# US 9,428,039 B2 · Motor vehicle provided with a protective tarpaulin system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,428,039 B2 - Document ID: US9428039B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/769,839 - Filed: 2014-02-21 - Published: 2016-01-14 - Granted: 2016-08-30 - Earliest claimed: 2013-02-25 - Applicants: Andre Sassi; Jocelyne Sassi - Inventors: Andre Sassi; Jocelyne Sassi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9428039B2 ## CPC - B60J 11/02: Covers wound on rollers - B60J 11/04: for covering at least the roof of the vehicle, e.g. for covering the whole vehicle - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) ## Abstract A motor vehicle (V), the vehicle including an outer body (E) and provided with a protective tarpaulin system including a flexible tarpaulin (1) for covering the outer body (E) at least in part. The tarpaulin (1) is windable around a drum (2) between a wound-in storage position and a wound out position. The tarpaulin includes a connection edge secured to the drum, and an opposite edge that is free. The free edge of the flexible tarpaulin includes at least one traction element (13) made of ferromagnetic material; and the vehicle (V) includes at least one magnet (4) movable under the outer body (E), the magnet (4) attracting the traction element (13) of the tarpaulin through the outer body (E) and entraining the traction element (13) of the tarpaulin, so as to bring the tarpaulin into the wound-out position of the tarpaulin by sliding over the outer body (E). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motor vehicle (V) defining a longitudinal direction (L) that extends over the length of the vehicle between a rear bumper (R) and a front bumper (F), the vehicle including an outer body (E) that extends substantially from one bumper to the other starting from a sill (C), the vehicle also being provided with a protective tarpaulin system comprising a flexible tarpaulin (1) for covering the outer body (E) of the vehicle (V) at least in part so as to protect it, the system further comprising a winding drum (2), advantageously installed at the rear bumper (R) of the vehicle, the tarpaulin (1) being windable around the drum (2) between a wound-in storage position and a wound-out position, the tarpaulin (1) including a connection edge (11) that is secured to the drum (3), and an opposite edge (12) that is free; the motor vehicle being characterized in that: the free edge (11) of the flexible tarpaulin (1) includes at least one traction element (13) made of ferromagnetic material, and the vehicle (V) includes at least one movable magnet (4) that is movable under the outer body (E) along a traction path that extends in the longitudinal direction (L), the movable magnet (4) attracting the traction element (13) of the tarpaulin (1) through the outer body (E) and entraining the traction element (13) of the tarpaulin (1) along the traction path, so as to bring the tarpaulin (1) into the wound-out position of the tarpaulin by sliding over the outer body (E). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traction element (13) is flexible. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the movable magnet (4) is connected via a traction cable (41) to a winder (5, 6) that is advantageously arranged at the front bumper (F). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the movable magnet (4) remains secured to the traction element (13) while the traction element is being wound onto the drum (2), with the traction cable (41) relaxed or under a small amount of tension. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A vehicle according to claim 1, including a guide channel (42) in which the movable magnet (4) is moved, the guide channel (42) extending under the outer body (E) of the vehicle, in its direct proximity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer body (E) is non-ferromagnetic, advantageously being made out of aluminum or out of plastics or composite material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tarpaulin (1) includes a zone (14) that is covered in photovoltaic cells (15). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein, on either side of the zone (14), the tarpaulin (1) forms flexible side flaps (16) for covering the sides of the vehicle (V). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A vehicle according to claim 8, wherein each flexible side flap (16) includes at least one ferromagnetic insert (17), and the vehicle (V) includes stationary magnets (M) in the proximity of the sill (C), so as to hold the side flaps (16) pressed against the outer body (E). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer body (E) includes heater means (H) for heating the tarpaulin (1). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is a car.