GB2564637A

GB2564637A - A protector for a windscreen mounted support device

Info

Publication number: GB2564637A
Application number: GB1709055.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Staels Bart
Original assignee: Belron International Ltd
Current assignee: Belron International Ltd
Priority date: 2017-06-07
Filing date: 2017-06-07
Publication date: 2019-01-23
Also published as: WO2018224795A1; GB201709055D0

Abstract

An apparatus for protecting a support device mounted on a vehicle windscreen during transportation, the apparatus comprising a rigid, plastic shield 10 configured to surround the support device. Preferably, the material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and the device has a top wall, two side walls and a bottom to form a recess. A flat margin 11a, 11b could be incorporated to extend around a periphery of a recess zone. One portion of the margin may be narrower than the other margin portions. A securing means, such as adhesive, may be provided on the margin, with a removable overlying sheet. Preferably, one wall is at least 30 degrees from horizontal, and could have a quadrilateral shaped wall attached. The device is included in a kit of parts, wherein the support device is configured to hold one or more of a camera, sensors, or a satellite navigation system.

Description

A Protector for a Windscreen Mounted Support Device

Introduction

The present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting a support device, such as a bracket, mounted to a vehicle windscreen.

Typically, vehicle windscreens are transported in a vertical orientation in pallets or other similar containers. Multiple vehicle windscreens are often transported together, in a single pallet or container which can be loaded on a lorry, van or ship. The windscreens can be tightly packed together.

It is becoming increasingly common to mount a support device, such as a bracket, on an internal surface of a vehicle windscreen. The support device is usually configured to hold one or more of: a camera; one or more sensors; a satellite navigation device; etc. The support device is often attached to the windscreen during the manufacturing process, i.e. before the new windscreen is transported to a customer. Thus, vehicle windscreens are often shipped or transported with a support device, such as a bracket, attached thereto.

There is a risk that the support devices may get damaged during transportation of the windscreen. For example, the support devices can be crushed (or otherwise damaged) due to pressure or impacts from adjacent windscreens which are tightly packed into the transport container. It can be costly and inconvenient to replace a damaged support device without damaging the surrounding new windscreen.

Typically, the support devices are made of hardened plastic material and/or metal. Thus, there is also a risk that the support device may scratch or damage adjacent windscreens during transportation.

There is therefore a need for an apparatus to shield and/or protect a support device mounted on a vehicle windscreen during transportation.

-2Summary

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for protecting a support device mounted on a vehicle windscreen during transportation, the apparatus comprising a shield, wherein the shield comprises a rigid plastic material and is configured to surround the support device.

Thus, the shield of the present invention can be placed around the support device mounted on the vehicle windscreen before the windscreen is transported. The shield is formed of a rigid plastic material and so provides a crush-resistant barrier which prevents the support device being squashed or damaged during transportation of the windscreen. It will be appreciated that the shield could also be used to prevent the support device becoming damaged before the windscreen is transported, for example during storage.

The support device may be configured to hold one or more vehicle accessories. For example, the support device may be configured to hold one or more of a camera; one or more sensors; and/or a satellite navigation device. The support device may be a bracket, or a frame.

Optionally, the shield may be configured to protect a support device similar to the carrier device defined in EP2328782, or the support plate of DE102006039065.

The rigid plastic material may comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The plastics material must be sufficiently rigid to protect the support device from reasonable or expected (likely) impacts. For example, the shield may not significantly bend, deform or collapse under the weight of a standard vehicle windscreen. As such, the shield may at least partially bend or deform if a larger force is applied to the shield.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may comprise means for securing the shield to the windscreen. Optionally, the means may comprise a suction device. Optionally, the means may comprise an adhesive, such as an adhesive tape. The adhesive may be a water-based adhesive, or other adhesive which will not stain or damage the windscreen.

-3In some embodiments, an adhesive may be applied to the shield for securing the shield to the windscreen.

The shield may comprise a flat margin arranged to be secured to the vehicle windscreen, wherein inwardly of the flat margin is a recess zone for accommodating the support device.

