Cover Accessory Apparatus

Disclosed is a cover accessory device that is configured for being threaded onto a flexible cover designed to cover vehicles (e.g., boats, cars, etc.) or structures (e.g., tents). The cover accessory device may provide any one or all of a venting function, supporting function, and a bling function.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the invention relate, in general, to the field of flexible cover accessory apparatuses, and in particular, the utilitarian and ornamental features for a support and/or vent apparatus adapted for use with a flexible cover for covering vehicles (e.g., boats, cars, etc.) or structures (e.g., tents).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recreational vehicles such as boats and travel trailers are frequently stored outdoors when not in use. Consequently, a cover may be placed over the entire vehicle or a large portion of the vehicle to protect it from elements of its environment such as rain, snow, hail, ultraviolet rays, heat from direct sunlight, and dirt dust from the outside air. In this regard, a simple cover is quite adequate and yet an inexpensive alternative to indoor storage. Such covers can comprise canvas, plastic, and other generally non-porous materials. A non-porous cover functions very well for its intended purpose as neither dirt nor rain can penetrate the non-porous material. As a result, the covered item is reasonably well protected when not in use.

One problem with using a porous or non-porous cover to protect a vehicle is moisture and mildew resulting from condensation and other sources of moisture. For an entirely non-porous cover, the condensation, in the form of moisture, is trapped inside the cover, penetrating every unsealed surface of the covered vehicle and every electrical, mechanical, and fabric component in the vehicle. Indeed, the trapped moisture in a covered vehicle may be more damaging than had the vehicle been left uncovered. An uncovered vehicle can dry out, but a covered vehicle with moisture trapped under the cover does not dry out, and the vehicle is continuously exposed to the moisture, which can cause a significant amount of damage.

Newer, breathable materials allow some of the trapped moisture to escape, but not entirely, and even with the breathable materials, moisture remains trapped inside the cover longer than it would if the cover were removed and the vehicle allowed to air dry. It is to be noted that the moisture problem is not necessarily exclusive to the outdoors. Indeed, indoor storage, for example, where the air is not conditioned or otherwise dry, can experience high humidity. In such an environment, the moist air can damage a covered object or vehicle by becoming trapped under the cover.

In a commonly owned U.S. Patent issued to Gridley (U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,631) on 6 Sep. 2005, the applicant disclosed a new apparatus for venting and supporting a cover covering a vehicle. Such a ventilation apparatus allows air to pass in and out of the space inside of the cover freely. Applicant disclosed an improved apparatus for venting and supporting a cover in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,069,870 and 8,220,474 issued to Gridley on 6 Dec. 2011 and 17 Jul. 2012. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,938,631, 8,069,870, and 8,220,474 are hereby incorporated by this reference for all that they disclose for all purposes.

The above designs worked well for their intended purposes, but there was an issue with the design that needed improvement. There was a need to make the cover apparatus easier to associate with a cover. A new solution disclosed in this document was developed after years of testing and reviewing customer feedback.

One should appreciate that all venting apparatus designs require at least one hole through the cover to be associated with the venting/support apparatus. Such often creates a problem with the venting apparatus not fitting to the cover properly, causing the venting/support apparatus to disassociate, at least partially, from the cover under load.

Thus, one of the challenges a designer of cover venting and supporting apparatuses face relates to the method of associating the venting device to the cover. Many of the Applicant's prior designs, described above, use a clamping function to clamp a portion of the cover between plates associated with the venting features. Such was an improvement over previous vent versions where the vent was sewn into the cover as the installation was more manageable and the vent more easily removable.

More recent devices went back to sewable flanges, with some including a snap-fit flange type element to assist in the process of sewing a flange to a cover. However, such a design requires one to cut a hole in the cover big enough to pull over the snap-fit flange and then sew the device to a cover. Such a design is not an optimal solution. Further, attaching such vents to a cover is time-consuming and tedious and requires the knowledge and use of a sewing machine (often a particular kind of sewing machine). Such designs require the vent to be sewn to a cover so that the vent will not fail under load (i.e., the device will become disassociated, at least partly, from the cover). Sewing is required as the cover hole through which the device extends has a slightly smaller diameter than one of the device flanges (the smaller diameter flange one “snaps” the cover over). Thus, the device will simply push through or fall through the cover under load if not sewn.

