Light barrier, screen or reflector

Abstract

A sun barrier, sign, screen or reflector or combination thereof. The barrier may be used, for instance, for reducing the sun exposure to the interior of an automobile. The barrier includes a flexible, cloth-like panel and a barrier control element with the control element selectively positioning the panel to a generally planar condition or a coiled storage condition. The control element may be a coiled strip spring or constant force spring attached to one edge of the barrier panel.

1 . A barrier comprising a compliant panel of material capable of being deformed and collapsed into a generally compact form and then stretched out from such compact form into a generally planar form to serve as a sun barrier, sign, screen or reflector or combination thereof, and panel having lower, upper, and side edges, and a collapsible control means attached to and extending along one edge of said panel to control said one edge, and control means having a fully completely collapsed condition which collapses and one edge and a fully uncollapsed extended condition which extends said one edge, and said control means being capable of being collapsed from either end of said control.  
     
     
         2 . The barrier of  claim 1  in which the fully completely collapsed condition is in the form of a cylinder.  
     
     
         3 . The barrier of  claim 1  in which the control means can only be at rest in a straight condition or a cylindrical condition.  
     
     
         4 . The barrier of  claim 1  in which the panel in the completely extended condition is restrained from downward movement by positioning said control edge to contact at least one point along the top surface of the automobile dashboard.  
     
     
         5 . The barrier of  claim 1  in which the compliant panel in the planar form to serve As a sun shield is essentially the size of a automobile windshield and the fully collapsed condition of said panel is a size smaller than a glove box of said automobile.  
     
     
         6 . The barrier of  claim 3  in which the barrier consists essentially of two elements including a compliant panel of material and a control means for controlling said panel to extended condition or a collapsed condition.