Automobile sunshade

A sunshade includes a fabric shelter, which is sized and shaped adapted for sheltering a window of a window frame of a vehicle, having a heat blocking side for blocking heat radiation of sunlight from entering into the vehicle through the window frame, and a retention frame having at least two resilient retention portions spacedly mounted along a peripheral edge of the fabric shelter, wherein the resilient retention portions of the retention frame is adapted to be deformed for respectively applying an urging force against corners of the window frame of the vehicle so as to substantially support the fabric shelter within the window frame while the window thereof is allowed to be normally operated.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a window shading device, and more particularly to an automobile sunshade which is adapted for detachably mounting on a window frame of the vehicle without interrupting the operation of the window.

2. Description of Related Arts

Driving in the summer time is a nuisance since the driver directly exposes under the sunlight. Therefore, most of the drivers must turn on the air conditioning in order to set an acceptable climate condition within the interior of the vehicle. However, air conditioning is not cost effective and energy efficient to cool down the interior temperature of the vehicle. Moreover, once the air conditioning is off, the hot air is trapped inside the vehicle. Especially when the driver at the time gets in the vehicle, the driver can feel the heat flowing in front of his or her face. In other words, when the driver gets in the vehicle, he or she feels like putting himself or herself in the oven.

In order to prevent the heat entering into the vehicle, the driver can tint the vehicle window to block the sunlight directly entering into the vehicle so as to prevent the interior temperature of the vehicle from rising by the heat of the sunlight. However, the tinted window of the vehicle is not allowed in some countries due to the safety purpose.

Alternatively, the driver is able to purchase a reflecting panel mounted on the windshield to block the sunlight entering into the interior of the vehicle in such a manner that before the driver leaves the vehicle, the driver can simply place the reflecting panel at an inner side of the windshield. It is a hassle for the driver to put on and take off each reflecting panel every time when the driver leaves and get in the vehicle respectively since a number of reflecting panels must be used to totally shelter all the vehicle windows.

Moreover, the size of each reflecting panel is relatively big for the user to carry and store. Even though the reflecting panel can be overlappedly folded into a compact size, it is annoying for the driver to fold up the reflecting panel into the compact form. In addition, the reflecting panel cannot be used during diving such that it is unreasonable to only block up the sunlight while the driver is not in the vehicle.

Another common sun shelter is used for detachably attaching on the side window of the vehicle to block the heat entering into the vehicle during driving. Accordingly, the sun shelter generally incorporates with a glass suction detachably sucking on the side window such that the driver is able to mount the sun shelter on the corresponding side window to block the sunlight. However, such sun shelter has several drawbacks.

The sucking effect of the sun shelter is weak that the sun shelter is easy to fall off from the side window. Therefore, the driver may merely re-mount the sun shelter on the side window during driving. Thus, when the sun shelter is mounted on the side window in position, the side window cannot be operated. It is because the operation of the side window will cause the sun shelter to be drop off from the side window. In other words, the driver can only select either to open the side window for allowing fresh air entering into the vehicle or to mount the sun shelter on the side window for blocking the sunlight entering into the vehicle. Furthermore, the sun shelter is shaped and sized for fitting a particular size and shape of the side window. Therefore, a smaller size of the sun shelter cannot effectively block the sunlight when it is used for a vehicle having a larger side window. Likewise, a bigger size of the sun shelter cannot be mounted on a smaller side window.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade which is adapted for detachably mounting on a window frame of the vehicle by means of resilient arrangement without interrupting the operation of the window of the vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, which comprises a retention frame having a plurality of resilient retention portion adapted to be deformed for fittingly retaining at corners of the window frame so as to securely mount the sunshade within the window frame of the vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, wherein when the sunshade is mounted within the window frame during driving, the driver is able to operate the side window. In other words, the driver is able to select to open the side window for allowing fresh air entering into the vehicle and to mount the sunshade on the side window for blocking the sunlight entering into the vehicle at the same time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, which is adapted to detachably mount to the side window, the front window, or the rear window of the window frame of the vehicle so as to block the heat from entering into the vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, wherein the retention frame can be deformed to adjust the size and shape of the sunshade for fitting the window frame such that the sunshade is considered as a universal sun shading device for all kinds of vehicle window.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, which can be quickly and easily unfolded for sheltering the vehicle window for preventing heat from entering into the vehicle and folded into a compact unit for carriage and storage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, wherein the mounting operation of the sunshade is easy and fast by simply deforming the resilient retention portions of the retention frame for fitting at corners of the window frame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunshade, wherein no expensive or complicated structure is required to employ in the present invention in order to achieve the above mentioned objects. Therefore, the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution not only for blocking the sunlight from entering into the vehicle but also for normally operating the side window of the vehicle so as to facilitate the practical use of the present invention.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a sunshade for detachably mounting within a window frame of a vehicle, comprising:

