DESCRIPTION

This patent is related to hail protective covers for cars and vehicles in general.

Cars are continuously exposed to weather agents, both during use and when parked in public areas.

The bodywork of cars is designed and built to withstand weather like frost, rain, and sun, but is affected by the action of hail.

Small hailstones, with low kinetic energy, bounce on the body without damaging it.

Larger hailstones, however, seriously damage the body forcing the owner to make costly repairs.

Usually motorists try to protect the car by sheltering it under bridges, overpasses or porticoes in the vicinity.

Sometimes it is not possible to find shelter for the car due to the lack of shelters in the vicinity or the traffic conditions that do not permit shelter to be reached.

To overcome all these drawbacks a new hail guard for cars was designed and constructed.

One purpose of the new hail guard is to protect the car from hail regardless of whether there are suitable places of shelter in the vicinity.

Another purpose of the new hail guard is to enable the quick and easy installation and arrangement on the car to be protected.

Another purpose of the new hail guard is to enable the easy storage in the trunk of the car when not in use. These and other purposes, direct and complementary, are achieved by the new hail guard for cars comprising a rod structure to which a thick mesh that covers the entire car is fixed.

The rod structure is collapsible and is equipped with suction cups, magnets or other systems for its application on the roof of the car.

At the free end or near the free end of each rod the rod structure is equipped with elastic cords with hooks to fasten it to the lower edges of the car.

The thick mesh is fixed to said rod structure in several places, preferably at least at each free end of each rod.

The characteristics of the new hail guard will be better clarified by the following description with reference to the attached drawings by way of a non-limiting example.

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of the new guard applied to car while Figure 2 illustrates a plan view.

The new hail guard comprises a structure consisting of several elements (Scl, Sc2, Sel, Se2), applicable to the roof of the car, and a thick mesh (R). The structure consists of several rods (Scl, Sc2, Sel, Se2) hinged together. In particular this structure, when opened, comprises in its main parts two centre rods (Scl, Sc2) hinged opposing each other and substantially aligned with each other and the direction of movement of the car having at each free end at least four net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) arranged radially with respect to the end of the centre rods (Scl, Sc2).

The centre rods (Scl, Sc2) are joined by a hinge (Ml) with a horizontal rotation axis.

Each centre rod (Scl, Sc2) has, along its length and in a generally middle position, a joint (M2) supporting two supports (A) to rest on the car. Each joint (M2) allows the rotation of the supports (A) from a generally vertical position downward to a position substantially parallel to and alongside the centre rod (Scl, Sc2).

Figure 3 shows the hinge (Ml) between the two centre rods (Scl, Sc2) and the joints (M2) of the supports (A) in detail.

Each of these supports (A) has, at the free end, suction cups or magnets (Av) suited to allow the structure to be stably and removably applied to the roof of the car.

Each support (A) can be telescopic and adjustable in length so as to allow a better adjustment of the structure and new guard on the car.

The net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) are joined to the end of each centre rod (Scl, Sc2) by a multiple hinge (M3).

Figure 4 illustrates in detail the multiple hinge (M3) between the net- stretching rods (Sel, Se2) and a centre rod (Scl, Sc2).

This multiple hinge (M3) is such as to obtain the rotation of each net- stretching rod (Sel, Se2) around a vertical axis (z), and the rotation of all net-stretching rods (SI, Se2) arranged around a horizontal axis (y) orthogonal to the centre rod (Scl, Sc2).

This multiple hinge (M3) allows the rotation of the net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) around their vertical axes from an open position arranged semi-radially around the multiple hinge (M3), to a closed position arranged alongside and in alignment with the centre rod (Scl, Sc2).

In the open position two net-stretching rods (Sel) are opposed, aligned and orthogonal to the centre rod (Scl, Sc2), while the other two net-stretching rods (Sc2) are generally arranged in a diagonal position in an opposite direction with respect to said centre rod (Scl, Sc2). Each of the net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) is in turn divided into two portions (Sel', Sel", Se2', Se2") joined together by a hinge (M4) featuring a horizontal axis.

In addition, the innermost portions (Sel', S2') of said net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) are linear and the outermost portions (Sel", Se2") of said net- stretching rods (Sel, Se2) are curved downwards.

Hooks or fixing elements suited to hold each outer portion (Sel", Se2") of the net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) alongside and joined to the respective inner portion (Sel', Se2') are also foreseen.

One or both portions (Sel', Sel", Se2', Se2") of each net-stretching rod (Sel, Se2) may be extensible, so as to enable the adaptation to and coverage of larger or smaller cars.

When the new hail guard is applied to the car, the two centre rods (Scl, Sc2) are aligned and opposing each other as well as arranged in the direction of movement of the car, while the net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) are oriented laterally, generally towards the wheels and corners of the car.

On this structure (Scl, Sc2, Sel, Se2) the thick mesh (R) which consists of a mesh made of lightweight and durable plastic material is applied.

This mesh (R) is preferably only attached to the free ends of the net- stretching rods (Sel, Se2) so as to be raised from the car's roof and extend its coverage around the car.

The edge of the mesh (R) is equipped with elastic cords (C) with hooks (G) at their ends to allow the attachment of the edge of the mesh (R) to the mudguards or other parts of the car.

To install the new hail guard on a car it is necessary to:

rotate the supports (A) on their joints (M2) opening them away from the centre rods (Scl, Sc2) and putting them into a working position; - rotate the two centre rods (Scl, Sc2) around their hinge (Ml) aligning them opposite each other;

place the new device on the roof of the car so that the suction cups or magnets (AV) of the supports (A) rest on the roof of the car;

- rotate each group of net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) on its multiple hinge (M3) so as to bring them from a position generally alongside the centre rod (Scl, Sc2), to a position generally aligned opposite to said centre rod (Scl, Sc2);

rotate each net-stretching rod (Sel, Se2) on the multiple hinge (M3) arranging the net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) in a semi-circle so that the net (R) is correctly placed on the car;

finally, fix the hooks (G) of the elastic cords (C) to the mudguards or other parts of the car so as to maintain the mesh (R) and rods (Scl, Sc2, Sel, Se2) of the structure relatively tight.

The new guard can also be kept mounted on the car in a half-open mode, with each outer portion (Sel ", Se2") of each net-stretching rod (Sel, Se2) folded and attached to the relative inner portion (Sel', Se2'). In this way the car can travel at limited speeds having the new guard already partly prepared in view of a possible impending hailstorm.

When the new hail guard is no longer needed simply release the hooks (G) of the elastic cords (C), fold the various net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2), fold each group of net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) around the multiple hinges (M3), fold the centre semi-rods (Scl, Sc2) and fold the supports (A).

The new hail guard constituted as described above allows the car to be to fully protected from hail. ό

The net-stretching rods (Sel, Se2) of the new guard, in fact, maintain the mesh (R) sufficiently stretched and distanced from the bodywork of the car. Hailstones, even if large and at high speed, are stopped by the mesh (R). The application and removal of the new hail guard are quick and easy enabling the rapid installation of the new hail guard in case of hail, and enabling it to be put away just as quickly when no longer needed.

Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and the attached diagrams, the following claims are made.