Protective cover for vehicles

A protective cover for a vehicle includes a main section, a door section, and a secondary section. The vehicle may be operated when the protective cover is installed upon the vehicle. The door section is secured to the vehicle door with a drawstring that is tightened around the perimeter of the door. The door section includes a door handle access panel and a sideview mirror opening. The protective cover includes window screen elements that cover the vehicle windows and light fixture screen elements that cover the vehicle headlights and taillights. The protective cover also includes a flap section that covers the door seam formed around the door and a second flap section that covers the seam formed between different body sections of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to protective covers for vehicles. 
More particularly, the present invention relates to a protective cover 
that protects the vehicle finish against damage caused by road debris 
while the vehicle is being operated. 
2. The Prior Art 
A variety of products are designed to protect and preserve the exterior 
surfaces of vehicles. For example, a car cover is often used to shield a 
vehicle finish from rain, dirt, or sunlight when the vehicle is parked or 
placed in storage. Unlike most car covers, an automobile "bra" may be 
utilized to reduce the amount of damage caused by rocks and other road 
debris while the vehicle is being driven. A typical bra is often designed 
to only protect the front section of the vehicle, i.e., a portion of the 
hood and the fenders. Nevertheless, a properly designed conventional bra 
may provide adequate protection when the vehicle is driven on a paved 
road, a modern highway, or in other ordinary environments. 
Due to the limited surface coverage of most automobile bras, they are not 
desirable for use in off-road or other recreational driving situations. 
During rigorous off-road driving, the entire body of the vehicle may be 
exposed to dirt, rocks, tree branches, and other objects that can scratch, 
chip, or otherwise damage the vehicle paint. Accordingly, a full-bodied 
cover is desirable to effectively protect the vehicle finish in such 
conditions. 
A full-body vehicle cover may not be convenient to use unless it allows 
easy entry and exit into the vehicle. A few car covers (not normally 
intended for use while the vehicle is operated) include zippered door 
panels that provide access into the vehicle. Such door panels are 
typically not designed to be closed from inside of the vehicle, and they 
inherently must be manipulated each time the door is opened and closed. 
Off-road use often covers the vehicle with dirt, mud, and debris. 
Consequently, debris typically collects in "pockets" and "seams" formed at 
various locations around the body of the vehicle. For example, rocks and 
dirt may collect in the seams surrounding the vehicle doors. Debris that 
collects at this location may fall onto the passengers or into the vehicle 
interior when the doors are opened. At the very least, this falling debris 
can be a troublesome nuisance for the off-road enthusiast. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an advantage of the present invention that an improved 
protective cover for use with a vehicle is provided. 
Another advantage of the present invention is that a full-bodied protective 
cover suitable for use in harsh driving environments is provided. 
A further advantage is that a user can conveniently enter and exit the 
vehicle when the protective cover is installed upon the vehicle. 
Another advantage of the present invention is that the protective cover 
reduces the collection of dirt and debris within the seams surrounding the 
doors of the vehicle. 
The above and other advantages of the present invention are carried out in 
one form by a protective cover having a main section configured to 
substantially cover the body of a vehicle, a door section coupled to the 
main section and configured to substantially cover a door of the vehicle, 
and means for covering a seam formed between the door and the body. The 
seam covering means is attached to the door section, and the protective 
cover is configured to allow the door to operate when the protective cover 
is installed upon the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a protective cover 10 according to the preferred 
embodiment of the present invention is shown along with a vehicle 12 upon 
which protective cover 10 may be installed. Although vehicle 12 is 
depicted as a truck throughout the Figures, the present invention may be 
adapted to fit a variety of different body styles. 
Vehicle 12 includes a main body 14, a door 16, and a secondary body 18. A 
door seam 20 is formed between main body 14 and door 16 when door 16 is 
closed. A secondary seam 22 is formed between main body 14 and secondary 
body 18. Those skilled in the art will recognize that main body 14 for the 
truck shown in FIG. 1 includes the hood, the front fenders, and the 
passenger cab, and secondary body 18 includes the rear fenders and the 
truck bed. In addition, vehicle 12 may include any number of doors 16 with 
a corresponding number of door seams 20. 
Protective cover 10 is configured such that vehicle 12 may be operated as 
usual when protective cover 10 is installed. Protective cover 10 protects 
the exterior finish of vehicle 12 in off-road or other harsh environments. 
