Expandable vehicle door guard

A door guard that is adapted to extend and retract as desired by the user is provided. The present door guard comprises a motor disposed within the interior portion of an automotive vehicle side door and an expandable guard assembly disposed on the exterior portion of an vehicle door. The motor is connected to a control unit, which allows the user to vertically expand and retract the guard assembly as desired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to vehicle door guards or molding. More specifically, the present invention relates to door guards that are adapted to transition between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration that provides increased protection to a vehicle's door.

Vehicle doors are exposed to a wide variety of threats that can cause dings, dents, scratches, and other such damage, especially in highly congested and busy areas such as parking lots. These threats include car doors from adjacently parked vehicles, shopping carts, and such. If individuals do not protect their car door from these threats, they may have to either live with the unattractive appearance of the exterior of their vehicle or pay for expensive dent or scratch repairs. Neither option is desirable, therefore many individuals choose to protect the investment that is their vehicle and utilize some type of means for protecting their car doors and the exterior of their car from such threats.

Conventional vehicle side door guards comprise molding pieces that are either permanently or removably attached to the exterior of the vehicle's door and extend therefrom. These conventional door guards protrude from the surface of the vehicle door, stopping objects short and preventing them from coming in contact with the vehicle's door. Conventional door guards are generally adapted to only protect an vehicle's side doors from adjoining vehicles; however, all sorts of objects that are not at the height of a vehicle's door guard or door molding are capable of coming in contact with a vehicle's exterior side and causing damage thereto. Installing a door guard device that covered the entire exterior surface of a car door is also not desirable, however, because it would negatively impact the appearance of the car by completely hiding the car door. Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for a device that is adapted to protect an vehicle door's exterior surface from all manner of objects that can cause dings, dents, and scratches, without negatively impacting the overall appearance of the vehicle when it is being driven.

The present invention provides an extendable door guard that is adapted to transition between an extended configuration that is adapted to protect the entire exterior surface of an vehicle side door and a compact configuration that does not negatively impact the aesthetics of the vehicle. The present invention preferably appears to simply be molding or trim extending around the exterior of the vehicle when in its compact configuration; however, it further comprises a mechanism to vertically extend a plurality of guard members as desired by the user via a control interface. The control interface comprises a key fob-like device, an interface installed within the dashboard of the vehicle, or any other such system that can be utilized by a user to transition the door guard members between their extended and retracted configurations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to door guards. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to elongated members attached to the exterior surface of an vehicle door that protrude therefrom in order to prevent objects from making contact with the vehicle door. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

Many such devices comprise an elongated member that is affixed horizontally to the exterior surface of an vehicle door via a magnet or another such removable connection. This elongated protrudes from the body of the vehicle, preventing objects such as car doors from coming in contact with the vehicle side door exterior surface and causing dents, dings, scratches, or other such damage. These devices are only effective at guarding the vehicle side doors from objects at the height of the guard. Furthermore, some of these devices are adapted to be attached and removed as desired by the user, but they do not have electrical components and motors that allow them to transition between multiple different configurations.

Alternatively, many vehicles comprise various types of movable and pivotable systems that are adapted to transition between retracted and extended configurations, such as convertible hardtop apparatuses. However, none of these systems are specifically adapted to retract and deploy guard panels along the side of an vehicle in order to protect the vehicle from damage due to collisions from objects making hard contact with the exterior of the vehicle.

The present invention provides an extendable and retractable door guard system in order to protect the vehicle to which the present invention is affixed from dings, dents, scratches, and other damage caused by objects coming in contact with the vehicle. A first embodiment of the present invention utilizes a servomotor that is disposed within the interior portion of an vehicle door, a drive shaft extending therefrom through the door, and a system of pivotally connected guard panels that are deployed via a gear train system when the servomotor is activated. A second embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of stacked panels that are pivotally connected to a base member, which rests flush against the exterior surface of the vehicle door and, as with the previously discussed embodiment, is connected to a motor assembly disposed within the vehicle side door. When activated, panels pivot away from their stacked configuration, extending vertically therefrom and covering a larger surface area of the vehicle side door than when in the stacked configuration. These embodiments of the present invention are intended solely to be exemplary and are not to be viewed as limiting in any way.

