Collapsible Sun Cover for Motor Vehicle Interior
A motor vehicle accessory capable of shielding the interior of a car from the sun, specifically a device that can cover the entire interior surface of a vehicle.
This Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from earlier filed U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/987,108, filed Nov. 12, 2007, by Alfredo P. Bernardo, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to the field of car accessories, specifically a collapsible sun shield to protect the interior surfaces of a motor vehicle from excess heat and/or sun exposure.
2. Background
Car owners often leave their vehicles parked outside for long periods of time, whether in a parking lot while at work or shopping, or in the driveway of their own homes. Sun exposure for these long periods of time can cause extreme heat in the interior of a vehicle, especially in hot desert climates, and can cause discomfort or even harm to the driver and passengers. Sun exposure can also be very damaging to the vehicle's leather, plastic, and/or vinyl surfaces, causing discoloration or cracking.
Several products are currently on the market for protecting the interior of a car from sun exposure, however none are both convenient and effective in protecting a substantial portion of the interior of a car. For example, COVERCRAFT® sells sun shields that span across the interior of a car windshield, thereby partially blocking the sun's rays depending on the direction of the shield relative to the sun. However, these shields are neither efficient insulators nor effective at protecting the entirety of a car's interior surfaces regardless of the time of day or direction of the sun. COVERCRAFT® also markets exterior covers that must be stretched over the entire vehicle. While these covers solve the problem of protecting the entire interior surface of a car regardless of the direction of the sun, they are bulky, difficult to use, and inconvenient when one is pressed for time. Additionally, when in use these covers are exposed to the outdoor elements, accumulating dirt, dust, bird feces and/or insects. Side window sun shields also exist, such as the one taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,822, however these products can be difficult to use and require multiple units for effectively blocking the entire interior of a vehicle from the sun.
An improvement on the abovementioned devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,204, invented by the inventor of the present application. This device is composed essentially of a sheet of cover material supported by a frame that includes elongated arms situated horizontally along the opposite sides of the vehicle interior. However, due to the horizontal orientation and location of these arms, they need to include either a sliding or folding mechanism to allow the cover to be properly deployed in the vehicle interior and to be retrieved from deployment for storage in a relatively compact dimension. Such orientation and location of the support frame also works properly only if the segment of the cover it supports is flat, thus the cover cannot assume the appropriate angular shape needed to reflect the sunlight back out to the windshield, side windows and rear window of the vehicle. In addition, since these opposite elongated arms are not connected to each other, the user of the invention has to reach out to the other side of the vehicle and hold both arms of the cover while the related segment of the cover is slid or folded towards the desired direction, thereby making the cover difficult and cumbersome to use. None of the embodiments of this prior invention provide a systematic, consistent and quick way of folding the cover into a compact dimension for storage, thereby requiring a user to spend an impractical amount of time using and storing the device.
What is needed is a collapsible device that can cover the interior surfaces of a motor vehicle regardless of which direction sunlight is coming from, thereby insulating the interior, preventing excessive increase in temperature and avoiding harmful exposure to the sun's UV rays. The device should provide a systematic, consistent and quick way of folding the device into a compact dimension for storage after its use. It is desirable to have a device that minimizes the number of parts or components required for operation, as well as allows a user to easily deploy and retrieve the device from just one side of a vehicle without reaching to the other side. The device should also be useful without requiring modification of the car interior, such as drilling holes, and other permanent or provisional attachments to the car interior, such as hooks or hanging mechanisms.
As shown in
A middle section 104 can have a second set of rigid arms 108 that can be permanently attached to said sheet 101 substantially perpendicular to the length of the motor vehicle in which a device 100 is to be used. In alternate embodiments, said second set of rigid arms 108 can be removably attached to said sheet 101 so that the sheet 101 can be laundered if needed. Said second set of rigid arms 108 can be spaced apart from each other in a manner that can allow for proper folding and storage of device 100. A second set of rigid arms 108 can be plastic, fiberglass, metal, or any other known and/or convenient rigid material.
A middle section 104 can also have a first adjustable headrest compartment 114 that can accommodate the height, width, and depth of the headrests of the driver and front passenger seats of a motor vehicle. Said first adjustable headrest compartment 114 can be comprised of at least one protrusion in a sheet 101 that can temporarily house the driver and front passenger seat headrests of a motor vehicle. Said first adjustable headrest compartment 114 can be at a location about a sheet 101 such that said at least one protrusion can easily fit over the driver and front passenger seat headrests, and said location can be customized for different motor vehicle types and models.
