Patent Publication Number: US-2005134081-A1

Title: Cover for covering selected portions of a vehicle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/511,447 filed on Oct. 15, 2003, and from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/574,164 filed on May 25, 2004, which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a cover for covering a selected portion of a vehicle. In particular, the present invention is directed to a cover for a vehicle that extends over at least a part of the rear portion of a vehicle.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Covers for selected parts of a motor vehicle have been previously utilized for portions including the front fender, hood, and bumper area including grill work and/or head lamps housing. These covers are commonly referred to as “masks” or “bras.” Such covers include one-piece and two-piece covers for covering some or all of the above mentioned areas. Traditionally, such front-end covers are made of leather or flexible plastic such as vinyl. The front-end covers are held in place with straps, tie downs, springs, grommets, clips or other apparatus, which are used to hold the covers in place.  
      Examples of covers for portions of a vehicle are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,944,347, 5,280,989, 5,209,545, 5,195,778, 5,056,817, 4,997,229, 4,953,909, 4,589,459, and 4,219,218, each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.  
      Moreover, the expensive finish of luxury vehicles, such as sports cars, are vulnerable to damage by the elements and foreign objects when driving, particularly at high speeds. The need for a protective cover is greatly felt, particularly one that would not detract from the appearance of the car, would be stable at high speeds, and afford adequate protection.  
      As disclosed above, protective covers for automobile and other vehicles have been known for some time and are generally designed and constructed for certain specific protective features and to protect certain portions of the automobile. Two-piece covers or masks have been used for covering portions of the front fender and bumper area and separately the engine compartment hood area of an automobile. Such known covers also include covers for vehicle headlamps, housings including those which are movable between stored and operative positions. While protective and/or decorative covers have been utilized, particularly for covering the front portions of a vehicle, improvements in such covers could nevertheless be made.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a decorative and functional vehicle covering. The covering is aesthetic in appearance so as not to detract from the overall appearance of the vehicle. The aesthetic appearance of the covering provides a vehicle with a distinctive appearance that tends to set one car apart from another and allows the owner to customize the vehicle. Also, the covering is functional in that it securely protects portions of the vehicle from damage by dirt and debris that may fall on or be thrown upon the rear fender.  
      In particular, the covering provides additional protection from paint damage on certain portions of the vehicle from paint or body damage caused by flying stones, chips and other airborne debris while driving. Furthermore, the covering has an attaching means that prevents theft of the covering and secures the covering to the vehicle while the vehicle is in operation. The covering is also designed for use on luxury vehicles, such as sports cars, so that the covering can protect the finish of the vehicle from damage and still not blow away when the car is operating at high speeds. Thus, when in position, the covering does not detract, and in fact enhances, the appearance of the car.  
      The present invention is directed to a cover for covering a portion of the rear of a vehicle. The cover can cover a least a portion of the rear fender on the driver and passenger side of the car. The cover also covers a portion of the rear top portion of the car. The cover protects those portions of the vehicle from paint or body damage while providing an attractive aesthetic appearance. The cover further includes attaching means, such as clamps and magnets that attach the cover to the vehicle to hold the cover in place. The cover further includes a strap that further attaches the cover to the vehicle.  
      In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a protective cover for a vehicle that extends over the rear fender and across the back to protect the vehicle body from stones, mud, soil and debris. The cover includes a thin layer of material and is designed to be clamped onto the body using a series of clamps. The protective cover is designed for use while the vehicle is in motion. A plurality of magnets is sown all along the leading, lower, and upper edges of the cover. The cover further has a plurality of bendable clamps that are bent in such a manner as to provide a snug, adjustable fit depending on the car model. The strap or adjoining piece of material that runs across the back of the car connects the two main sections covering the fenders.  
