Patent Publication Number: US-6714167-B1

Title: Satellite dish cover

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to accessories for satellite dishes and more particularly concerns a cover to protect and decorate a satellite dish. 
     Known satellite dish covers are lacking in durability and not well suited to some decorative purposes. Covers which are made of plastic or other rigid or brittle material tend to splinter, chip or crack when struck with sufficient force by debris such as falling tree branches. On the other hand, covers which are made of moderately stretchable fabric tend to break down the composition or distort the appearance of visual information decorating their surface as the fabric is stretched and released. Furthermore, fabric covers are generally configured so as to have their decorated panel of fabric tautly drawn against the rim of the dish, creating an accelerated wear line on the cover along the points of contact with the dish. Heavier fabric is required to maintain a suitable life expectancy for the cover. Also, since the fabric is moderately stretchable, if it is not very tautly drawn against the rim of the dish, high winds can blow the cover off the dish. In addition to strength of material problems, known covers are generally constructed so as to also cover the feeder support structure and receiver associated with the dish. Therefore, no sizable flat surface is presented on which to clearly display visual information. 
     It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a satellite dish cover which is durable. Another object of this invention is to provide a satellite dish cover which is not rigid or brittle and subject to splintering, chipping or cracking. A further object of this invention is to provide a satellite dish cover which is made of substantially non-stretchable fabric. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a satellite dish cover which does not stretch and contract to such an extent as to break down the composition or distort the appearance of visual information decorating its surface. It is also an object of this invention to provide a satellite dish cover which provides a large flat display surface across the concave surface of the dish. Still another object of this invention is to provide a satellite dish cover having a hem positioned to reinforce the anticipated wear line along the rim of dish. An additional object of this invention is to provide a satellite dish cover which will remain connected to the dish assembly even if the cover is blown off or otherwise inadvertently detached from the dish. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, a cover is provided for a satellite dish. A broad piece of fabric is cut to a perimeter which overlaps or preferably coincides with the rim of the dish when the piece of fabric is tautly disposed across the concave face of the dish. A narrow band of fabric is cut to a length equal to or preferably less than that of the broad piece perimeter. A drawstring is disposed between flaps formed by folding the narrow band lengthwise. The ends of the drawstring extend beyond the ends of the narrow band. A hem secures the lengthwise edges of the narrow band to the broad piece perimeter. In the preferred embodiment in which the length of the band is less than the broad piece perimeter, the ends of the narrow band will be spaced apart so that the support structure of the dish can be received in the space and between the drawstring and the broad piece of fabric. A mechanism is provided to connect the ends of the drawstring to form a continuous loop adjustable between a first length greater than the broad piece perimeter to receive the concave face and rim of the dish therein and a second length less than the broad piece perimeter for tautly girting the broad piece of fabric against the rim of the dish. In the preferred embodiment in which the perimeter of the broad piece coincides with the rim of the dish, the hem will tautly girt the rim of the dish. Preferably, the broad piece of fabric is substantially non-stretchable. Visual information may be displayed on an outer surface of the broad piece of fabric. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side perspective view illustrating a typical satellite dish; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cover disposed in a single plane over the concave face of the satellite dish; 
     FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the cover of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the cover of FIG. 2 mounted on the dish. 
    
