Abstract:
A restrainer device for securing vehicle covers. The device comprises a flexible stop-end and a lock-end, and a flexibly stiffened middle segment in between the elongate ends. The lock-end and the middle segment are placed thru one of the grommet openings of the vehicle cover and pulled thru until the stop-end is pressed against the grommet. The device is placed underneath the vehicle so as to span the width of the vehicle. The flexibly stiffened, semi-rigid segment retains a linear configuration, which allows for non-visual guidance of the lock-end from one side of the vehicle to the other. The lock-end is readily picked up and passed thru the grommet on the other side of the vehicle cover, and pulled thru creating a taut slack free connection and then padlocked. The device, including the flexibly-stiffened portion, can be rolled into a coiled state to allow for compact storage.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    All references cited in this specification, and their references, are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for teachings of additional or alternative details, features, and/or technical background. 
         [0002]    Disclosed is a restrainer device for securing vehicle covers. Vehicle covers may include those that are used to cover different types of vehicles, including automobiles, campers, trailers, trucks, SUVs, boats and airplanes where the restrainer device for securing the vehicle is passed underneath the vehicle from one side of the vehicle to the other side. 
         [0003]    Vehicle covers of various shapes and forms are known in the art. They are used to protect vehicles from environmental encroachment, whether by nature or otherwise. The covers are designed to be oriented in place on the vehicle by engaging them to the various parts of the vehicles, such as to the side mirrors, bumpers or underside of the vehicle. The means of restraining the cover to the vehicle are provided with cables and other similar bands of fasteners that attach at one end to holes, or openings in the cover, while the other end traverses a portion of the vehicle and comes around to be attached to another opening or attachment point in the cover. 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows an automobile  10  enclosed in cover  20 . It is common to use a cover  20  provided with openings or holes  30 ,  35  around the periphery of the cover  20  such that when the cover is mounted on the car, hem  25 , or the edges of the cover having the openings droop over the sides of the car. A first end  43  of a flexible fastener, such as a rope or cable symbolically represented by phantom line  40  in  FIG. 1  is threaded into and pulled out of one of the openings, say  30  on one side of the cover until that first end  43  of the fastener is tightly secured to the first opening  30  in any number of ways such as making a loop and a knot at the opening (not shown). Then the free second end  45  of the fastener is tossed under the vehicle to reach the other side where the second end  45  is fished out from under the car and secured to an opening  35  on the opposite edge of the cover drooping on the other side of the car. The same procedure is repeated with one or more fasteners (not shown) to secure the cover to the vehicle. 
         [0005]    In some cases, a flexible fastener  50  is provided with a loop  55  at first end and an eyelet  53  at the second end as shown in  FIG. 2 . The second end  53  is slipped through the first opening  30  in  FIG. 3   a  and passed through loop  55  and pulled until the loop stops against the first opening  30  as better seen in  FIG. 3   b . The next step requires the passing of cable  50  under car  10  (which is usually accomplished by tossing the cable under the vehicle) and retrieving the eyelet-end  53  on the opposite side of the car. This is accomplished with some difficulty as shown in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b . After the second end  53  is fished out from under the other side of car  10 , eyelet  53  is inserted into and pulled out from the second opening  35 , and then secured to cover  20  by first passing the shank of an ordinary lock  60  through the eyelet  53  and then restraining cable  50  in opening  65  as the lock is closed shut, as better seen in  FIG. 3   c.    
         [0006]    Short of restraining or securing a vehicle cover to the vehicle itself by modifying the vehicle to provide attachment points on the vehicle, the methods shown in  FIGS. 1-3   c  are exemplary except for the difficulty in retrieving the fastener from underneath the vehicle after it has been tossed from one side to the other. When a commonly used fastener  50  shown in  FIG. 4   a  is tossed under an automobile  10 , for example, there is no assurance where the fastener will go. After a toss, it may take the position of fastener  50 , or  50 ′. Most often than not, one has to go down on own knees, lean under the car and look to see where the fastener has ended up. Sometimes, a person  70  has to get down to the ground  80  on his/her back to retrieve the fastener, as depicted in  FIG. 4   b . What is needed, therefore, is an improved vehicle cover restrainer device that can be directed and passed in any desired direction under a vehicle easily and predictably while not compromising the ergonomic posture of an individual. 