The flat margin may be straight and/or curved.

Optionally, the flat margin may be thinner than the rest of the shield. Optionally, the flat margin may be formed of different material compared to the main body of the shield. For example, the flat margin may be a flexible material. Thus, the entire shield does not have to be formed of the rigid plastic material.

In some embodiments, the flat margin is formed of the rigid plastic material. The flat margin may extend around the entire periphery of the recess zone.

Optionally, the adhesive may be provided on at least part of the margin. The adhesive may be at least one adhesive strip. Optionally, the apparatus may comprise a removable sheet overlying the adhesive adapted to be removed prior to use (i.e. prior to securing the shield to the windscreen).

Typically, a support device is mounted to an internal surface of the vehicle windscreen proximate an edge and/or corner of the windscreen. It is common to mount a support device proximate an upper comer of the windscreen. This ensures that the support device does not block or hinder a driver's view of the road out of the windscreen, which would be dangerous. Thus, the shield may be dimensioned to be secured proximate an edge and/or comer of the windscreen.

The flat margin may comprise a relatively narrower portion which extends outwards from the shield by a smaller distance than other portions of the margin. This may ensure that the shield can be secured proximate an edge of the windscreen without the margin projecting beyond the windscreen.

-4The shield may comprise at least one wall upstanding from the margin to form the recess zone.

Optionally, the at least one wall may be inclined at an angle of at least 30° from horizontal. Optionally, the at least wall may be substantially vertical.

The at least one wall may be reinforced. Optionally, a face may be attached to the at least one wall. The face may be substantially flat and/or the face may be configured such that, in use, it lies substantially parallel to the surface of the windscreen.

Optionally, the face may be a quadrilateral shape, such as a square or rectangle. The shield may comprise four walls, each wall extending from a side of the face to the flat margin. The face and four walls may enclose the recess zone. The flat margin may bound each wall.

Optionally, at least one of the walls, or a portion a wall, may be inclined at a steeper angle (i.e. closer to vertical) relative to the other walls, or the remaining portion of the wall. The steeper wall may extend upwards from (or bound) a narrower portion of the margin. In other words, the margin may extend outwards from the top wall by a smaller distance than from the bottom and side walls. This may ensure that the shield surrounds the support device, whilst also positioning the margin such that the margin can be completely secured to the windscreen.

The angle of the wall(s) with respect to the margin may be steeper for use with support devices which are mounted closer to the edge and/or comer of a windscreen.

Optionally, the shield may comprise two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall. Each wall may be upstanding from the margin and each wall may bound a side (or edge) of the face portion.

-5The two side walls may be inclined at a shallower (or smaller) angle from horizontal relative to the top wall. This may make it easier to slide an adjacent windscreen over the shield when the windscreens are being stored or packed for transportation.

The angle of inclination of each side wall may not be the same. Optionally, the two side walls may be inclined at an angle of between 20 to 50 degrees from horizontal, or between 20 and 40 degrees from horizontal.

The top wall may be inclined at the steepest angle and may bound the narrower portion of the flat margin. Thus, the top wall is configured to be positioned closest to an edge (e.g. top) of the windscreen.

The bottom wall may be inclined at the same angle as the side walls. Alternatively, the bottom wall may be inclined at an angle which is steeper than the side walls, but shallower than the top wall.

Optionally, the face may be reinforced (e.g. formed of a thicker layer of plastic material).

In some embodiments, the shield may be formed from a single mould. This may be advantageous as it could reduce manufacturing costs and time. For example, the margin, the at least one wall and the face may be an integral structure.

Optionally, the shield may be at least partially transparent. This may allow a user to check the condition of the support device before the shield is removed.

Advantageously, the shield may be reusable.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a kit of parts comprising a support device configured to be mounted on a vehicle windscreen and an apparatus or shield according to the first aspect of the invention.

-6The support device may be configured to hold one or more of: a camera; one or more sensors; and/or a satellite navigation device.

Optionally, the support device may be configured to be mounted proximate an edge of the vehicle windscreen.

