Protective cover secured by differential pressure

• US 5,997,071 A
• Filed: 10/18/1994
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commercial Sewing Incorporated (Commercial Imports and Assemblies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Commercial Sewing Incorporated (Commercial Imports and Assemblies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mazzarelli, Samuel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US08/324,927
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 296/136, 150/159, 150/166, 150/167, 52/3, 52/2.16, 224/328
• US Class Current: 296/136.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 11/00 Removable external protective coverings specially adapted for vehicles or parts of vehicles, e.g. parking covers covering of load on vehicles B60P7/00; guard strips for body finishing, identifying or decorating B60R13/04; tents for use as garages E04H15/00

Abstract

A protective cover for an object being transported in an airstream comprises a flexible cover member adapted to cover the object. The cover has front and rear ends, a top, two sides, and a bottom providing an opening to fit over the object. The cover member also has at least one exhaust aperture intermediate its ends with a venting member disposed over it. The bottom of the cover member is seated around the periphery of the object to reduce the airflow thereinto. The venting member has a base portion secured to the cover member about the aperture, and a body portion extending outwardly therefrom. The body portion has a closed end oriented towards the front end of the cover member and an open end disposed toward the rear end of the cover member. The body portion also provides a passage from the aperture to the open end, whereby negative air pressure is created at the open end by the flow of the airstream over the venting member and air is exhausted from the interior of the cover to cause the cover to seat snugly about the surface of the object about which it is fitted.

Claims

1. A protective cover for an object being transported in an airstream comprising:

(a) a unitary flexible cover member of material substantially impermeable to air and dimensioned and configured to cover an associated object being transported in an airstream, said cover member having front and rear ends, a top, two sides and a bottom providing an opening to fit over the associated object, said cover member having at least one exhaust aperture intermediate its ends;

(b) means for seating said bottom of said cover member closely around the periphery of the associated object to reduce the airflow thereinto; and

(c) a venting member disposed over said exhaust aperture, said venting member having a base portion secured to said cover member about said aperture and a body portion extending outwardly therefrom, said body portion having a closed end oriented towards said front end of said cover member and having an open end disposed towards said rear end of said cover member, said body portion providing a passage from said aperture to said open end, whereby negative air pressure is created at said open end by the flow of an associated airstream over said venting member and air is exhausted from the interior of the cover member to cause the cover member to seat snugly about the surface of the associated object about which it is fitted.

2. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said body portion of said venting member has a arcuate cross section.

3. A protective cover according to claim 2 wherein said body portion of said venting member has a configuration which approximates that of an axial segment of a cone.

4. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said base portion is an outwardly extending flange.

5. A protective cover according to claim 4 wherein said base portion is sewn to said cover member.

6. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said venting member is fabricated from synthetic resin.

7. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said cover member is a woven fabric with a synthetic resin coating.

8. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said flexible cover member is woven of synthetic resin thread.

9. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said venting member is elongated and has its longitudinal axis oriented at an angle of between 30°

and 60°

to the longitudinal axis of said cover member.

10. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said seating means is adapted to conform said cover member substantially about the periphery of the associated object.

11. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein each of said sides of said cover member has at least one exhaust aperture and a venting member is disposed over each of said exhaust apertures.

12. A covered object being transported in an airstream comprising:

(a) an object having front and rear ends, a top, a bottom and two sides;

(b) a unitary flexible cover member of material substantially impermeable to air covering said top, sides and ends of said object and having front and rear ends, a top, and two sides which are disposed respectively over the front and rear ends, top and two sides of said object, said cover member having a bottom providing an opening allowing said cover member to fit over said object, said cover member having at least one exhaust aperture intermediate its ends;

(c) seating means about the bottom of said cover member seating said bottom of said cover member closely to the periphery of said object to reduce the airflow thereinto; and

(d) a venting member disposed over said exhaust aperture, said venting member having a base portion secured to said cover member about said aperture and a body portion extending outwardly therefrom, said body portion having a closed end oriented towards said front end of said cover member and having an open end disposed towards said rear end of said cover member, said body portion providing a passage from said aperture to said open end, whereby negative air pressure is created at said open end by the flow of an associated airstream over said venting member and air is exhausted from the interior of the cover member to cause the cover member to seat snugly about the surface of said object.

13. A protective cover according to claim 12 wherein said body portion of said venting member has a arcuate cross section and said base portion of said venting member is an outwardly extending flange.

14. A protective cover according to claim 12 wherein said body portion of said venting member has a configuration which approximates that of an axial segment of a cone.

15. A protective cover according to claim 12 wherein said venting member is elongated and has its longitudinal axis oriented at an angle of between 30°

and 60°

to the longitudinal axis of said cover member.

16. A protective cover according to claim 12 wherein said cover member is a woven fabric with a synthetic resin coating.

17. In a method for transporting an object on a vehicle travelling in an airstream, the steps comprising:

(a) providing an object to be transported by a vehicle having front and rear ends, a top, a bottom and sides;

(b) covering said object with a unitary cover including (i) a flexible cover member of material substantially impermeable to air having front and rear ends, a top and two sides covering the top, ends and sides of said object, said cover member also having a bottom providing an opening allowing said cover member to fit over said object, said cover member having at least one exhaust aperture intermediate its ends, (ii) a venting member disposed over said exhaust aperture, said venting member having a base portion secured to said cover member about said aperture and a body portion extending outwardly therefrom, said body portion having a closed end oriented towards said front end of said cover member and having an open end disposed toward said rear end of said cover member, said body portion providing a passage from said aperture to said open end, and (iii) securing means about the bottom of said cover member;

(c) securing the bottom of said cover member closely about the periphery of said object to reduce the airflow thereinto;

(d) transporting said covered object on a vehicle at a speed which produces airflow over said cover member and said venting member, thereby creating negative air pressure at said open end of said venting member to cause air to exhaust from the interior of said cover member and causing said cover member to seat snugly about the surface of said object.

18. The method for transporting an object on a vehicle in accordance with claim 17 wherein said step of securing the bottom of said cover member about the periphery of said object to reduce the airflow thereinto includes substantially sealing the bottom of said cover member about the periphery of said object to reduce the airflow thereinto.

19. The method for transporting an object on a vehicle in accordance with claim 17 wherein said covering step includes providing said cover member with a venting member having a body portion with an arcuate cross section and a base portion with an outwardly extending flange.

20. The method for transporting an object on a vehicle in accordance with claim 17 wherein said covering step includes providing said cover member with a venting member which is elongated and has its longitudinal axis oriented at an angle of between 30°

and 60°

to the longitudinal axis of said cover member.

21. The method for transporting an object on a vehicle in accordance with claim 17 wherein said covering step includes providing a covering member which is a woven fabric with a synthetic resin coating.