United States Patent [191 [11] 4,294,483 Ferris [45] Oct. 13, 1981 [54] INFLATABLE VEHICLE COVER Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Robert D. Yeager; Andrew J. Cornelius [76] Inventor: Sean D. Ferris, 96 Spruce St., Natrona, Pa. 15065 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 130,249 An in?atable vehicle cover especially adapted to cover cars and trucks being moved in transit comprises at least [22] Filed: Mar. 14, 1980 one in?atable cell of ?exible air-con?ning material that substantially conforms to the con?guration of such [51] Int. Cl.3 ............................................ .. B62D 25/00 vehicles, and has in?ating means therein and means for [52] ........... .. 296/136; 180/84 securing said cover to said vehicles. Each in?atable cell [58] Field of Search ................ .. 160/19; 296/100, 101, is formed by two sheets of air-con?ning material sealed 296/136; 180/84 along their perimeters to form an enclosed space capa [56] References Cited ble of being in?ated with air. The in?atable car cover U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS may have sub-cells formed by pressure-seaming of one large cell; or it may have more than one cell suitably 1,728,437 9/1929 Mott .................................. ..296/136 joined together. The de?ated cover is placed over the 2,688,513 9/1954 Poirier. 296/136X vehicle in such manner that all exterior surfaces are 3,316,012 4/1967 Thier . .. 296/136 covered; the cover is then secured about the vehicle by 4,093,302 6/1978 Adams 296/100X either an elasticized circumference or perimeter-engag 4,219,218 8/1980 Waldon ......................... .. 296/136 X ing straps; and the cover is then in?ated prior to transit. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS Upon arrival of the vehicle at its destination the cover is de?ated, removed and rolled up; it is then available for 1316397 4/1963 France .............................. .. 296/136 reuse. Primary Examiner—Joseph F. Peters, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Norman L. Stack, Jr. 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patentv - - Oct. 13,1981 4,294,483‘ 4,294,483 1 2 some degree from the elements although they fre INFLATABLE VEHICLE COVER quently cause condensation under the cover and resul tant rusting of the vehicle. An insulating cover like the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION in?atable cover of the present invention will not only 1. Field of the Invention protect against extremes in temperature, but may pro This invention relates to vehicle covers and more vide a moisture barrier and prevent this inner condensa speci?cally to those covers designed for use on automo tion. biles being moved in railway transit. 2. Description of the Prior Art BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Many vehicle covers are known for protecting cars, 10 For a better understanding of the preferred embodi trucks and other vehicles from various conditions such ments described below, reference may be had to the as road and weather conditions. These also address drawing, in which: problems of protecting certain speci?c areas of the FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the vehicle cover of this vehicle such as windows, tires, etc., as well as problems invention as it would appear spread out ?at. relating to the nature of the cover itself, such as ef? FIG. 2 is a view of the vehicle cover in position about ciency, portability, materials, etc. While the vehicle an automobile. cover of this invention is also applicable for use in many FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment situations, such as open storage or transportation on of the vehicle cover of this invention as it would appear open racks on highways or railroads, it speci?cally when spread out ?at. addresses the problems of protecting vehicles, namely those automobiles and trucks that are in railway transit DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE generally from factory to dealership. During transit, the PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS automobiles on the railway cars are subject not only to In the preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 1 and weather conditions and the hazards of the track but to a FIG. 2, the in?atable vehicle cover 10 de?nes a round special problem of vandalism which occurs when the 25 cornered rectangle that is large enough to cover an ’ trains ride through underpasses and rocks are thrown entire automobile. The cover as shown in FIG. 1 is directly at the automobiles passing underneath. Thus a essentially one large cell formed by an upper sheet of type of cover is needed that affords greater protection air-con?ning material that overlies a lower sheet of than that commonly found in standard car covers. 30 air-con?ning material, which sheets are perimetrically SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION seamed to form an enclosed space capable of being The vehicle cover of this invention is an in?atable in?ated. The upper sheet is slightly larger than the cover that comprises at least one in?atable cell of ?exi lower sheet and the two sheets are joined along their ble air-con?ning material that substantially conforms to perimeters by pressure bonding or sewing to form a the con?guration of the vehicle and is adapted to sur seam, and leaving a small portion of the upper sheet round the exterior of the vehicle. The cover is speci? extending around said seam. This portion extending cally applicable to cars and trucks in transit; it is also around the perimeter of the cover is lapped over an readily adapted to other vehicles and other situations elasticized band and secured along its edge to the seam. requiring a vehicle cover. The lower sheet which ?ts against the car surface may The in?atable cover may be constructed as one cell be ideally made of a softer more ?exible air-con?ning which is large enough to cover the entire vehicle. This material than the upper and outer sheet which may be in?atable cell is formed by two sheets of air-con?ning made of durable, weather resistant air-con?ning mate material placed in such a manner that one overlies the rial. The large cell so-formed is further partially seamed other sheet. The sheets are joined along their perimeters longitudinally to form sub-cells 12, 14, and 16, which to form an enclosed space or cell which can be in?ated 45 may be in limited air communication with each other. with air. The large cell so formed may then be further When placed on an automobile as shown in FIG. 2, the pressure seamed to form sub-cells such that the sub-cells inner cell 14 covers the upper surface de?ned by front conform to the various horizontal and vertical surfaces bumper, hood, front window, roof, rear window, trunk of the vehicle. Alternatively the in?atable cover may be and rear bumper. Side sub-cell 16 covers the entire side constructed of more than one in?atable cell each con of the automobile and side sub-cell 12 (not shown in forming to a surface, such as the side or the hood-win FIG. 2) will cover the other side of the car. dow-roof-window-trunk surface, which cells when suit As best shown in FIG. 1, the perimeter 22 of the ably joined and in the aggregate, will totally surround cover 10 is elasticized and has a notched portion 11, the exterior surfaces of a car. which is shown located along the lower perimeter of The de?ated cover is placed around the vehicle and 55 side sub-cell 16. A ?exible strap such as a pungee cord secured by either its elasticized perimeter and/0r ?exi 24 engages any of holes in sets 18 or 19 depending on ble perimeter-engaging straps. The cover is then in the degree of tightness desired. When cord 24 is so ?ated for transit of the vehicle, de?ated upon arrival, engaged the perimeter is thereby closed and secured removed, and made available for reuse. about the automobile. The in?atable cover of this invention provides an air 60 In operation, the front edge of the de?ated cover of cushion that will absorb the force of projectiles directed the preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, is placed at a car, either intentionally as in the aforementioned under the front bumper of an automobile. As also seen acts of vandalism, or those projectiles such as stones, in FIG. 1, the anterior and posterior ends of the cover debris, etc. which may be thrown up from the roadside are the same so that either end may serve as the front (as in highway transit) or trackside (as in railway tran 65 when placing the cover on a car. The de?ated cover is sit). then rolled up over and about the car and secured under Another advantage of the in?atable cover is its insu the rear bumper. The elasticized perimeter 22 will effec lating capacity. Conventional covers will protect to tively hold the cover on the car, holding it most se 4,294,483 3 4 curely in the regions where it is pulled substantially later use. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the under the front and rear bumpers. Closing notch 11 art that other combinations of air cells may fall within with strap 24 will further tighten the cover about the the spirit and scope of this invention, such as, for exam car. After the cover is secured on the car it is inflated at ple, covers having a double layer of air cells for greater in?ating valves 20 and a protective air cushion is protection in the event an air cell is damaged in transit.