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Rain Blaster
Stream of air keeps you dry while getting into your car. | |
The transition from walking with an umbrella to sitting in my car always seems like a drippy affair. The rain blaster is a powerful flat fan mounted in the ceiling of the vehicle (or inside the trunk and directed up to the roof). When a water sensor detects it is raining, the door of your car has just
opened, and you have just sat down - it sends out a blast of air along the top edge of the door, giving you a rain-free "canopy" so you can sit, shake out your umbrella, then get in your car without getting wet.
This could probably be done much easier with a real canopy that pops out like a wing above the door to shelter you while you get settled in the car, but I liked the idea of the air-powered rain re-direction. The cheaper version would be this pop-out - button-activated type.
For clarification - air blower type would be powerful enough (and angled correctly). to keep the rain off the door.
The pop-out (manual) type would be like the wings on Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang (see link), but above the door (not below it). Perhaps you could even have the Chitty-Chitty sound going on as it engaged.
Try this, [dentworth]
http://www.cnn.com/.../flame.thrower.car/
You'll certainly get a warm blast [angel, Nov 13 2004]
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
http://www.hollywoo...release%20Loose.JPG
Closeup [trekbody, Nov 15 2004]
[link]
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This would make for such a cool patio umbrella.
"Quick kids it's starting to sprinkle, everyone under the force field." |
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I want a portable one--"invisible umbrella"! |
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'Hold onto your hat, glasses and dentures, Grandma. I'm going to open now.' |
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I love the warm blast I get in some store fronts, (in cold weather) when you first open the door. This would be nice feature in cars. |
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[dentworth] - That's one thing that even the most expensive luxury cars haven't sorted out - the ten minutes of freezing cold interior between when you get in at 07:00 on a winter's morning and when the engine warms up enough to make the heating work. |
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Perhaps this could be done by the car itself building up interior air pressure when it detects rain outside. More rain = more pressure. The pressure is suddenly vented when the door is open, leaving you toasty warm and dry. Oh yes: hot air. Unfortunately this will not work for your passenger, unless your timing is perfect, and then only half as well. |
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It occurs to me that the patio version could be made with a series of leaf blowers. You would want them angled, not straight up, or a puddle will accumulate in the air over the leaf blowers, writhing and churning ominously in the bitter wind. |
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I use a butler with a large black umbrella. |
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a piece of fabric attached to the top of the door, which can then be retracted into the roof vis a vis a roll-up window shade would work nicely as well. |
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