Compact vehicle door protector and bullet-proof auto shields

Abstract

A compact vehicle door protector and Bullet-proof Auto Shield that protects any type of vehicle such as but not limited to a car, truck, sports utility vehicle, van, aircraft, which is easy and quick to install, and removable from vehicle, folded and stored away compactly before and after use, and more importantly serves as an auto door shield, capable of protecting the driver and occupants of the vehicle from harmful bullets or projectiles, while the extant vehicle is stationary or in motion.

Claims

1. A vehicle door protector, comprising: a shell member configured to cover a portion of an automobile door, said shell member having a first panel, a second panel and a third panel, said second panel being between said first panel and said third panel, said first panel being connected to said second panel by a first plurality of hinges and said second panel being connected to said third panel by a second plurality of hinges, each said panel having an interior surface configured to face said automobile door and an exterior surface opposite said interior surface, each said hinge having a locking lever configured to lock said respective hinge; each said panel having a strap configured to attach said shell member to said automobile door, each said strap being made of a malleable metal, each said strap extending across respective said exterior surface of each said panel, each said strap having a hasp, each said hasp configured to permit adjustment of said respective strap, each said strap having a thin foam coating; whereby when installed, said straps secure said shell member to said automobile door by wrapping around an upper and a lower edge of said automobile door.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With Corrected Drawing Numbers & Descriptions (FIGS. 6 To 7) Figures

(1) FIG. 1 is an in-use view of present invention (i.e. Compact Vehicle Door Protector)

(2) FIG. 2 is a view of exterior surface of present invention

(3) FIG. 3 is a view of exterior surface of a variant of Compact Vehicle Door Protector

(4) FIG. 4 is an isometric view of present invention

(5) FIG. 5 is a view of interior surface of present invention

(6) FIG. 6(A) is a view of exterior surface of another variant of Compact Vehicle Door Protector

(7) FIG. 6(B) is a zoomed in cross-section view of a securing strap of Compact Vehicle Door Protector

(8) FIG. 7(A) is a view of exterior surface of another variant of Compact Vehicle Door Protector

(9) FIG. 7(B) is a view of Compact Vehicle Door Protector's one of the installed hinges unfolded (while protector is in use) state and its lever in a locked state

(10) FIG. 7(C) is a view of Compact Vehicle Door Protector's one of the installed hinges in a freely movable state as its lever in an unlocked state (needed when protector is about to be folded after use, or about to be unfolded before use)

(11) FIG. 7(D) is a view of Compact Vehicle Door Protector's one of the installed hinges in folded state and its lever in a locked state

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(12) With reference now to the drawings, and in particular FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, example of the compact vehicle door protector, based on my earlier invention named “Vehicle Door Protector” U.S. Pat. No. 8,702,136,B2, employing the principles and concepts of present compact vehicle door protector and generally designated by the reference number 600 will be described.

(13) Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, a preferred embodiment of the present compact vehicle door protector 600 is illustrated.

(14) As described in the summary section above, the present invention Compact Vehicle door Protector 600, has most of the features as elaborated in my earlier invention named “Vehicle Door Protector” U.S. Pat. No. 8,702,136,B2, and in addition and/or in difference, has been designed to provide more benefits to the product users. The benefits, features, and purposes are described in detailed below, and in other sections above, with further granular detail.

(15) The present compact vehicle door protector consists of a singular or a plurality of foldable shell members 100, 101, 102, 103 co-ordinated and connected by hinges 200, 201, 202 and 203.

(16) The hinges are made of a strong metal, alloy, hardened plastic, or a combination thereof, or made of any suitable sturdy raw material. The hinges thus illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7 200, 201, 202, and 203 seamlessly enable unfolding and folding of the shell members 100, 102, 103 before and after use respectively. These hinges 200, 201, 202, and 203 are also the sole parts responsible for providing the compact feature to the present compact vehicle door protector 600.

