Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a conversion of and claims benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/508,194 filed Oct. 2, 2003. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to the field of vehicle covers, and more particularly to vehicle covers that are inflatable to provide a cushioned cover for protecting a vehicle from falling objects, particularly hailstones.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Millions of dollars are wasted annually in the repetitive exercise of repairing automobiles and other vehicles that have sustained hailstorm damage. A large amount of damage is done to vehicles by hailstones. Hailstones can be as large as four inches in diameter, impacting vehicle surfaces at velocities of up to one hundred miles an hour or more. Hailstones cause damage to both the body panels and the glass of vehicles. Many types of vehicles are susceptible to hail damage, including passenger automobiles, trucks, motor homes and airplanes. The only protection currently available to the vehicle owner is to park the vehicle under a solid-roof structure which, in many instances, is not available. While insurance companies frequently pay for repairs, the cost is ultimately borne by the vehicle owner and all automobile insurance customers in the form of higher insurance premiums. In addition to the cost involved, the vehicle owner has to contend with the inconvenience of having to arrange for the repair and obtain temporary alternate transportation.  
         [0004]     The incidence of hailstorms has been increasing in recent years as the global weather patterns have been changing. Due to global warming and other climatic conditions, most areas that are prone to hail have seen a 400%-500% increase in the average number of hail days over the last 20 years. Many weather forecast services are predicting that the number of annual hailstorm events will increase in future years.  
         [0005]     Conventional, non-inflatable vehicle covers are available for protecting vehicles from exposure to the weather, particularly sun and precipitation. These ordinary vehicle covers provide little or no protection against falling objects. In addition, certain inflated covers have been developed that can protect a vehicle from small falling objects like small hail or acorns. Examples of such cushioned vehicle covers are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,206 to Heck, U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,000 to Wang, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,525 to Shores. Each of these prior patents describes a vehicle cover that has a plurality of chambers that are filled with air to form a resilient cushion that is intended to prevent falling objects from damaging the vehicle surface, and are described below.  
         [0006]     The U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,206 discloses an automobile hail blanket having an inflatable upper portion and a non-inflatable bottom portion, with straps connecting therebetween. This blanket is adapted to draw pressurized air from the automobile&#39;s tires to inflate the upper portion.  
         [0007]     The U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,000 provides an inflatable multi-air-bag cover for cars. Each of the multiple air bags is disposed across the width of a car and is connected to adjacent air bags through a pressure-controlled valve. When a first air bag is inflated to a pre-set pressure, an air valve opens between the inflated air bag and an adjacent non-inflated air bag, allowing the pressurized air to enter the adjacent air bag.  
         [0008]     The U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,525 describes an inflatable car cover having multiple air compartments that are oriented laterally on the horizontal surfaces of the car and longitudinally on the vertical surfaces thereof. A series of inflatable straps are connected to the cover. Inflation of all compartments occurs through a sealable air valve.  
         [0009]     Although several inflatable vehicle covers are known through the patents noted above, the present invention provides a more practical and distinctive cover having a number of novel features, and overcoming the deficiencies of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The protective vehicle cover of the invention is formed of an exterior sheet and an interior sheet of resin-coated fabric connected to one another with coated fabric separators that are welded in spaced apart positions to form a number of chambers. A horizontal wall of these chambers and two vertical walls of these chambers are connected to each other with a pair of longitudinal corner chambers and a pair of longitudinal end chambers so that air can pass throughout the cover when being inflated.  
         [0011]     The cover is fitted with a series of anchor connecting loops spaced around its lower edge. A strap is connected to each loop and to the vehicle before inflating the cover so that the increase in cover size caused by inflation tightens the straps to hold the cover securely in place.  
         [0012]     The cover has an inlet air valve with a self-sealing flap to prevent air from escaping. The cover also has an outlet air port to deflate the cover rapidly when desired.  
         [0013]     The present invention is best understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which like elements are identified by similar reference numerals and wherein:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle with an inflated protective cover of the present invention shown above the vehicle for clarity.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of a half of the vehicle with a typical section of the protective cover assembled thereon.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the invention vehicle cover within circle  3  of  FIG. 1  to show a typical anchor connection loop.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the invention in circle  4  of  FIG. 1  to show the transition from the top wall to a side wall of the protective cover. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  depicts a protective vehicle cover  20  in inflated condition and suspended above a vehicle  10 , for example a passenger car. As will be understood from the description below, the present invention vehicle cover is adaptable to various types of vehicles, such as passenger cars, trucks, motor homes, airplanes and boats, with the cover configured appropriately. Vehicle cover  20  is provided in deflated and folded condition for transport and storage. For use, vehicle cover  20  is first unfolded and placed over vehicle  10 , and a series of straps, to be discussed below, are connected to vehicle  10 . It is important to place vehicle cover  20  over vehicle  10  with the attachment and inflation fittings on its exterior surface. Through the process of inflation, the straps become taut to secure vehicle cover  20  in place.  
