WINDOW SHIELD FOR VEHICLE BODY

Abstract: A secondary panel (12) is arranged such that it is in a non-operational position when the vehicle to which it is fitted is moving or operating normally, and may be moved into a security position adjacent window (11) when the vehicle is empty and locked to provide much greater resistance to unauthorised entry.

Description: WINDOW SHIELD FOR VEHICLE BODY The invention relates to vehicle security. Car theft and theft of vehicle contents is virtually impossible to prevent if the thieves are determined, organised and properly equipped to commit the offence. Statistics establish, however, that most of the theft of vehicle contents, particularly radio equipment and the like, is an opportunist act. In the vast majority of cases, entry to the vehicle is gained via the side windows which are the weak spot on all but very few vehicles . For reasons of safety, whilst front and rear windscreens are reinforced, for example by laminations, the side windows are composed of more readily fracturable glass to enable ready access in case of an accident . The invention provides a secondary panel arranged to be placed in a position adjacent to a vehicle window to resist unauthorised entry through the window. This is preferably achieved by arranging the panel such that it may be moved from a non-operational position into a security position adjacent the window. The panel may comprise a secondary window. Preferably there is a set of secondary panels (eg secondary windows) , one for each side window of the vehicle to be protected. Preferably the panel is arranged such that it can only come into the aforesaid security position when the vehicle is parked to increase the security of the parked vehicle. It may only come into position when the vehicle is immobilised. The panel may be fabricated from thin section robust material . The material may comprise plastics, for example polycarbonate . The material may comprise steel. The material may comprise wire mesh. The material may comprise reinforced glass. A combination of materials may be used. Preferably, the panel has an operating mechanism for placing it in position, which operating mechanism cannot operate when the vehicle is in motion. The operating mechanism may be key operated and it may be such that it cannot be operated unless the vehicle is stationary and the ignition turned off. The operating mechanism may be such that it will not operate if the vehicle is involved in an accident, for example by overturning. The operating mechanism may be such that it can be operated externally as with central vehicle locking systems. It may be such that it will only operate if the vehicle is secure and unoccupied. The panel may bear a clear printed message, internally and/or externally, to warn of the state of the vehicle. The operating mechanism may be provided with override means, for example using a code message, allowing the panel to be brought into position should the driver be in a hostile environment. Thus the panel could, for example, be used by women driving at night . The panel may be made of such a material that when it is in the non-operational position, it provides extra side protection for the vehicle against side impacts. A polycarbonate plastics panel could be particularly useful in this connection. The panel may be provided with means to disengage a door lock device so that it cannot be operated until the secondary panel has been returned to the non-operational position. The door lock device may be disengaged by means of a latch strip . Alternatively, the centre of a lock barrel may be attached to the secondary panel so that when the secondary panel is in the operating position the lock mechanism is totally disabled. In other words the key is rendered useless until the secondary panel has been returned to the non- operational position. For example the lock barrel may be moved out of its normal position so that a key or an unauthorised implement such as a screw driver, cannot be inserted into the lock barrel when the secondary panel is in its operating position. The invention includes a vehicle when fitted with at least one secondary panel according to the invention. The secondary panel may be mounted internally or externally of the conventional window. By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle door fitted with an embodiment of secondary panel according to the invention; Figure 2 is an edge view of the door showing the secondary panel in its non-operative position; Figure 3 is an edge view of the door showing the secondary panel in its operative position; Figure 4 is a plan view of one edge of a prior art door; and Figure 5 is a plan view of part of the edge of the door according to the invention. Figures 1 to 3 show a car door 10 having a conventional glazed window 11. Housed in the lower part of the door is a secondary window 12 of reinforced glass. When the vehicle is operating normally, the secondary window 12 remains in the position shown in Figure 2 and, if necessary, the window 11 can be broken to gain access in the event of an emergency. However when the car is empty and locked an electric window operating mechanism (not shown) comes into operation and the secondary window 12 rises to the position shown in Figure 3, in which it provides much greater resistance to unauthorised entry. Figure 4 shows a conventional arrangement in which a single conventional window 11 fits into a glazing bead 13. Figure 5 illustrates how the window 11 can receive along side it the secondary window 12. While only one car door has been shown, it will be appreciated that a secondary window will normally be provided for each side .window of the vehicle. While the invention has been specifically developed for use with cars, it can of course be used with any vehicle having side windows which are susceptible to unauthorised entry. The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features . The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A secondary panel arranged to be placed in a position adjacent to a vehicle window to resist unauthorised entry through the window. 2. A panel according to claim 1 and arranged such that it may be moved from a non-operational position into a security position adjacent the window. 3. A panel according to claim 1 or claim 2 and comprising a secondary window. 4. A panel according to any of the preceding claims and arranged such that it can only come into the aforesaid security position when the vehicle is parked. 5. A panel according to any of the preceding claims and arranged such that it may only come into position when the vehicle is immobilised. 6. A panel according to any of the preceding claims and including an operating mechanism for placing it in position, which operating mechanism cannot operate when the vehicle is in motion. 7. A panel according to claim 6 wherein the operating mechanism may be key operated and it may be such that it cannot be operated unless the vehicle is stationary and the ignition turned off. o 8. A panel according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the operating mechanism may be such that it will not operate if the vehicle is involved in an accident . 9. A panel according to any of claims 6 to 8 wherein the operating mechanism may be such that it can be operated externally. 10. A panel according to any of the preceding claims and bearing a clear printed message, internally and/or externally, to warn of the state of the vehicle. 11. A panel according to any of claims 6 to 10 wherein the operating mechanism is provided with override means, for example using a code message, allowing the panel to be brought into position should the driver be in a hostile environment . 12. A panel according to any of the preceding claims and being made of such a material that it provides extra side protection for the vehicle against side impacts. 13. A panel according to any of the preceding claims and provided with means to disengage a door lock device so that it cannot be operated until the secondary panel has been returned to the non-operational position. 14. A panel according to claim 13 wherein the door lock device may be disengaged by means of a latch strip. 15. A panel according to claim 13 wherein the centre of a lock barrel may be attached to the secondary panel so that when the secondary panel is in the operating position the lock mechanism is totally disabled. 16. A panel according to any of the preceding claims, for mounting either internally or externally of the window. 17. A panel according to any of the preceding claims and fabricated from any one or a combination of thin section robust material, polycarbonate, steel, wire mesh, reinforced glass. 18. A set of secondary panels according to any of the preceding claims, one for each side window of the vehicle to be protected. 19. A vehicle fitted with at least one secondary panel according to any of the preceding claims.

Inventors: GRAY NIGEL JOHN, GRAY, NIGEL, JOHN
Applicants: GRAY NIGEL JOHN, GRAY, NIGEL, JOHN
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B60R25
IPC codes: B60R21, B60R25