GB2568597A

GB2568597A - Improvement to vehicle insulating cover

Info

Publication number: GB2568597A
Application number: GB1816122.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Parker Michael; Marion Richardson June
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-10-03
Filing date: 2018-10-03
Publication date: 2019-05-22
Also published as: GB201716095D0

Abstract

A cover 16 for a vehicle window 8, the cover having a location means 20 comprising at least one strap 22 and fixing means; the fixing means having a first portion (28, Fig.2b) disposed on the strap, and a second portion (30) located on or with the cover. The fixing means may comprise hook and loop fastenings. At least one of the straps may engage a bonnet 4 of the vehicle (see figs. 2c & 3b). The cover may extend over substantially the entire windscreen, side windows 10 and air vents 6 of the vehicle. The fixing means may comprise a third portion (32), pivotally attached to the second portion, to overlie the first and second portion, masking the second portion from the external environment. Securing means (44, fig.4) may be provided separately from the cover. The cover may be an external cover and comprise a plurality of sheet layers of insulating or reflective material. Also claimed is a location means for locating a cover with a vehicle.

Description

The invention to which this application relates is to an improvement to an insulating cover of the type that is provided for use in conjunction with the windscreen and/or other windows of a vehicle.

It is found that this type of cover is of particular use with vehicles which are provided with facilities to allow one or more persons to sleep overnight in the same and/or spend a significant period of time living in the same. It should be appreciated that the term vehicle should be interpreted as including caravans which are towed as well as vehicles provided with their own power for movement such as camper vans, dormobiles or the like. These vehicles are typically driven or towed to different locations and then, when stationary, are used to provide living and/or sleeping accommodation for a period of time.

When using vehicles of this type, it is found that the windows of the vehicle, when the vehicle is stationery, allow significant heat loss from the internal environment of the vehicle due to the fact that the windows lack the insulation which the walls of the vehicle are provided with. As such, the provision of the windows, which in many vehicles can be relatively large, means that it can be difficult to maintain the heat of the internal environment of the vehicle, and especially overnight, when the external temperature reduces. Problems can also be caused with condensation which is created on the windows due to the difference between the temperature and/or moisture in the internal environment and the temperature and/or moisture in the external environment.

The loss of heat and/or creation of condensation can therefore be a source of discomfort to users of the vehicle and it is known to try and minimize the impact of this by providing a cover formed of a series of layers of material, at least one of which is an insulating material, and the cover is provided to be laid over the area of a window or a series of windows, such as, for example, a cover may be provided for the windscreen only, or the windscreen and adjacent side windows, or separate covers may be provided for different windows. The cover typically includes at least one layer of a reflective material as, in some environmental conditions, the cover can also be used to help maintain a cooler temperature within the vehicle than the temperature of the external environment.

It is also known, in certain embodiments of this type of cover, to include a portion which is located so as to be placed over air vents which are provided on the body of the vehicle, typically below the windscreen on the body of the vehicle and thereby prevent the passage of air between the internal and external environments of the vehicle when the vehicle is stationery.

The provision of a cover is therefore known but a common problem with the same is being able to maintain the covers in position on the vehicle during use and, in particular, to maintain the position of the same in relatively inclement weather such as high winds, rain, snow or the like. Whilst it is known to provide different forms of fixing means, those which are conventionally used tend to have inherent problems which can lead to the same breaking and, as a result, the movement of the cover in an uncontrolled manner with respect to the vehicle. This uncontrolled movement can cause the cover to be damaged and/or cause further condensation and/or loss of temperature to be created and/or may cause damage to the vehicle to which the cover is attached.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to be able to provide means for allowing the location of the cover with respect to a vehicle to be maintained and improved and a yet further aim is to allow the location means themselves to be protected from the effect of weather conditions so as to ensure that the location means for the cover can be used repeatedly and thereby provide a prolonged life of use for the cover.

