Abstract:
This invention comprises a parked vehicle shade device called an auto sun buffer zone, which provides a buffer zone to keep the vehicle cool when parked outdoors under the sun. The shade device covers the top, front windshield, rear window, side windows, trunk and hood (all the upper surfaces) of the vehicle. A space (buffer zone) is provided between the top of the vehicle and the shade device, which provides a zone through which air can pass, which is more effective in cooling. The shade device provides protection to occupants in a parked vehicle sitting in the sun, and to the interior and exterior of an unoccupied vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When heat is directed at an object&#39;s surface such as a vehicle, that surface becomes heated and by continuing to be heated, this heat is absorbed into the object&#39;s interior. Heat will continue to raise the interior temperature until the heat source is eliminated, or the object reaches the temperature of the heat being generated by the heat source. 
     Many vehicle owners or drivers will have occasions when they want to sit in their vehicle, while it is parked outdoors in the sun. They may be waiting for someone, eating lunch or taking a rest or nap. On a hot day, with the sun shining, it is practically impossible to sit in the vehicle because the interior becomes too hot. 
     A shading device designed for the vehicle, which is adapted to allow a person to remain comfortably in the vehicle when it is deployed, would provide the owner or driver the ability to sit in the vehicle on a hot day, if they so desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The sunshade of this invention provides a shield which protects an object&#39;s surface, such as a vehicle, from the light rays and heat of the sun. The design of the shade device provides a space or buffer zone between the object and the shade device, which minimizes the heat effects to a tolerable amount. In the buffer zone, thermodynamic phases are occurring. The buffer zone area becomes filled with higher-pressure air; this higher pressure air starts to travel. As this air travels across a metal surface, it removes heat from that surface. This air now expands and travels faster, producing convection air currents all over the upper body area protected by the shade device. The sun&#39;s rays can no longer cause harm to the objects under the shade device. 
     The shade device of this invention comprises as its main feature, an air space of 5-6 inches between the shade device and the object being protected from the heat of the sun. In addition, the material from which the shade device is manufactured can be sunlight reflective on one side and white on the under side, providing further protection. 
     The shade device design comprises a plurality of panels, including a top panel, air-inflatable tubes that support the top panel, and straps which secure the shade in place. The panels of the shade which cover the surfaces of a vehicle comprise a rectangular, main, top panel, with panels on the front and back, and side, flap panels on both sides. 
     There are four straps, one on each corner of the front panel, and one on each corner of the back panel, with adjustment buckles and hooks for attachment. There are also four straps, one on each ear of the side flaps. These side straps attach and adjust with hook and loop, or other connection, fasteners located on the front and rear panels. 
     Positioned for resting on a vehicle&#39;s roof, there are sleeves attached to the underside of the main panel and also the side panels. These sleeves are for inserting inflatable air tubes or pillows. The air tubes are generally about 70 inches long and 6 inches in diameter. There are two air tubes with air filler stems located near the center of each tube. An air hose snaps onto the stems and is joined by a “Y” connector. The primary line is attached to a pump. A small hand air pump will take about one minute to inflate both tubular pillows. A 12 volt electrical pump is optional. 
     The outer surface of the panels may be aluminized and reflective and the inner surface may be white in color, to provide further cooling properties. The total weight of the shade device is about six pounds. The entire shade will fit into a small six inch diameter by twenty-four inch long container. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, objects and advantages of the invention are as follows: 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle shade which will keep the vehicle cool when parked outdoors in hot weather. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle shade which has an air buffer zone between the vehicle&#39;s top surface and the shade. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a vehicle shade which is easy to store, easy to deploy, and yet allows a person to remain in the vehicle in hot and sunny weather. 
     These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from a detailed description of the invention and drawings which follow. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shade device of this invention mounted on an automobile; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the shade; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of an air tube; 
     FIG. 7 is an end view of an air tube; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of an air tube sleeve; 
     FIG. 9 is a end view of an air tube sleeve; 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of the air flow system; and 
     FIG. 11 is a bottom view showing the air flow system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, there is shown the shade device  10  of this invention mounted on an automobile  12 . The shade comprises a top, rectangular, main panel  14 , a front panel  16  and a back or rear panel  18 . There are also two side panels or flaps  20  and  22 . 
     The front panel has two hook and loop fasteners  24  and  26  adapted to receive two straps  28  and  30  which are attached to side panels  20  and  22 . Straps  28  and  30  have hook and loop fasteners  32  and  34  which connect to hook and loop fasteners  24  and  26 , to hold side panels  20  and  22  tightly against front panel  16  to keep side panels  20  and  22  in place. 
