Abstract:
A device is disclosed that can be attached to a parked vehicle along its sides and protect the vehicle from dings or dents that might be caused by activity adjacent to the vehicle such as the opening and closing of the doors of an adjacent vehicle. The device has telescoping sections that allow it to be extended when it is attached to a vehicle. The device detachably connects to the vehicle and when not needed can be removed from the side of the vehicle and compacted for storage. In a preferred embodiment magnets are embedded in the device to allow it to detachably connect to the vehicle. Progressively smaller hollow telescoping sections of the device retract into the next larger section to achieve a compacted and easily stored device. An interlocking mechanism is incorporated into each section to prevent the sections of the device from becoming disjointed.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e) from U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/380,355, filed May 13, 2002 and entitled “Removable, Magnetized, Compactable, Plastic, Protective Vehicle Side Molding”. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to devices for protecting an object from incidental damage and more particularly a compactable protective barrier that can be deployed and attached to an object, such as a motor vehicle, to be protected from damage when needed and the protective barrier can be removed, compacted and stored when it is not needed.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Although most modern passenger automobiles and trucks are equipped with some type of permanent, fixed side molding, experience shows that the permanent molding can be non-effective for its intended purpose; that of adequately protecting a vehicle from damage to its paint and body by the careless and abrupt opening of a door of a vehicle parked next to it or damage which might be caused by activity adjacent to the vehicle. This is particularly the case while a vehicle is parked in a crowded parking lot, with small parking places. Smaller parking places are the result, especially in urban areas, of a premium on land dedicated to the parking of vehicles and are a phenomenon of the modern design of parking lots.  
           [0004]    Thus what is needed is a device that will offer the owner&#39;s of automobiles, trucks, and other passenger vehicles the option of temporarily placing a device on the side of a vehicle in order to protect its body and paint while parked. The device should be capable of being removed without damage to the vehicle and compactable so it can be placed in the back seat or trunk for storage when not in use.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    It is an objective of the present invention to provide a compactable protective barrier for a vehicle while parked or an object when stored. It is a further objective to provide a protective barrier that can easily and efficiently attached to a vehicle when need and just as easily be removed when not needed. It is another objective to provide a barrier that cannot be easily stolen while attached to an unattended vehicle.  
           [0006]    These and other objectives are achieved by providing a protective barrier for a parked vehicle, a multi sectioned telescoping device wherein each section interlocks into a larger section and is slidable between an open and closed position so that when the sections are all in the open position the device is fully deployed; and detachable securing mechanisms embedded in the multi sectioned telescoping device to allow it to be detachably connected to an object to be protected when the multi sectioned telescoping device is fully deployed. In a preferred embodiment the protective barrier has three sections. In yet another variation of the invention the protective barrier can have a cross-sectional shape of a triangle, square, circle, semicircle and an oval. In yet another aspect of the invention the sections of the protective barrier are hollow and of progressively smaller size so that each progressively smaller section can be inserted into the progressively next larger section to form the telescoping device. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The invention will be better understood by an examination of the following description, together with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is an orthogonal view of a preferred embodiment of the protective barrier in its elongated or deployed state;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a view of the bottom of a preferred embodiment of the protective barrier in its elongated state;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the side of a preferred embodiment of the protective barrier in its compacted position or configuration;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the protective barrier in its compacted position or configuration;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the protective barrier in its compacted position or configuration;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the ends of two sections of the device of the invention that shows a preferred embodiment of the sectional interlocking mechanism;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6A is perspective of a section of the barrier that reveals the features of the interlocking mechanism;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6B is view of the interlocking mechanism at IVB of FIG. 2;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the protective barrier of the present invention configured in a cylindrical shape;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the protective barrier of the present invention configured in a semicircular shape;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the protective barrier of the present invention configured in a rectangular shape;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the protective barrier of the present invention configured in a square shape;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 11 is a side view of a vehicle on which the protective barrier has been deployed; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 12 is a perspective side view of a vehicle on which the protective barrier has been deployed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]    As noted above the present invention provides a protective barrier  20  FIG. 1 that is temporarily placed on the side of a motor vehicle such as an automobile or truck, while parked, in order to protect the vehicle from receiving dings caused by the doors of adjacent vehicles when they are being opened or other activity adjacent to the vehicle. The barrier can be removed from the vehicle being protected compacted for storage when the vehicle is going to be driven.  