       REFERENCES 
       [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,280 to John Ellis Allen discloses a vehicle cover having a main cover portion with a plurality of peripheral edges, a fastening band attached along the plurality of peripheral edges which runs across the windshield, a pair of fastening band extensions extending under the side mirrors of the vehicle, and the fastening band extending down the length of the cover&#39;s side to secure the front end of the cover to the vehicle, and an anchoring means attached to the rear of the vehicle cover for securing the rear end of the cover to the trunk lid or a license plate frame. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,857 to Lawrence E. Rivas provides an automobile cover assembly incorporating a container that is adapted to be anchored to a portion of an automobile. The car cover assembly includes an anchor member in the form of an elongate pipe or tube that is attached to the container containing the cover via straps. The pipe is adapted to be deposited in the trunk of the automobile and the trunk lid can then be closed on the straps so as to anchor the container to the rear end of the automobile. The cover is stored within a cavity defined by the container and the cover includes a handle which is accessible by the user. The user grasps the handle and extracts the cover from the container while the container is anchored to the rear end of the automobile and then correctly positions the cover about the automobile. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,230 to Donald B. Curchod teaches a storable cover for covering the cabin portion of a variety of vehicles, such as sedans, vans, and hatchbacks, carries storage means secured thereto to be disposed in a suitable compartment of the vehicle. The trailing edge of the cover is anchored inside the vehicle when the cover is disposed onto the vehicle. The storage means is affixed firmly inside the trunk or other rear compartment of the various vehicles, such as for example, sedans, hatchbacks, and vans so as to locate part of the over assembly within a locked compartment. The cover is deployed by being taken out of the storage means and fed from the trunk through the opening which is created between the raised closure member for the compartment and the body of the vehicle. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,911 to Walter F. Fishack shows an elastic tie cord attached to a fastener to form an infinitely adjustable tie cord assembly. A finger aperture is provided on the fastener for applying tension to the cord in cooperation with a remote loop at the other end of the cord. A hook on the fastener adjacent the finger aperture includes a curved, tapered slot narrowing to an opening having a width less than the normal diameter of the cord. The cord is tensioned around an object to be secured and the reduced cord diameter is wedged into the slot opening at any desired point on the cord. Upon release of the finger aperture and the remote loop, the cord diameter beyond the fastener returns to normal, wedging the cord firmly in the slot to maintain tension on the portion of the cord around the secured object. The eyelet and the curved slot opening are aligned with the axis of tension of the cord so that the tensioned cord partially pivots the fastener about the cord axis of tension to project the finger aperture upward from the secured object, thereby facilitating access to the finger aperture. An alternate embodiment of the invention includes a fastener having a T-bar shaped appendage for gripping to apply tension. A wedge-shaped aperture is disposed at the base of the T-bar having a narrow vertex for securing the tensioned cord. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,726 to Vincent J. Merlot, et. al, describes a retractable cover system comprising: a flexible cover. A plurality of supporting bows support the cover. A semi-rigid member having first and second ends is secured to the cover section. The semi-rigid member is capable of flexing laterally outward if the system is retracted. This outward action allows the cover or cover sections to consistently fold in the same way and prevents the cover or cover sections from getting caught in the load or in the cover system componentry. The invention also comprises a segmented tube secured to the bottom portion of the cover between the bows. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0012]    Aspects disclosed herein include 
         [0013]    a restrainer device for securing a vehicle cover comprising flexibly stiffened tubing having a first head at one end and a second head at the opposite end; coiled spring disposed lengthwise in the tubing; a fastener having a first end and a second end disposed inside the coiled spring; a first cap with an opening covering the first head of the tubing; a second cap with an opening covering the second head of the tubing; the first end of the fastener protruding from the opening of the first cap of the tubing; the second end of the fastener protruding from the opening of the second cap of the tubing; the first end of the fastener having a blocking device; and the second end of the fastener having a locking device. 
         [0014]    a restrainer device for securing vehicle cover comprising an elongate implement having a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, each the portions having a first end and a second end; wherein the second end of the first portion is connected to the first end of the second portion, thus leaving the first end of the first portion as a first free end; the second end of the second portion is connected to the first end of the third portion, thus leaving the second end of the third portion as a second free end; the first portion further comprising a flexible member having the first free end; the second portion further comprising a semi-rigid member; the third portion further comprising a flexible member having the second free end; wherein the first free end of the first portion is fixedly attached to a blocking device; and the second free end of the third portion is fixedly attached to a locking device. 