A further aim is to provide location means of a form which can be selectively used with respect to the covet so that, fot example, when the cover is to be used during inclement weather conditions, or the user is aware that inclement weather conditions may occur during a period of use, they can select to use the additional location means to further secure the cover in position.

In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a cover for use in conjunction with at least one window of a vehicle, said cover formed of at least one layer of sheet material and includes location means which allow the cover to be located with respect to said vehicle, and wherein said location means include first and second straps, each strap provided to be selectively engaged with a portion of the vehicle and including a first portion of fixing means to be selectively engaged with a second portion of fixing means in order to retain the strap in engagement with said vehicle and the cover in location on the vehicle.

In one embodiment the first and second straps are spaced apart so as to secure the cover to the vehicle at spaced apart locations.

In one embodiment the fixing means comprises a first portion of a hook or loop fastening provided on the strap and the second portion is formed by the other of hook and loop fastening means provided on the cover. The engagement of the first and second portions is achieved by moving the strap to a position to overlie the second portion on the cover.

In one embodiment, the strap is provided to engage with a portion of the bonnet of the vehicle. In one embodiment the strap connects with a securing means in order to allow engagement of the same with the vehicle portion.

Typically, the strap is of a length so as to be range taking to allow the same to be used with different vehicle designs and the strap is still of a length to be able to engage with the required component of the bonnet of the vehicle or alternatively, another component of the vehicle.

In one embodiment once the first portion of the fixing means on the strap is secured in position on the second portion of the fixing means on the cover, a third portion of fixing means is moved to overlie the first and second portions of the fixing means. Typically the movement is such as to enclose the first portion between the second and third portions of the fixing means.

In one embodiment, the second and third portions are joined so that the third portion is pivotally moveable with respect to the second portion.

Typically, in addition to helping to secure the strap in location with the fixing means, the third portion also acts to mask the hook or loop fastening of the second portion from the external environment and thereby prevents damage to the same and/or the collection of substances such as water, snow or ice on the same which can adversely affect the performance of the fixing means.

In one embodiment, the covet is provided with at least two straps.

In one embodiment, the securing means are provided separately from the cover and are selectively engageable with the vehicle. Typically the strap is provided as an integral part of the cover or can be selectively engaged therewith and said strap is provided with fixing means in a form similar to that as already described, which are provided with the cover. In this arrangement therefore the securing means can be selectively used by locating the same with the vehicle so as to allow the cover to be further anchored in position with respect to the vehicle during, for example, inclement weather conditions. Alternatively, the securing means can be provided as part of the location means for the cover with respect to the vehicle.

In one embodiment, the cover is of a size so as to pass over the windscreen of the vehicle. In another embodiment, the cover also includes portions which pass over the side windows of the vehicle which lie adjacent to the windscreen and in a further embodiment, the cover may include a portion which overlies airflow vents located on the vehicle below the windscreen, when the cover is located on the vehicle in a position for use.

Furthermore, typically the particular design and shape of the cover is selected with respect to a particular vehicle so that a range of cover shapes are available and each can use an engagement system in accordance with the invention.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a location means for locating a cover with a vehicle for use therewith, said location means including a fixing means and a strap portion, said fixing means including a first portion on the strap so as to allow the selected engagement of the strap with a second portion of fixing means on or locatable with the cover and wherein the strap is provided for selective engagement with a component of the vehicle and the strap and cover are brought into engagement via the contact of the fixing means portions to thereby retain the cover in location with respect to the vehicle.

In another embodiment, securing means are provided to be selectively engaged with the vehicle and, once engaged, the strap is moved into location with the same and thereby retained in position with respect to the vehicle.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying Figures; wherein

Figure 1 illustrates a cover in accordance with one embodiment of the invention in engagement with a vehicle window;

Figures 2a-c illustrate the stages of engagement of an engagement system in accordance with the invention in one embodiment;

Figure 3a and b illustrate a second embodiment of engagement system which operates in a similar way to that shown in Figures 2a-c; and

Figure 4 illustrates an engagement system in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is illustrated a front elevation of a vehicle in the form of a camper van 2. Camper vans of this type can have many different shapes and designs but typically have a bonnet 4, air vents 6, a windscreen 8 and side windows located adjacent to the windscreen in doors 12, 14 respectively.

