Abstract:
A protective cover for a vehicle window comprising a flexible fabric panel having a terminal edge that includes a roll of the panel fabric where the roll is sized and dimensioned to be disposed beneath a closure component of the vehicle in order to secure the terminal edge in place.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to vehicle covers primarily intended to protect the windows of the vehicle from accumulations of ice and snow. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Protecting the windshield and other windows of a vehicle from accumulations of ice and snow has been the object of a number of prior United States patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,276 to Madison discloses a cover having a size corresponding to the vehicle&#39;s outer surface. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,007 to Shahrokh, U.S. Pat. No. 7,673,924 to Lau and U.S. Pat. No. 8,286,688 to Crozier all disclose complete or partial covers for vehicles that include protection for at least some of the windows against ice and snow. The distinction between these various patents focuses on the methods of securing the cover to the vehicle. 
         [0003]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide a protective window cover whose attachment features can be employed on a passenger car or a pick-up type of truck and in both cases will be efficient to secure the cover to the vehicle and, at the same time, will be effective in preventing theft of the cover. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A protective cover of the present invention is for protecting the windows of a passenger car or pick-up truck and includes a flexible fabric panel that overlays the vehicle roof and depends on its front, rear and sides over the vehicle windows. At least one of the front and rear depending sections has a terminal edge that includes a roll of fabric that is sized and dimensioned to be disposed beneath a closure on the vehicle, for example the hood that covers the engine compartment, the spring biased windshield wipers or the lid of the rear trunk compartment. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the vehicle cover of the present invention intended for a passenger automobile. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary view of a typical passenger car with the rear trunk lid in the open position to reveal the placement of the rolled terminal edge of the rear window panel of the vehicle cover. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary view of the vehicle of  FIG. 2  illustrating the positioning of the rolled terminal edge of the windshield panel beneath the windshield wipers. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the vehicle of  FIGS. 2 and 3  with the protective cover in position over the vehicle and secured at the front, rear and sides. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a typical pick-up truck with the cover of the present invention in place over the cab and the rolled terminal edge of the windshield panel being disposed beneath the rear edge of the hood that covers the engine compartment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0010]    The vehicle wrap  2  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1  and includes a roof central covering portion  4 , side window covering pieces  6  and  8  that depend from and are integral with the roof covering portion and rear and front window covering sections  10  and  12  that also depend from and are integral with the roof covering portion  4 . 
         [0011]    The lower terminal edge  14  of the rear window section  10  is rolled around a semi-rigid core  16  to form a substantially cylindrical lower edge  18  to the rear section  10 . The lower terminal edge  20  of the front window section  12  is divided into two axially aligned substantially cylindrical rolled edges  22  and  23 , each of which is rolled around respective cores  24  and  25 . 
         [0012]    The lower terminal edges  30  and  32  of the side pieces  6  and  8  of the wrap  2  are provided with spaced apart side straps  34  and  36  that are equipped with hook and loop type of fasteners in order to selectively form securing loops. 
         [0013]    As seen in  FIG. 2 , the cylindrical terminal edge  18  of the rear window section  10  of the wrap is positioned below the forward rim  40  of the trunk compartment of an automobile  26  so that the terminal edge depends into the upper space of the compartment. When the trunk closure lid  42  is closed the portion of the window section  10  that is just above the cylindrical edge traverses through the space between the compartment rim  40  and the front of the lid  42 , trapping the cylindrical rolled edge  18  of rear window section  10  in the trunk compartment and securing the terminal edge of the window section  10  in its proper position, as seen in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0014]    The side straps  34  are adapted to be looped around the handles  51  and  53  of the rear and front door handles of the vehicle and the rear view mirror  60  to secure the side window coverings  6  and  8  in their proper position, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0015]    The front of the wrap  2  is secured in position, as shown in  FIG. 3 , by positioning the dual and spaced apart lower portions of the windshield covering section that are proximate to the rolled edges  22  and  23  underneath the spring biased windshield wipers  62  and  64  of the vehicle. The rolled edges of the section prevent the window covering section  12  from moving upwardly and thus secure the front portion of the wrap  2  into position. 
         [0016]    In an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the wrap  70  is adapted to cover the cab of a pick-up truck  72 . In this embodiment the lower terminal edge of the windshield covering section  74  is rolled into a cylindrical shape  75 , similar to the rolled rear edge  18  of the first mentioned embodiment. In this pick-up truck version, the rolled front edge is placed under the rear edge  76  of the hood  77  that covers the engine compartment. When the hood is closed the rolled edge  75  is trapped in that compartment to secure the front portion of the wrap in place. Fastening straps  76  are attached to the lower terminal edges of the side pieces  80  that cover the side windows of the truck cab. The terminal edge of the rear window cover section and the terminal edges of the side window pieces  80  are formed into a casing which houses an elastic cord that draws the edges tightly around the cab which, together with the captive front rolled edge  75  and the straps  76 , secure the wrap  70  in place.