Abstract:
The present invention is a protective barrier having a flexible, puncture-proof sheet which has a plurality of suspension nodes, or impact absorbing domes, which are placed strategically along one side of the sheet to protect the surface of a structure, vehicle, or other object. The domes may be fixedly attached to the sheet or removably attached to the sheet by providing the sheet with a series of parallel slots running along its width, the parallel slots being designed to slidably receive and hold the base of the impact absorbing domes, allowing the domes to be maneuvered along the slots and positioned as desired. Also, a cable mesh may be formed upon or within the sheet in order to reinforce the sheet. The protective barrier may also be provided with a corner brace which is utilized to position the corners of the protective barrier appropriately around a building.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/296,454, filed Jun. 8, 2001. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to protective barriers which can be strung around a building, on a truck, an automobile and the like to protect the surface thereof from flying debris, and more particularly, to a protective barrier having a flexible, puncture-proof sheet which has a plurality of impact absorbing suspension nodes, or domes, which are placed strategically along one side of the sheet to protect the surface of a structure or vehicle.  
         DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
         [0003]    Protective devices for buildings, automobiles and other objects typically left outdoors are common. The traditional protective cover is a sheet or tarpaulin fashioned from a sturdy, water resistant fabric such as plastic, coated cloth, canvas, or nylon. Grommets are generally found around the periphery of the traditional cover permitting rope or twine to be fed therethrough, facilitating the attachment of the cover to the outdoor object. Several limitations are inherent with the traditional cover, particularly those for covering a portion of an automobile, boat, trailer, or other transport means. Tightening the periphery of the traditional cover adequately around an object to fully protect the object from the elements is very difficult. Typically water and/or particles of dirt may collect under the cover. When left in the sun, the water may become overheated under the cover and ruin the paint job. When driven at high speeds, the cover tends to flap and abrade the surface. Also, the traditional cover does not provide any impact bearing protection for the object other than the inherent protection of the fabric itself.  
           [0004]    Improvements have been made on traditional covers for specific uses. U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,560, issued to Balanky on Jul. 30, 1985, discloses a protective cover designed to protect automobiles. The protective cover has a hood cover member, a pair of front body covers, a pair of rear body covers, and means for removably attaching each cover to the corresponding portion of the outside of the vehicle, the attaching means being a plurality of spaced magnets around the perimeter of each cover and a plurality of manually bendable tab clasps around the perimeter of the cutout area of the cover corresponding to the wheel well of the vehicle and at other suitable locations around the perimeter of the cover. The protective cover of Balanky does not contemplate removably attaching the magnets, or adding impact absorbing devices to the inner side of the cover.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,817, issued to Fuller on Oct. 15, 1991, describes a flexible automobile bra securable to the exterior surface of an automobile which is constructed of at least one panel designed to absorb mechanical impact, provide mechanical stabilization to inhibit flapping under windy or high-speed conditions, facilitate water drainage, and limit temperature rises of covered portions of the vehicle. The bra comprises a plurality of different layers; however, no removable impact absorbing devices are contemplated.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,166, issued to Emery on Mar. 8, 1994, shows a protective shield for the hood of an automobile which covers the front portion of the hood, and protects against insects and road debris damage. The shield has a main body member made of rigid or semi-rigid material, a lip member extending therefrom and a set of spacers attached to the underside of the main body member. The set of spacers is permanently attached to the underside of the main body member and wings. Two spacers are centrally located while the remainder of the spacers are staggered along the peripheral edges of the main body member and the wings.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,406, issued to Huang on Jul. 4, 1995, describes a sun shield for motor vehicles which has pockets for inserting magnets therein. The invention of Huang does not provide a protective barrier which protects the motor vehicle from the impact of flying debris. Likewise, the invention of Huang does not have impact absorbing elements.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,223, issued to Bray et al. on May 27, 1997, shows a protective covering system for an object exposed to the elements. The protective cover comprises a body, at least one strap connected to the body, a drawstring or elastic cord for holding the bottom edge of the body tightly against the object being covered, and at least one universal clip per strap. No provision is made for impact absorbing devices attached to the invention of Bray et al.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,643, issued to Demedash on Aug. 25, 1998, describes a kit for covering the grill of an automobile, which includes a fabric cover with a plurality of female snap fastener elements, a plurality of first male snap fastener elements and a plurality of second male snap fastener elements. The male snap fastener elements may be adhered directly to the automobile, and the fabric cover attached thereto. No device or mechanism is provided for impact absorbency.  