         [0015]    a method providing an elongate device having a flexibly stiffened semi-rigid member connected at one end to a first flexible member having a first free end, and connected at its opposite end to a second flexible member having a second free end, the first free end having a blocking device and the second free end having a locking device; providing a vehicle and a vehicle cover having a first grommet opening on a first side and a second grommet opening on a second side opposite the first side; placing the vehicle cover over the vehicle with the sides of the vehicle cover extending downwards on the sides of the vehicle; inserting the locking device into the first grommet opening of the vehicle cover; pulling the locking device, the second flexible member, the semi-rigid member and the first flexible member, in that order, until the blocking device is captured snugly against the first grommet opening; placing the semi-rigid member and the second flexible member under the vehicle; using the semi-rigid member to guide the second flexible member to the other side of the vehicle; picking up the second flexible member having the locking device at the second end from the other side of the vehicle; inserting the locking device into the second grommet opening in the cover; pulling the locking device until the blocking device on the first side of the cover is adjustably taut; and locking the slack in the second flexible member in a swage-lock and padlocking. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a vehicle cover installed on an automobile, according to prior art. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a conventional cable for securing the cover of  FIG. 1  onto a vehicle. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3   a - 3   c  show the securing of a vehicle cover, according to prior art. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 4   a - 4   b  show the installation of a vehicle cover, according to prior art. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 5   a - 5   b  show the installation of a vehicle cover in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 6   a - 6   b  show the securing or restraining of a vehicle cover in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 7   a - 7   b  show two views of an embodiment of the present disclosure where the disclosed restrainer device in its normally straight semi-rigid state can be rolled into a coiled state for storage. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 8   a - 8   b  show cross-sectional views of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 7   a - 7   b.    
           [0024]      FIGS. 9   a - 9   b  is another embodiment showing the locking device for the presently disclosed restrainer apparatus for securing a vehicle cover. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    In embodiments there is illustrated: 
         [0026]    a restrainer device for securing protective covers over vehicles in particular, or over objects to be covered in general. 
         [0027]    The restrainer device, hereafter designated as  100  in the drawings, comprises a flexible fastener  120 , such as a wire or a cable, inserted inside and protruding from both ends of a straight and flexibly stiffened, semi-rigid tubing  110  (disclosed in more detail later) of sufficient length to span the width w of vehicle  10  to be enclosed under cover  20  shown in  FIG. 5   a . The protruding ends of the fastener  120  are adapted to be engaged to openings  30 ,  35 , such as grommet holes, provided on the hem, or edges  25  of the protective cover  20 . The device is placed underneath the vehicle body from one side of the vehicle  10  and the flexible fastener  120  protruding on that side is secured to one of a plurality of openings on the cover. The other end of fastener  120 , as guided by the straight and flexibly stiffened tubing  110  underneath the vehicle is readily found exposed on the opposite side of the vehicle. The exposed end of the fastener is then secured to one of a plurality of openings on that side of the cover. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5   a  depicts a user  70  of device  100  holding one end of the fastener  120  after having inserted the other end of the fastener and the outer tubing  110  through opening  30  and laying down device  100  on the ground beneath vehicle  10 . Because of the flexibly stiffened semi-rigidity of the further disclosed cover restraining device  100 , the user  70  is able to point the device  100  in any desired direction, say in α or β directions shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  towards the other side of the vehicle. It is now a matter of picking up the other end of the fastener  120  or  120 ′ on the other side of the vehicle dose to the grommet opening  35 , depending upon the direction, α or β, in which the device was laid down on the ground, i.e., in position  100  or  100 ′, respectively, and securing the other second end to opening  35  on the other side of the vehicle. It will be noted that both in inserting the device  100  into a first opening  30  of the cover  20 , laying the device on the ground underneath the vehicle  10  afterwards, and then picking up the other end of the fastener  120  or  120 ′ from the device on the other side of the vehicle, all are accomplished with ease by either crouching or normal bending or leaning, as depicted in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b , in contrast to the supine positions that may be taken with commonly used devices shown in  FIGS. 1-4   b . In  FIGS. 6   a - 6   b , the same crouching position (or any other ergonomically comfortable position, for that matter) is used to secure vehicle cover  20  on vehicle  10  by inserting a first locking end  121  in opening  35 , pulling the opposite stopping end  123  against a stop-plug  130  at the other end, forming loops to take up any slack and securing the loop in a locking element  140 , and locking it up  60 , as further described below in reference to  FIGS. 7   a - 8   d.    