     FIG. 2 shows side panels  20  and  22  in the “up” position, being held up by air tubes  36  and  38 . FIG. 1 shows side panels  20  and  22  in the down position, against the sides of automobile  12 , a position used primarily when no one is in the automobile. Air tubes  36  and  38  are made so that they are capable of bending near the edge of the roof of automobile  12  (see FIG.  11 ), so that side panels  20  and  22  can be folded down, if desired. 
     Side panel straps  28  and  30  are adjustable in length by having hook and loop material extending from the end of the strap for some distance, so that straps  28  and  30  can be pulled to tightly attach to hook and loop fasteners  32  and  34 . The length needed will depend on the size and shape of the automobile. Front panel  16  has attachment straps  44  and  46  with hooks  48  and  50 , to attach under front bumper  51 , or other auto part, to keep front panel  16  attached down against the auto&#39;s hood. The length of straps  44  and  46  is made adjustable by any convenient means such as buckles  40  and  42 . 
     Rear panel  18  similarly has hook and loop fasteners  52  and  54 , straps  56  and  58  with adjustment buckles  60  and  62 . Straps  56  and  58  have hooks  64  and  66  to attach under the auto&#39;s rear bumper, or other auto part, to hold down rear panel  18 . 
     Side panels  20  and  22  have rear straps  68  and  70  having hook and loop fasteners  72  and  74  to attach to hook and loop fasteners  52  and  54 , similar to front panel  16 . 
     As shown in FIG. 5, which shows the underside of the shade, there are two air tube sleeves  76  and  78  which are attached to the underside of top panel  14  near front panel  16  and rear panel  18 . These sleeves, shown in more detail in FIG. 9, are open sleeves, adapted to receive air tubes  36  and  38  and hold them in place. They are each fixedly attached (such as by sewing) to the underside of top panel  14  at edge  80  (shown in FIG. 9) which allows sleeves  76  and  78  to swing to the inside or outside depending upon the size of the roof of the automobile on which the shade is being used. This adjustment feature makes the shade usable on smaller as well as larger automobiles. 
     Sleeves  76  and  78  could also be a plurality of narrow loops fixedly attached to the underside of top panel  14 . More than two sleeves and air tubes can be attached to support the top panel, if desired. The space between the top of the automobile and top panel  14 , created by the air tubes  36  and  38 , provides an air flow which aids greatly in cooling the auto. 
     Sleeves  76  and  78  each have a slot  81  through which is passed air valve stem  82 , (shown in FIG. 8) connected to each air tube  36  and  38 . Each valve stem is connected to a “Y” connector air tubing  84  (FIG. 12) which then passes to a hand or electric air pump for filling. Branches  86  and  88  of “Y” connector  84  pass air to air tubes  36  and  38 . Branch  90  goes to the air pump. 
     Sleeves  76  and  78  can be only long enough to reach to the edge of the roof of the automobile, while air tubes  36  and  38  are long enough to reach to the end of side panels  20  and  22 , so that they can support side panels  20  and  22  in the “up” position, shown in FIG.  2 . Sleeves  76  and  78  can extend all the way to the outside edge of side panels  20  and  22 , if desired. 
     Air tubes  36  and  38  narrow at each end, at points  92 ,  94 ,  96  and  98 , which is located near the end of the roof line of the automobile. This narrowing makes it easy to fold down the air tube ends  100 ,  102 ,  104 , and  106  when it is desired to have side panels  20  and  22  pulled down to the sides of the automobile. 
     To install the shade device on a vehicle, first lay the shade on the roof of the vehicle, then open the front panel, and then open the back panel. Hook each front strap in place at the bumper or under an edge and then hook the back straps in place. Inflate the air tubes to 1-2 psi, adjust the hook and loop (Velcro) straps as desired for either the up or down position. This procedure should take under 30 seconds with some practice. The air hose will dangle through an open window. A hand air pump is attached and requires about 10 full strokes to inflate to the full pressure. After the air tubes are filled, the air hose can be disconnected or left under the sunshade top panel. 
     An anti-theft cable, attached to the shade, may be secured by closing the windows over the cable to a snug position. This anti-theft device is intended for use when the vehicle is left unattended. If the vehicle is to be left unattended, the side panels can be pulled down to the sides of the vehicle and the straps adjusted to hold them down against the windows. 
     The outer surface of the panels may be aluminized and reflective and the inner surface may be white in color, to provide further cooling properties. The total weight of the shade device is about six pounds. The entire shade will fit into a small six inch diameter by twenty-four inch long container. 
     The sun buffer shade may be made of any suitable fabric such as nylon or polyester. A particularly suitable fabric is an aluminized reflective polyester fabric which has one side that has an aluminized mylar coating that reflects sunlight and reduces heat absorption. The nonreflective side is white laminated vinyl. 
     To remove the shade, a quick disconnect and a pressure relief valve can be provided to remove the air from the air tubes, fold the shade and store it quickly. 
     Having thus described the invention,