A first adjustable headrest compartment 114 can have at least one fastening mechanism 112 located circumferentially about said first adjustable headrest compartment 114. Said at least one fastening mechanism 112 can be utilized to fold the material of said first adjustable headrest compartment 114 over itself when the dimensions of the driver and front passenger seat headrests are smaller than the dimensions of said headrest compartment 114 in a fully unfolded position. Said at least one fastening mechanism 112 can be hook and loop, snaps, protrusion and aperture, or any other known and/or convenient fastening mechanism. A first adjustable headrest compartment 114 can also have at least one rigid arm 115 that can be permanently or removably attached to said first adjustable headrest compartment 114 and can be placed substantially perpendicular to the length of the motor vehicle in which a device 100 is to be used. In the embodiment shown in
A rear section 106 can have a third set of rigid arms 108 that can be permanently attached to said sheet 101 substantially perpendicular to the length of the motor vehicle in which a device 100 is to be used. In alternate embodiments, said third set of rigid arms 108 can be removably attached to said sheet 101 so that the sheet 101 can be laundered if needed. Said third set of rigid arms 108 can be spaced apart from each other in a manner that can allow for proper folding and storage of device 100. A third set of rigid arms 108 can be plastic, fiberglass, metal, or any other known and/or convenient rigid material. A rear section 106 can also have a second adjustable headrest compartment 116 that can accommodate the height, width, and depth of the headrests of the rear passenger seats of a motor vehicle. A second adjustable headrest compartment 116 can be have at least one section that can be comprised of a plurality of slits in a sheet 101. The cut edges of each of said at least one section can be coupled with flexible material such that said at least one section of a compartment 116 can adjust to the dimensions of at least one rear passenger headrest while keeping said headrest covered. In the embodiment shown in
A device 100 can have at least one removable stabilizing arm 120. A removable stabilizing arm 120 can be rigid and can be made of metal, plastic, fiberglass, or any other known and/or convenient material. At least one end of said stabilizing arm 120 can have an aperture that can removably attach to a fastening device 42, as shown in
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Despite the presence of rigid arms 108 and stabilizing arms 120, the sides of a sheet 101 may sag slightly when in use. Thus, as shown in
Another method of folding a device 100 is depicted in
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Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention as described and hereinafter claimed is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A vehicle sun shield, comprising:
- a sheet having a front end, a rear end, a front section, a middle section, and a rear section,
- a plurality of rigid arms extending across the width of said sheet and being perpendicular to the length of said sheet;
- a first adjustable headrest compartment comprising a protrusion in said sheet, said protrusion being adapted to fit over at least one motor vehicle headrest;
- at least one removable stabilizing arm.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable steering wheel compartment comprising a plurality of slits, the edges of said slits being coupled with flexible material such that said compartment can fit over a motor vehicle steering wheel.
3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second adjustable headrest compartment located substantially near the rear end of said sheet, comprising at least one set of slits in said sheet, the edges of said slits being coupled with flexible material such that said second adjustable headrest compartment can fit over at least one motor vehicle headrest.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of rigid arms is bent such that the longitudinal midline of said sheet is raised.
5. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one fastening compartment located on or substantially close to said middle section of said sheet, said fastening component adapted to accept at least one end of said at least one removable stabilizing arm.
6. The device of claim 5, further comprising at least one fastening device located on or substantially close to said front end and/or said rear end of said sheet, said at least one fastening device adapted to accept at least one end of said at least one removable stabilizing arm.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein said middle section can be removed from said sheet.
8. The device of claim 7, wherein said middle section can be removably attached to said front and rear sections via complementary fastening components.
9. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one stretchable cord located on the perimeter of at least one section of a sheet.
10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a set of straps.
11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of loops located on at least one of a plurality of rigid arms.
12. The device of claim 11, further comprising at least one extension located toward the front end and/or the rear end of said sheet, said at least one extension being removably anchored to said middle section.
13. The device of claim 1, wherein said sheet is made of flexible material.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one removable stabilizing arm has at least one forked end.
15. A vehicle sun shield, comprising:
- a sheet having a front end, a rear end, a front section, a middle section, and a rear section,
- a plurality of creases extending across the width of said sheet and being perpendicular to the length of said sheet;
- a first adjustable headrest compartment comprising a protrusion in said sheet,
- said protrusion being adapted to fit over at least one motor vehicle headrest;
- at least one removable stabilizing arm.
16. The device of claim 15, further comprising an adjustable steering wheel compartment comprising a plurality of slits, the edges of said slits being coupled with flexible material such that said compartment can fit over a motor vehicle steering wheel.
17. The device of claim 15, further comprising a second adjustable headrest compartment located substantially near the rear end of said sheet, comprising at least one set of slits in said sheet, the edges of said slits being coupled with flexible material such that said second adjustable headrest compartment can fit over at least one motor vehicle headrest.
18. The device of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of creases is bent such that the longitudinal midline of said sheet is raised.
19. The device of claim 15, further comprising at least one fastening compartment located on or substantially close to said middle section of said sheet, said fastening component adapted to accept at least one end of said at least one removable stabilizing arm.
20. The device of claim 19, further comprising at least one fastening device located on or substantially close to said front end and/or said rear end of said sheet, said at least one fastening device adapted to accept an end of said at least one removable stabilizing arm.
21. The device of claim 15, wherein said middle section can be removed from said sheet.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein said middle section can be removably attached to said front and rear sections via complementary fastening components.
23. The device of claim 15, further comprising a set of straps.
24. The device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of loops located on or near said plurality of creases.
25. The device of claim 24, further comprising at least one extension located toward the front end and/or the rear end of said sheet, said at least one extension being removably anchored said middle section.
26. The device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of diamond-shaped flexible section located along the longitudinal midline of said sheet.
27. The device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of rigid arms extending across the width of said sheet and being perpendicular to the length of said sheet.
28. The device of claim 15, wherein said at least one removable stabilizing arm has at least one forked end.
29. The device of claim 15, wherein said sheet is made of rigid material.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 11, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 2, 2009
Inventor: Alfredo P. Bernardo (New Manila)
Application Number: 12/268,979