Claims
- 1. A shield device for use in protecting a surface comprising:
- (a) a generally flat and relatively thin sheet of flexible plastic material having a peripheral edge shaped to generally conform to the shape of the surface to be protected; and,
- (b) a predetermined area of said sheet being at least partially enclosed by a series of relatively small and closely spaced deformations formed to extend outwardly of the plane of the sheet a short distance for permitting said predetermined area to be selectively deflected laterally of the plane of the sheet to form a pocket for generally conforming to a discontinuity in said surface, said predetermined area being substantially in the plane of said sheet until an external force is applied to produce lateral deflection.
- 2. The shield device as defined in claim 1 wherein said deformations comprise corrugations formed continuously about said predetermined area.
- 3. The shield device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said deformations extends from said sheet in a direction opposite to the next adjacent deformation.
- 4. The shield device as defined in claim 3 wherein said deformations comprise corrugations which lie in parallel generally about the periphery of said predetermined area.
- 5. The shield device as defined in claim 4 wherein said corrugations are continuous about said predetermined area.
- 6. The shield device as defined in claim 4 wherein said corrugations and said predetermined area comprise an integral continuation of said sheet.
- 7. The shield device as defined in claim 4 wherein the thickness of said corrugations is less than the thickness of said predetermined area.
- 8. The shield device as defined in claim 4 wherein said predetermined area is imperforate.
- 9. The shield device as defined in claim 4 wherein said corrugations are produced by thermoforming said sheet in a band about said predetermined area to produce a permanent thinning and elongation of the portion of the sheet constituting said band while maintaining said band generally in the plane of said sheet.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 883,826, filed July 9, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,848.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2409669 |
Jun 1979 |
FRX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
J. C. Whitney & Co. Cat. No. 451B, p. 18, undated. |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
883826 |
Jul 1986 |
|