Abstract:
A window screen is stored in a housing that is mounted on a door of a vehicle adjacent to a window opening defined in that door. The screen has a flexible body with hook-and-loop fastening material thereon. Corresponding hook-and-loop fastening material is located on the vehicle adjacent to the window opening. When it is desired to use the window screen, the flexible body is pulled out of the housing and releasably attached, via the hook-and-loop materials, to the vehicle in covering relationship with the window opening. When not in use, the flexible body is stored in the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of motor vehicles, and to the particular field of accessories for motor vehicles, especially window accessories. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     All automobiles have windows that can be opened to permit access to the interior of the passenger compartment of the automobile. One of the joys of riding in an automobile is the fresh air that flows into the vehicle as that vehicle is driven. Passengers often open the car windows to cool the interior of the automobile or to heat the interior of the automobile using outside air. 
     However, in recent times, many vehicle passengers have become reluctant to open the window of the car because they do not want items located outside the car to flow into the car via the open window. These items include dust, debris, insects, and the like. Because of this reluctance, some car owners use air conditioning and others simply endure the discomfort of the closed vehicle. Air conditioning not only prevents enjoyment of fresh air, it may be wasteful of gasoline since the vehicle may be less efficient when an air conditioning system is being used. 
     Therefore, an occupant of a motor vehicle is often faced with a choice of enduring less than ideal environmental conditions or enduring the discomforts associated with an open window. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a device that can allow a vehicle occupant to enjoy the advantages associated with fresh air without enduring the disadvantages associated with an open vehicle window. 
     While there are many window screens that can be used on motor vehicles, all of the known window screens have certain disadvantages that prevent the full acceptance and use of such known screens. 
     For example, most window openings in motor vehicles are not perfectly planar and may have several curvatures. A planar window screen thus may not produce a fit between the screen and the automobile that is secure enough to fully protect the interior of the vehicle from entry by undesired items. 
     Still further, many known window screens used on motor vehicles cannot be stored in a manner that keeps the screen totally out of the way when the screen is not in use. This may interfere with the operation of the automobile or produce an unsightly and annoying item inside the vehicle. 
     Still further, many known window screens are difficult or cumbersome to install. Some of these screens require a person to orient the screen over the window opening, attach the screen to a substrate, and then reverse the process to remove the screen. This is cumbersome and may inhibit the use of such screens, especially if the user is not adept or coordinated. 
     Still further, some known screens are not easily placed on existing vehicles. That is, the vehicle cannot be easily retrofit to have such a screen. A vehicle owner may have to use the services of a skilled mechanic to install such known window screens. 
     Some known window screens are not securely held in place once located over the window opening. This may create leak paths for unwanted debris or insects to enter the interior of the vehicle and thus defeat the advantages of the window screen. If a person knows that unwanted debris or insects may bypass the window screen and that screen is somewhat difficult or inconvenient to use, that person is quite likely to avoid using the window screen thereby vitiating or totally defeating the advantages associated with such a screen. 
     Still further, some known screens are difficult to clean. This is especially true if the screen is permanently attached to the vehicle. Since the screen is exposed to debris and insects when in use, it is quite likely that the screen will need a thorough washing once in awhile. Once a screen becomes dirty, not only is its aesthetic appeal affected, its effectiveness is also affected. If a screen is dirty a user is likely to avoid using that screen again defeating the advantages of the screen. 
     Still further, many known window screens are expensive to purchase and/or to install. In either situation, a person is likely to avoid the screen, especially if the screen has any or all of the disadvantages discussed above. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a window screen assembly for use on an automobile, or other such vehicle, that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art yet is easy and inexpensive to install, use and maintain. 
     PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is main object of the present invention to provide a window screen assembly for a vehicle that can be easily stored and deployed when desired. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a window screen assembly for a vehicle that can fit snugly about a window opening of the vehicle when the screen is in place. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a window screen assembly that is easily cleaned. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a window screen assembly for a vehicle that is durable. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a window screen assembly for a vehicle that is out of the way when stored. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a window screen assembly for a vehicle that is securely held in place when being used to cover the window of an automobile. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a window screen assembly for a vehicle that is easily retrofit onto existing automobiles. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive window screen assembly for a vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These, and other, objects are achieved by a window screen assembly that includes a flexible body stored in a hollow cylindrical housing adjacent to the bottom edge of a window opening and which includes hook-and-loop fasteners that releasably attach the flexible body of the window screen to the vehicle adjacent to the window frame. The flexible body is stored in the cylindrical housing when not in use, and is easily pulled out of the housing and releasably attached to the vehicle when desired. The flexible nature of the screen permits the screen to closely conform to the shape of the window opening whereby a secure attachment is effected. 