    
     While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning first to FIG. 1, a typical satellite dish  10  is illustrated. For the purposes of the present description, the important components of the dish  10  are its concave and convex faces  11  and  13 , respectively, and a peripheral rim  15  along the front edge of the concave face  11  and extending rearwardly to the convex face  13 . 
     Turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, a cover  20  for the satellite dish  10  is made from a broad piece of fabric  21  which, as is best seen in FIG. 2, has a perimeter  23  which coincides with or overlaps the rim  15  of the dish  10  when the broad piece of fabric  23  is tautly disposed across the concave face  11  of the dish  10 . A narrow band of fabric  25  is folded lengthwise over itself. A drawstring  27  is disposed between the flaps formed by folding the narrow band of fabric  25 . Preferably, and as shown, the length of the narrow band of fabric  25  is less than that of the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21 , though it could be the same length. The lengthwise edges  29  of the narrow band of fabric  25  are secured to the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric by a hem  31 , closing the flaps of the folded band  25  to form a tube in which the drawstring  27  can slide. If, as preferred and shown, the length of the band  25  is less than that of the perimeter  23 , then the ends  33  and  35  of the band  25  are spaced apart on the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21 . Whether or not the length of the band  25  is less than the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21 , the ends  37  and  39  of the drawstring  27  extend beyond their respective ends  33  and  35  of the band  25 . The ends  37  and  39  of the drawstring  27  are also extended through a connector  41  so as to form the drawstring  27  into an adjustable continuous loop. Any known mechanism for variably adjusting the size of a loop of a drawstring may be used for this purpose, as long as the connector permits adjustment of the continuous loop between a first length which is greater than the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21  and a second length which is less than the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21 . If, as preferred and shown, the ends  33  and  35  of the band  25  are spaced apart, then the portion of the perimeter  23  between the ends  33  and  35  of the band together with the portions of the drawstring  27  disposed above the connector  41  define an opening  43 , the purpose of which is hereinafter explained. It is preferred that the broad piece of fabric  21  be substantially non-stretchable. By substantially non-stretchable, it is intended that, if the broad piece of fabric  21  is cut to coincide with the inner edge of the rim  15 , when the broad piece of fabric  21  is tautly stretched across the concave surface  11  of the dish  10 , the perimeter of the broad piece of fabric  21  will not overlap the outer edge of the rim  15 . In the prototype cover, the use of 200 denier nylon or pack cloth for the broad piece of fabric  21 , 400 denier nylon or pack cloth for the narrow band of fabric  25  and ⅛ inch nylon drawstring cord for the drawstring  27  with a ⅛ inch cord lock as the connector  41  were found to be acceptable to cover a dish approximately 18 inches in diameter. Typically, dishes are not perfectly circular, though they are generally defined in relation to a dish diameter. It is anticipated that the broad piece of fabric  21  will be cut by a computer controlled cutting process using the specific manufacturer&#39;s data for the contour of the rim  15  of the dish  10 . As seen in FIG. 3, the broad piece of fabric  21  may be used to display visual information, such as the football  45  illustrated. In the prototype, the visual information  45  was applied by a silk screening process. Since the broad piece of fabric  21  is substantially nonstretchable, any distortion of the appearance of the visual information  45  or breakdown of the composition of visual information  45  is minimal. 
     Turning to FIG. 4, the manner of mounting the cover  20  on the dish  10  will be understood. The dish of FIG. 4 is mounted on an upright support member  47  and a support arm  49  extends forwardly of the dish to the feeder housing  51 . The cover  20  is shown in its mounted condition. To achieve this condition, the feeder housing  51  and feeder support structure  49  were fed through the opening  43  defined by the perimeter  23  of th broad piece of fabric  21  and the portions of the drawstring  27  above the connector  41 . The connector  41  was positioned on the drawstring  27  so that the length of the continuous loop of the drawstring  27  was greater than the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21  and of the peripheral rim  15  of the dish  10 . The concave face  11  of the dish  10  was inserted through the continuous loop of the drawstring  27  and into the cover  10  so that the broad piece of fabric  21  extended in a substantially flat or planar condition across the concave face  11  of the dish  10 . With the broad piece of fabric  21  thus positioned across the concave face  11  of the dish  10 , the connector  41  was repositioned on the drawstring  27  to reduce the length of the continuous loop of the drawstring  27  so as to tautly girt the broad piece of fabric  21  against the rim  15  of the dish  10 . This can be accomplished so long as the broad piece of fabric  21  overlaps the rim  15  of the dish  10 . However, if as preferred and shown, the broad piece of fabric  21  is cut to coincide with the rim  15  of the dish  10 , then, as the broad piece of fabric  21  is tautly drawn over the rim  15 , the hem  31  will abut the rim  15 . Thus, the flaps of the narrow band of fabric  25 , the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21  and the hem  31  provide additional strength to the cover  20  along the wear line of the cover  20  against the rim  15 . Furthermore, since the feeder support structure  49  extends through the opening  43  defined by the perimeter  23  of the broad piece of fabric  21  and the drawstring  27  above the connector  41 , if the cover  20  should be separated from the dish  10 , such as by high winds or falling debris, the cover  20  will remain attached to the support structure  49 . It should also be noted that the planar relationship of the broad piece of fabric  21  across the concave face  11  of the dish  10  provides a large, flat surface extremely suitable for the display of visual information  45 . 
     Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a satellite dish cover that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art and in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit of the appended claims.