Vehicle cover for alleviating hail damage

Abstract

To provide a simple vehicle cover for alleviating hail damage, that effectively alleviates hail damage.SOLUTION: A vehicle cover for alleviating hail damage is of the type in which a vehicle part to be protected against hail damage is covered with a half cover, and then, covered with an ordinary vehicle cover. At least a portion for covering a vehicle roof, of the half cover, is formed of an air bubble cushioning material. The air bubble cushioning material has a structure in which a plurality of air bubble cushioning materials of a 2-layer structure is superposed on one another.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle cover for reducing hail damage, and more particularly to a vehicle cover in which a half cover is placed over a portion of the vehicle that needs to be protected from hail damage, and then covered with a normal vehicle cover. [Background technology]

[0002] Hail generally refers to spherical or lump-shaped ice particles with a diameter of 5 mm or more that fall from cumulonimbus clouds. Therefore, hard objects fall from the sky than we can imagine. If hail falls on a vehicle while it is moving or parked outdoors, the body of the vehicle may be damaged. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2023-518289 "Hail protection system for vehicles and associated hail protection sheet" [Patent Document 2] JP 6-211266 "Use of comonomers from α-olefins and unsaturated, polar comonomers as adhesive surface protection films" [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3110076 "Magnetic vehicle cover for protecting outdoor parked vehicle windows and for easy snow removal" [Patent Document 4] Utility Model Registration No. 3111152 "Cover with suction band for protecting outdoor parked vehicle window glass and for easy snow removal, etc." Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A search of prior art documents related to technology for protecting vehicles from hail revealed the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 to 4. A careful examination of these documents revealed that they do not disclose any inventions related to the use of half covers and air cushioning materials (air caps) for protection from hail damage, or the number of sheets required to obtain effective hail protection, which are features of the present invention.

[0005] If a vehicle is struck by hail while driving or parked outdoors and suffers damage such as dents to the body, it becomes a "hail-damaged vehicle." Most hail-damaged vehicles have dents caused by hail hitting the exterior, such as the hood, roof, or trunk lid. While hail-damaged vehicles do not affect their driving performance, their market value drops significantly due to the damage. Furthermore, because the dents in hail-damaged vehicles cover the entire body, repairing the dents is both time-consuming and expensive.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a vehicle cover that can effectively reduce hail damage. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple vehicle cover for reducing hail damage that can effectively reduce hail damage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle cover for reducing hail damage according to the present invention is, on one hand, a half cover placed over the part of the vehicle that needs to be protected from hail damage, and then covered with a normal vehicle cover, and at least the part of the half cover that covers the vehicle roof is made of bubble cushioning material.

[0008] Furthermore, the above-mentioned vehicle cover for reducing hail damage is characterized in that the bubble cushioning material is further attached to one or two selected from the group consisting of a vehicle hood, a trunk lid, a windshield, and a rear window. It may cover more than that.

[0009] Furthermore, the vehicle cover for reducing hail damage is characterized in that the bubble cushioning material is a two-layer bubble cushioning material. A structure in which a plurality of sheets are stacked may also be used.

[0010] Furthermore, in the vehicle cover for reducing hail damage, the portion of the half cover other than the bubble cushioning material may be formed from a flame-retardant nonwoven fabric. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a half cover of a vehicle cover for reducing hail damage according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the meshed portions of the half cover that are particularly desired to be protected from hail damage. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a graph of Table 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a graph that simulates the relationship between kinetic energy and vehicle dents during a hail collision using the data in Table 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a graph showing the simulated diameter of hailstones based on the kinetic energy at the time of hailstone collision calculated from the graph in Figure 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention relates to a vehicle cover for reducing hail damage. More specifically, it relates to a vehicle cover in which a half cover is placed over an area to be protected from hail damage, and then covered with a regular vehicle cover. Therefore, the following will mainly describe an embodiment of the half cover in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same elements, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0013] [Overall configuration] (shape) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a half cover 10 according to an embodiment. A half cover is a type of automobile body cover that covers only the parts of the vehicle that need to be protected. In contrast, a full cover covers the entire vehicle. The outer shape of the half cover 10 is determined based on the parts of the vehicle that need to be protected from hail damage. Therefore, it differs depending on the outer shape of each vehicle.

