Abstract:
A telescoping and tensioning connecting device for fabric vehicle covers assembled from a number of inter-received tubular members, which are slidably connected to a primary housing tube. A coiled compression spring, positioned within the primary housing tube provides tension and hook devices at each end of the apparatus engage “eyelets” of a fabric vehicle cover thus snugging and holding the cover to the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. #60/295960, filed Jun. 4, 2001. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to connecting devices, specifically to those connecting devices, used to secure fabric vehicle covers onto automobiles.  
         BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART  
         [0003]    Fabric covers are used by many people in order to protect the finish of an automobile or other vehicle. These fabric covers are manufactured in the general shape and size of the vehicle so as to fit reasonably snugly over the vehicle. These covers typically contain two “eyelets” which are sewn or pressed into the lower edge of the fabric opposite each other and at that portion of the cover which covers the rocker panel area of the automobile. These “eyelets” are provided on the cover to accommodate a connecting device and thus further snug the cover to the vehicle. Thus, the connecting device employed, prevents a wind or other unauthorized lifting of the cover off of the vehicle.  
           [0004]    Heretofore, these covers were secured to the vehicle by the use of a rope, a cable, an elastic cord with hooks, or the like, slung under the vehicle between and connecting the two “eyelets”. While these methods of attachment are certainly usable, they are merely adequate and indeed because of the inherent flexible nature of these current attachment devices (rope, cable, elastic cord with hooks, or the like), a flaw is shown.  
           [0005]    Thus the current attachment methods suffer from several disadvantages:  
           [0006]    (a) The nature of a rope, cable, elastic cord with hooks, or the like, makes for a somewhat awkward storage problem when not in use.  
           [0007]    (b) The nature of the current method of attachment because of the current devices, requires that the user be on hands and knees in order to facilitate throwing or otherwise uncoiling the device under the vehicle from one side to the other. In the case of an elastic cord, the user would engage a hook through the eyelet on one side of the cover and then proceed around to the other side of the vehicle. The user would then be required to crawl part way under the vehicle to retrieve the free end of the elastic cord and then to stretch and hook it to the eyelet on that side.  
           [0008]    (c) While it is true that the elastic cord is self-tensioning and thus snugs the cover to the vehicle, it is nevertheless an awkward means of achieving that end.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0009]    In accordance with the present invention, a connecting device for fabric vehicle covers comprises a tubular body of rigid or semi-rigid construction with telescoping, tensioning, and gripping apparatus.  
         OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
         [0010]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:  
           [0011]    (a) To provide a compact, easily storable device when not in use  
           [0012]    (b) To provide a lightweight rigid or semi-rigid device, which when extended, spans the distance between the eyelets of the cover when placed under the vehicle, thereby accommodating the user more fully by not requiring him or her to reach under the vehicle.  
           [0013]    (c) To provide a self-tensioning device, which when in use snugs the cover to the vehicle.  
           [0014]    Further objects and advantages are to provide a connecting device for fabric vehicle covers which is simple and user friendly to operate, which can be offered in any number of colors, which should prove to be a simple device to manufacture and which would be more aesthetically appealing than an unsightly rope, cable or elastic cord with hooks, particularly to those automobile aficionados that demand the very best for their vehicle. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
       
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the connecting device in the extended and locked position.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connecting device as contemplated by the present invention in a closed position.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connecting device with a cut-out showing a coiled compression spring and cam-type locking mechanism inside of the primary tube.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 shows the tension rod assembly as contemplated by the current invention with spring, locking mechanism and hook device connected.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 shows the slideably connected plurality of extension tubes assembly with attached hook device that make-up the telescoping feature of the connecting device.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 shows a section of aluminum tubing having at one end a machine formed bead or protrusion and at the other end, a machine formed groove or depression. 
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]                                                       10   primary tube           10a   primary tube second open end           10b   primary tube first open end           12   rod           14   locking mechanism           16   coiled compression spring           18   end cap having center aperture           20a   hook device           20b   hook device           22a   telescoping tube           22b   telescoping tube           22c   telescoping tube           24   machined groove           26   machined bead                        
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]    Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment will be described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.  