         [0023]    In a preferred embodiment the protective barrier  20  of the present invention consists of three separate hollow sections,  23 ,  25  and  27  which in the preferred embodiment can be made of hard plastic or vinyl material, molded into a geometrical shape such as that of an equilateral triangle. Each section  23 ,  25  and  27  of the barrier in a preferred embodiment is approximately three feet in length and each is progressively smaller in size but not length, such that each section can be inserted, or telescoped into an adjoining larger section, in order to be compacted for storage when not in use or extended for deployment when ready for use. The cross-sectional shape of the barrier  20  can be circular, semi-circular, square or rectangular as well as that of a triangle as depicted in FIG. 1. In any ultimate shape or configuration, the feature of one section being able to be collapsed, inserted or telescoped into the adjoining, larger section for storage of the device will be present.  
         [0024]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention each section  23 ,  25  and  27  have a series of magnets  24 ,  26  and  28  (FIG. 2) to secure the barrier to the side of a car or truck to protect it from dings or dents. Section  23  has magnets  24 A,  24 B and  24 C, section  25  has magnets  26 A,  26 B and  26 C and section  27  has magnets  28 A,  28 B and  28 C. When fully deployed, i.e. each section has been moved to an open position as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the barrier will then attach to a vehicle in a detachable fashion by means of the magnets located in each section.  
         [0025]    The barrier has an anti-theft feature consisting of a security cord  29  (FIGS. 1 and 2) that attaches permanently at one end  30  to the barrier  20 . The security cord  29  has a plate  31  attached to its opposite end. As depicted in FIGS. 11 and 12 when the barrier  20  is attached to a motor vehicle  33  the end of the security cable  29  with plate  31  is placed in the trunk  32  of the car and closed. This thus helps prevent someone from stealing the protective barrier  20  when it is deployed on a vehicle in a parking lot. Plate  31  at the end of cord  29  can also be closed in a window or door and the vehicle locked.  
         [0026]    In a preferred embodiment the triangular configuration, the largest section  23  will measure approximately 3 inches per side of its equilateral triangular cross-section and be approximately three feet in length. The second section  25  will measure approximately 2½ inches per side of its equilateral triangular cross-section and also be approximately three feet in length. The third section  27  will measure approximately 2 inches per side of its equilateral triangular cross-section and also be approximately three feet in length. The sections  23 ,  25  and  27  when the barrier  20  is in the extended position will measure approximately 9 feet in length and therefore cover the side door panels of the average sized automobile, pickup truck or sports utility vehicle. The barrier can have other configurations depending on the type and size of vehicle with which it is designed to be used. It is anticipated that the device will be marketed in pairs to cover both sides of a vehicle when parked.  
         [0027]    Although the present invention discloses a barrier with three telescoping sections it could be made with only two sections of appropriate length or more than three sections of appropriate length.  
         [0028]    In the preferred embodiment the magnets  24 A- 24 C,  26 A- 26 C and  28 A- 28 C are embedded under a layer of plastic or vinyl in each section  23 ,  25  and  27  as depicted in FIG. 2. Embedding the magnets in the material that makes up each section prevents the inadvertent scratching of paint by the magnets. Additionally, the series of magnets in the preferred embodiment will have a sufficient holding power to securely attach the barrier to a moving vehicle at a speed of 80 miles per hour, should a user forget to remove it prior to driving away from a parking place.  
         [0029]    The utility of the barrier is such that, when temporarily affixed with magnets onto the outside of a vehicle, along the length of the vehicle, at a point where the side of a vehicle is widest, it will offer a cushion or barrier to protect the paint and body of a vehicle so that if a door of a vehicle parked next to it, is opened abruptly or carelessly, the opened door will make contact with the hard, plastic surface of the device and not the painted surface of a vehicle to which the device is attached.  