[0014] In a sedan-type vehicle, the "portion 2 that needs to be particularly protected from hail damage" generally includes at least the roof of the vehicle. Furthermore, if desired, it may also include the hood (covering the front engine compartment), trunk lid (covering the rear luggage compartment), etc. Furthermore, the portion 2 that needs to be particularly protected from hail damage may also include fenders (portions that cover the tires) and front and rear glass portions. In Figures 1 and 2, for example, the portion 2 of the half cover 10 that needs to be particularly protected from hail damage is represented by a mesh.

[0015] Generally, "areas that need to be especially protected from hail damage" 2 are areas where falling hailstones strike almost vertically, while "other areas" 4 are areas where hailstones strike at an angle. Areas that need to be especially protected from hail damage 2 are made of bubble wrap (also known as "air caps," "bubble wrap," or "air bags"). This is because the kinetic energy of hailstones strikes the vehicle directly, and this protects the vehicle from serious damage.

[0016] In contrast, the "other parts" 4, excluding the "parts that need to be especially protected" 2, use relatively inexpensive protective materials. In other words, the other parts 4 are the front and rear parts of the vehicle, which are hit diagonally by falling hail, and the sides (for example, fenders, front, side and rear windows). In the other parts 4, the hailstones are further scattered upon impact, dispersing the kinetic energy of the hailstones and imparting a relatively small amount of kinetic energy to the vehicle. Therefore, in this embodiment, the other parts 4 are made of a flame-retardant nonwoven fabric.

[0017] An example of a flame-retardant nonwoven fabric that can be used is Splitop (registered trademark) manufactured by Maeda Kosen Co., Ltd. This flame-retardant Splitop is a spunbond nonwoven fabric with a flame retardant kneaded into the fabric, has high strength, and has been used for various automotive materials.

[0018] The bubble cushioning material and the flame-retardant nonwoven fabric that make up the half cover 10 are joined by ordinary stitching. The division of area 2 of bubble cushioning material and area 4 of flame-retardant nonwoven fabric is determined in consultation with the automobile manufacturer of each vehicle model.

[0019] A plurality of strings or tapes 6 of a predetermined length are connected to the periphery of the half cover 10. The strings or tapes 6 are tied to the door handles or the like of the vehicle to temporarily fix the half cover 10 to the vehicle. After that, the entire cover is covered with a normal vehicle cover (not shown).

[0020] (Parts made of bubble wrap) Bubble cushioning material is used for areas that need to be especially protected. Bubble cushioning material has air bubbles of 7 to 32 mm in diameter on the surface, which are called air caps. The air pressure of the bubbles in the air cap absorbs shock and acts as a cushion, protecting the object from mechanical shock. Two-layer structure (single-sided) and three-layer structure (double-sided) There are two types available: The air cap is Bubbles only on the surface grain Such an air cap has high flexibility, so it can be fitted along the curved surface of the vehicle. The diameter of the particle It uses double layer bubble wrap with 10mm air bubbles.

[0021] The inventors requested the Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (KISTEC), a local independent incorporated association, to conduct a simulation test of the hail-proofing effect of the parts formed with bubble cushioning material, specifically, a test in which a steel ball was dropped from a height of 2 m.

[0022] The details of this simulation test (drop ball test) are as follows: sample: Falling objects: steel balls of three different diameters (20, 30, 40 mm) Protected object: Trunk lid (steel plate) (Reference objects) Fender (aluminum plate), rear side glass (vehicles of Company A and Company B) Bubble wrap: 1, 2, or 3 layers of double-layered bubble wrap with 10mm diameter bubbles Three types Test conditions: A falling ball test was conducted, dropping the object from a height of 2m from the protected object. Measure the depth of dents in objects

[0023] Table 1 shows the results of the ball drop test on the trunk lid (steel plate). Figure 3 shows a graph of Table 1. [Table 1]

[0024] Table 2 (reference) shows the results of the ball drop test on the fender (aluminum plate). [Table 2]

[0025] Table 3 (reference) shows the results of the ball drop test on the rear side window (vehicle of Company A). [Table 3]

[0026] Table 4 (reference) shows the results of the ball drop test on the rear side window (vehicle of Company B). [Table 4]

[0027] From Table 1 and Figure 3, we can see that using at least two sheets of double-layered bubble cushioning material with 10 mm diameter bubbles will keep trunk lid dents to 0.2 mm or less. Dents of 0.2 mm or less can be detected using reflected light, but are almost impossible to detect with the naked eye. Therefore, for economic reasons, we decided to use two or more sheets of double-layered bubble cushioning material.