As such, protective cover 10 is preferably constructed from a material 
having sufficient thickness and ruggedness to protect vehicle 12 against 
damage caused by rocks, branches, and other debris. According to the 
preferred embodiment of the present invention, protective cover 10 shields 
most of the outer surface of vehicle 12. 
Generally, protective cover 10 includes a main section 24, a door section 
26, and a secondary section 28. Main section 24 is configured to 
substantially cover main body 14, door section 26 is configured to 
substantially cover door 16, and secondary section 28 is configured to 
substantially cover secondary body 18. 
Each of sections 24, 26, and 28 are preferably shaped to approximately 
follow the exterior contours of main body 14, door 16, and secondary body 
18, respectively. For the sake of clarity and brevity, the description of 
door section 26 is intended to apply to any number of doors that vehicle 
12 may have. 
To facilitate fastening protective cover 10 onto vehicle 12, main section 
24 and secondary section 28 may include a plurality of hooks 30 coupled 
thereto. Each of hooks 30 is configured to engage with a corresponding 
mounting location (not shown) on vehicle 12. For example, the mounting 
locations may be positioned around the wheel wells, under the chassis, or 
under the bumpers. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that 
protective cover 10 may employ equivalent elements to fasten protective 
cover 10 onto vehicle 12, such as snaps, drawstrings, or the like. 
To ensure that protective cover 10 fits snugly upon vehicle 12, a number of 
tie straps 32 may also be coupled to main section 24 or secondary section 
28. Tie straps 32 are preferably configured such that the size of 
protective cover 10 is selectively adjustable. In other words, tie straps 
32 may be utilized to remove excess slack in protective cover 10. Thus, 
when tie straps 32 and hooks 30 are cooperatively employed, protective 
cover 10 fits tightly and securely onto vehicle 12. 
According to an alternate embodiment of the present invention, protective 
cover 10 is formed from a suitable material such that it "stretch fits" 
around vehicle 12. If protective cover 10 is sized to fit the specific 
type of vehicle 12, then protective cover 10 forms a taut outer skin 
around vehicle 12. As such, hooks 30 and tie straps 32 need not (but may) 
be utilized with this embodiment. 
Door section 26 is coupled to main section 24 such that door 16 can operate 
when protective cover 10 is installed upon vehicle 12. Those skilled in 
the art will appreciate that door section 26 may either be a separate 
section that attaches to main section 24 or an integral portion of main 
section 24. Door section 26 is preferably secured to door 16 such that it 
does not restrict the operation of door 16. 
Referring to FIG. 2, door section 26 preferably includes a perimetrical 
edge 34 configured to be located proximate an interior surface 36 of door 
16. Perimetrical edge 34 carries a drawstring 38 that is configured to 
tighten perimetrical edge 34 against interior surface 36 of door 16. In 
the preferred embodiment, draw string 38 is gathered at a point 40 
proximate the lower front portion of door 16. After securing door section 
26 around door 16, the exposed portion of drawstring 38 may be collected 
and tucked away underneath door section 26 or placed in any other suitable 
location. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, door section 26 preferably includes an access 
panel 42 formed therein. When protective cover 10 is installed, access 
panel 42 is located proximate a door handle 44 of vehicle 12. Access panel 
42 is configured to selectively cover door handle 44 such that door handle 
44 may be engaged when necessary to open door 16. For example, access 
panel 42 may be configured as an overlapping flap assembly that 
incorporates snaps, a zipper, or other closure device. Alternatively, 
access panel 42 may be configured as a slit formed within door section 26 
(as shown in FIG. 3). Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize 
that the precise location and configuration of access panel 42 may vary 
from application to application. 
In addition to access panel 42, door section 26 may also include a sideview 
mirror opening 46 formed therein. Sideview mirror opening 46 is preferably 
configured to allow a sideview mirror 48 to extend through door section 
26. Thus, the driver's view of sideview mirror 48 is not obstructed by 
door section 26. As with access panel 42, the size and location of 
sideview mirror opening 46 may differ according to the specific 
application. 
Protective cover 10 may also include a plurality of window screen elements 
50 adapted to substantially cover a corresponding plurality of windows 52. 
Window screen elements 50 are preferably configured to provide an occupant 
of vehicle 12 with a substantially unobstructed view through windows 52. 