While a commercial customer may go through the trouble of training employees and buying sewing machines to attach such devices to a cover, a typical private vehicle owner would likely not be willing to do the same. What is needed is a more universal design that gives a user a choice to mechanically associate (sewed, glued, clamped, etc.) the device to a cover, if desired, or to associate the device to a cover without a mechanical association.

The cover accessory apparatus disclosed in this application is a device that does not require sewing (or similar attachment methods) the apparatus to a cover but which does allow for a user to sew the cover accessory apparatus to a cover if desired (for certain embodiments). Further, for some embodiments, no sewing or clamping force is required to maintain the association between the cover accessory apparatus and the cover under load. Thus, the disclosed technology is a more universal design that can be used to securely associate a cover accessory apparatus to a cover by users who use either method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention will now be set forth in the following description, while other objects and advantages of the invention may be obvious from the description or may be learned through the practice of the invention.

Broadly speaking, a principle object of the present invention is to provide a cover accessory apparatus for a flexible cover such as vehicle cover (e.g., boats, cars, etc.) and structure covers (e.g., tents) that can be threaded through a hole defined by the cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cover accessory apparatus for a cover that provides for a universal design that will provide a venting function, and that can be threaded through a hole and selectively sewn, or not, to a cover while not failing under load using either option.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cover accessory apparatus and method that provides a venting/supporting function to a cover where the cover accessory apparatus is further configured to receive a top element where the top element may be selected from a plurality of designs.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the detailed description herein or will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the detailed description. Also, it should be further appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated, referenced, and discussed steps or features hereof may be practiced in various uses and embodiments of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, by virtue of the present reference thereto. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, the substitution of equivalent steps, referenced or discussed, and the functional, operational, or positional reversal of various features, steps, parts, or the like. Still, further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention, may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features or elements, or their equivalents (including combinations of features or parts or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description). Those of ordinary skill in the art will better appreciate the features and aspects of such embodiments, and others, upon review of the remainder of the specification.

Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Construction Aids

For the purposes of this document, two or more items are “mechanically associated” by bringing them together or into a relationship with each other in any number of ways, including “releasable connections,” “hard connections,” and “moveable connections.” A “releasable connection” is a direct or indirect physical connection designed to be easily and frequently released and reconnected, including connections achieved using snaps, screws, Velcro®, bolts, clamps, to name a few. A “hard-connection” is a connection that one does not anticipate disconnecting very often, if at all, and generally must be “broken” to separate and includes welds, rivets, sewing, macular bonds, to name a few. A “moveable connection” is simply a connection that allows some movement between the connected components (rotating, pivoting, oscillating, etc.).

Similarly, two or more items are “electrically associated” by bringing them together or into a relationship with each other in any number of ways, including: (a) a direct, indirect, or inductive communication connection and (b) a direct/indirect or inductive power connection. A communication connection may be wireless or wired unless otherwise stated. Additionally, while the drawings may illustrate various electronic components of a system connected by a single line, it will be appreciated that such lines may represent one or more signal paths, power connections, electrical connections and/or cables as required by the embodiment of interest.

As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify the location or importance of the individual components.

The term “axial” refers to a direction parallel to the direction of rotation of an object; the term “radial” refers to a direction extending away from the center of an object or normal to the “axial” direction, and the term “circumferential” refers to a direction extending around the circumference or perimeter of an object.

As used in the claims, the definite article “said” identifies required elements that define the scope of embodiments of the claimed invention, whereas the definite article “the” merely identifies environmental elements that provide context for embodiments of the claimed invention that are not intended to be a limitation of any claim.

