Abstract:
A pleated car curtain for covering a car window, includes: a curtain made of thin, sun-protective material, having a plurality of pleats parallel to lateral edges and a plurality of pleated edges between said pleats; two reinforcing strips on the lateral edges of the curtain; two ears, respectively attached to the two reinforcing strips; and two fixing elements, fixed on the car window on two sides thereof, respectively holding the two ears when the curtain is in use. The curtain is produced using high temperatures and pressures so that the shape of the plurality of pleated edges is preserved as acute angles when the curtain is folded and unfolded.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pleated car curtain, particularly to a pleated car curtain which is easily hung on a car window. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Current sun-protective shields used in cars basically are of one of two types: curtains fixed on car windows and shields that are movable. A fixed curtain for covering a car window mostly is made of pleated sun-protective material with upper and lower edges. Guiding cords run along the upper and lower edges and across the car window, with ends fixed on the car window, guiding the curtain, such that the curtain stays parallel to the car window when opened or closed. This arrangement provides effective protection from the sun, with the curtain stably held. 
     A fixed curtain, however, is normally fixed on the rear end of the car window and therefore not easily dismounted. When not in use, the curtain is therefore just folded. With the car in motion, no unhindered view out of the car is possible, a remaining dead angle adds to driving risks. 
     A movable shield has no guiding cords and during use has to be fixed by other means. As shown in FIG. 8, a conventional board-like movable sun-protective shield  1  for covering a car window  2  has a board with upper and lower edges that can be doubled on itself. During use, the board is opened, the lower edge thereof is laid on a dashboard  8 , and the upper edge thereof is held by a rear-view mirror  3  and sun visors  4 . Only then the upper edge of the sun-protective shield  1  is prevented from coming down, making use of the sun-protective shield  1  inconvenient. 
     Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8A, the sun-protective shield  1  has a considerable thickness and takes up a relatively large volume when folded, such that storage in a car is not convenient, as well. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, a soft movable sun-protective shield  5  has a suction cup  6  in a central position. The sun-protective shield  5  is made of a flexible board with a reinforcing rim  7 . Being soft, the sun-protective shield  5  has only a limited area, and covering a large car window requires using several sun-protective shield  5 . When the sun-protective shield  5  is not used, the suction cup  6  is pulled away from the car window  2 , and the reinforcing rim  7  is bent into small curves to allow the sun-protective shield  5  to be stored in a small volume. This, however, is a difficult and awkward procedure. 
     The sun-protective shield  5  is also made without the suction cup  6 . As shown in FIG. 9A, the rear-view mirror  3  and the sun visors  4  have to be employed to hold the sun-protective shield  5 , which is rather inconvenient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide a pleated car curtain of simple structure and little weight. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pleated car curtain which can be fixed on a car window and provides effective protection from the sun. 
     The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the structural parts of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the pleated car curtain of the present invention when mounted in a car window. 
     FIG. 2A is a side view of the fixing element of the present invention, the fixing element glued to the car window. 
     FIG. 2B is a side view of the fixing element of the present invention, the fixing element attached to the car window by suction. 
     FIG. 2C is a side view of one the ears of the present invention, attached to the car window by suction. 
     FIG. 2D is a side view of one of the ears of the present invention, attached to the car window by Velcro latches. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged top view of the curtain of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the curtain of the present invention when unfolded. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pleated car curtain of the present invention in the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 5A is an enlarged schematic illustration of the pleated car curtain of the present invention in the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the pleated car curtain of the present invention in the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the pleated car curtain of the present invention in the fourth embodiment. 
     FIG. 8 (prior art) is a schematic illustration of a conventional board-like movable sun-protective car shield when used. 
     FIG. 8A (prior art) is a schematic illustration of a conventional board-like movable sun-protective car shield when folded. 
     FIG. 9 (prior art) is a schematic illustration of a conventional soft movable sun-protective car shield with suction cup when used. 
     FIG. 9A (prior art) is a schematic illustration of a conventional soft movable sun-protective car shield without suction cup when used. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is used to cover a car window  2  of a car. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the pleated car curtain of the present invention in a first embodiment mainly comprises: a curtain  10 , made of sun-protective, thin material and pleated and having a width, a height, a left end and a right end; two reinforcing strips  20  on the left and right ends of the curtain  10 , reinforcing the left and right ends of the curtain  10  to maintain a straight form when the curtain  10  is unfolded; and two fixing elements  30  for fixing the left and right ends of the curtain  10  during use thereof. Two ears  11  are attached to the reinforcing strips  20 . During use of the present invention, the ears  11  are hung over the fixing elements  30 , so that the curtain  10  covers the car window  2  and has a protective effect. When the car is started, the ears  11  are removed from the fixing elements  30 , and the curtain  10  is stored away, not hindering sight from inside the car. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the fixing elements  30  are attached to the car window  2  on opposite lateral ends thereof. Each of the fixing elements  30  has a hook  31 . Each of the ears  11  has a hole  12 . The holes  12  of the ears  11  are respectively hung over the hooks  31  to fix the left and right ends of the curtain  10  on the car window  2 . 
