GB2035429A - Window shield - Google Patents

Abstract

A window shield, for preventing condensation on car and caravan windows, etc., consists of a sheet 10 of transparent plastic with reinforced edges 11 to 14. The shield can be fixed to the window frame by fasteners 15 at its corners, e.g. press stud fasteners. Each edge of the shield has an elastic strap 16 sewn to it under slight tension, so that the main area of the sheet is stretched tight when in use. For curved windows, the shield may incorporate spacers, an inflatable central area, or a sheet of plastic netting adjacent to the sheet 10 to keep the sheet 10 out of contact with the window. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Window shield The present invention relates to shields for windows, and find particular though not exclusive application to cars and caravans.

A problem with car and caravan windows is that of condensation of the window, e.g. overnight. This is usually due to the combination of damp air and large temperature difference between the two sides of the window.

It is known to attempt to prevent such condensation by covering the windows with a sheet of some material. This is however generally somewhat inconvenient.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved window shield which is more useful and convenient than the arrangement just mentioned.

Accordingly the invention provides a window shield comprising a transparent and flexible plastic sheet provided with reinforcement along its edges, fasteners at its corners, and elastic means adapted to keep it generally taut in use.

The term "transparent" means material which does not substantially impair vision through it, but includes the possibility of tinted (coloured or neutral) plastic. The sheet is flexible in the sense that it can be rolled or flexed without appreciable resistance, but it should not stretch appreciably. The fasteners may be simple reinforced holes to receive studs fixed at the corners of the window to be shielded, press stud type fasteners, or clips for attachment to a car window surround.

Although, as stated, the shield is particularly useful for cars and caravans, it is also of domestic application, in that it can be fitted to ordinary house windows. It can be fitted inside or outside, and can greatly reduce heat loss through the window. If it is fitted sufficiently closely to the frame, it may reduce draughts through ill-fitting windows; alternatively, if it is not too close-fitting, it permits the window to be left ajar. Also, since it is preferably fitted by means of non-permanent fasteners, it can be removed almost instantly in an emergency such as a fire.

A shield in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure lisa plan view of the shield; Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the section ll-ll of the shield of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view showing two possible modifications to the shield of Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows a fastening clip suitable for use on cars.

Referring to Figure 1,the main expanse of the shield consists of a sheet 10 of flexible transparent plastic such as PVC. The edges are reinforced with doubled strips of canvas or similar material 11, 12 at the top and bottom and 13, 14 at the sides. The lines of stitching of the reinforcing strips can be seen. At each corner of the shield there is a fastener 15. Near one end of each edge there is an elastic strap 16; each strap 16 has its two ends sewn to the edging strip so as to place the edge under slight tension.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the top righthand corner of the shield. The fastener 15 is a simple hollow rivet which can be slipped over a stud 20, with an enlarged head, fixed to the frame 21 around the window 22. The top reinforcing strip 11 is seen in cross-section, and the said strip 14 in longitudinal section. As shown, the strap 16, when contracted to its normal rest length, puts a kink in the edge 14 and sheet 10.

The size of the shield is chosen to be slightly larger than the window to be shielded, so that the four fasteners 15 are slightly further apart than the studs with which they will engage. The elastic straps 6 are then chosen so that they pull the fasteners 15 together to be slightly closer than the studs. Thus when the shield is placed on the studs, the straps 16 will be in slight tension. This causes the edges of the shield to be under slight tension along most of their length, and keeps the sheet 10 flat over most of its area. This tension also keeps the shield off the surface of the window, and prevents it from flapping or vibrating in the wind. As shown in Figure 2, the shield is preferably placed over the window with the straps 16 on the inner side, thus giving a neat appearance from the outside.

As an alternative to the elastic straps 16, a long elastic strap can be incorporated in the "tunnel" formed by each of the edging strips 11 to 14, and fixed to the edging at the corners.

The shield as described so far is suitable for relatively flat windows which are inset in their frames. For windows which are flush with their frames and for convex windows, certain additional features are desirable, since with the shield described above, the plastic sheet 10 will tend to be in contact with the window over a substantial part of its area.

The edges of the shield may incorporate a flexible strut or spacers of considerable cross-section, so that the sheet 10 is held away from the window by half or more of the thickness of the strut or spacers.

Also, a brace 20 of considerable cross-section may be incorporated in the shield 20 across its middle, as shown in Figure 3. The brace is preferablytransparent, and more than one brace may be provided.

Alternatively, the sheet 10 may be a double layer, with the two layers welded together along a line 21 running just inside the edges of the shield as shown in Figure 3, giving a central area 22 which can be inflated. The inner layer of the sheet will then be in contact with the window, while the outer layer will be held away from the inner layer.

Instead of these struts and braces or inflatable sheets, a sheet of plastic netting may be included in the shield, adjacent to the plastic sheet 10. The thickness of the strands of the netting will ensure that the sheet 10 is kept out of actual contact with the window over the whole of its surface, although the sheet 10 will be tight against the netting which will in turn be tight against the window.

For use on cars, it will often be undesirable to have to fix studs or the like to the car. Figure 4 shows a clip which can be used to fix the shield to a car without requiring any permanent fixture on the car. The clip consists of three parts: a hook 30, a two-legged strut 31, and a strap 34. The hook and strut may be plastic mouldings. As shown, the strut 31 consists of two legs 32 and a squared O-portion 33 at the junction of the two legs. One end of the hook 30 engages with the hole in portion 33, and the strap 34 is attached round the outer side of the portion 33 as shown.

In use, the other end of the hook 30 is engaged over a gutter or similar upstanding portion of the car running round or nearthe end ofthewindow- a short section of such a gutter is shown at 36. The strut 32 stands on the body 35 of the car adjacent to the gutter 36. The strap 34 is then attached to one corner of the shield.

The strap can be simply tied through a hole at the corner of the shield, provided with a press stud fitting at its free end to engage with the corner of the shield, or permanently sewn to the corner of the shield.

For summer use, the body of the shield may be made of neutral or colour tinted rather than clear plastic.

Claims (10)

1. A window shield comprising a pransparent and flexible plastic sheet provided with reinforcement along its edges, fasteners at its corners, and elastic means adapted to keep is generally taut in use.

2. A shield according to claim 1 wherein the elastic means comprise short straps of elastic material attached to the edges near the corners.

3. A shield according to either previous claim wherein the fasteners are press stud fasteners.

4. A shield according to either pf claims 1 and 2 wherein the fasteners are reinforced holes.

5. A shield according to either of claims 1 and 2 wherein the fasteners are clips comprising a hook, a strut with which the hook engages, and a strap attached to the strut.

6. A shield according to any previous claim wherein the edges incorporate spacing means.

7. A shield according to any previous claim including spacing means across the main area of the sheet.

8. A shield according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the main area of the sheet is a double layer with a sealed space between the two layers.

9. A shield according to any one of claims 1 to 5 including a layer of plastic netting adjacent to the sheet.

10. A window shield substantially as herein described and illustrated.