates with the relevant body shroud, as shown in drawings 10/30, 12/30 and 21130. This entire procedure is carried out on all the vehicle body panel protectors fitted and in use on the body panels of the vehicle.

The vehicle body panel protector can be colour coded to match the colour finish of the vehicle it is fitted on. In the case of a commercial vehicle with sign written body panels, the information which is covered when the protective absorber 13 is extended can be duplicated on the protective absorber, making it legible when the protective absorber 13 is extended (this is not shown).

Claims

CiLkIi

CL42iS 1 A vehicle body panel protector comprising a mount plate secured on the vehicle body panel, means of supporting a protective absorber in the form of an impact resilient flexible sheet on the mount plate, beneath a shroud, allowing the protective absorber to be extended through the shroud, over the vehicle body panel to a fixing point, and retract from the fixing point through the shroud as and when required.
2 A vehicle body panel protector as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided to enable the length of the protective absorber support assembly and the length and contour of the mount plate to be adjusted to correspond to varying vehicle body panels.
3 A vehicle body panel protector substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAMS 1 A vehicle body panel protector assembly comprising: a mount plate secured directly onto the exterior of a vehicle body panel; a means of reducing the depth dimension of said vehicle body panel protector assembly, said means being two revolving tension rods mounted in parallel at a distance to each other, supported on said mount plate, a protective absorber in the form of a flexible impact resilient sheet incorporating an attachment loop, said attachment loop being held tautvbetween both said revolving tension rods, with the remainder of said protective absorber rolled around said attachment loop, allowing said revolving tension rods to rotate simultaneously when said protective absorber is extended or retracted;; a shroud cover attached to said mount plate, allowing said protective absorber to pass through said shroud cover during operation; a grip bar in the form of a handle attached to the free end of said protective absorber, said grip bar giving means of attachment to said vehicle body panel when said protective absorber is extended over said vehicle body panel to a fixing point.

2 A vehicle body panel protector assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said revolving tension rods are returned by means of spring and gear.

9 A vehicle body panel protector assembly as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2, wherein means are provided to enable said vehicle body panel protector assembly to be fitted to the exterior of varying vehicle body panel types, said means being said revolving tension rods of adjustable length, allowing said protective absorber of differing dimensions to be fitted, and said mount plate of adjustable length and contour, allowing said shroud cover of differing dimensions to be fitted.
4 A vehicle~body panel protector assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a means is provided to indicate the position of said protective absorber, said means being a switching device activated by said protective absorber.
5 A vehicle body panel protector assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.