GB2354019A - Vehicle shelter - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle shelter comprising a plurality of housing segments (12, 22, 32) which are moveable relative to one another between a retracted nested position and an extended vehicle covering position.

Description

2354019 Vehicle Shelters This invention relates to vehicle shelters.

It is generally desirable to store motorcars, motorcycles, pushcycles and other such vehicles and under some appropriate form of cover to protect them both from weather and from damage or interference with by third parties. Existing forms of coverings basically fall into two categories, one being solid and permanent structures such as garages or sheds and the other be ing nylon-type sheeting or tarpaulin. Such existing methods for protecting vehicles have disadvantages. For example, the use of sheeting like materials gives little or no protection against damage which may be caused by third parties and permanent structures such as garages can be expensive to construct, difficult to move and in some cases may require planning permission.

It is an object of the present invention to provide vehicle shelters which alleviate at least some of the problems associated with the prior art.

According the one aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle shelter comprising a r 2 plurality housing segments which are moveable relative to one another between a retracted position and an extended vehicle covering position.

Preferably the-housing segments are nestable and are nested in the retracted position. This leads to a particularly compact configuration in the retracted position.

Preferably the housing segments are pivotally mounted for movement about a common axis between the retracted and extended positions. This significantly simplifies the structure and operation of the device. Preferably the housing segments are discrete. This facilitates the use of rigid materials for the segments.

Preferably the shelter is arranged to be mountable on a surface such as driveway.

Preferably the shelter is arranged such that when it is mounted on a surface, a vehicle can be moved along the surface into the shelter when the shelter is in the retracted position. Once a vehicle has been moved into the shelter the vehicle can be covered by moving 3 the segments to the extended position.

Drive means may be provided for driving the segments between the retracted and extended positions.

Alternatively the segments may be moved by a user physically grasping one or more on the segments.

Preferably the segments are of a hard and/or robust material. In this specification a hard or robust material is one which is resistant to unintentional or intentional damage so that a vehicle within the shelter is afforded a significant level of protection against vandalism amongst other things. A suitable material should preferably be resistant to cutting by a knife or similar object to prevent easy access to the interior of the shelter. Similarly a suitable material should preferably be resistant to impacts caused by a thrown object or a physical blow such that any covered vehicle is protected from such impacts.

The material of the shelter may, for example, be fibreglass or another relatively rigid plastics material.

Preferably there are at least three segments.

i I 4 Preferably the segments include engaging means arranged for mutually engaging the segments together when moved toward the extended position whilst allowing free relative movement when moving the segments towards the retracted position. Such an arrangement can allow a user to move the shelter to the fully extended position by grasping and moving a first segment, one or more other segments being moved into position by virtue of the action of suitable engaging means.

Locking means may be provided for locking the segments against relative movement. In particular the locking means may be arranged for use when the segments are in the extended position and/or the retracted position. Second locking means may be provided for locking one or more of the segments to another object.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle shelter comprising a plurality of housing segments which are pivotally mounted for movement about a common axis between a retracted position and an extended vehicle covering position.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle shelter comprising a plurality of nestable housing segments which are moveable relative to one another between a retracted nested position and an extended vehicle covering position.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to 10 the accompanying drawings in which:Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle shelter; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the vehicle shelter 15 taken along line II - II in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of part of the vehicle shelter taken along line III - III in Figure 2; 20 Figure 4 shows a first engaging mechanism of the vehicle shelter shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a second engaging mechanism of the 25 vehicle shelter shown in Figure 1; and 6 Figure 6 shows an alternative engaging mechanism for use in a vehicle shelter.

Figures 1 and 2 show a vehicle shelter which generally comprises three discrete housing segments 1, 2, 3 which are mounted for relative pivotal movement about an axis 4. The vehicle shelter is arranged to be mounted on a surface S such as a driveway or path along which a vehicle will typically be wheeled in order to introduce it into the shelter.

Figures 1 and 2 show the shelter in a fully extended position, whereas Figure 3 is a simplified crosssectional view of the three segments 1, 2, 3 when in a partially retracted position.

The housing segments 1, 2, 3 are substantially similar to one another, having a curved portion 11, 21, 31 and two opposing end portions 12, 22, 32 which are sector shapes covering approximately 60' of arc. Thus each of the housing segments 1, 2, 3 is essentially wedge shaped with an angle of approximately 60'. The segments 1, 2, 3 can be considered to be sector shaped portions of a hollow circular cylinder. Each of the housing segments 1, 21 3 is formed of a relatively I 7 rigid plastics material such as fibre glass. The segments are self- supporting and robust whilst being reasonably light.

In use the rearmost housing segment 3 is mounted securely to the surface S using suitable fastening means such as bolts and thus remains static. The foremost segment 1 and central segment 2 are able to pivot around the axis 4 by virtue of the provision of a suitable pivotal mounting (not shown).

As can be best seen in Figure 3 the three housing segments 1, 2, 3 are not of equal radius. More specifically the central segment 2 is of greatest radius, the foremost segment 1 is of the smallest radius and the rearmost static segment 3 is of intermediate radius.

When the housing segments 1, 2f 3 are in the fully retracted position they nest closely within one another which leads'to a particularly compact configuration in the retracted state. The nestable nature of the housing segments 1, 2, 3 also significantly simplifies the structure and operation of the device whilst at the same time allowing the use 8 of rigid materials in each of the housing segments.

Whilst each of the housing segments 1, 2, 3 is a sector of approximately 600, the actual angle of each segment is slightly different from this so that, as can be seen in Figure 1, there is a slight overlap between the central segment 2 and the remaining two segments 1, 3 when the shelter is in the fully extended position. This overlapping leads to a more rigid structure in the extended position and facilitates the interengagement of the adjacent segments 1, 2 and 3.