     Each of the fixing elements  30  is attached to the car window alternatively by one of various ways. As shown in FIG. 2A, a glue layer  30   a  lies between each of the fixing elements  30  and the car window  2 , holding together the fixing elements  30  and the car window  2 . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2B, each of the fixing elements  30  has a suction cup  30   b,  held on the car window  2  by suction. 
     As a further way to fix the curtain  10 , as shown in FIG. 2C, each of the ears  11  has a suction cup, so that the ears  11  are directly attached to the car window  2 . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2D, each of the ears  11  has a VELCRO, or similar hook and loop fastener, latch  32   d,  with another Velcro latch  31   d  glued to the car window. The latches  31   d,    32   d  are easily connected and separated. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, the curtain  10  has a plurality of pleats bordering on each other at pleat edges  15 . As shown in FIG. 3, the curtain  10  has a double outer membrane  13 , covering a central reinforcing layer  14  on both sides thereof and glued thereon at high pressure. Thus the curtain  10  from outside looks like a single layer. A reflecting surface layer of electro-coated metallic gloss is added to enhance the sun-protective effect of the curtain  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the main characteristic of the present invention is that the curtain  10  is produced using high temperature and high pressure. Thus the curtain  10  is made of material which resists changes of form. On each of the pleat edges  15  the curtain  10  has a high form stability. Even when the curtain  10  is unfolded, the pleat edges  15  maintain a sharp V-shaped form. For the reinforcing layer  14  thin material, like textile, plastics or cardboard is used. Working the material at high temperature and high pressure ensures that the pleat edges  15  remain pronounced. 
     Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the curtain  10  is unfolded and hung on the fixing elements  30 , covering the window  2 , the curtain  10  is stable against deformation due to the V-shaped pleat edges  15 . The curtain will not hang down, and no reduced protected area of the car window  2  will result. 
     Preferably, the width of the curtain  10  is slightly larger than the width of the car window  2 . Then, after hanging the ears  11  of the curtain  10  over the hooks  31 , with the curtain  10  unfolded, the curtain  10  will stay close to the car window  2  and will not bend down. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the present invention in a second embodiment has on one of the reinforcing strips  20  a holding element  40 . The holding element  40  has a main part  41  with an inner side facing the reinforcing strip. The main part  41  is by a pin  43  hingedly connected to one of the reinforcing strips  20 . An L-shaped catch  42  is attached to the inner side, leaving a gap with a width that is larger than the folded thickness of the curtain  10  and the reinforcing strips  20 , allowing to hold the pleated curtain together when folded. As shown in FIG. 5A, after folding the pleated curtain, the user turns, on each of the reinforcing strips  20 , the main part  41  by 90 degrees, so that the catch  42  keeps the curtain  10  and the reinforcing strips  20  together like a bundle. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, in a third embodiment of the present invention, each of the ears  11  additionally has a holding function like the holding element  40  of the second embodiment. Each of the ears  11  has an inner side and is hingedly connected to one the reinforcing strips  20  via a pin  16 . When the pleated curtain of the present invention is folded, the curtain  10  and the reinforcing strips  20  form a compact body with a folded thickness. For each of the ears  11 , an L-shaped catch  17  is attached to the inner side, leaving a gap with a width that is larger than the folded thickness of the curtain  10  and the reinforcing strips  20 , allowing to hold the pleated curtain together when folded. After folding the pleated curtain, a user turns the ears  11  by 90 degrees, so that on each of the left and right ends of the curtain  10  the catch  17  keeps the curtain  10  and the reinforcing strips  20  together. Thus folding and storing of the pleated curtain of the present invention is convenient. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, the present invention in a fourth embodiment has short reinforcing strips  20   b,  leaving an upper section  10   a  of the curtain  10  and a lower section  10   b  of the curtain  10  uncovered. This allows the user to reduce the height of the curtain  10  easily by scissors  50 , adapting to the car window  2  for optimum sun-protection. 
     The pleated car curtain of the present invention has the following advantages: 
     1. The curtain  10  is light and is, when not in use, stored in a compact bundle with little space requirement, making use thereof convenient. 
     2. When the pleated curtain is hung up, the curtain  10  will not sag, due to the pleated edges  15 . With the reinforcing strips  20  stably connected to the fixing elements, the pleated curtain will not drop away from the car window  2 . 
     3. Since the curtain  10  is made of thin material, the user easily adapts the pleated curtain to the car window  2  by cutting the upper and lower sections  10   a,    10   b  of the curtain  10 , as needed. 
     4. For fixing the pleated curtain, no structural parts of the car, like the rear-view mirror and the sun visors, need to be employed. 
     5. A simple structure makes the present invention suitable for mass production. 
     6. As compared to a conventional sun-protective shield, the present invention has a small volume when folded, which makes storing more convenient. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or variations may be easily made without departing from the spirit of this invention which is defined by the appended claims.