In this document, unless otherwise stated, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” or “one of A, B, and C” means there is at least one of A, or at least one of B, or at least one of C or any combination thereof. Such does not mean one of A, and one of B, and one of C.

Any two polygons are similar if their corresponding angles are congruent, and the measures of their corresponding sides are proportional. Similar polygons have the same shape but can be different sizes. For the purpose of this document, circles are polygons.

For this document, a flexible cover is a cover made from any suitable material for forming a flexible cover to protect items from their environment. Examples of flexible covers include tarpaulins or tarps, such as the ones used to make covers for vehicles such as boats and automobiles, and the materials used to make tents.

For this document, with regard to the cover accessory apparatus, a “rigid” material includes materials such as polycarbonate, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS plastic), Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA plastic), and Nylon. Rigid materials are considered rigid if they are not suitable for sewing using standard industrial sewing machines. An example of a “flexible” material, with regard to the various elements of the cover accessory apparatus, is Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), which is sewable.

This document includes headers that are used for place markers only. Such headers are not meant to affect the construction of this document; do not in any way related to the meaning of this document, nor should such headers be used for such purposes.

DESCRIPTION

While the particulars of the present invention and associated technology may be described as a vent/support apparatus for a flexible cover (such as canvas) associated with a vehicle, the invention may be adapted for any similar purpose, including venting/supporting a tent or other structures associated with a flexible cover.

Referring now more particularly toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, presented is a side elevational view of an assembled cover accessory apparatus10comprising an optional top element12releasably associated with a base element14associated with a flexible cover16. As can be seen inFIG. 1, the cover accessory apparatus10is associated with a flexible cover16so that the top element12and a portion of the base element14is disposed above the flexible cover16(referred to as the “outside”). Similarly, a portion of the base element14is also disposed below the flexible cover16(referred to as the “inside”). Thus, at least part of the cover accessory apparatus10extends through a hole in the flexible cover16.

The top element12defines a dome portion18configured to at least partially cover the base element14. At the center of the dome portion18is a depending base20that may extend perpendicularly away from the dome and is configured for being releasably associating with the base element14(as described in more detail later). InFIG. 2, an alternative embodiment for a top element12is presented, defining a suspension interface22configured for receiving a suspension element (not shown). A suspension element is any element (e.g., rope, chain, cable, etc.) that can be attached to the suspension interface22to support the cover accessory apparatus10and associated flexible cover16. Similarly, as best seen inFIG. 5, the cover accessory apparatus10may also define a support structure interface24configured for receiving a support element such as a pole (not shown).

Referring now more particularly toFIG. 3throughFIG. 7, embodiments of a cover accessory apparatus10without the optional top element12are considered in more detail. The cover accessory apparatus10comprises a hub26, defining a hub body comprising a first hub end28and an opposing second hub end30. The outer perimeter of the hub26defines a circle defining a hub diameter32, as depicted inFIG. 7. It should be appreciated, however, that the hub26outer perimeter may define any suitable polygonal shape. As best seen inFIGS. 4 and 5, the hub26may define at least one hub void34that extends from the first hub end28to the second hub end30. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that such hub void34will allow air to pass through the hub26from inside the cover16to outside the cover16(and vice versa). Notably, for the embodiment depicted inFIG. 4, the hub26defines a plurality of hub voids34disposed around the center of the hub26. In addition, a plurality of directional void slots35may be defined along the outer perimeter of hub26configured to enhance the air exchange between the inside of cover16and the outside of cover16when the air is hoving horizontal relative to the hub26(e.g., wind blowing or the cover16is in motion). One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the directional void slots35provide for both a horizontal opening as well as a vertical opening relative to the vertical axis of the hub26.

The cover accessory apparatus10further comprises a first flange36extending annularly around the hub body and extending radially away from the hub body, thereby defining a first flange diameter38(FIG. 7) that is longer than the hub diameter32. The first flange36may be disposed closer to the second hub end30than the first hub end28. For the current embodiment, the first flange36extends from the hub body at the second hub end30, as depicted inFIG. 3throughFIG. 7.