(17) For a sturdier, rigid look & feel, more control, and an additional firmness to the present compact vehicle door protector 600, thereby shielding the extant vehicle door 800 from blemishes, dents, dings, or any scratches, a singularity or plurality of hinges 200, 201, 202, and 203 each may be equipped with a lockable lever facility 500, and so when 100, 101, and 102 or a combination thereof are unfolded, and after the straps 300 are securely fit and attached, next the user of present invention will switch on the hinge's(203) lever's (lock) 500, thereby enabling the added firmness with a “one shell member sturdiness”, look and feel. Likewise, the user will (need to) remember to (a) unlock the lever 500 and (b) loosen/release the singularity or plurality of securable and adjustable straps 300 utilizing hasps 420 (accessible from the vehicle's interior), before folding the present compact vehicle door protector 600 for storing it away. If the vehicle user/owner/driver doesn't care or doesn't worry about the compacting (/folding) the present compact door protector 600, she/he can simply release/loosen the hasp(s) 420 attached to singularity or plurality of the adjustable/securing straps 300 and then store it away, whereby the shell members FIGS. 7(A) 100, 101 will not be foldable.

(18) A singularity or plurality of the hinges elaborated above can also employ hinges 200, 201, and 202 which are of plug-and-play type without any need for screws and bolts.

(19) Alternately the present compact vehicle door protector can have a singularity or plurality of hinges 203, embedded to the plurality of shell members 100 and 101 which require a set of screws or rivets 550 or a similar means of permanent fixture. These fixtures illustrated in detail in FIGS. 7(B), 7(C) and 7(D) are permanently installed to the plurality of shell members FIGS. 7(A) 100 and 101. The singularity or plurality of hinges FIGS. 7(A) 203 are installed in such a way that, they don't scratch or damage the extant vehicle's exterior 700, in anyway. Additionally for a uniform/plain look and feel for the compact vehicle door protector 600, each of the screws/rivets 550 can be glued or snapped in with durable studs made of plastic, metal, or any material compatible with the hinges 203 and screws/rivets 550, to provide a beautiful, wholesome look and feel to the present compact vehicle door protector 600.

(20) Each of the plurality of shell members 100, 101 are made of materials, as described in my earlier invention named “Vehicle Door Protector” U.S. Pat. No. 8,702,136,B2. Additionally, the interior surface 900 are layered with or coated with a scratch proof material or substance, thereby eliminating the minimal probability of scratches that could be caused by the present compact vehicle door protector, while the present invention 600, comes in contact with the extant vehicle exterior 700.

(21) To releasably secure each of the compact vehicle door protectors 600 to the desired extant vehicle doors 800, a plurality of securing straps are employed, as elaborated in my earlier invention named “Vehicle Door Protector” U.S. Pat. No. 8,702,136,B2. Alternately, the present compact vehicle door protector 600 can also be a singular whole shell member 100 without the need for any hinges 200, 201, 202, or 203 with a singular securing adjustable strap 300, or a plurality of shell members 100 and 101 with a singular or plurality of hinges 200, 201, 202, or 203 with a singular or plurality of securing adjustable straps 300.

(22) The plurality of shell members 100, 101 which are one of the main components of the present compact vehicle door protector 600, can be connected/held together by the hinges 200, 201, 202, 203 either horizontally or vertically.

(23) The present compact vehicle door protector's (600) shell member 100 can be made of metal as detailed in one of my prior inventions named “Vehicle Door Protector” U.S. Pat. No. 8,702,136,B2. The present invention's singularity or plurality of shell members 100, 101 can be installed to the extant vehicle door 800 using a singularity of plurality of securing straps 300 as detailed in the paragraph immediately above. The securing straps 300 of the present compact vehicle door protector 600 can also be made of a malleable, thin at the same time strong metal, for superior strength, to balance and seamlessly hold the weight of shell member, mainly and especially if the singularity or plurality of shell members 100, 101 are metallic. These securing straps 300 can also be of a custom made type, which can be coated with a thin layer of foam, plastic, rubber, or made of a mixture of these aforementioned elements, or made of any suitable substance to provide an easy to handle, customer friendly, durable, soft, and water-proof exterior layer 300e for a metallic interior 300i. The shell members 100, 101 thus installed to cover the exterior 700 of the extant vehicle door 800, as detailed in the paragraph immediately above, can serve as a bullet-proof shield for the vehicle driver and passengers, safely protecting them from harm. Hence, in the current world, this present compact vehicle door protector can be an indispensable protector for any police official and military personnel, whose lives deal with dangers sometimes, while they are on duty, thereby securing the personnel, and ensure a safer world.