Figures 4 and 5 respectively show engaging means used to help engage the adjacent sections with one another when in the fully extended position as shown in Figure 1. At the same time the engaging means facilitate movement of the device between the retracted and extended positions.

Figure 4 shows the engaging means provided between the foremost segment 1 and the central segment 2. This engagement means comprises a spring loaded catch Ill disposed on the foremost segment 1 and an abutment portion 211 disposed on the central segment 2. The 9 spring loaded catch 111 is arranged for pivotal movement and is biassed by a suitable spring (not shown) towards an extended position in which it is shown in Figure 4. When in this extended position, the distal end of the catch Ill abuts with the abutment portion 211 as the foremost portion I is pulled towards the fully extended position. On the other hand, movement of the foremost portion 1 towards the retracted position is substantially unimpeded.

Moreover, when the catch member 111 meets with the forward edge of the static portion 3, the catch member 111 is pushed flat against the remainder of the foremost portion I so that full retraction of the shelter is not impeded. The relative position of the curved portion 31 of the static member 3 when the shelter is in the fully retracted position is shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

Figure 5 shows the engaging means provided between the central segment 2 and the static segment 3. This engaging means comprises an abutment portion 211 provided on the central segment 2 and a corresponding abutment portion 311 on the static segment 3. This engaging means serves to prevent further forward movement of the central segment 2 once it has reached its fully extended position.

The shelter comprises a position locking bolt 51 which can be used to lock the housing segments 1, 2 and 3 in the extended position by preventing pivotal movement of the foremost and central segments 1, 2.

A flange portion 52 is provided along one edge of the foremost segment 1. The flange portion 52 serves as a grip member for use in moving the shelter between the extended and contracted positions and may also facilitate fixing of the front edge of the foremost segment 1 to the supporting surface S to help keep the shelter in the extended position.

The flange portion 52 also serves to abut with the leading edge of the central segment 2 when the foremost segment 1 is being pushed, by a user, back towards the fully retracted position.

In use, when the shelter is in the fully retracted position, a vehicle is wheeled along the supporting surface S into the space defined by the shelter. The user then grasps the flange portion 52 and pulls the foremost segment 1 so as to cause it to pivot around the axis 4 towards the extended position. As the trailing edge of the foremost segment 1 reaches the forward edge of the central segment 2, the spring loaded catch 111 engages with the abutment portion 211 as shown in Figure 4 and continued movement of the foremost segment 1 towards the extended position causes the central segment 2 to move towards its extended position. Such movement is continued until the shelter is in the fully extended position such that the flange portion 52 as well as the remainder of the front edge of the foremost segment 1 contact with the supporting surface S. The shelter may then be locked into position by use of the position locking bolt 51 and optionally by use of suitable fastening means provided at the flange portion 52. Both the locking bolt 51 and any other fastening means may be arranged to prevent opening of the shelter by a third party.

In alternatives an appropriate drive means or mechanism may be provided to drive the housing segments between the extended and retracted positions. The drive means may consist of a motor arranged to provide a pivotal drive around the axis 4.

12 In alternatives a number of segments other than three may be used. Although the use of part cylindrical segments is particularly preferred this is not essential. one or more of the segments may be of different shape.

The use of nestable segments is also particularly preferred but again is not essential. In this application the term nestable refers to segments which may be fitted inside one another and whilst in most circumstances this will also mean that the segments are of similar shape this is not an absolute requirement.

Figure 6 shows an alternative engagement means which may be used between adjacent segments of alternative vehicle shelters. In this case a pair of first abutment portions 61 are provided on one of the segments whilst a single abutment portion 62 is provided on the other segment. These abutment portions are shaped and dimensioned such that the single abutment portion 62 may be clicked into position between the pair of abutment portions 61. Such an engagement means may rely on the resilient nature of the materials and/or the structure as a 13 whole or, in some alternatives, suitable means may be provided to allow movement of one or more of the abutment portions 61, 62 relative to its respective segment.

In some alternatives the shelter may be arranged such that the overall height of the shelter in the fully extended position may be reduced. Although in the present embodiment the overall shape of the shelter is essentially semi-cylindrical this is not necessary.

The size of the shelter may be chosen with reference to the size of the vehicle which is to be covered. It is envisaged that shelters may be constructed for use in covering a large number of different vehicles including motorcars, motorcycles and pushcycles.

Claims (12)

14 CLAIMS: 1. A vehicle shelter comprising a plurality of housing segments

which are moveable relative to one another between a retracted position and an extended 5 vehicle covering position.

2. A vehicle shelter according to claim 1 in which the housing segments are nestable and are nested in the retracted position. 10

3. A vehicle shelter according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the housing segments are pivotally mounted for movement about a common axis between the retracted and extended positions. 15

4. A vehicle shelter according to any preceding claim in which the housing segments are discrete.

5. A vehicle shelter according to claim 4 in which 20 the segments are of rigid material.

6. A vehicle shelter according to any preceding claim which is arranged to be mountable on a surface such as a driveway. 25

7. A vehicle shelter according to any preceding claim which comprises drive means for driving the segments between the retracted and extended positions.

8. A vehicle shelter according to any preceding claim in which the segments are of a hard and/or robust material.

9. A vehicle shelter according to any preceding claim in which there are at least three segments.

10. A vehicle shelter according to any preceding claim in which the segments include engaging means arranged for mutually engaging the segments together when moved toward the extended position whilst allowing free relative movement when moving the segments towards the retracted position.

11. A vehicle shelter according to any preceding claim comprising locking means for locking the segments against relative movement.

12. A vehicle shelter comprising a plurality of housing segments which are pivotally mounted for 1 movement about a common axis between a retracted 16 position and an extended vehicle covering position.