         [0023]    With reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates the present invention in its fully extended and locked state, it can be seen that it is comprised of: a primary tube  10  which is approximately 76 cm long and which has a first open end  10   a  and second open end  10   b , a rod  12  approximately 46 cm long, an end cap  18 , a plurality of slidably connected telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c , each of which is approximately 37 cm long and a plurality of hook devices  20   a  and  20   b . Not shown in FIG. 1 but illustrated in the cutaway portion of FIG. 3 are the final parts; a coiled compression spring  16  and a locking mechanism  14 .  
         [0024]    The preferred material for constructing primary tube  10 , rod  12  and telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c  is hollow aluminum tubing of various lengths and diameters.  
         [0025]    With reference now to FIG. 5, a detail of the plurality of slidably connected telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c  is shown. At the outward end of telescoping tube  22   c  is affixed hook device  20   a . Referring back to FIG. 1, we see that these slidably connected telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c , extend from or retract into first open end  10   a  of the longer primary tube  10  which is approximately twice the length of telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c.    
         [0026]    Each individual section comprising the above described telescoping feature of the present invention must of course remain partially within each neighboring section when they are extended one from another. While the art of creating telescoping tubes is known and varied, a preferred method will be described here briefly for clarity. With reference to FIG. 6, a detail of an annular bead  26  and an annular groove  24  (which creates a corresponding annular protrusion of the inner wall) are shown on a section of hollow aluminum tubing. Thus in a telescoping section comprising two or more tubes, it can be understood that each annular groove  24  embedded in a tube interacts with annular bead  26  of the inner tube to retain that tube.  
         [0027]    With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 it can be seen that rod  12  extends from second open end  10   b  of primary tube  10 . Affixed at the inward end (that portion which stays within primary tube  10 ) of rod  12  is locking mechanism  14  (FIG. 3). One such locking mechanism of the type contemplated for use in the present invention is know as a “Twist Lock”, which is a cam-lock design and is available from Valley Tool and Die, Inc., 10020 York Theta Drive, North Royalton, Ohio 44133. Locking mechanism  14  has an outside diameter just smaller than the inside diameter of primary tube  10 . At the outward end of rod  12  is affixed hook device  20   b.    
         [0028]    With reference now to FIG. 4, it can be seen in detail, rod  12  which is slightly longer than half the length of primary tube  10  with locking mechanism  14  affixed at one end and hook device  20   b  affixed at the other end. Coiled compression spring  16 , which is approximately the same length as rod  12  can be seen in place around rod  12 . Referring back to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, we also see end cap  18 , which is affixed at end  10   b  of primary tube  10 . End cap  18  has a hole in its center slightly larger than the outside diameter of rod  12 , thus allowing rod  12  to slide freely, but enclosing coiled compression spring  16  inside of primary tube  10 . Coiled compression spring  16  whose inward end communicates with the shoulder of locking mechanism  14  and whose outward end communicates with the inside portion of end cap  18 , creates a tension when rod  12  is pulled outwardly from the bore of primary tube  10 . If rod  12  is pulled straight out of the bore of primary tube  10  (FIG. 1), or allowed to return into the bore with the urging of coiled compression spring  16  (FIG. 2), locking mechanism  14  has no affect. It merely slides in the bore. If however rod  12  is pulled out and slightly twisted in a clock-wise rotation, a rotateably mounted axle-centric section of locking mechanism  14  will frictionally engage the inner wall of primary tube  10  thereby holding rod  12  in an extended state against the urging of coiled compression spring  16  (FIG. 1). When rod  12  is twisted slightly in a counter-clockwise direction, locking mechanism  14  relaxes its frictional hold on the interior wall of primary tube  10  and coiled compression spring  16 , which has been compressed, urges rod  12  back into the bore of primary tube  10  (FIG. 2).  