The cover accessory apparatus10further comprises a second flange40that extends annularly around the hub body and radially away from the hub body, thereby defining a second flange diameter42, as depicted inFIG. 7. The second flange diameter42is longer than the hub diameter32and may be equal to, longer than or shorter than the first flange diameter38. For the current embodiment, the second flange diameter42is shorter than the first flange diameter. Further, the second flange40is disposed closer to the first hub end28than the second hub end30. Restated, the second flange40may be disposed between the first hub end28and the first flange36. As discussed below, for this embodiment, the second flange42defines a flange gap44.

The cover accessory apparatus10may further comprise a cover interface46defined between the first flange36and the second flange38and defining an inside cover interface diameter48(FIG. 8). The inside cover interface diameter48may be equal to, longer than, or shorter than the hub diameter32. For the current embodiment, the inside cover interface diameter48is equal to the hub diameter32. It should be further appreciated that the first flange diameter38and the second flange diameter42are longer than the inside cover interface diameter48.

To provide for the threading of the cover accessory apparatus10to the cover16as described above and below, at least one flange gap44may be defined by at least one of the first flange36or the second flange40, thereby defining at least one discontinuous flange (i.e., at least part of the flange does not extend entirely around the hub body). The flange gap44may be configured to allow a flexible cover16defining a cover hole with a hole diameter shorter than the first flange diameter38and the second flange diameter42to be threaded into the cover interface, thereby associating the cover accessory apparatus10with the flexible cover16.

Ideally, the diameter of the hole defined by the flexible cover16is slightly shorter than the inside cover interface diameter48to provide for a more secure fitment. For example, the flexible cover16may define a hole having a diameter that is X units shorter than the inside cover interface diameter48, where X is the length of the gap between the first flange and the second flange. Notably, as mentioned above, the inside cover interface diameter48may or may not be equal in length to hub diameter32.

As depicted inFIG. 10, the first flange36may define a flange gap44, and the first flange diameter38may be shorter than the second flange diameter42. Further, both flanges may define a flange gap44. At least one of the flange gaps44may define a gap finger50, which may be configured to help guide the cover16into the cover interface46as the cover accessory apparatus10is threaded to the flexible cover16.

Top Element

As can be seen inFIG. 3, for some embodiments of the base element14, the first end26defines a top element receiver52configured for receiving a top element12. As noted above and as depicted in the figures, a top element12defines a dome portion18configured to at least partially cover the base element14. At the center of the dome portion18is a depending base20that may extend perpendicularly away from the dome and is configured for being releasably associating with the base element14.

For the most basic cover accessory apparatus10configuration, the first end46of hub26does not include a top element receiver52. When a top element receiver52is provided, it may be a threaded part configured to thread to a top element12, or an unthreaded part configured to be glued to a top element12or mechanically associated with a top element12using some other suitable method. Alternatively, the first end46may define a female threaded hole configured to receive a male threaded stud defined by a top element12.

For the embodiment depicted inFIG. 3, the top element receiver is a male threaded stud configured for threading into the depending base20. Such a configuration allows for any number of top element12modules to be developed by the OEM or third parties. For the top element12depicted inFIG. 1, the top element12defines an umbrella function that covers the hub voids34and directional void slots35defined by hub26. The top element12depicted inFIG. 2not only provides such an umbrella function but also provides a suspension interface22. Electronic-based top elements12may be developed, including top elements associated with photovoltaic chargers connected to a lighting element that provides light at night. The light could also be associated with an accelerometer where the light is activated when acceleration above a certain level is detected, perhaps to provide a brake light function.

Similarly, for the most basic cover accessory apparatus10, the second hub end30may not define a support structure interface24, as depicted inFIG. 5. Such a support structure interface24, when provided, is configured to receive a support structure such as one end of a pole. The other end of such pole is associated with a support surface, thereby supporting the cover accessory apparatus10and any associated cover16from below.