      A separate flexible or bunji-like strap connects the two leading edges of the cover that runs along the inside of the vehicle, providing absolute security against fly-off and further provides security against potential theft of the cover. A small extension of the cover has a section of the bra covering the inside door jam. A hole is cut out to fit over the door jam. On this section is the adjustable bunji-like cord strap that runs along the inside of the car, preferably behind the passenger seats.  
      Alternatively, a set of separate bunji-like straps (two straps) connect two leading edges of the cover located on the inside of the vehicle, providing absolute security against fly-off and further providing security against potential theft of the cover. A small extension of the cover has a section of the bra covering the inside door jam. A hole is cut out to fit over the door jam. On this section is a first strap that runs along the inside of the vehicle, preferably behind the passenger seats. The second strap cord is located several inches above the first strap serving the same purpose: pulling the car cover taught and into the interior of the car. This second strap runs parallel and along with the first strap.  
      Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts a preferred embodiment and method of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the covering of the invention in a flattened position prior to fastening to a vehicle.  
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the covering attached to a vehicle.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the covering covering a rear portion of a vehicle.  
       FIG. 4  is a partial sectional or partial schematic view of a portion of the covering attached to the rear fender well of a vehicle.  
       FIG. 5  shows a partial sectional or partial schematic view of an extension of the covering connected to the door latch of a vehicle.  
       FIG. 6  shows a partial sectional or partial schematic view of two extensions of the covering connected to the door latch of a vehicle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring now to the figures,  FIG. 1  shows a covering  10 . The covering  10  may be made of leather, vinyl heat resistant plastic, or of any other known covering material. Covering  10  includes a first side flap  12  and a second side flap  14 . A connecting strip  16  has two sides  17  and  15  and connects first and second side flaps  12  and  14  thereto. The connecting strip  16  further has a height h. First and second side flaps  12  and  14  extend from each side  15  and  17  of the connecting strip  16 . The first and second side flaps  12  and  14  each have a width w that is greater than the height h of the connecting strip  16 . Further, the first and second side flaps  12  and  14  each have a wheel well cutout portion  25  and  26  therein. Finally, first and second side flaps  12  and  14  include a means of attaching the covering  10  to a vehicle. Such means of attaching the covering  10  to a vehicle include magnets  18  and clamps or hooks  20  that are attached to the covering  10  and can be releasable connected to the vehicle. Attaching means can further include strips, tie-downs, springs, grommets, clips or other apparatus. Extension  21   a  extending from the first flap  12  and extension  21   b  extending from the second flap  14  are releasably connected to the door jam located on a vehicle. The extensions  21  include an opening  22  where the door latch on the car door jam can be placed therein. A strap  24  is releasably connected to the extensions  21 .  
      The protective cover  10  of the present invention can be readily adapted to all vehicles including sports cars, coupes, sedans, trucks, pickups, construction vehicles, boats, planes, etc. The term vehicle, as is used herein, is intended to cover all forms of vehicles, including those referenced above.  
       FIG. 2  shows the covering  10  attached to the rear portion of a vehicle  50 , such as a sports car. The vehicle  50  has a magnetically attractive vehicle body  52 . The vehicle  10  has a first rear fender side portion  54  and a second rear fender side portion  56 . The vehicle  50  further includes a rear top portion  58  located between the rear window  60  and a trunk  62 . First and second side flaps  12  and  14  cover a significant portion of the rear quarter panels of the vehicle. The strip  16  extends on the body of the vehicle, and more particularly, on the top of the rear portion of the vehicle behind the window. The magnets  18  releasably attach to the vehicle along the edges of the covering  10  to provide an adjustable fit onto the vehicle.  
       FIG. 3  further shows the attachment of the clamps  20  and magnets  18  on the covering  10  to the vehicle. The magnets that are attached to the covering  10  are releasably connected to the vehicle. The clamps  20  clamp along the wheel well of the vehicle to attach the covering  10  to the vehicle.  FIG. 4  further shows the clamps  20  of the covering  10  attached to the rear fender well  55  of the vehicle  50 .  