       OPERATION  
       [0029]    The manner of using the connecting device of the present invention is fairly straight forward. A user of the device would of course first install a fabric cover onto their vehicle. The user would then extend telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c  out of primary tube  10 . The user would then grasp tension rod  12  with one hand while holding primary tube  10  with the other hand. The user would then pull outwardly on rod  12  the full length of travel. Coiled compression spring  16  inside of primary tube  10  is thus compressed. With rod  12  now fully extended, the user would twist rod  12  slightly in a clock-wise rotation, causing the cam action of locking mechanism  14  to engage tightly against the interior wall of primary tube  10 , thereby locking rod  12  in an extended state. The user would then place the now extended connecting device in a position on the parking surface under the covered vehicle from side to side, so that hooks  20   a  and  20   b  would be directly below the eyelets of the cover and with rod  12  on the driver&#39;s side of the covered vehicle. From the passenger side, the user would lift the connecting device up and engage hook  20   a  with the eyelet of the cover on that side. The user would then move to the driver&#39;s side and lift that side of the device up. The user would then slightly twist tension rod  12  in a counter clockwise rotation, thereby releasing the grip that locking mechanism  14  has on the interior wall of primary tube  10 . The compressed spring  16  then urges rod  12  back into primary tube  10  while the user engages hook  22   b  with the cover eyelet on that side. The shorter length of the connecting device relative to the distance between the cover eyelets prevents the spring from completely relaxing thereby creating the tension necessary to “snug” the cover to the vehicle.  
         [0030]    When the user wishes to remove the cover from the vehicle, hook  20   a  or  20   b  on either side of the vehicle is grasped and pulled against the tensioned state of the device. The hook is released from the eyelet on that side. At that time, coiled compression spring  16  fully relaxes as rod  12  returns to its unextended state. The user then releases the hook from the eyelet on the other side and removes the connecting device from under the vehicle. Telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c  are then compressed back into primary housing tube  10 . The cover is removed from the vehicle and it and the connecting device are stored away.  
       CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, and SCOPE  
       [0031]    Accordingly, the reader will see that the connecting device of the present invention is preferable in many respects to the rope, cable, or elastic cord with hooks that are presently in use. Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show three slidably connected telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c  and while approximate sizes are given in the above description for the sake of clarity, it is possible that any number and variety of sizes and lengths may be used in the same manner to create a connecting device of varying lengths and diameters. With continued consideration of telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c , it should be understood that one or more spring biased latch buttons, which are outwardly extendable into one or more latch apertures of a neighboring section of tubing, could be installed. The use of latch buttons may be desirable in certain applications where the outward travel of one or more telescoping sections so equipped needs to be limited, for example, a very narrow vehicle or other narrow application.  
         [0032]    The preferred construction material of the slidably connected telescoping tubes  22   a ,  22   b ,  22   c , primary tube  10 , and rod  12  is hollow aluminum tubing as previously stated. A number of vibrant colored dyes are available which can be added to an anodizing solution, which the aluminum tubes could be introduced into thus making the connecting device attractive to consumers. The use of aluminum tubing is also preferable because of the proximity of the connecting device when in use to the undercarriage of an automobile where the possibility exists of contacting hot exhaust systems. In addition, aluminum tubing is lightweight, readily available in many sizes, and easy to work with. However, it is to be understood that other suitable tubing such as PVC, fiberglass, or carbon fiber could be used in a like manner resulting in a connecting device of semi-rigid construction. This may be desirable for some applications such as personal watercraft or boats. With consideration of these two examples, which of course are V-shaped, it can be understood that two or more connecting devices could be hooked together, for example, at the keel area, where a fairly abrupt angle change occurs.  
         [0033]    Finally, while FIG. 1 through FIG. 5 show common hook devices  20   a  and  20   b  used as the gripping apparatus of the connecting device, it is to be understood that a gripping apparatus with locking or lockable features is contemplated.  
         [0034]    Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the example given.