For one embodiment, the cover interface46may define a hub channel60along the hub side of the cover interface46. It should be appreciated that the cover interface46comprises a portion of the surface of the first flange36and a portion of the surface of the second flange40and a portion of the hub body disposed between the first flange36and the second flange40. The optional hub channel60may be defined along a portion of the hub body disposed between the first flange36and the second flange40. If a hub channel60is provided, it may be disposed 180 degrees from the flange gap44to provide more “mercy” (slack, wiggle room, etc.) while rotating the hub26to feed the cover into the cover interface46.

Exemplary Apparatus Dimensions

The term “about” for apparatus10dimensions means plus or minus 10%. It should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that any size cover accessory apparatus10can be constructed with the disclosed inventive/novel features. Exemplary cover accessory apparatus10dimensions are now considered for covers16of the size that are typically associated with boats (for example) that a user transports on a boat trailer.

The distance from the first hub end28and the second hub end30(hub height56) may be about 10 mm. The hub diameter32may be about 70 mm to 80 mm. Generally, the hub diameter32is the same along the entire hub26. However, it should be appreciated that the hub26diameter above the second flange40may be different from the hub26diameter below the second flange40. Such may allow for easier threading of the universal cover accessory apparatus10to a cover16.

The first flange diameter38may vary from about 90 mm to about 130 mm and will generally be around 116 mm for the cover size described above. Similarly, the second flange diameter42may vary from about 75 mm to about 130 mm. That said, the second flange diameter42should be equal to or shorter than the first flange diameter38and longer than the inside cover interface diameter54. The cover interface46is defined between the second flange40and first flange36, and the associated gap distance may be about 2.2 mm. Such gap distance may be varied based on the thickness of the flexible cover16to be associated with the cover accessory apparatus10. The cover interface46defines an inside cover interface diameter48between about 70 mm to about 80 mm, and such diameter may be equal to the hub diameter32. Notably, the diameter of the cover16hole through which the cover accessory apparatus10will be threaded is desirably slightly shorter than the inside cover interface diameter48. For such a configuration, once the cover accessory apparatus10is threaded through the cover16hole, the apparatus10should not fail under load even where the apparatus10is not mechanically associated (e.g., clamped, glued, sewn, etc.) with the cover16.

A typical first flange36thickness may be about 2 mm, and a typical second flange40thickness may be about 5 mm.

While exemplary feature dimensions are given above for the size cover that is generally used to cover a boat that can be transported on a trailer, any size apparatus10may be constructed using the inventive/novel features described above by maintaining the relative dimensions taught above. Such relative dimensions include a first flange diameter38that may be equal to or longer than the second flange diameter42. The second flange diameter42may be equal to or shorter than the first flange diameter38and longer than inside cover interface diameter54.

Threading Apparatus to Cover

As noted above, the cover accessory apparatus10is associated with a flexible cover16by threading the cover accessory apparatus10onto the flexible cover16through a hole defined by flexible cover16. The cover16hole diameter is to be slightly less (about 4 mm less for the above example) than the inside cover interface diameter48. The second flange diameter42should be longer than the inside cover interface diameter48by at least ten percent or by the amount needed to prevent a flexible cover16from stretching over the second flange40under load. The method of threading the cover accessory apparatus10to a cover16will depend on which flange defines a flange gap, and where both flanges define a flange gap, the flange gap selected.

If a top element12is present, the top element12is removed from the base element14. Where the second flange40defines the flange gap44, the base element14is inserted through a hole defined by a cover16from the inside of the cover16so that an edge of such cover hole is in the flange gap44, and the approximate center of the hub26is at the approximate center of the hole. The hub is rotated so that the edges of the cover hole are fed (threaded) into the cover interface46until the entire perimeter of the cover hole is associated with the cover interface46.

If the apparatus10is made of flexible material, the first flange36may be optionally sewed to the cover16for additional structural support. Other methods of adding extra structural support may be to glue the cover in the cover interface46or use a mechanical circlip type device that clamps around the cover within the cover interface46.