     The housing is easily mounted on the vehicle adjacent to the window opening whereby a retrofit can be easily effected. 
     Thus, the window screen assembly embodying the present invention is inexpensive, easy to install and maintain, yet is secure and effective when in use and unobtrusive when not in use. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the window screen assembly embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is view of the flexible body of the screen included in the window screen assembly embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the screen of the window screen assembly indicating the curvature that the screen can establish. 
     FIG. 4 is a partial view of a storage unit that is used to store the window screen when the screen is not in use. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     The window screen assembly embodying the present invention is easily stored adjacent to a window yet is easily deployed, and when deployed will be securely held in place and will securely cover the window while permitting air to circulate into and out of the interior of the automobile and while also keeping unwanted objects and debris from entering the interior of the vehicle. 
     Referring to the accompanying figures, it can be seen that the present invention is embodied in a window screen assembly  10  that can be used on an automobile, truck, or other such vehicle. Assembly  10  comprises a vehicle window frame  12  that is only partially shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of ease of disclosure. Window frame  12  has a top edge  14 , a bottom edge  16 , a first side edge  18 , and a second side edge  20 . A longitudinal axis  22  extends between top edge  14  and bottom edge  16  and a transverse axis  24  extends between first side edge  18  and second side edge  20 . A window opening  26  is defined in window frame  12  and has a length dimension  28  extending along longitudinal axis  22  from top edge  14  of vehicle window frame  12  to bottom edge  16  of automobile window frame  12  and a width dimension  30  which extends along transverse axis  24  from first side edge  18  of vehicle window frame  12  to second side edge  20  of vehicle window frame  12 . A planar window, shown schematically in FIG.  1  and designated by the numeral  32 , is attached to window frame  12  and has a plane  34  containing the planar window  32 . 
     As discussed above, many automobiles have a curved interior surface adjacent to the window. This curved surface may curve in several different planes. 
     The window screen assembly  10  of the present invention further includes a storage unit  40  which includes a hollow cylindrical housing  42  having a tubular wall  44 , a first end  46 , a second end  48 , a first end cap  50  on first end  46 , a second end cap  52  on second end  48  and a longitudinal axis  54  extending between first end  46  and second end  48 . A slot  56  is defined in tubular wall  44  of cylindrical housing  42  and extends from first end  46  of hollow cylindrical housing  42  to second end  48  of hollow cylindrical housing  42  and extends along longitudinal axis  54  of cylindrical housing  42 . Housing  42  further includes an outer surface  58  and an interior volume  60  defined by tubular wall  44  of housing  42 . 
     Mounting brackets, such as mounting bracket  70 , are fixedly attached to outer surface  58  of tubular wall  44  of housing  42  at locations that are spaced apart from each other along longitudinal axis  54  of hollow cylindrical housing  42 . Each mounting bracket  70  includes an arcuate body  72  fixed to outer surface  58  of tubular wall  44  of housing  42  and a proximal end fixed to the window frame  12  adjacent to bottom edge  16  of the vehicle window frame  12 . Brackets  70  can be plastic or metal or any other suitable material and can be fixed to the vehicle by adhesive, fasteners or the like. Bracket attachment elements are well known in the vehicle art and thus will not be further discussed. 
     Hollow cylindrical housing  42  is mounted on window frame  12  adjacent to bottom edge  16  of the window frame  12  and is oriented to have longitudinal axis  54  of the hollow cylindrical housing  42  extending along width dimension  30  of window opening  26  in window frame  12  and has slot  56  of the hollow cylindrical housing  42  located adjacent to window opening  30  in the window frame  12 . 
