Abstract:
The present invention relates to a cover for a bicycle or like vehicle being made of light weight material with one or more cover fasteners wherein the cover is enclosable entirely about the bicycle or like vehicle and the light weight material is foldable to be reduced in size when not in use for easy storage.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to vehicle covers. The present invention has particular but not exclusive application for use with a bicycle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Covers for bicycles have been developed to protect them from the weather when stored or during transport to another location. Prolonged exposure to rain and sunlight will damage the bicycles. Dirt from the roads splashed onto the bicycles during transport causes them to become dirty and adversely affect the performance of the bicycle. 
         [0003]    There are currently two types of bicycle covers that are used to protect bicycles. The first bicycle cover is a shaped plastic covering that can be positioned over the bicycle but does not fully enclose the bicycle. The cover is used when storing the bicycle. However the cover can easily be blown about or off exposing the bicycle to the weather elements. The second type of bicycle cover is a hard case cover where the bicycle is disassembled for storage or long-haulage purposes. The cover cannot be folded for compact storage. 
         [0004]    None of these bicycle covers can be used to cover a bicycle mounted on a tow-bar rack or roof rack of a car and thus does not address the problem of accumulation of dirt and road grime during transport. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternate bicycle cover which overcomes at least in part one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one aspect the present invention broadly resides in a cover for a bicycle or like vehicle being made of light weight material with one or more cover fasteners, the cover is shaped to surround the bicycle or like vehicle and the one or more cover fasteners close the bicycle or like vehicle wherein the cover is enclosable about the bicycle or like vehicle and the light weight material is foldable to be reduced in size when not in use for easy storage. 
         [0007]    In another aspect the present invention broadly resides in a cover for a bicycle or like vehicle including 
         [0008]    a cover portion being made of light weight material for surrounding the bicycle or like vehicle; and 
         [0009]    one or more cover fasteners for closing the cover portion wherein the cover portion is enclosable with the one or more cover fasteners about the bicycle or like vehicle and the cover portion is foldable to be reduced in size when not in use for easy storage. 
         [0010]    The light weight material is preferably made of thin layer of nylon sheeting. 
         [0011]    The light weight material is preferably a waterproof material. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the light weight material is a UV stabilized material. 
         [0013]    Preferably the cover is shaped to closely and securely fit about the bicycle or like vehicle. 
         [0014]    The cover portion is preferably shaped to entirely surround an assembled bicycle. The cover preferably entirely encloses an assembled bicycle. 
         [0015]    The cover portion is preferably foldable to fit within a pouch. 
         [0016]    The pouch is preferably part of the cover portion or alternately is a separate article. 
         [0017]    The pouch is preferably sized to enable the pouch to be positioned over a seat of the bicycle or like vehicle. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the pouch has an adjustable strap. 
         [0019]    The pouch preferably has one or more pockets for storage. 
         [0020]    The one or more cover fasteners preferably include one or more zips, Velcro strips, snap fit fasteners or any combination of fasteners. 
         [0021]    The cover portion preferably has an aperture for allowing the bicycle tow-bar rack to pass through the cover and clamp to the bicycle frame. 
         [0022]    The aperture is preferably closeable with a flap. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment the flap has a side that is attached to the cover portion. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment the flap is a separate piece of material that is attachable to the cover portion adjacent the periphery of the aperture. 
         [0025]    The flap preferably has free edges that are attachable to the cover portion by one or more flap fasteners. 
         [0026]    The flap is preferably made of the same light weight material as the cover portion. 
         [0027]    The cover preferably further includes a cap to cover the chain of the bicycle. 
         [0028]    The cap preferably has an elastic band around the periphery of the cap. 
         [0029]    The cap is preferably made of the same light weight material as the cover portion. 
         [0030]    The cover preferably further includes one or more securing strips to restrain movement of moving parts of the bicycle or like vehicle. 
         [0031]    Preferably, the one or more securing strips include a first strip to secure pedals of the bicycle or like vehicle to a frame of the bicycle or like vehicle. 
