| 摘要 |
A device for protecting a vehicle top surface and for removing snow from t he vehicle top surface. The device includes a generally flexible membrane and a mounting mechanism allowing the membrane to slidably move between a covering configuration wherein the membrane covers the vehicle top surface a nd a retracted configuration wherein the membrane is removed from the vehicle t op surface and is in an overlying relationship relative to the vehicle first si de wall. The mounting mechanism allows the membrane to remain in a generally tau t state as it is moved between the covering and retracted configurations, the membrane being bent according to a membrane bending angle that dislodges snow having adhered to the membrane. Optionally, the device further includes a binding snow breaking component mounted on the vehicle for locally breaking slabs of binding snow that may form between the membrane peripheral edges and adjacent structures part of the vehicle. The present invention also relates to a method for preventing from accumulating on the vehicle top surface. The method includes the step of mounting a membrane to the vehicle in a protecti ng configuration wherein the membrane generally protectively overlies the vehic le top surface so as to enable the membrane to collect a certain amount of the snow falling towards the vehicle top surface. Once a certain amount of snow has accumulated on the membrane, the membrane is moved from the protecting configuration to a retracted configuration wherein the membrane is at least partially retracted from the vehicle top surface and tilted at an angle allowing the discharge away from the vehicle of the snow having been collected by the membrane.
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