           [0010]    United Kingdom Patent Application No. 2,058,696 shows a vehicle cover which consists of a sheet of waterproof flexible material shaped to fit over the bodyshell of a vehicle and to depend beyond the lower regions of the bodyshell. The sheet terminates in a peripheral edge which incorporates a draw-cord, the tensioning of which draws the peripheral edge up and under the vehicle serving to secure the vehicle cover in place. No provision is provided for impact absorption.  
           [0011]    None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention is a protective barrier having a flexible, puncture-proof sheet which has a plurality of suspension nodes, or impact absorbing domes, which are placed strategically along one side of the sheet to protect the surface of a structure, vehicle, or other object. The domes may be fixedly attached to the sheet or removably attached to the sheet by providing the sheet with a series of parallel slots running along its width, the parallel slots being designed to slidably receive and hold the base of the impact absorbing domes, allowing the domes to be maneuvered along the slots and positioned as desired. Also, a cable mesh may be formed upon or within the sheet in order to reinforce the sheet. The cables making up the cable mesh can be tightened individually like a drawstring, and tied off or otherwise fastened at the free ends, thus molding the protective barrier to evenly cover the object protected. The protective barrier may also be provided with a corner brace which is utilized to position the corners of the protective barrier appropriately around a building.  
           [0013]    Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a protective barrier that will protect an object from flying debris and physical contact from unprotected sources. The impact absorbing domes space the sheet from the surface of the object, permitting excess water to run off and reducing damage resulting from abrasive contact of the sheet directly against the surface. Likewise, the space provided between the sheet and the surface of the object facilitates air flow therebetween.  
           [0014]    It is another object of the invention to provide a protective barrier which can be formed to fit a variety of surfaces. For example, the protective barrier may be manufactured to cover an entire automobile or as a bra to fit over the front of an automobile. The cover may be secured to the automobile by cables which can be tightened and tied off producing a molded fit over the automobile, or a bra may be secured to the automobile by a plurality of hooks. The protective barrier may also be designed to fit over a boat, a truck, a bicycle, work benches, and the like. The molded fit is extremely beneficial because it prevents the protective barrier from uncontrolled movement which might damage the object protected.  
           [0015]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a protective cover which can be easily and securely affixed to the sides of a building to protect it from flying debris. Protecting finished parts of buildings and nearby structures is very difficult for construction or demolition companies. The present invention provides an ideal protective covering for that purpose.  
           [0016]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a protective covering which has impact absorbing domes disposed on the inner surface thereof that can be positioned as desired so as not to damage the object covered. For example, the impact absorbing domes can be positioned around a window frame thus providing greater protection for the window while reducing the risk of the window being broken by the impact absorbing domes themselves.  
           [0017]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
           [0018]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective barrier according to the present invention formed into a car bra.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a protective barrier according to the present invention supplied in bulk form as a roll of material.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a section view along the lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is a fragmented plan view of a protective barrier attached to a building according to the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a top view of a protective barrier showing the slots and impact absorbing domes according to the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a corner brace for a protective barrier according to the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a rear view of a protective barrier sheet showing the slots and cable mesh of the current invention. 
     
    
       [0026]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]    In its most general form, the present invention is a protective barrier  10  which can be manufactured in various shapes, sizes, and configurations so that the barrier  10  can be used to protect a building A, a truck, an automobile, and other structures in order to protect the surface thereof from flying debris, insects, or contact with objects or substances which may be harmful to the surface or surface finish of the structure. The protective barrier  10  has a flexible, puncture-proof sheet  12  which has a plurality of suspension nodes  20  that can be placed strategically along one side of the sheet  12  to protect the surface of a structure, vehicle or object. The sheet  12  may be fashioned from any suitable material including, but not limited to, vinyl, rubber, plastic, coated cloth, canvas, or nylon. The flexibility of the material from which the sheet  12  is made is advantageous as compared to rigid and semi-rigid materials in several respects, e.g., the barrier  10  is rendered more compact for packaging and transport, the barrier  10  is better able to conform to minor variations and peculiarities of individual structures and surfaces, the sheet  12  may form a flexible air cushion in cooperation with the structure, etc.  