         [0029]    The ability to direct cover restrainer device  100  easily in any desired direction under vehicle  10  for immediate retrieval (from an opposite side of the vehicle as described earlier) without “fishing around” on the ground is accomplished by the disclosed embodiments in  FIGS. 7   a - 8   d . In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 7   a , cover restraining device  100  comprises three portions: a stop-end  135 , a lock-end  145  and a middle portion  155 , also shown separately in  FIG. 7   b . In a further embodiment, the middle portion  155  is flexibly stiffened by placing a coiled spring  150  inside an outer tubing  110 , thus forming a semi-rigid assembly  155 . A fastener  120  in the form of a cable is inserted through spring  150  inside tubing  110 . A first end  123  of fastener  120  is fixedly fitted with a stop-plug  130 , thus forming the stop-end  135 , while a second end  121  is fixedly fritted with a locking element  140 , such as an eyelet or a swage-lock, thus forming the lock-end  145  as described further in  FIGS. 9   a  and  9   b.    
         [0030]    Tubing  110  is generally long enough to span the width w of the vehicle  10  to be covered and can be flexibly rolled into a coiled state for easy storage, as shown in  FIG. 7   b . The outer dimensions of the disclosed device  100 , including that of the tubing  110  and the locking element  140  at one end of the fastener  120  are such that the whole device, except for the stop-plug  130  at the stop-end  123 , can be inserted through the openings, such as  30  and  35  provided on the vehicle cover  20 . The diameter of grommet openings in commonly used vehicle covers range from about 4.8 mm to 38.1 mm (millimeters). The various dimensions of the presently disclosed device  100  are also shown in  FIGS. 8   a - 8   d.    
         [0031]    Specifically, one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a flexible vinyl tubing  110  having a wall thickness t t  of between about 1 mm and 3.2 mm, outside diameter, d t , between about 9.9 mm to 31.8 mm and a length, l t  between about 1.4 m to 1.7 m (meters), although it will be appreciated that other types of flexible tubing can also be used. Also, the length l t  can be between about 2.4 m and 2.6 m for large trucks.  FIG. 5   b  shows a cross-section of the flexibly stiffened semi-rigid assembly  155  of the present disclosure. 
         [0032]    Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a spring  150  which is inserted inside tubing  110  in order to give the tubing a stiff and yet flexible characteristics so that the combination of the tubing  110  together with the spring  150  results in a device which can be controlled as a mostly rigid and straight implement while it can also be rolled into a coiled state. The stiffness k of spring  150  in relation to its length l c  is chosen to obtain the desired effect of stiffness as well as the required flexibility by using the well-known relationship 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             k 
             = 
             
               
                 Gd 
                 4 
               
               
                 8 
                  
                 
                   D 
                   3 
                 
                  
                 
                   n 
                   a 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0000]    where G is the shear modulus of the spring material, n a  is the number of active spring coils, d is the diameter of the coils, D, the diameter of spring  150 , and where the length l c  can be calculated from the number and diameter of the coils. The length of the spring, l c , is also governed by the length, l t , of the tubing  110 , for if l c  is too long, then the freely moving spring  150  inside tubing  110  can push out the end-caps  113  and  115  (shown in  FIGS. 8   a ,  8   c ) when rolled into a coiled state shown in  FIG. 7   b . In meeting these criteria, a galvanized steel spring  150  having a length l t  between about 1.2 m to 2.1 m, outside diameter D o  of about 7.9 mm and inside diameter D i  of about 4.8 mm was chosen. It will be noted that other spring materials with other dimensions can also be used commensurate with the desired characteristics of the cover restrainer device  100 . 
         [0033]    Another embodiment provides a flexible vinyl coated cable  120  having a diameter, d f , between about 3.2 mm and 12.7 mm and a length, l f , between about 1.7 m and 2.1 m or 2.7 m for a truck. Other types of flexible fasteners and diameters may also be used. End-caps  113  and  117  close the ends, or heads of tubing  110  as shown in  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   c , enclosing the coiled spring  150  inside the vinyl tubing while allowing the vinyl cable  120  pass through central openings  115  and  119 , respectively. End-caps  113  and  117  are inserted into each end of the vinyl tubing  110  and preferably glued. Friction fit may also be utilized, with or without a glue treatment. 
         [0034]    The cylindrical stop-plug  130  at the stop-end  135  of restrainer device  100  shown in  FIG. 8   a  comprises plastic material having a length l p  between about 25.4 cm and 76.2 cm (centimeters) and diameter between about 19.1 mm and 50.8 mm, larger than the commonly used grommet opening  30 . It will be known to those skilled in the art that the stop-plug can also be made out of metal covered with plastic in order to avoid scratching the body of the vehicle during installation of the cover over the vehicle. The lock-end  145  is fixedly fitted with an eyelet type element shown  140  in  FIG. 8   d.    