[0028] Figure 4 is a graph simulating the relationship between kinetic energy during a hail collision and the dent in the vehicle, using the data in Table 1. The horizontal axis represents the kinetic energy [J] during the collision, and the vertical axis represents the dent. The depth of the hole [mm] is taken.

[0029] When a 20mm steel ball is dropped from a height of 2m, the impact energy is calculated as follows: It can be calculated from the downward speed, acceleration of gravity, and height. Similarly, it can be calculated for 40mm steel balls. The horizontal axis is set to the collision energy of the 20mm, 30mm, and 40mm steel balls obtained here, and the corresponding dent data in Table 1 is plotted on the vertical axis, and an approximate formula (data for no bubble wrap and one piece) was obtained. From Figure 4, it can be seen that by laying one piece of bubble wrap, the collision energy It was found that approximately 1.64 J was absorbed.

[0030] Figure 5 is a graph with the kinetic energy at the time of impact on the horizontal axis and the diameter of the hailstone on the vertical axis. Hailstones are ice, and by calculating their mass, the relationship between the kinetic energy at the time of impact and the diameter of the hailstone can be calculated. From the results shown in Figure 4, the impact energy that can be absorbed by one piece of bubble wrap can be calculated. The energy of a hailstone is approximately 1.64 J, so the corresponding hailstone diameter is approximately 24.4 mm. Therefore, it was found that by laying one layer of bubble wrap, the impact energy of a hailstone up to approximately 24.4 mm can be absorbed without causing any substantial dents in the vehicle. In this embodiment, two layers of bubble wrap were laid to take safety factors into consideration.

[0031] In the above simulation tests, it was possible to calculate the kinetic energy imparted by the steel balls to the vehicle. However, the strength (material, thickness, etc.) of the object being protected (such as the vehicle roof) varies greatly. The shape and size of hail are also unpredictable. Furthermore, because hail comes down with wind and rain, its descent speed is also unpredictable. Therefore, this simulation test only confirmed the theoretical effects of using bubble wrap and one layer of bubble wrap compared to the case without bubble wrap.

[0032] In the future, in the embodiment, we will actually use a half cover with two layers of bubble wrap to check the feel. It is necessary to collect real-world data (actual data) and compare it with the data from this simulation test.

[0033] [Features, effects, etc.] In this embodiment, the following modifications can be made.

[0034] (1) The half cover, which is placed over the part of the vehicle that needs to be protected from hail damage, and the regular vehicle cover that covers it are separate. As the half cover does not absorb water, it can be dried in a short time when stored.

[0035] When a component with half-cover functionality is incorporated into a regular vehicle cover, it is generally made of fabric, so it absorbs rainwater and takes time to dry when stored. The hail damage reduction vehicle cover of this embodiment is easy to use when stored. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 2: Parts you want to protect in particular, 4: Other parts, 6: Strings, tape, 10: Half cover,

Claims

1. A hail damage reduction vehicle cover in which a half cover is placed over the part of the vehicle that needs to be protected from hail damage, and then covered with a regular vehicle cover. The half cover is formed of a central portion in the vehicle width direction that covers at least the vehicle roof and other portions on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and the central portion and the other portions are sewn together to form a single unit, The central portion is made of two layers of bubble cushioning material with 10 mm diameter bubbles formed only on the surface of the film. A vehicle cover for reducing hail damage, wherein the other portions are formed of flame-retardant nonwoven fabric.

2. 2. The vehicle cover for hail damage reduction according to claim 1, The vehicle cover for hail damage reduction, wherein the central portion further covers one or more selected from the group consisting of a vehicle hood, a trunk lid, a windshield, and a rear window.

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