As shown in Figure 1 the vehicle is fitted with an external cover 16 of a type with which the invention is concerned and in this embodiment the cover is of a size and is to be positioned to lie over the windscreen 8, air vents 6 and side windows 10.

While the cover may be provided with conventional means to allow the same to be fitted to the vehicle using the side doors 12, 14, wing mirrors 15, and/or windscreen wipers, certain of these options are not available if, as in this embodiment, the cover 16 extends over the windscreen wipers due to the need to also cover over the air vents.

The cover in accordance with the invention is therefore provided with an alternative engagement system and one embodiment is shown in Figure 1 and in greater detail in Figures 2a-c. The engagement system in this embodiment includes first and second spaced apart fixing assemblies 18, 20. Each assembly includes a strap 22 which is attached at one end 24 to the cover in a fixed position, typically by sewing and the other, free end 26 is provided with a first portion of fixing means which, in this embodiment, is an area of hook or loop fastening 28. Also provided, in this embodiment, are second and third portions 30,32 of fixing means in the form of areas of hook or loop fastening. In one embodiment the second portion 30 is formed of hook fastening and the first and third portions are formed of loop fastening.

It should also be appreciated that other forms of fixing means can be used such as press studs, buckles, zips or the like.

As shown, the second portion 30 of the fixing means is located on the cover and the third portion 32 is located with the second portion as a flap connected along a common edge 40 of the second portion 30.

Figures 3a and b illustrate the same type of engagement system and the same reference numerals are used but it will be appreciated that in order to allow the cover to be located with respect to a different vehicle design to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2a-c the engagement assemblies 18,20 have been moved towards the lower edge of the cover rather than the side.

Thus, in order to operate the engagement system in accordance with the embodiments of Figures l-2c and Figures 3a and b, the cover 16 is positioned onto the windscreen, side windows and air vents as required on the vehicle and conventional locating means may be used. More importantly, in accordance with the invention, it will be seen that the straps 22 of the respective engagement assemblies 18,20 lie free at this time as shown in Figure 3a. The user can then grasp the free end 26 of the strap 22 in turn and move the same with respect to the vehicle such that the strap passes through the gaps 36, 38 between the bonnet and body 39 of the vehicle such that an intermediate portion 34 of the strap 22 underlies the bonnet as shown in broken lines in Figure 2c. The user then continues to grasp the free end 26 of the strap and moves the same so that the first portion 28 of the fixing means overlies the second portion 30 of the fixing means on the cover as shown in Figure 2b and, by pressing the same together, engages the first and second portions 28,30 of the fixing means. When this has been achieved, the third portion 32 of the fixing means can be pivotally moved about the common edge 40 so as to overlie the first and second portions 28, 30 and the first portion 28 of the fixing means is located between the second and third portions

30,32 so that the third portion 32 acts as a cover to maintain the integrity of the join between the first and second portions 28, 30 and this position is shown in Figures 1, 2c and 3b.

In order to release the engagement assemblies 18,20 the steps described above are performed in reverse.

Figure 4 illustrates a securing means which can be used on its own to locate the cover or can be used with the engagement assemblies 18,20 as described above with respect to the Figures l-3b. In this embodiment there is shown a cross sectional end elevation of the lower edge 54 of the vehicle bonnet 4 and there is shown in location therewith the securing means 42 in the form of a plate 48 which has a locating lip 44 which is shaped so as to receive therein the edge 54 of the bonnet and thereby locate the securing means 42 therewith. The securing means 42 can be selectively located with the bonnet edge when it is desired to be used. The plate 48 can be provided with fixing means 46, which may again be one of hook or loop fastening means, so as to allow a strap 50 with a fixing means of the other of hook or loop fastening means, at an end 52 to engage therewith. The opposing end 54 of the strap may be fitted permanently to the cover, typically the lower edge thereof as shown, or alternatively can be selectively engaged using attachment means, as is the case with straps 22. This securing means 42 can be used to locate the cover in position with respect to the bonnet edge 54 and hence the vehicle and may be of particular benefit when the environmental conditions such as high winds or rain may increase the risk of the cover being blown away.