a fabric shelter, which is sized and shaped adapted for sheltering a window of the window frame, having a heat blocking side for blocking heat radiation of sunlight from entering into the vehicle through the window frame, and

a retention frame having at least two resilient retention portions spacedly mounted along a peripheral edge of the fabric shelter, wherein the resilient retention portions of the retention frame is adapted to be deformed for respectively applying an urging force against corners of the window frame of the vehicle so as to substantially support the fabric shelter within the window frame while the window thereof is allowed to be normally operated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 3of the drawings, a sunshade according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the sunshade is adapted for detachably mounting within a window frame2of a vehicle1.

The sunshade comprises a fabric shelter10, which is sized and shaped adapted for sheltering a side window3of the window frame2, having a heat blocking side11for blocking heat radiation of sunlight from entering into the vehicle1through the window frame2, and a retention frame20having at least two resilient retention portions21spacedly mounted along a peripheral edge of the fabric shelter10, wherein the resilient retention portions21of the retention frame20is adapted to be deformed for respectively applying an urging force against corners of the window frame2of the vehicle1so as to substantially support the fabric shelter10within the window frame2while the side window3thereof is allowed to be normally operated, as shown inFIG. 3.

According to the preferred embodiment, the fabric shelter10is made of heat blocking material adapted for substantially blocking the heat radiation of the sunlight to enter into the vehicle1when the fabric shelter10is enclosed within the window frame2. The fabric shelter10is preferably made of transparent or translucent material that allows a certain amount of sunlight entering into the vehicle1. Therefore, when the sunshade of the present invention is mounted within the window frame2, it is safe that the driver can still view the side mirror and be seen from outside through the fabric shelter10during driving. Alternatively, the heat blocking side11of the fabric shelter10has a heat reflective surface to block the heat radiation of the sunlight to enter into the vehicle1.

Each of the resilient retention portions21of the retention frame20, which is embodied as an elongated resilient element, is bent to shape as a resilient cornering holder22having an attachment angle A larger than an interior angle A1of the corresponding corner of the window frame2, wherein the resilient cornering holder22is adapted to be bent to adjust the attachment angle A thereof for fitting to the corresponding corner of the window frame2so as to substantially hold the retention frame20within the window frame2.

As shown inFIG. 2, when each of the resilient cornering holders22is bent to deform the attachment angle A to be smaller than the interior angle A1of the corresponding corner of the window frame2, the resilient cornering holder22is engaged with the corner of the window frame2. Once the resilient cornering holder22rebounds to its original form, the resilient cornering holder22applies the urging force against the corner of the window frame2so as to securely mount the retention frame20within the window frame2via the resilient arrangement.

It is worth to mention that the two resilient retention portions21of the retention frame20are respectively formed the two resilient cornering holders22in a diagonal manner such that the two resilient cornering holders22are adapted for diagonally mounting to the two corresponding corners of the window frame2. Furthermore, an additional resilient retention portion21is preferred to form a third resilient cornering holder22such that the retention frame20provides at least three corner alignments for enhancing the attachment between the retention frame20and the window frame2.