         [0035]    Still another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a swage-lock device  160 , which is incorporated onto the lock-end  145  of cover restrainer device  100  as shown in  FIGS. 9   a  and  9   b . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that other types of locking devices can be incorporated onto the cover restrainer device  100  of the present disclosure. The other stop-end  135  of the cover restrainer device  100  is fitted with stop-plug  130 , described earlier. 
         [0036]    The disclosed swage-lock device  160  is better seen in the enlarged view of  FIG. 9   b . In  FIG. 9   b , cover restrainer device  100  is shown suspended under vehicle cover  20  mounted on an automobile  10  (not shown). The end-cap  117  of the flexibly stiffened tubing  110  can also be seen protruding from underneath the hem  25  of vehicle cover  25 . Fastener  120 , emanating from the end cap  117  of tubing  110 , has attached to its second end  121  the swage-lock  160  which enters and exits the grommet opening  35  from behind the vehicle cover  20 , as shown in  FIG. 9   b . The diameter of swage-lock  160  is commensurate with the diameter of the grommet openings  30  at the stop-end  135  and  35  at the lock-end  145  shown in  FIG. 9   a  so as to be able to enter and exit both openings  30  and  35  freely, and easily. Following the grommet dimensions of the present market place, it is preferred that the outer diameter D sw  of swage-lock  160  is between about 9.5 mm and 38.1 mm. 
         [0037]    In operation, after the swage-lock  160  is inserted in grommet  30  on one side of cover  20  as shown in  FIG. 6   a , followed by inserting the remaining portions of the cover restrainer device  100 , including the flexibly stiffened tubing  110 , the lock-end  145  is directed under vehicle  10  towards the other side of cover  20  with the aid of the flexibly stiffened semi-rigid assembly  155 . The swage-lock  160  attached to the second end  121  of the fastener  120  is then readily retrieved from underneath the vehicle  10 , as shown in  FIG. 9   b . The swage-lock  160  is next inserted into grommet opening  35  from behind the hem  25  of vehicle cover  20  and the lock-end  145  of fastener  120  pulled until the stop-plug  130  of stop-end  135  is snug against grommet opening  30  of cover  20  on the opposite side of vehicle  10 . 
         [0038]    Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a slot  165  in the swage-lock  160  that enables the adjustment of the tension of cover restrainer device  100  prior to securing the device to cover  20 . Subsequent to passing the end  121  and swage-lock  160  through grommet opening  35 , the user, while holding the fastener  120  taut, slips the slack in fastener  120  into slot  165  shown in  FIGS. 9   b  and  9   c  and folds over the remaining slack and inserts it back into slot  165 , thus creating a loop  127 . Next, the user inserts the shank  65  of a padlock  60  through opening  167  in the swage-lock  160  as shown in  FIG. 9   b , thus capturing the loop  127  inside the slot  165 . Because the size of the of the swage-lock  160  in combination with padlock  60  is larger than the grommet opening  35 , the fastener  120  can no longer be pushed back into the opening  35 . In addition, when shank  65  of padlock  60  is inserted into opening  167 , shank  65  creates only enough space within the slot  165  for two fastener  120  diameters. Hence, the size of shank  65  does not allow the loop  127  to be pulled out of the slot  165 , but does allow for the tension of the fastener between grommet openings  30  and  35  to be adjusted and set. 
         [0039]    The swage-lock  160  shown in  FIG. 9   c  preferably comprises plastic; or it can be made out any suitable metal covered with plastic to avoid scratching the vehicle during the installation of the protective cover on the vehicle. The outer diameter D sw  of the swage-lock  160  is between about 9.5 mm to 38.1 mm. It will be understood that diameter D sw  can be varied to accommodate the grommet openings of vehicle covers found in the market place at a given time. The smaller diameter d sw  shown in  FIG. 9   s  is between about 6.4 mm to 25.4 mm. The over-all length l sw  of the swage-lock  160  is between about 33.2 mm to 117.8 mm, while the length l s  of slot  165  of the swage-lock  165  is between about 12.7 mm to 55.2 mm. The width w s  of slot  165  is between about 3.2 mm to 12.7 mm. The diameter d s  of the opening  167  in slot  165  is between about 3.2 mm to 19.1 mm. 