The various embodiments of the present invention are adapted to be selectively deployable by a user via a control unit. The control unit comprises a key fob-like device having at least one button disposed thereon that wirelessly transmits a signal to the guard unit assembly when actuated by the user, a control interface that is disposed within the interior of the car and that has a hardwired connection to the guard unit assembly's motor, or any other such system. The present invention provides users with a convenient and effective means for protecting their vehicle from all types of potential damage to the side doors when desired, without permanently negatively affecting their vehicle's aesthetic value. The present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing vehicle side door guard devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of vehicle door guards now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new extendable vehicle door guard wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when seeking to protect his or her vehicle from damage caused by low-speed collisions with objects in the environment surrounding the vehicle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved vehicle door guard device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an vehicle door guard device that is adapted to transition between a protective extended position and a retracted position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an vehicle door guard device that is adapted to protect the vehicle side door to which it is attached from low-speed collisions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an vehicle door guard device that is retracted or deployed via a user control unit.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an vehicle door guard device that is actuated via a motor disposed within the interior of the vehicle side door.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an vehicle door guard device that may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the extendable vehicle door guard. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for protecting an vehicle side door from dings, dents, scratches, and other such types of damage caused by low-speed collisions with car doors from other vehicles in close proximity to the given vehicle, shopping carts, and other such objects that commonly in contact with an vehicle in parking lots and other such locations. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

As used in the present specification, the term “vehicle” includes any car, truck, SUV, or any other such automotive vehicle known in the prior. The present invention provides a system that is permanently affixed to the exterior portion of a vehicle's door and is adapted to transition between an extended configuration and a compact retracted configuration. In the extended configuration, a plurality of pivotally connected panel members are vertically unfurled from a compact form in order increase the surface area of the door that the present invention protects. In its retracted form, the present invention preferably appears to be a conventional side door guard or trim molding extending horizontally across the middle portion of the exterior surface of an vehicle side door. The door guard assembly is driven by a motor that is disposed within the door to which the door guard assembly is attached. The motor is activated via a control unit, which may comprise a key fob-like device, a control interface disposed within the interior of the vehicle, or any other such system that is adapted to electrically or wirelessly activate a motor.

Referring now toFIGS. 1A and 1B, there are shown side views of a first embodiment of the present invention in a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, respectively. The present invention comprises a motor11disposed within the interior portion of a vehicle door, a drive shaft13that extends therefrom through an aperture in the outer surface of the vehicle door, and a door guard assembly21that is connected to said drive shaft13. The motor11comprises a servomotor or other type of rotary actuator that is adapted to generate rotational force. The door guard assembly21comprises a housing member12that has a plurality of guard panels16pivotally connected15thereto. The guard panels16are adapted to transition between a compact configuration in which the guard panels16rest tightly against the housing member12and an extended configuration wherein one set of panels16extend upwardly from the housing member11and another set of panels16extends downwardly therefrom, thereby providing increased coverage over the exterior surface area of the vehicle door to which the present invention is affixed.

As depicted, the housing member12is depicted as triangular in shape; however, no claim is made as to the precise size, shape, or design of the housing member12. The housing member12and the guard panels16are preferably composed of durable plastic materials that are adapted to absorb impacts. The housing member12comprises a first side31that is adapted to rest flush against the exterior surface of an vehicle door and a protruding second side32that assists in preventing objects from coming in contact with the vehicle door. The drive shaft13extends from the motor11into the interior portion of the housing12where it engages with a gear train14, which in turn is connected to the top22and bottom23sets of guard panels16that are pivotally connected to both each other and the housing member12. When actuated by the drive shaft13, the gear train13causes the top22set of guard panels16to extend upwardly and the bottom23set of guard panels16to extend downwardly. The gear train14comprises a plurality of gears that, when rotated, engage with toothed members and cause said toothed members to extend downwardly or upwardly, depending upon their positioning in relation to the gears.