Accordingly, the window frame2, having a quadrilateral shaped has four corners, wherein two diagonal corners respectively have obtuse angles while another two diagonal corners respectively have acute angles. The two resilient cornering holders22of the retention frame20are respectively mounted at the two diagonal corners having the acute angles. It is because when the interior angle A1of the corner is an acute angle, the compressed resilient cornering holder22can be substantially biased against the corner of the window frame2by the physical properties so as to hold the fabric shelter10in position.

The retention frame20further comprises a plurality of retention arms23extended from the resilient retention portions21ends to ends to form a loop boundary wherein the loop boundary of the retention frame20is substantially attached to the peripheral edge of the fabric shelter10so as to retain the fabric shelter10within the loop boundary in position.

Accordingly, the retention arms23are integrally extended from the resilient retention portions21to form the boundary loop such that the retention frame20, having resilient ability, provides a stretching force on the fabric shelter10so as to retain the fabric shelter10within the boundary loop in a tension manner. In other words, the retention frame20is embodied as an elastic wire bent to form the boundary loop while the fabric shelter10is mounted within the retention frame20.

FIG. 4illustrates an alternative mode of the retention arms23′, wherein the retention arms23are coupled with the resilient retention portions21to form the boundary loop. Each of the retention arms23′ is embodied as an extension portion extended between the resilient retention portions21such that the retention arms23′ reinforces the fabric shelter10in position while only the resilient retention portions21provide the urging force for biasing against the corners of the window frame2respectively. In other words, the retention frame20is embodied as a wire bent to form the boundary loop to retain the fabric shelter10in position while the wire has a plurality of elastic portions forming as the resilient retention portions21respectively.

As shown inFIG. 3, when the sunshade of the present invention is mounted within the window frame2of the vehicle1, the driver is able to operate the side window3. Therefore, it is an option for the driver, especially during driving, to open the side window3for allowing fresh air entering into the vehicle1while the sunshade is mounted within the window frame2for blocking the sunlight entering into the vehicle at the same time. In other words, the sunshade does not need to contact with the side window3in order to mount the sunshade within the window frame2such that the side window3can be operated normally.

According to the preferred embodiment, the sunshade of the present invention can be custom made for the vehicle1that the retention frame20and the fabric shelter10are shaped and sized corresponding to the window frame2. In other words, the sunshade can be built with the window frame2to form the vehicle window arrangement of the vehicle. Alternatively, the retention frame20can be deformed to adjust its shape and size to fit the window frame2, such that even the size and shape of the window frame2is larger or smaller than the sunshade, the retention frame20is adjustably deformed to fit the window frame2by means of resilient arrangement. Therefore, the sunshade of the present invention is considered as a universal sun shelter for mounting to all kinds of window frame2of the vehicle1.

It is worth to mention that due to the resilient ability of the retention frame20, the sunshade of the present invention is adapted to be easily folded up by twisting the retention frame20to overlap the fabric shelter10such that the sunshade is folded into a compact unit for storage. In addition, the mounting operation of the sunshade is easy and fast by simply deforming the resilient retention portions21of the retention frame20for fitting at corners of the window frame2such that the fabric shelter10is enclosed within the window frame2for blocking the heat radiation of the sunlight from entering into the vehicle1.

In addition, a glass attaching element, such as suction cup, can be incorporated with the sunshade of the present invention that the glass attaching element is adapted for detachably attaching the fabric shelter10on the side window3so as to securely mount the sunshade at the window frame2.

As shown inFIGS. 5 through 7, a sunshade of a second embodiment illustrates an alternative mode of the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sunshade is adapted for detachably mounting within a front and/or rear window frame2A of a vehicle1A.

The sunshade, according to the second embodiment, comprises a fabric shelter10A, which is sized and shaped adapted for sheltering a front or rear window3A of the window frame2A, having a heat blocking side11A for blocking heat radiation of sunlight from entering into the vehicle1A through the window frame2A, and a retention frame20A having at least two resilient retention portions21A spacedly mounted along a peripheral edge of the fabric shelter10A, wherein the resilient retention portions21A of the retention frame20A is adapted to be deformed for respectively applying an urging force against corners of the window frame2A of the vehicle1A so as to substantially support the fabric shelter10A within the window frame2A while the front/rear window3A thereof is allowed to be normally operated, as shown inFIG. 5.

