Universal Vehicle Protector with Elastic Strap Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automotive protection solutions fail to provide comprehensive protection for a wide range of vehicle models without labor-intensive installation, often requiring specific designs for each model and may not accommodate all vehicle types or materials, and can cause damage during application or removal.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle protector with adjustable, elastic straps and channels that securely attach to various vehicle surfaces, including a plastically deformable attachment portion to conform to contours, and optional security straps to prevent theft, ensuring broad compatibility and secure fitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective cover is designed to fit specific automobile models with clips and attachment handles, then the protection reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to requiring multiple model-specific designs
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is designed with a universal strap system that can be adjusted to fit multiple automobile models and body types. Instead of creating model-specific clips and attachment handles, the invention uses a single adjustable strap mechanism that secures to various vehicle contours, eliminating the need for multiple design variants while maintaining reliable protection across different vehicle types.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover incorporates adjustable straps with buckles that allow dynamic adaptation to different vehicle geometries. The straps can be tightened or loosened to accommodate various bumper shapes and sizes, providing a flexible fit that maintains protection reliability without requiring rigid model-specific designs.
2Reliability
If attachment handles are fixedly attached via sheet metal screws, then the protection reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture and installation deteriorates due to labor-intensive installation and potential corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces permanent mechanical fastening (sheet metal screws) with a removable strap-and-buckle system. This substitution eliminates the need for drilling, screwing, and potential corrosion issues while maintaining secure attachment. The strap system can be easily installed and removed without specialized tools or labor-intensive procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The strap system is designed to be self-installing without requiring professional installation equipment or expertise. The user can independently attach and adjust the straps to secure the protective cover, eliminating the need for labor-intensive installation procedures while maintaining reliable protection.
3Ease of manufacture
If the protective panel is supported only at longitudinal ends, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the protection reliability deteriorates due to slippage in the center exposing the bumper
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a single panel supported only at ends, the invention divides the securing system into multiple strap segments distributed across the protective cover. These straps are attached at multiple points including the center and edges, preventing slippage and ensuring the entire bumper surface remains protected while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
4Ease of operation
If magnetic supports are used to attach the device to the automobile body, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates on composite non-ferromagnetic bodies and potential scratching occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces magnetic attachment with a mechanical strap-and-buckle system that physically secures the protective cover to the vehicle. This substitution ensures reliable attachment on all vehicle types including those with composite bodies where magnets would fail, while avoiding scratching issues associated with magnetic application and removal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides comprehensive, secure, and adaptable protection for a wide range of vehicle models, preventing damage from impacts while being easy to install and maintain, and deterring theft through secure attachment mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
elastic straps
Implementation Method 2
plastically deformable attachment portion to conform to contours
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle protector having an elongated body with a front surface, a back surface, a top, a bottom, and a first and second end, the first and second ends disposed opposite from one another, with first and second top straps disposed on the front surface nearer to the top than the bottom, the first top strap having a distal end extending from the first body end and the second top strap having a distal end extending from the second body end. Upon the application of tensile forces to the first and second top straps and the first and second bottom straps, the top of the body is drawn towards the bottom of the body on the back surface.