It will be appreciated that any embodiment or optional feature disclosed in relation to the first aspect of the invention is equally applicable to the second aspect of the invention.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of an embodiment of a shield according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an illustration of an end on view of the shield of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an illustration the internal surface of a vehicle windscreen with the shield of Figure 1 secured thereto; and

Figure 4 is an illustration of a cross-section of a plurality of windscreens according to Figure 3 packed for transportation.

Figure 1 shows an example of a shield 10 according to the present invention. The shield 10 is dimensioned to surround or encase a support device for holding one or more vehicle accessories (not shown).

The shield 10 comprises a flat margin 11, four walls 12, 13, 14, 15 extending upwards from the flat margin 11, and a substantially flat face (or front surface) 16 connected to the walls. The walls include a top wall 15, a bottom wall 14 and two side walls 12, 13. The four walls and the front surface 16 together define a recess zone (or pocket) for receiving and shielding a support device (see Figure 4).

-7The face 16 is a rectangular shape having four sides. Each side of the face 16 is connected to one of the walls 12, 13, 14, 15. The shape of the face 16 (and the shield 10 as a whole) depends on the shape of the support device which it is configured to surround. Thus, in other examples, the shield 10 may be a different shape, for example having curved sides.

In Figure 1, the margin 11, the walls 12, 13, 14, 15 and the face 16 are integral and formed in a single mould. The shield 10 also made of a substantially rigid plastics material such as PET.

The margin 11 extends around all four walls 12, 13, 14, 15 and may be secured to a vehicle windscreen by any appropriate means, such as adhesive, adhesive tape or a suction device (see Figure 2). In other examples, the margin 11 may only extend around some of the walls, or only partially along some or all of the walls.

Figure 2 shows an illustration of an end on (or side on) view of the shield of Figure 1. The wall 12 extends upwards from the flat marginl 1 at an angle to the vertical. In this example the shield 10 is transparent. The two adjacent walls 14, 15 (see Figure 1) are joined to wall 12 along two edges.

As shown, the angle of inclination of the two walls 14, 15 is not the same. One wall 15 is inclined closed to vertical (i.e. a steeper angle of inclination) compared to the other wall 14. In addition, margin portion lib extends outwardly from wall 14 by a greater distance than margin portion 11a extends from wall 15. In other words, margin portion 1 la is narrower (or reduced in height) compared to the rest of the margin 11 bounding the other walls.

This is advantageous as at least one wall of the support device is generally positioned close to an edge of the windscreen, such as the upper edge (see Figure 3). Thus, as the top wall 15 is inclined at a steeper angle compared to side walls 12, 13 or 14 it can surround the support device proximate the edge of the windscreen whilst still allowing the margin 11 to be fully secured to the windscreen. If the top wall 15 was less steeply inclined, the margin portion 11a may extend beyond the windscreen, making it impossible for the margin 11 to be fully

-8secured to the windscreen, which may make the shield 10 unstable and less effective at protecting a support device. The narrower margin portion 11a assists in ensuring that the margin does not project beyond the edge of the windscreen (see Figure 3).

In Figure 2, an adhesive 17 is applied to the underside of margin 11. The adhesive 17 is covered by a removable cover strip 18. The removable strip 18 may comprise a paper based and/or plastics material.

When a user wants to secure the shield 10 to the windscreen, the user can remove the cover strip 18, position the shield around the support device, and press the flat margin 11 with the adhesive 17 against the windscreen. The adhesive 17 may be applied to only part of the margin 11 (e.g. portions 11a, lib). Preferably, the adhesive 17 is such that it does not permanently mark or stain glass surfaces, such as the vehicle windscreen. Alternatively, adhesive tape may be used to secure the shield 10 to the windscreen.

Figure 3 shows a shield 10 according to Figure 1 or Figure 2 secured to a vehicle windscreen

4. A support device (not shown) is mounted to the vehicle windscreen 30 at the upper right hand corner near the upper edge 32 of the windscreen. The shield 10 of the present invention is secured to the windscreen 30 (e.g. by adhesive as explained above) surrounding the support device. The narrow section 1 la of the margin is disposed proximate the upper edge 32 of the windscreen.