For example, window screen elements 50 may be constructed from a mesh or a 
net material that is sufficiently "transparent" to facilitate safe 
driving. A net may be particularly desirable to allow air to flow through 
one or more of windows 52, such as the side roll-up windows. Because the 
front of vehicle 12 is most likely to be struck by rocks and other debris, 
it may be desirable to utilize a substantially transparent plastic sheet 
or film to cover the windshield. 
To protect the headlights 54 and the taillights 56 of vehicle 12, 
protective cover 10 may also include a plurality of light fixture screen 
elements 58. Light fixture screen elements 58 are preferably configured to 
substantially cover headlights 54 and taillights 56. To maintain the 
operability of headlights 54 and taillights 56, light fixture screen 
elements 58 are translucent to light emitted from headlights 54 and 
taillights 56. Accordingly, light fixture screen elements 58 may be formed 
from a variety of suitable materials, including a mesh, a net, or a 
translucent plastic sheet (see the above description of window screen 
elements 50). 
According to one aspect of the preferred embodiment, protective cover 10 
includes a flap section 60 adapted to cover door seam 20 when door 16 is 
closed. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of door section 26 installed 
upon door 16. FIG. 5 shows a detailed cross-sectional view of flap section 
60. Flap section 60 is preferably attached to door section 26 proximate 
perimetrical edge 34 (see FIGS. 2-3). This preferred attachment location 
enables flap section 60 to overlap main section 24 when door 16 is closed. 
Flap section 60 is preferably constructed from a loop of material that 
forms an interior pocket 62 within flap section 60. A reinforcing member 
64 may be located within interior pocket 62 to provide structural rigidity 
to flap section 60. Reinforcing member 64 may be formed from a strip of 
plastic, a sheet of metal, or any other suitable material. Reinforcing 
member 64 is preferably configured to provide an amount of resilient 
tension between flap section 60 and main body 14 when door 16 is closed. 
In other words, reinforcing member 64 cooperates with flap section 60 such 
that flap section 60 contacts main section 24 when door 16 is closed. As 
such, flap section 60 creates a "seal" between door 16 and main body 14 
that substantially prevents dirt and debris from accumulating within door 
seam 20. 
Protective cover 10 may also include a second flap section 66 configured to 
cover secondary seam 22 (see FIG. 1). The construction of second flap 
section 66 is substantially similar to the construction of flap section 
60; therefore the above description of flap section 60 should be referred 
to. If secondary seam 22 is formed between two stationary body parts (such 
as a passenger cab and a truck bed), then second flap section 66 may be a 
removable section that affixes to protective cover 10 as needed. 
For example, second flap section 66 may be removably attachable to 
secondary section 28 via snaps, zippers, or hook and loop fasteners. 
Alternatively, second flap section 66 may be configured to press fit 
directly into secondary seam 22. According to an alternate embodiment 
(shown in FIG. 1), second flap section 66 is attached to secondary section 
28 in the manner described above in connection with flap section 60 and 
door section 26. 
In either embodiment, second flap section 66 is adapted to overlap main 
section 24 such that secondary seam 22 does not collect an undesirable 
amount of dirt and debris. In yet another embodiment, second flap section 
66 is attached to main section 24 and is configured to overlap secondary 
section 28. Of course, any number of second flap sections 66 may be 
employed depending upon the body style of vehicle 12 and the amount of 
protection desired. 
In summary, the present invention provides an improved protective cover for 
use with a vehicle. The protective cover is preferably a full-bodied 
design that is suitable for use in harsh driving environments. An occupant 
of the vehicle can conveniently enter and exit the vehicle when the 
protective cover is installed upon the vehicle. In addition, the 
protective cover reduces the accumulation of dirt and debris within the 
seams surrounding the doors of the vehicle. 
The above description is of a preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, and the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment 
described and illustrated. For example, the protective cover may be 
configured to be compatible with a variety of vehicle body styles having 
any number of doors, body sections, and body seams. In addition, the 
present invention is not limited to the full-bodied embodiment, and 
various sections and elements may be omitted to suit individual needs. 
Furthermore, many variations and modifications will be evident to those 
skilled in this art, and such variations and modifications are intended to 
be included within the spirit and scope of the invention, as expressed in 
the following claims.