         [0028]    The protective barrier  10  may be supplied in bulk in the form of flat sheets of various dimensions, or in a roll  11  as shown in FIG. 1A. The sheet  12  may be cut into panels of any desired size and shape, which may then be joined by any conventional method appropriate to the material, such as adhesive, sewing, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, etc., in order to provide a protective barrier  10  adapted to cover or protect an object of any shape or size.  
         [0029]    A first embodiment of the protective barrier  10  is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which the sheet  12  has been manufactured in the form of a car bra  13 . The car bra  13  may be formed from several panels  14 A,  14 B of the sheet  12  material which are joined together to cover the front end of an automobile, with cutouts for headlights and air circulation through the grille and radiator, in order to cover and protect the paint surfaces, chrome bumpers, etc. The car bra  13  may be attached to the vehicle by a plurality of hooks  23  or other attachment means. The sheet  12  has a generally smooth front surface  16  facing away from the surface of the automobile, while the rear surface  18  facing towards the automobile has a plurality of suspension nodes  20  disposed thereon to raise the sheet  12  above the surface of the automobile. In this embodiment, the suspension nodes  20  are in the form of dome-shaped or hemispherical protrusions  22  which are fixedly attached to the sheet  12  by being molded or calendared in the sheet  12  during manufacture, by thermal fusion, ultrasonic welding, or by any other conventional means. The domes  22  are preferably made from a resilient material, such as synthetic plastic materials, natural or synthetic rubber, silicone, etc.  
         [0030]    In this application, the suspension nodes  20  raise the sheet  12  from the surface of the automobile preferably between about five to ten millimeters. The domes  22  are spaced apart in any desired pattern, but are not spaced closer together than a density of one node per square inch. As shown in FIG. 2, at a location  24  where the barrier  10  has a seam or is disposed above an angle between adjacent surfaces, the barrier  10  is made with suspension nodes  20  along the seam or angle in order to raise the sheet  12  above the corner. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a car bra  13  is typically custom made for a specific year, make and model of vehicle, so that precise placement of the suspension nodes  20  is quite feasible in this embodiment. The nodes  20  help to act as a shock absorber through their resilience, much like the suspension system of an automobile. The air gap between the sheet  12  and the surface of the vehicle serves as an air cushion, and permits the runoff of surface water to prevent corrosion and the build up of excessive temperature.  
         [0031]    A top view of a second embodiment of a protective barrier  10  surrounding the corner of a building A is shown in FIG. 3. The protective barrier  10  is made up of a sheet  12  having a front surface  26 , a rear surface  28 , a top  30 , a bottom  32 , a width measured from the top  30  to the bottom  32 , a first side  34 , a second side  36  and a length measured from the first side  34  to the second side  36 , as shown most clearly from the rear in FIG. 6. The sheet  12  is of various sizes depending on the building, and is preferably of sufficient width to cover one floor and of sufficient length to completely circumnavigate the building.  
         [0032]    A plurality of slots  38  are disposed on the rear  28  of the sheet  12 . The slots  38  run parallel to one another for the width of the sheet from the top  30  to the bottom  32 . Each slot  38  has a length equal to or slightly shorter than the length of the width of the sheet  12 , and each slot  38  also has two parallel flanges  40  raised above the rear surface  28  of the sheet  12  to define a track  42 , as shown most clearly in FIG. 4. The slots  38  are spaced apart according to the application needed. Typically for a building, the slots  38  should be spaced about two inches apart but they may be placed as little as a half inch apart.  