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a plurality of vehicle windscreens 30 as shown in Figure 3 packed into a container 20 for storage and/or transportation. The windscreens 30 are positioned upright (i.e. vertically). This is an illustrative diagram which is not shown to scale. For example, the windscreens would usually be packed closer together than shown in Figure

3.

Each windscreen 30 has a support device 35 mounted thereto at an upper edge of the windscreen 30. In comparison to Figure 3, the shields 10 are shown as transparent so that the support devices 35 are visible. The support device 35 may be of the type described in EP2328782, or DE102006039065.

-9Each support device 35 is surrounded by a shield 10 according to the present invention. The remaining space in the container 20 may be at least partially filled with padding 22 such as polystyrene, airbags, or other protective stuffing used in containers. The shields 10 forms a crush-resistant barrier which protects the support device 35 from being crushed or damaged by the adjacent windscreen 30 during transportation of the container 20.

It is advantageous for the side walls 12, 13 of the shield (see Figure 1) to have a shallow angle of inclination compared to the top wall 15, as this allows an adjacent windscreen 30 to slide more smoothly over (or past) the shield 10 when it is inserted into the container 20 from the side (i.e. into the page in Figure 3).

It will be appreciated that the shield of the present invention could be used to protect a support device mounted at any position on a windscreen, not just the position shown in Figures 3 and 4.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be capable of designing many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims. The word comprising and comprises, and the like, does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the specification as a whole. In the present specification, “comprises” means “includes or consists of’ and “comprising” means “including or consisting of’. The singular reference of an element does not exclude the plural reference of such elements and vice-versa. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for protecting a support device mounted on a vehicle windscreen during transportation, the apparatus comprising a shield, wherein the shield comprises a rigid plastic material and is configured to surround the support device.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rigid plastic material may comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising means for securing the shield to the windscreen.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the means comprises an adhesive.

5. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the shield comprises a flat margin arranged to be secured to the vehicle windscreen, and inwardly of the flat margin a recess zone for accommodating the support device.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the flat margin is formed of the rigid plastic material and extends around the entire periphery of the recess zone.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the flat margin comprises a relatively narrower portion which extends outwards from the shield by a smaller distance than other portions of the margin.

8. An apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 7 as it depends on claim 4, wherein the adhesive is provided on at least part of the margin.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus comprises a removable sheet overlying the adhesive adapted to be removed prior to use.

10. An apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 9, wherein the shield comprises at least one wall upstanding from the flat margin to form the recess zone.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one wall is inclined at an angle of at least 30° from horizontal.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein at least one wall, or a portion of at least one wall, is inclined at a steeper angle from horizontal relative to the other walls, or to the remaining portion of the wall.

13. An apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the shield comprises a face attached to the at least one wall.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the face is substantially flat.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the face is a quadrilateral shape having four sides.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the shield comprises four walls: a top wall; two side walls; and a bottom wall, wherein each wall extends from a side of the face to the flat margin.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the top wall is inclined at the steepest angle from horizontal relative to the bottom wall and side walls.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the margin extends outwards by a smaller distance from the top wall than from the bottom and side walls, such that the top wall is bounded by a narrower portion of the margin.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein each of the side walls are inclined at a shallow angle from horizontal relative to the top wall.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the bottom wall is inclined at the same angle as at least one of the side walls.

21. An apparatus according to any of claims 16 to 20, wherein the four walls, margin and 5 face of the shield are integrally formed.

22. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the shield is formed from a single mould.

10

23. A kit of parts comprising a support device configured to be mounted on a vehicle windscreen and an apparatus or shield according to any of claims 1 to 22.

24. A kit of parts according to claim 23, wherein the support device is configured to hold one or more of: a camera; one or more sensors; and/or a satellite navigation device.

25. A kit of parts according to claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the support device is configured to be mounted proximate an edge of the vehicle windscreen.