     Window screen assembly  10  further includes a screen  80  which includes a flexible body  82  which can be made of plastic material or cloth material or the like, a top edge  84  of flexible body  82 , a first side edge  86  of flexible body  82  of screen  80 , a second side edge  88  of flexible body  82  of screen  80  and a bottom edge  89  of flexible body  82  of screen  80 . Top edge  84  of the flexible body  82  of the screen  80  is flexible to be shaped to correspond to the shape of top edge  14  of window frame  12  when screen  80  is in place covering window opening  26  in window frame  12 . First side edge  86  of flexible body  82  of the screen  80  is flexible to be shaped to correspond to the shape of first side edge  18  of window frame  12  when the screen  80  is in place covering window opening  26  in the window frame  12 . Second side edge  88  of the flexible body  82  of the screen  80  is flexible to be shaped to correspond to the shape of second side edge  20  of window frame  12  when screen  80  is in place covering window opening  26  in the window frame  12 . As can be seen in FIG. 1, one or more of the side edges of the window frame  12  can be a compound curve. The flexible nature of window screen  80  permits screen  80  to be easily shaped to correspond to the perimeter shape of the window opening  26 . As will be understood from the disclosure of this invention, the screen  80  can also be easily cut to a shape that corresponds to the size and shape of the perimeter of the window opening  26 . 
     The body of screen  80  is flexible to be shaped to cover the window opening  26  in the window frame  12  when the screen  80  is in place covering the window opening  26  even if the perimeter of the window frame  12  is curved in several different planes. The curved nature of window screen  80  embodying the present invention is indicated in FIG.  3  and the curved nature of the perimeter of the flexible body  82  of the window screen  80  is indicated in FIG. 2, and the compound nature of the shape of one or more of the side edges of the window screen  80  of the present invention is indicated in FIG.  1 . It can be understood from the present disclosure, including the disclosure of these figures, that the flexible nature of the screen  80  of the present invention permits the screen  80  to be easily adapted to a wide variety of shapes and sizes of windows while still effecting a secure fit between the screen  80  and the window frame  12 . 
     Window screen assembly  12  further includes first hook-and-loop fastener material  90  on top edge  14  of window frame  12  adjacent to opening  26  in window frame  12 , second hook-and-loop fastener material  92  on first side edge  18  of window frame  12  adjacent to opening  26  in window frame  12 , and third hook-and-loop fastener material  94  on second side edge  20  of window frame  12  adjacent to opening  26  in window frame  12 . The hook-and-loop materials are shown as being in separate units; however, in some forms of the invention, the hook-and-loop materials can be one continuous strip that covers both of the side edges  18  and  20  of the window frame  12  as well as the top edge  14  of the window frame  12  from bottom edge  16  adjacent to first side edge  18  over first side edge  18 , top edge  14  and second side edge  20  back to bottom edge  16  adjacent to second side edge  20 . This form of the invention is indicated in FIG. 2 wherein a single, continuous strip  101  of hook-and-loop fastener material is indicated. Window screen assembly  10  further includes fourth hook-and-loop fastener material  100  on top edge  84  of flexible body  82  of screen  80  and which is located to releasably engage first hook-and-loop fastener material  90  on top edge  14  of window frame  12  when screen  80  is in place covering window opening  26  in window frame  12 , fifth hook-and-loop fastener material  102  on first side edge  86  of flexible body  82  of screen  80  and which is located to releasably engage second hook-and-loop fastener material  92  on first side edge  18  of window frame  12  when screen  80  is in place covering the window opening  26  in the window frame  12 , sixth hook-and-loop fastener material  104  on second side edge  88  of flexible body  82  of screen  80  and which is located to releasably engage third hook-and-loop fastener material  94  on second edge  20  of window frame  12  when screen  80  is in place covering window opening  26  in window frame  12 . 
     Window screen assembly  10  further includes a roller  110  in hollow cylindrical housing  42  and which extends from first end  46  of hollow cylindrical housing  42  to second end  48  of hollow cylindrical housing  42 . Roller  110  is rotatably mounted on the hollow cylindrical housing  42  to rotate about longitudinal axis  54  of the hollow cylindrical housing  42 . Bottom edge  88  of flexible body  82  of screen  80  is fixedly secured to roller  110  so the flexible body is wound onto the roller and unwound from the roller as the roller rotates about longitudinal axis  54 . This permits the flexible body  82  to move through slot  56  between a stored condition inside the hollow cylindrical housing  42  and a deployed condition outside of the hollow cylindrical housing  42 . A spring mechanism  112  connects roller  110  to hollow cylindrical housing  42  and is biased to roll the screen  80  up onto the roller  110 . A lock mechanism  114  keeps the screen  80  deployed when desired. The spring mechanism  112  and the lock mechanism  114  as well as the details of the mounting of the screen  80  onto the roller  110  and the roller  110  on the housing  42  will not be presented as those skilled in the art of window screens will understand what elements and the association of those elements will be required to carry out the functions discussed above in regard to the invention. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.