Protective covering device and cover assembly

Abstract

A protective covering device having a weather-resistant sheet of material wound about a spring-loaded roller, which material may be extended off the roller and over an object to be covered in a relatively easy manner, and which material may then be spring-assisted back onto the roller during the uncovering of such object. The spring-loaded roller is positioned with a housing that is either anchored to the same surface on which the object to be covered is positioned, or is mountable to a vertically-oriented surface located near one end of the object to be covered. The opposite end of the cover has a four-point multiple curved contour configuration to provide better wrapping both on the storage roller and about the end of a vehicle to be covered. Elastic attachments between the cover and the draw bar serve to draw it over the vehicle and provide convenient and efficient wrapping of the cover about the end of the vehicle.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A sheet of flexible material for use in a protective covering device, such device comprising a roller within a housing, the flexible material attachable to such roller and further attachable to a handle member for guiding the flexible material off of and onto the roller, for the self-contoured covering of an object resting on a planar surface, such flexible material comprising: 
 (a) a leading edge attachable to a handle member, such leading edge having a central portion and two opposite end portions,    (b) an attachment edge attachable to a roller, such attachment edge having a central portion and two opposite ends,    (c) a pair of side edges having a longitudinal central portion of the flexible material defined therebetween,    (d) a plurality of guide loops located on the side edges for passage of cord means between the roller and the handle member, and    (e) means to secure the leading edge of the flexible material to the handle member, and    (f) the leading edge of the flexible material having a four-point contoured conformation.    
     
     
         2 . The sheet of flexible material for use in a protective covering device in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the leading edge of the flexible cover has two outer contoured forward extensions and two central contoured forward extensions, the outer contoured extensions extending forward a significantly greater degree than the central contoured extensions.  
     
     
         3 . The sheet of flexible material for use in a protective covering device in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the rear edge of the flexible cover has an attachment means for securing the flexible material to the roller.  
     
     
         4 . The sheet of flexible material for use in a protective covering device in accordance with  claim 3  wherein cord means pass through and are laterally constrained by the guide loops.  
     
     
         5 . The sheet of flexible material for use in a protective covering device in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the cord means is less than resilient over its principal length, but resilient over its forward end adjacent to the contoured forward end of the flexible material and attachable to a handle member.  
     
     
         6 . The sheet of flexible material for use in a protective covering device in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the sheet of flexible material incorporates an elastic section in the sides of the sheet for better control in covering and uncovering a vehicle.  
     
     
         7 . The sheet of flexible material for use in a protective covering device in accordance with  claim 6  wherein the leading end of the flexible material is provided with elastic tie means for attachment to the handle member.  
     
     
         8 . A vehicle cover adapted for reeling off and back onto a reel mounted adjacent to a vehicle comprising: 
 (a) an elongated flexible weather resistant sheet material having a leading end for passage over a vehicle and a terminal end for attachment to a reel,    (b) the leading end of the elongated flexible weather resistant sheet having a four point contoured configuration,    (c) the terminal end of the sheet material incorporating means for attachment to the reel.    
     
     
         9 . A vehicle cover in accordance with  claim 8  incorporating an elastic section adjacent the leading end.  
     
     
         10 . A vehicle cover in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the cover is provided with loop-type retaining means along the edges between the terminal end and leading end for containing side control cords.  
     
     
         11 . A vehicle cover in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the leading end of the cover is provided with elastic attachment means for attaching the cover to a handle.  
     
     
         12 . A vehicle cover in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the four point contoured configuration of the leading end of the cover has two central contoured projections and two side contoured projections and the two side projections are longer than the central projections.  
     
     
         13 . A self-contouring protective covering device for covering an object resting on a planar surface comprising: 
 (a) a spring loaded roller contained within a stationery housing secured to a support,    (b) a sheet of flexible, weather resistant material fastened to the roller, the flexible material having a leading edge, two side edges and an inner edge where it is fastened to the roller,    (c) the flexible material having edge tensioning cords along the two side edges extending between the roller and the vicinity of the leading edge,    (d) handle means positioned adjacent the leading edge of the flexible material and secured to such material,    (e) the leading end of the sheet material having a four-point contoured configuration with each of the outwardly contoured portions being attached to the handle.    
     
     
         14 . A self contouring covering device in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the contour of the leading end of the cover includes two inner and two outer contoured extensions, the two outer contoured extensions extending farther forward than the two central extensions.  
     
     
         15 . A self contouring covering device in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the contoured extensions are secured to the handle by elastic securing means.  
     
     
         16 . A self contouring covering device in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the edge tensioning cords are nonresilient over a substantial portion of their length and elastic adjacent to the contoured leading edge and are secured to the handle.  
     
     
         17 . A self contouring covering device in accordance with  claim 16  wherein the edge tensioning cords are slidably secured to the outer edges of the covering device by grommets.  
     
     
         18 . A self contouring covering device in accordance with  claim 17  wherein the grommets extend from the edge of the cover.  
     
     
         19 . A self contouring covering device in accordance with  claim 17  wherein the grommets are integral with the plane of the covering device.