Each of the resilient retention portions21A of the retention frame20A, which is embodied as an elongated resilient element, is bent to shape as a resilient cornering holder22A having an attachment angle A larger than an interior angle A1of the corresponding corner of the window frame2A, wherein the resilient cornering holder22A is adapted to be bent to adjust the attachment angle A thereof for fitting to the corresponding corner of the window frame2A so as to substantially hold the retention frame20A within the window frame2A.

As shown inFIG. 4, the fabric shelter10A further has a positioning split12A formed at a mid-portion of a longitudinal edge of the fabric shelter10A wherein the retention frame20A is extended along the positioning split12A of the fabric shelter10A to retain the positioning split12A in shape.

The resilient retention portions21A of the retention frame20A are provided at corners of the fabric shelter10A and the positioning split12A for respectively applying urging forces against the corners of the window frame2A and the positioning split12A of the retention frame20A so as to selectively adjust a width of the positioning split12A.

The retention frame20A further comprises a plurality of retention arms23A extended from the resilient retention portions21A ends to ends to form a loop boundary wherein the loop boundary of the retention frame20A is substantially attached to the peripheral edge of the fabric shelter10A so as to retain the fabric shelter10A within the loop boundary in position.

Each of the retention arms23A is integrally extended between two resilient cornering holders22A to form a loop boundary which is substantially attached to the peripheral edge of the fabric shelter10A to retain the fabric shelter10A in position so as to encircle within the rear window frame2A of the vehicle1A. Accordingly, the retention arms23A can be coupled with the resilient retention portions21A to form the boundary loop such that only the resilient retention portions21A provide the urging force for biasing against the corners of the window frame2A respectively.

As shown inFIG. 6, the sunshade is detachably mounted at the rear window frame2A of the vehicle1A wherein the resilient retention portions21A of the retention frame20A are biased against the corners of the rear window frame2A respectively while the rear brake light at a bottom side of the rear window frame2A fits into the positioning split12A of the fabric shelter10A.

Accordingly, when the retention frame20A is adjustably deformed for fitting the rear window frame2A, the width of the positioning split12A is adjusted for biasing against the rear brake light of the vehicle1A so as to maximize the shading area of the fabric shelter10A with respect to the rear window3A of the vehicle1A. It is worth to mention that the heating wire printed on the rear window can be normally operated when the sunshade is mounted thereto since the sunshade is retained within the rear window frame2A without directly contacting with the heating wire. In addition, the fabric shelter10A can be made of transparent or translucent material that allows a certain amount of sunlight entering into the vehicle1A such that the sunshade can be used for blocking the heat from entering into the vehicle1A through the rear window3A during driving.

As shown inFIG. 7, the sunshade according to the second embodiment also fits for detachably mounting at the front window3B of the vehicle1B wherein the resilient retention portions21A of the retention frame20A are biased against the corners of the front window frame2B respectively while the rear mirror frame at an upper side of the front window frame2B fits into the positioning split12A of the fabric shelter10A. In other words, when the retention frame20A is adjustably deformed for fitting the front window frame2B, the width of the positioning split12A is adjusted for biasing against the rear mirror frame of the vehicle1B. It is worth to mention that the fabric shelter10A is preferably made of transparent material that allows a certain amount of sunlight entering into the vehicle1A through the front window3B such that it is safe to use during driving. Otherwise, the sunshade can be used as a sun shelter to block the heat from entering into the vehicle1A through the front window3B when the vehicle1B is parked.

In addition, a glass attaching element, such as suction cup, can be incorporated with the sunshade of the present invention that the glass attaching element is adapted for detachably attaching the fabric shelter10′ on the rear/front window3A/3B so as to securely mount the sunshade at the rear/front window frame2A/2B.