GB2277498A - Vehicle cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A motor car cover 2 includes sunlight-reflecting sheet material 3, portions 3A to 3D of which cover the windscreen, the roof, the rear window and the side windows of the vehicle 1. Straps 4 and 5 attached at respective ends to the sheet material are brought to extend into the passenger compartment and the boot and then the doors 1A and 1B and the boot lid 1C are closed onto them to trap them between the vehicle body and the doors and the lid. The straps 4 and 5 have buckles 6 at their free ends, to prevent total withdrawal of the straps 4 and 5 from the interior of the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

"VEHICLE COVER This invention relates to covers for vehicles, and is particularly concerned with covers suitable to be fitted to passenger-carrying automobiles.

It is well known to provide covers for vehicles which are intended to be fitted under winter conditions to protect the vehicle from frost, snow and ice. Such covers are conventionally held in place by providing ties or other fixing means which are fixed to the bodywork or the wheels of the vehicle.

It is also known to provide internal blinds for vehicles which can be drawn across the windows and/or sun roof, in order to screen the interior of the vehicle against sunlight. However, such blinds are generally intended either for the front or the rear windows of the vehicle only and tend to be loose-fitting and therefore inefficient in terms of providing a screen.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle cover, comprising flexible sheet material for covering an upper part of a vehicle from externally thereof, and securing means attached to said sheet material and arranged to extend into the interior of the vehicle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided in combination, a vehicle, and a vehicle cover comprising flexible sheet material covering an upper part of said vehicle from externally thereof, and securing means attached to said sheet material and extending into the interior of the vehicle.

By providing a cover with securing means which pass into the interior of the vehicle one is providing not only a secure means of fastening but also a certain degree of security against theft of the cover.

In one embodiment of the invention the cover is of generally rectangular shape and is shaped and dimensioned to be fitted over the top of the vehicle and to be drawn down over the windscreen, the rear window and the side windows.

The cover may be shaped to match the configuration of the bodywork. The cover is provided with a plurality of fastening straps or ties which extend from the cover and which, in use, are arranged to pass through the door apertures, with the doors then being closed on them to hold them fixedly in place. It is not necessary to provide fastening points within the vehicle: it is sufficient simply to trap the straps between the doors and the vehicle bodywork to provide adequate security against the cover being blown away. Specifically designed fastening points may be provided if desired, although normally that will not be necessary.

It is desirable for toggles or other like members to be provided at the ends of the straps or ties which pass into the vehicle in order to prevent them from being pulled readily from the vehicle.

The material from which the cover is made may be any material which is appropriate for the purpose. Materials which tend to be reflective of sunlight are to be preferred.

A material having a silvered surface may be particularly advantageous as a light reflector. Multi-layer materials may be used, possibly with one or more layers of an insulating material within the multiple layer combination.

An additional advantage which is achieved with the vehicle cover is that the interior of the vehicle is effectively screened from view in use, so that valuables for example which may be within the car are not readily visible to a potential thief.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, which is a perspective view from above of a vehicle provided with an exterior cover.

Referring to the drawing, a motor car 1 is provided with a readily removable, exterior cover 2. The cover 2 is of flexible sheet material 3 reflective of sunlight and is roughly cruciform, with a front portion 3A which covers the windscreen, an intermediate portion 3B which covers the roof, a rear portion 3C which covers the rear window and two side portions (of which one is seen and referenced 3D) which cover the side windows. Attached to the boundary between each side portion 3D and the intermediate portion 3B are respective ends of two flexible straps 4, whilst attached to the rear edge of the portion 3C are respective ends of two flexible straps 5. The two straps 4 at each side of the vehicle extend through between the top edges of the respective closed front and rear doors 1A and 1B and the respective adjacent edges of the roof to hold the portion 3B in place, whilst the straps 5 extend through between the front edge of the closed boot lid 1C and the adjacent edge of the vehicle body to hold the rear portion 3C in place.