         [0019]     Vehicle cover  20  is formed with a series of vertical chambers  24  on each side wall connected to a series of horizontal transverse chambers  22  through left and right longitudinal corner chambers  28 . A longitudinal end chamber  38  connects the lower end of each of vertical chambers  24 . Thus, air is able to pass throughout longitudinal end chamber  38 , vertical chambers  24 , longitudinal corner chambers  28  and horizontal transverse chambers  22  to inflate the totality of vehicle cover  20  from a single inlet air valve  34 , sealed in place through the exterior wall of one vertical chamber  24 . Inlet air valve  34  incorporates an integral check valve flap so that air pressure will be preserved if valve  34  is accidentally left uncovered. An outlet air port  36  is sealed through the exterior wall of a second vertical chamber  24 . Outlet air port  36  is a simple opening with a sealable cover, for example a screw cap, to allow air to be discharged quickly from vehicle cover  20  when the hailstone danger has passed and vehicle cover  20  is to be removed.  
         [0020]     A series of anchor connecting loops  30  are affixed in spread apart locations adjacent to the lower extremity of vehicle cover  20  on both exterior walls of vertical chambers  24  and the front and rear vertical portions of horizontal transverse chambers  22 . Anchor connecting loops  30  are formed with a flange that is larger than the hole through which it is placed for welding to the inside surface of selected chambers for tenacity. Anchor connecting loops  30  are configured to attach a securing strap with a loop or hook.  
         [0021]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , half of vehicle  10  is illustrated in front elevation view with a cutaway view of vehicle cover  20  as fully assembled in place and inflated. A strap  40  is shown connecting from anchor connecting loop  30  to a member on the bottom surface of vehicle  10 , for example a frame member. As noted above, strap  40  is preferably connected to anchor connecting loop  30  and a member of vehicle  10  before vehicle cover  20  is inflated in order that strap  40  is placed in tension as a result of the increase in bulk of vehicle cover  20  that is caused by the inflation process. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, vehicle cover  20  is sized so that when it is fully inflated at least all horizontal transverse chambers  22 , and preferably including all vertical chambers  24 , have a thickness T of at least 12.7 cm. (5 inches) or, more preferably, a thickness T of about 16.5 cm. (6.5 inches).  
         [0022]     As discussed briefly above, vehicle cover  20  is intended to provide protection for any of the various types of vehicle to which the present invention is applied in fairly severe weather conditions, especially hailstorms. With large hailstones potentially impacting vehicle cover  20  at a velocity of up to 150 km per hour (90 miles per hour) or more, vehicle cover  20  must be resistant to puncture and stretching. A suitable material for vehicle cover  20  is a fabric woven of 70 denier nylon and coated on one side with polyurethane resin to achieve a total weight of approximately 157 g/m 2  (4.7 oz/yd 2 ).  
         [0023]     Whereas vehicle cover  20  may be used in locations where the respective vehicle  10  is not in the vicinity of a garage or other building having electric power, an air pump capable of operating on electric power from the vehicle, i.e. 12 volts D.C., is required. The pump (not shown) will be provided with a power cord of sufficient length to reach from an electric outlet in the vehicle, e.g. the cigarette lighter socket, to inlet air valve  34 . The pump will also be operable in wet conditions that often accompany a hailstorm. The pump must be capable of inflating vehicle cover  20  in as short a time as possible, generally not more than 10 minutes, to an inflation pressure of approximately 70 g/cm 2  (1.0 lb/in 2 ) over atmospheric pressure. The pump delivery hose will be fitted with a connector for secure attachment to inlet air valve  34 .  
         [0024]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a portion of vehicle cover  20  within circle  3  of  FIG. 1  shows the cellular structure of vertical chambers  24 . Vertical chambers  24  and horizontal transverse chambers  22  of vehicle cover  20  are formed with an exterior sheet  42  and an interior sheet  42   a.  A separator  44  is affixed, for example by ultrasonic welding, at selected intervals to exterior sheet  42  and interior sheet  42   a  to form a series of elongate tubular chambers  24 . Separators  44  are welded to the inside surfaces of exterior sheet  42  and interior sheet  42   a  with lap joints  44 ′ to form vertical chamber  24 . For optimum weld strength, the lap joints are made with the polyurethane coated surface of separator  44  in contact with the polyurethane coated surface of sheets  42  and  42   a.  Separators  44  serve to control the thickness of vehicle cover  20  when inflated, avoiding a ballooning effect and maintaining the overall shape of vehicle cover  20 . Anchor connecting loop  30  is similarly welded to exterior sheet  42  to provide a connecting point for strap  40 . Strap  40  is preferably minimally elastic and has an integral length adjustment device, e.g. buckle  46 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a detail of the juncture of vertical chambers  24  and horizontal transverse chambers  22  with longitudinal corner chamber  28 . Longitudinal corner chamber  28  is assembled as a transition chamber between horizontal transverse chamber  22  and vertical chamber  24  to allow air to pass and pressure to equalize throughout vehicle cover  20 . Longitudinal corner chamber  28  allows an unrestricted flow of air through its entire length and into vertical chambers  24  and horizontal transverse chambers  22 . A perforated baffle  48 ,  48   a,  formed with one or more holes  50  therethrough, is welded into each end of each of horizontal transverse chamber  22  and vertical chamber  24  (the lower baffle in vertical chambers  24  not shown). Baffles  48  and  48   a  control ballooning in similar fashion to the function of separators  44  and  44   a  between adjacent transverse chambers. Adequate open area is provided for the free passage of air through holes  50  to adjacent air chambers during inflation and deflation, while retaining adequate strength to keep the ends of respective transverse chambers from ballooning when under full pressure.  
         [0026]     While the description above discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is contemplated that numerous variations and modifications of the invention are possible and are considered to be within the scope of the claims that follow.

Technology Category: 7