         [0030]    Security strap or cable  29  in the preferred embodiment will be approximately four foot in length and one inch in width. Cable  29  will consist of thin nylon strap woven into a small highly flexible steel cable. The reinforced nylon construction will make the strap difficult for thieves or pranksters to cut and remove the barrier from the side of a parked vehicle. As noted above the opposite end of strap  29  will be affixed to an oval-shaped piece of hard plastic  31 . The plate will be shut inside the vehicle either through a door, window or inside the trunk. Thus, when the vehicle is locked after deployment of the barrier this security feature will help prevent the device or barrier from being removed from the vehicle while the vehicle is parked.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the side of the barrier  20  in its compacted position. The largest section  23  has middle section  25  inserted into and likewise smallest section  27  is inserted into section  25 . FIG. 4 is a top view of the compacted barrier with all sections compacted together. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the compacted barrier and magnets located under a layer of plastic or vinyl on the bottom of the largest section  23 .  
         [0032]    In order to prevent the sections from being completely pulled out of the next larger section into which it is inserted the barrier will have interlocking mechanisms in each section. The tips of each, section will be configured to form an interlocking mechanism in such a manner that when the device is fully extended, the sections will lock into one another so they cannot be pulled apart. This will be accomplished by configuring the adjoining end of the larger section to be closed to just slightly larger than the dimension of the smaller, adjoining section. The smaller, adjoining section will have a protrusion, outwardly projecting lip, or outwardly projecting flange in the shape of an equilateral triangle, or other geometric shape as may be manufactured, which is slightly larger than the section itself, yet not so large as to prevent it from sliding into the main cavity of the larger section. The inwardly projecting lip on the second or corresponding closed end of the adjoining larger section will, however, prevent the smaller section of the device from passing through the end of the larger section and thereby becoming disjoined and separated from its&#39; adjoining larger section when fully extended. Thus, with the addition of each progressively smaller section in a larger section the telescoping feature of the barrier allows it to extend over a longer distance when all of the sections are in the fully open position but prevent them from falling out or being pulled out of the section into which they are inserted.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of how the lip or outwardly projecting flange  41  on the front end of a smaller section  43  (in terms of the size of its equilateral triangle configuration or girth) would fit inside a larger section  47  and be stopped from coming out of the other end by virtue of an enclosure or inwardly projecting lip  45  on the end of larger section  47  which would allow the smaller section  43  to slip through the larger section  47  until the outwardly projecting flange  41  catches on inwardly projecting lip  45  and prevents the smaller section from slipping out the barrier from becoming disjointed.  
         [0034]    The interlocking mechanism will thus limit movement of the smaller sections between a maximum open position as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a maximum closed position as depicted in FIGS. 3, 4 and  5 . FIG. 6A provides a prospective view of how section  25  might appear, sections  23  and  27  having the same structures but being proportionally large or smaller as the case may be. In the preferred embodiment as noted above the interlocking mechanism thus consist of a protruding or outwardly projecting flange  41  at a first end of section  43  and an inwardly projecting lip  45  at a second end. As illustrated in FIG. 6B the first end with outwardly projecting flange  41  of a section, such as section  25  for example, will be positioned inside the second end of the next large section  23  adjacent to its inwardly projecting lip  45 . Thus, inwardly projecting lip  45  of the next larger section will act as a block to outwardly projecting flange  41  of the next smaller section an limit maximum extension of the smaller section an prevent it from be pulled out or falling out of the next larger section into which it has been inserted.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 7 shows a top perspective of the device or barrier in its extended position if configured in a circular configuration. The magnetized bottom section as well as the anti-theft strap and oval are not shown. FIG. 8 shows a top perspective of the device or barrier in its extended position if configured in a semi-circular configuration. The magnetized bottom section as well as the anti-theft strap and oval are not shown. FIG.  9  shows a top perspective of the device in its extended position if configured in a rectangular configuration. The magnetized bottom section as well as the anti-theft strap and oval are not shown. FIG. 10 shows a top perspective of the device in its extended position if configured in a square configuration. The magnetized bottom section as well as the anti-theft strap and oval are not shown.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 11 shows a side view of the device or barrier in its extended position when placed onto the side of a parked vehicle with its anti-theft strap in use. FIG. 12 shows another view from the back and side of a parked vehicle with the device or barrier placed onto the side of the vehicle with its anti-theft strap in use.  
         [0037]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made to it without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.