The current invention therefore provides a cover with location and securing means which ensure the cover can be retained more securely in position whilst ensuring that the means of locating the cover with the vehicle can be relatively easily used and installed by the user even in relatively windy or inclement conditions.

Claims

1. A cover for use in conjunction with at least one window of a vehicle, said cover formed of at least one layer of sheet material and includes location means which allow the cover to be located with respect to said vehicle, and wherein said location means include first and second straps, each strap provided to be selectively engaged with a portion of the vehicle and including a first portion of fixing means to be selectively engaged with a second portion of fixing means in order to retain the strap in engagement with said vehicle and the cover in location on the vehicle.

2. A cover according to claim 1 wherein the first and second straps are spaced apart so as to secure the cover to the vehicle at spaced apart locations.

3. A cover according to claim 1 wherein the first portion of fixing means are formed of hook or loop fastenings provided on the strap and the second portion of fixing means is formed by the other of hook and loop fastening means provided on the cover.

4. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the engagement of the first and second portions of the fixing means is achieved by moving the strap to a position so that the first and second portions of the fixing means overlie and engage.

5. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein at least one of the straps is provided to engage with a portion of the bonnet of the vehicle.

6. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the strap connects with securing means in order to allow engagement of the same with the vehicle portion.

7. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the strap is of a length so as to be range taking and allow the same to be used with different vehicle designs so as to allow the strap to be able to engage with the required vehicle portion.

8. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein once the first portion of the fixing means is engaged in position on the second portion, a third portion of the fixing means is moved to overlie the first and second portions.

9. A cover according to claim 8 wherein when overlying the the second portions, the third portion encloses the first portion between the second and third portions of the fixing means.

10. A cover according to any of claims 8 to 9 wherein the second and third portions are joined so that the third portion is pivotally moveable with respect of the second portion.

11. A cover according to any of claims 8 to 10 wherein the third portion masks the second portion of the fixing means from the external environment.

12. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the cover includes two second portions of the fixing means at spaced locations on the said cover.

13. A cover according to claim 6 wherein the said securing means are provided separately from the cover and are selectively engageable with the vehicle.

14. A cover according to claim 13 wherein the securing means are selectively used by locating the same with the vehicle so as to allow the cover to be further anchored in position with respect of the vehicle when the securing means are engaged with the cover.

15. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the straps are provided as integral parts of the sheet material layer of the cover or are selectively engaged therewith.

16. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the cover is of a dimension so as to overlie substantially all of the windscreen of the vehicle.

17. A cover according to claim 16 wherein the cover also includes portions which lie over those side windows of the vehicle which lie adjacent to the windscreen.

18. A cover according to claims 16 and 17 wherein the cover includes a portion which overlies airflow vents of the vehicle located adjacent to the windscreen.

19. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the cover is formed of a plurality of layers of sheet material, at least one of which is an insulating material and another of which is a reflective material.

20. A cover according to any of the preceding claims wherein the cover is provided to be located externally of the vehicle to cover at least the windscreen of the same.

21. A location means for locating a cover with a vehicle for use therewith, said location means including a fixing means and a strap portion, said fixing means including a first portion on the strap so as to allow the selected engagement of the strap with a second portion of fixing means on or locatable with the cover and wherein the strap is provided for selective engagement with a component of the vehicle and the strap and cover are brought into engagement via the contact of the fixing means portions to thereby retain the cover in location with respect to the vehicle.

22. Location means according to claim 18 wherein the location means includes securing means provided to be selectively engaged with the vehicle and, once engaged, the strap is moved into location with the vehicle and thereby retained in position with respect to the vehicle.