         [0040]    The stated embodiment of the coiled state of the present disclosure as shown in  FIGS. 7   b  and  9   c  enables the cover restrainer device  100  to be stored conveniently in a storage bag and/or the trunk of a vehicle. Furthermore, the stop-plug of fastener  120  can be left hooked onto grommet opening  30 , for example, on one side of the protective cover  20  so that both the cover and the cover restrainer device  100  can be stored together. The assembly (not shown) of cover  20  and the cover restrainer device  100  can be kept either in a coiled state or in an extended state with the aid of a strap. In this manner, at the time of the next use, cover  20  can be unfurled exposing the flexibly stiffened semi-rigid tubing  110  ready to be directed to the underside of the vehicle  10  and readily picked up on the other side of the vehicle for passing the swage-lock  160  through the other grommet opening  35  for securing the cover restrainer device  100  to the cover  20  securely with padlock  60 , as shown in  FIG. 9   b.    
         [0041]    Though these numerous details of the disclosed cover restrainer device are set forth here, such as the flexibly stiffened semi-rigid characteristics and the dimensional parameters, to provide an understanding of the present invention, it will be obvious, however, to those skilled in the art that these specific details need not be employed to practice the present invention in other similar applications that are too many to cite, such as, for example, varying the dimensional parameters to accommodate vehicles of different shapes and uses, such as automobiles and pick-up trucks. Furthermore, the various parts of the restrainer device  100  may not necessarily have to be insulated with plastic tubing, when used with certain vehicles. For instance, the spring portion  150  of the semi-rigid part of restrainer device  100  of  FIG. 7   a  need not be inserted into plastic tubing  110  to protect the bottom side of a truck from damage by the spring. On the other hand, the spring itself may be coated with plastic, obviating separate plastic tubing around the spring. At the same time, it will be evident that the same characteristics and parameters may be employed in other similar applications that are too many to cite, such as, for example, using protective covers for automobiles, SUVs, vans, trucks, boats and airplanes. 
         [0042]    It will also be understood that the restrainer device  100  for securing a vehicle cover may comprise an elongate implement having a first member  170 , a second member  180  and a third member  190 , as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . The first member  170  has a first end  173  and a second end  177 , the second member  180  has a first end  183  and a second end  187 , and the third member  190  has a first end  193  and a second end  197 . The second end  177  of the first member  170  is connected to the first end  183  of the second member  180 , thus leaving the first end  173  of the first member  170  as a first free end. The second end  187  of the second member  180  is connected to the first end  193  of the third member  190 , thus leaving the second end  197  of the third member  190  as a second free end. The first member  170  further comprises a flexible member having a the first free end  173  while the second member  180  further comprises a semi-rigid member. The third member  190  further comprises a flexible member having the second free end  197 . The first free end  173  of the first member  170  is fixedly attached to a blocking device  175 , and the second free end  197  of the third member  190  is fixedly attached to a locking device  195 . In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , while the stiffness of the semi-rigid member  180  determines the controllability of the cover restraining device  100  in directing the locking device  195  from one side of vehicle  10  to the other, as described above, the flexibility of the same second member  180  determines the size of the coil that the restraining device  100  altogether can be rolled into. The parameter that incorporates the stiffness together with the flexibility is the bend radius, as described in detail in the articles published by the National Electrical Code (NEC) and the Insulated Cable engineers Association (ICEA). In an article provided by Anixter on the Internet http://www.anixter.com/AXECOM/AXEDocLib.nsf/(UnID)/71C22AE23FF1A43580256F240 06EF67A/$file/B-17.pdf has the minimum bend radius r d  is defined as the distance from the center of an imaginary circle that “snuggles” onto the inside surface of the cable bend, as shown in  FIG. 11 . The minimum bend radius r d  is found to be multiples of the diameter of the flexible member. For single or multiple conductor cables without metallic shielding, the bend radius is found to be 8 times the overall cable diameter, while for single conductor cables with shielding the bend radius is found to be 12 times the overall diameter. It has been found experimentally that the bend radius of the disclosed flexible members  170  and  190  is 8 times their diameters, while the bend radius of the semi-rigid member is 121 times its own diameter. Accordingly, it is preferred that flexible members  170  and  190  have a bend radius r d  between about 23 mm and 39 mm and semi-rigid member, between about 11 cm and 13 cm. 
         [0043]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to particular embodiment(s), it will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed embodiment(s) and other features and functions, or alternative thereof may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternative, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.