The free end zones of the straps 4 and 5 are located in the passenger compartment and the boot, respectively, of the vehicle and are firmly attached to respective enlargements in the form of buckles 6, of sufficient size that they cannot be pulled out of the interior of the vehicle with the doors and boot lid closed. Along the four boundaries 3E among the portions 3A, 3C and 3D are respective lines of stitching whereby those portions are attached together.

Elastic ties 7, anchored at respective ends to the portion 3A and the respective portions 3D, are looped below front wing mirrors 1D of the vehicle, to hold the portions 3A and 3D in place.

Claims (24)

1. A vehicle cover, comprising flexible sheet material for covering an upper part of a vehicle from externally thereof, and securing means attached to said sheet material and arranged to extend into the interior of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle cover according to claim 1, wherein said securing means takes the form of flexible elongate members attached to said sheet material at locations to come adjacent to boundaries between closed, access panels of said vehicle and a body of said vehicle and to extend into the said interior through said boundaries.

3. A vehicle cover according to claim 2, wherein said members are provided with respective enlargements at respective free end zones thereof to prevent withdrawal of said elongate members out from between said closed access panels and said body of said vehicle.

4. A vehicle cover according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said elongate members are straps.

5. A vehicle cover according to claim 4 as appended to claim 3, wherein said enlargements are buckles.

6. A vehicle cover according to any preceding claim, wherein said sheet material comprises an intermediate portion for covering a roof of the vehicle, a front portion for covering a windscreen of the vehicle, a rear portion for covering a rear window of the vehicle, and two side portions at respective opposite sides of said intermediate portion for covering respective side windows of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle cover according to claim 6, and further comprising interconnecting means connecting together adjacent edges of said front portion, said side portions and said rear portion.

8. A vehicle cover according to claim 6 or 7, and further comprising flexible ties for looping, below respective front wing mirrors of said vehicle, between the front portion and the respective side portions.

9. A vehicle cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the exterior surface of said sheet material is reflective of sunlight.

10. A vehicle cover according to any preceding claim, wherein said sheet material comprises a thermally insulating layer.

11. In combination, a vehicle, and a vehicle cover comprising flexible sheet material covering an upper part of said vehicle from externally thereof, and securing means attached to said sheet material and extending into the interior of the vehicle.

12. A combination according to claim 11, wherein said securing means takes the form of flexible elongate members attached to said sheet material at locations adjacent to boundaries between closed, access panels of said vehicle and a body of said vehicle and extending into said interior through said boundaries.

13. A combination according to claim 12, wherein said closed, access panels are doors of said vehicle.

14. A combination according to claim 12 or 13, wherein said closed, access panels include a boot lid of said vehicle.

15. A combination according to claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein said members are provided with respective enlargements at respective free end zones thereof in said interior, each of a size to prevent withdrawal of its elongate member out from between its closed access panel and said body of said vehicle.

16. A combination according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein said elongate members are straps.

17. A combination according to claim 16 as appended to claim 15, wherein said enlargements are buckles.

18. A combination according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein said sheet material comprises an intermediate portion covering a roof of the vehicle, a front portion covering a windscreen of the vehicle, a rear portion covering a rear window of the vehicle, and two side portions at respective opposite sides of the intermediate portion covering respective side windows of the vehicle.

19. A combination according to claim 18, and further comprising fasteners retaining together adjacent edges of said front portion, said side portions and said rear portion.

20. A combination according to claim 18 or 19, and further comprising flexible ties looped, below respective front wing mirrors of said vehicle, between the front portion and the respective side portions.

21. A combination according to any one of claims 11 to 20, wherein the exterior surface of said sheet material is reflective of sunlight.

22. A combination according to any one of claims 11 to 21, wherein said sheet material comprises a thermally insulating layer.

23. A vehicle cover, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

24. In combination, a vehicle and a vehicle cover, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.