Magnetic header design

Abstract

A vehicle arrangement is provided including a vehicle body having at least a partially open top and transverse window with a ferromagnetic frame, a flexible membrane sunscreen cover for at least a portion of the vehicle. A magnetic member connected with the sunscreen cover holds an end of the cover with the window frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sunshade for a vehicle top, said vehicle top spans a portion of the vehicle from a rear weatherproof top portion to a front portion with an opening over a front passenger compartment, said opening extending to a windshield header of the vehicle, the sunshade comprising:
 an air penetrable flexible membrane cover portion for covering above the opening over the front passenger compartment of the vehicle, said membrane cover portion having a forward edge; and   at least one magnetic portion at the forward edge of the membrane cover portion for providing secure releasable attachment of the sunshade to the windshield header of the vehicle said magnetic portion being supported in an elongated transverse rigid structural member, said magnetic portion having a spherical male/female magnetic force interface engagement with said windshield header.   
     
     
         2 . The sunshade of  claim 1  further comprising said windshield header having a laterally extending latch plate wherein said magnetic portion is configured to attach to said latch plate. 
     
     
         3 . The sunshade of  claim 1  wherein said fabric cover is a mesh-like material. 
     
     
         4 . The sunshade of  claim 2  wherein said magnetic portion includes a first portion for connecting and engaging said windshield header substantially vertically and a second portion for engaging said latch plate in a substantially horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The sunshade of  claim 1  wherein said magnetic portion is at least partially fabricated with a magnetic polymer. 
     
     
         6 . A vehicle arrangement comprising:
 a vehicle body having at least a partially open top and transverse window with a ferromagnetic frame;   an air penetrable flexible membrane cover for at least a portion of said vehicle; and   a magnetic member connected with said cover holding an end of said cover with said frame.   
     
     
         7 . An arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein the portion of the vehicle is the front and the window is the windshield. 
     
     
         8 . An arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein said magnetic member holds said flexible membrane to said frame, said magnetic member tensions said flexible member. 
     
     
         9 . A vehicle arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein the arrangement has a latch plate fixed with respect to said frame for a rigid top and the latch plate acts as a stop for said magnetic portion in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         10 . An arrangement as described in  claim 9 , wherein an interface between the magnetic member and said latch plate acts as a stop in a transverse direction. 
     
     
         11 . An arrangement as described in  claim 10  with a plurality of latch plates acting as stops on a transverse direction. 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein said magnetic member has a plurality of discrete magnets. 
     
     
         13 . An arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein said magnetic member has a magnet embedded in a non-magnetic material. 
     
     
         14 . An arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein magnetic member is connected with a sealing material to seal an interface between said magnetic member and said window frame. 
     
     
         15 . An arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein said magnetic member can be moved longitudinally on the vehicle to a plurality of positions. 
     
     
         16 . An arrangement as described in  claim 6 , wherein the vehicle is a sport utility-type or Jeep-type vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A method of providing sunshade open air top for a vehicle which spans a portion of the vehicle from a rear weatherproof top portion to a windshield header of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 providing a first portion of said sunshade connected to a weatherproof vehicle top behind the front passenger compartment of a vehicle;   providing an air penetrable flexible fabric cover portion of said sunshade for covering above the driver and side passenger compartment of a vehicle, said fabric cover having a forward edge; and   connecting at least one magnetic portion at the fore end of the fabric cover portion for providing secure releasable attachment to the windshield header of the vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The method described in  claim 5  wherein the flexible fabric cover portion is tensioned by attaching the magnetic portion the windshield header of the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method as described in  claim 17  further including sealing on interface between the magnetic portion and the frame with a polymeric material connected with the magnetic portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method as described in  claim 17  further includes providing a latch plate with said windshield header and connecting said magnetic portion with said latch plate. 
     
     
         21 . A vehicle arrangement comprising:
 a vehicle body with a front transverse window with a ferromagnetic frame header and a front passenger compartment;   a top with a rear weatherproof portion and a front portion with an opening over the front passenger compartment, said opening extending to the windshield header of the vehicle   an air penetrable flexible membrane cover portion for covering above the opening over the front passenger compartment of the vehicle, said membrane cover portion having a forward edge;   at least one magnetic portion at the forward edge of the membrane cover portion for providing secure releasable attachment of the sunshade to the windshield header of the vehicle said magnetic portion being supported in an elongated transverse rigid structural member, said magnetic portion having a magnetic force interface engagement with said windshield header, said elongated magnetic portion having a polymeric downward extending tail: and   wherein the arrangement has a latch plate fixed with respect to said frame for a rigid top and the latch plate acts as a stop for said magnetic portion tail in the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         22 . A sunshade for a vehicle having a vehicle body with a front transverse window with a ferromagnetic frame header and a front passenger compartment and a top with a rear weatherproof portion and a front portion with an opening over the front passenger compartment, said opening extending to the windshield header of the vehicle, and said vehicle body having a latch plate fixed with respect to said frame, said sunshade comprising:
 an air penetrable flexible membrane cover portion for covering above the opening over the front passenger compartment of the vehicle, said membrane cover portion having a forward edge; and   at least one magnetic portion at the forward edge of the membrane cover portion for providing secure releasable attachment of the sunshade to the windshield header of the vehicle said magnetic portion being supported in an elongated transverse rigid structural member, said magnetic portion having a magnetic force interface engagement with said windshield header, said elongated magnetic portion having a polymeric downward extending tail, and wherein the latch plate acts as a stop for said magnetic portion tail in the longitudinal direction.