         [0032]    More preferably, the one or more securing strips also include a second strip to secure a wheel of the bicycle or like vehicle to the frame of the bicycle or like vehicle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0033]    In order that the present invention can be more readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: 
           [0034]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a bicycle cover according to one embodiment of the invention and shown when in use to enclose a bicycle; 
           [0035]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of a bicycle cover of  FIG. 1  showing the cover portion with an attached pouch; 
           [0036]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view of the bicycle cover of  FIG. 2  folded and contained within the pouch; 
           [0037]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view of a section of the cover portion of the bicycle cover of  FIG. 1  showing a closeable aperture that enables a bicycle rack to pass through the bicycle cover; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of a cap of the bicycle cover of  FIG. 1  shown covering the chain of the bicycle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3  there is shown a bicycle cover  10  that has a cover portion  12  and a cover zip  13 . The cover zip  13  is used to open and close the cover  10 . The opening  14  enables the bicycle cover  10  to be placed about and surround a bicycle  15 . The closing of the opening  14  closes the cover portion  12  to enclose the bicycle  15  within the bicycle cover  10 . 
         [0040]    The cover portion  12  is made of a light weight material such as a thin layer of nylon. The nylon is treated during the manufacturing process so that it is waterproof and is resistant to UV degradation. As the cover portion  12  is light weight and thin, the cover portion  12  can be easily folded to reduce its size when the cover  10  is not in use. The cover portion  12  is foldable on itself and can fit within a pouch  17 . The pouch  17  can be opened and closed with a pouch zip  11 . 
         [0041]    In the preferred embodiment, the pouch  17  is part of the cover portion  12 . The pouch  17  is made to a size that enables the pouch  17  to be positioned over the bicycle seat  18 . The pouch  17  has an adjustable strap  19  that serves as a handle for carrying the pouch  17 . There are pockets  20  on opposed sides of the pouch  17  and the pockets  20  can be used for storage purposes. 
         [0042]    The cover portion  12  has an aperture  22  that enables a bicycle rack (not shown in the Figures) to pass through the aperture  22 . The bicycle tow-bar rack is fixed to the rear of a car or four wheel drive. The aperture  22  allows access to the frame of the bicycle  15  so that the bicycle  15  can be mounted on the bicycle tow-bar rack. The aperture  22  can be closed off with a flap  23 . The bicycle  15  can therefore be enclosed within the bicycle cover  10  while being transported from one destination to another destination. The bicycle  15  is therefore protected from being damaged by exposure to weather elements, dirt road grime and damage caused by loose stones thrown from the road. The flap  23  is a separate piece of thin layer nylon and is attachable to the cover portion  12  with flap Velcro strips  24 . The flap Velcro strips  24  are positioned near the free edges  25  of the flap  23  and can attach to complementary Velcro strips  26  positioned near the periphery of the aperture  22 . 
         [0043]    The preferred embodiment the cover  10  includes a cap  27  that is used to cover the bicycle chain  28  of a bicycle  15 . The cap  27  is made of thin layer nylon and has an elastic band around the periphery of the cap  27 . The elastic band enables the cap  27  to be easily placed on and removed from the bicycle chain  28 . The cap  27  can be stored in one of the pockets  20  of the pouch  17  when the cap  27  is not in use. 
         [0044]    The preferred embodiment also includes several securing strips  30 ,  31  to restrain movement of the moving parts of the bicycle  15 . For example, the cover  10  has a pedal securing strip  30  and a wheel securing strip  31 . The pedal securing strip  30  is used to secure the pedals  32  to a lower frame support  33  of the bicycle  15  that is located between the back wheel and the pedals  32 . The wheel securing strip  31  is used to secure the front wheel  34  of the bicycle  15  to an upper frame support  36  of the bicycle  15  that is located between the pedals  32  and the front wheel  34 . 
       ADVANTAGES 
       [0045]    An advantage of the preferred embodiment of the bicycle cover includes being able to totally enclose a bicycle and protect it from the weather.Another advantage of the preferred embodiment of the bicycle cover is that it is light weight and can be easily folded and reduced in size for storage purposes. 
         [0046]    A further advantage of the preferred embodiment of the bicycle cover is the provision of an aperture to enable a bicycle rack to pass through the cover. This enables bicycle to be covered by the bicycle cover while being transported on a bicycle rack mounted to a car. 
       VARIATIONS 
       [0047]    It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications andvariations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth. 
         [0048]    Throughout the description and claims this specification the word “comprise” and variations of that word such as “comprises” and “comprising”, are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.