         [0033]    The slots  38  are designed to receive a plurality of suspension nodes  20 , each node  20  in the form of a sphere  44  mounted on a pedestal  46  consisting of a flat base plate  48  connected to the sphere  44  by a stem  50 . The pedestal  46  is shaped so that the plate  48  slides in the slot  38  with the stem  50  sliding in the track  42  as shown in FIG. 4. The slots  38  and the flanges  40  create enough friction between them to hold the suspension nodes  20  in place, and still permit movement of the nodes  20  along the slots  38  upon the application of sufficient pressure. The sphere  44  is preferably made from a resilient, rubbery material, such as a polymer, rubber or other material that will absorb forces but not break or damage the underlying object being protected. The suspension nodes  20  are designed to be placed in strategic places in order to distribute forces appropriately. For example, the nodes  20  may be placed along the periphery of windows to protect the windows from breakage. The nodes  20  may also be placed along structural pillars and other relief structures in order to distribute forces appropriately. Since the slots  38  are placed in a continuous arrangement, different sizes of nodes  20  may be used and spacing may be varied as needed. Also, the nodes  20  may be placed regularly over the entire protective barrier  10  depending on the current need. The nodes  20  used should be of sufficient size to keep the rear  28  of the sheet  12  from contacting the building A, and trapping water or dirt against the building.  
         [0034]    Furthermore, a cable mesh may be attached to the protective barrier  10 . The cable mesh is made of a first plurality of individual cables  52  attached to the sheet  12  in a horizontal fashion running lengthwise from first  34  to second side  36 , and a second plurality of individual cables  54  attached to the sheet  12  in a vertical fashion running the width of the sheet  12  from top  30  to bottom  32 , and forming a grid. The cables  52  and  54  are attached by a conventional attachment means permitting movement of the sheet  12  with respect to the cables  52  and  54 , thus facilitating the tightening of the protective barrier  10  around an object by tensioning the cables  52  and  54  individually in a manner analogous to drawstrings. Once tensioned the cables  52  and  54  may be tied off to one another or they may be otherwise bound in place in any conventional manner. The cables  52  and  54  may be immovably affixed to the sheet  12  at discrete positions permitting the movement of the sheet  12  relative to the cables  52  and  54 , but not permitting the removal of the cables  52  and  54  from the sheet  12 . For example, a stitch may be made across the cable in the middle. Any other means of immovably affixing the cables  52  and  54  to the sheet  12  in order to prevent removal from the sheet  12  is within the scope of this invention. The cables  52  and  54  may be made from nylon cord, plastic coated wire, or any other suitable material.  
         [0035]    The embodiment of the protective barrier  10  for use on a building A may utilize a corner brace  56 , as shown in FIG. 5. The corner brace  56  is designed to hold the sheet  12  away from a corner of a building, and has a first V-frame  58 , a second V-frame  60 , and a cross beam  62 . Each V-frame  58  and  60  has two arms, as shown in FIG. 5, attached to one another forming a V-shape and having an angle of less than 90°. Each V-frame  58  and  60  has a vertex  64  and  66 , respectively. The V-frames  58  and  60  are perpendicular to the cross beam  62  and parallel to each other. The corner brace  56  is fashioned from a resilient material.  
         [0036]    The corner brace  56  is attached to the corners of the building A, as shown in FIG. 3, with each arm of the V-frames  58  and  60  being placed on the contiguous walls with the cross beam  62  running parallel to the vertex of the contiguous walls. The sheet  12  is draped around the periphery of the building A and around the corner brace  56  such that the sheet  12  is held in place with respect to the building A, and the corner brace  56  likewise is held in place by the tension placed on the cables  52  and  54 . Alternatively, the corner brace  56  may be attached to the building A in some other manner.  
         [0037]    Additional embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated. Besides a rectangular shaped sheet, as discussed hereinbefore, the protective barrier  10  may be shaped to fit over the top of an automobile. Also, the protective barrier  10  may be formed to fit over a boat. The protective barrier  10  also may be of various sizes and shapes as well. Additionally, the cable mesh  52  and  54  and the slots  38  may be arranged differently. For example, a circular sheet may be used where the slots  38  fan out radially from a central point, and the cables  52  and  54  also fan out from a central point with additional cables arranged in a concentric manner around the middle of the circular sheet forming successively larger circles up to the periphery of the sheet.  
         [0038]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.