       FIG. 5  shows an extension  21   a  of the covering  10  attached to a vehicle door jam  66 . As is shown in  FIG. 1 , extension  21   b  can also have the same configuration as extension  21   a  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The opening  22  of the extension  21   a  provides an opening for the door latch  68  so that the door of the vehicle  50  may open and close without the covering  10  prohibiting the function of the door. Extension  21  further includes strap  24  that can extend either under the bottom of the vehicle or in the interior of the vehicle to the second extension  21   b . The strap  24  provides the covering  10  with security against the possibility of detaching from the vehicle  50  when the vehicle is in operation. Furthermore, the strap provides security to the covering  10  by making the covering  10  more difficult to steal from the vehicle  50 . Extension  21   a  can further include one or more hooks  23 . The hooks  23  attach to the interior molding of the vehicle  50  adjacent to the vehicle door jam  66 . Thus, the hooks  23  further secure the covering  10  to the vehicle  50 . It is contemplated that the covering  10  can include the hooks  23  instead of the strap  24 . It is also contemplated that the covering  10  can include the strap  24  instead of the hooks  23 .  
       FIG. 6  shows an alternate embodiment to the one shown in  FIG. 5 . In particular,  FIG. 6  shows an additional extension  26   a  of the covering above extension  21   a . The covering  10  in this embodiment includes a second extension  26   b  similar in shape of extension  26   a  located on the door opposite from the door which extension  26   b  is located. Extensions  26   a  and  26   b  include a strap  28 . The strap  28  extends from extension  26   a  to  26   b  either under the bottom of the vehicle or in the interior of the vehicle. Extensions  26   a  and  26   b  and strap  28  further provide support and securement to the covering  10 . Extensions  26   a  and  26   b  may also be configured to include one or more openings (not shown) similar to opening  22  on extension  21   a  in order to allow parts on the vehicle  50  to extend outwardly and so that the covering  10  does not interfere with such parts.  
      It should be evident that as installed the covering  10  possesses all of the properties previously enumerated and performs its useful function in an efficient as well as novel manner.  
      It has been found that the covering  10  offers complete protection to the car finish for the portion of the automobile that it covers. The covering  10  is stable at high speeds and can be readily removed when desired for cleaning or other purposes.  
      When installing, the covering  10  is first draped over the rear portion of the vehicle  50 . The covering  10  is draped over so that the first flap  12  covers the first rear fender side portion  54  and the second flap  14  covers the second rear fender side portion  56 . The connecting strip  16  rests over the rear top portion  58  located between the rear window  60  and a trunk  62 . Attaching means, such as clamps  20 , are attached along the first fender well  55 ,  57 . Additional attaching means, such as magnets  18 , are further attached to the first and second rear fender side portions  54 ,  56 . Openings  22  on the extensions  21  of the first and second flaps  12 ,  14  are inserted over the door latch of the vehicle door jam on the driver&#39;s side door entry and the passenger&#39;s side door entry. If the covering includes the second strap  28 , extensions  26   a  and  26   b  are also inserted between the door and the body of the vehicle. Strap  24  is then attached either underneath the vehicle or inside the vehicle to that the ends of the strap  24  are attached to extensions  21   a  and  21   b . Also, strap  28 , if used, is attached to extensions  26   a  and  26   b . The clamps  20 , magnets  18 , and straps  24 and  28  are applied in a way so that a suitable tension is applied on the covering  10  on the vehicle  50  to provide a desirable aesthetic appearance and protection. It is also preferably desirable that the material of the covering  10  exhibits at least some elastic properties to further provide a suitable tension and to provide a snug fit at all points of contact between the covering  10  and the vehicle  50 .  
      The description above shows the invention preferably adapted to a sports car such as a Porsche, but it is evident that slight modifications will make is suitable for use with other models as well as other different makes of all vehicles including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles using the same principal of construction and installation of the cover.  
      While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention and changes and modifications that may be made therein within the scope of the following claims.