When the drive shaft13is rotated in a first direction by the motor11, it causes the top set22of guard panels16to extend upwardly and the bottom set23of guard panels16to extend downwardly; when the drive shaft13is rotated in a second direction by the motor11, it causes the top set22of guard panels16to extend downwardly and the bottom set23of guard panels16to extend upwardly. The rotation of the motor11is controlled electronically via a control unit connected thereto. In one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit comprises a key fob-like device that is wirelessly connected to the motor11, wherein users can control the deployment of the guard panel assembly21via pressing buttons disposed on the fob. For example, if the guard panel assembly21is in its retracted configuration, then pressing the button on the fob wirelessly transmits a signal to the motor11that then causes the assembly21to extend; if the guard panel assembly21is in its extended configuration, then pressing the button on the fob wirelessly transmits a signal to the motor11that then causes the assembly21to retract. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the control unit comprises a control interface that is installed within the interior of the vehicle to which the present invention is affixed, such as on the dashboard. In this embodiment, the control unit is directly connected to the motor11via an electrical connection that is installed integrally within the vehicle. These embodiments of the control unit of the present invention are intended to be merely exemplary and no claim is made as to a specific type or configuration of the control unit utilized by the present invention.

Referring now toFIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention affixed to the exterior of a vehicle side door. The guard panel assembly21is held flush against the vehicle door via the drive shaft. The guard panel assembly21comprises a housing member12that is located centrally on the assembly21when the assembly21is fully extended and a plurality of pivotally connected guard panels16. The guard panels16are pivotally connected to the housing member12and to each other in series. The pivotal connections allow the guard panel assembly21to vertically unfurl from a compact position in which the guard panels16rest tightly against the housing member12and an extended configuration. Even when the guard panel assembly21is fully extended, the guard panels16are preferably maintained in a series of substantially triangular shapes even when the guard panel assembly21is fully extended. When in a triangular position, the guard panels16are able to absorb impacts while still maintaining a cushion or space between the exterior surface of the vehicle door91and the object that is coming in contact with the present invention.

Referring now toFIGS. 3A-3E, there are shown consecutive side views of a second embodiment of the present invention transitioning between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. This embodiment of the present invention comprises a motor51disposed within the interior portion of an vehicle door91, a base guard panel41that is affixed to the exterior surface of an vehicle door91and is integrally connected to the motor51, and a plurality of deployable guard panels42,46that are pivotally connected43to the base guard panel41. When in the retracted configuration, the deployable guard panels42,46are stacked upon the base guard panel41to minimize the vertical distance that the present guard panel assembly21extends upwardly and downwardly, as seen inFIG. 3A. The depicted embodiment of the present invention utilizes a pair of deployable guard panels42,46that are pivotally extendable from the base guard panel41. In this embodiment of the present invention, the first deployable guard panel42rotates away from the stacked guard panel assembly21first and then comes to rest flush against the exterior surface of the vehicle door91below the base guard panel41, as seen inFIGS. 3B and 3C. Once the first deployable guard panel42is no longer obstructing the movement of the second deployable guard panel46situated thereunder, the second deployable guard panel46then rotates away from the base guard panel41in much the same manner, but instead pivoting upwardly, as seen inFIGS. 3D and 3E.

Referring now toFIG. 4, there is shown a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention affixed to the exterior of a vehicle side door. The first and second deployable guard panels42,46are connected to the base guard panel41via arms44that are pivotally connected at both of their ends to the guard panels42,43,46, thereby allowing the first and second deployable guard panels42,46to pivot as they rotate between the compact, retracted configuration and the extended configuration. The arms44rest within complementary slots45disposed on the top surface of the base guard panel41and the bottom surface of the deployable guard panels42,46. Because the slots are adapted to rest within these slots45, the deployable guard panels42,46can come to rest on the same plane as the base guard panel41, flush against the exterior surface of the vehicle side door91.