U.S. patent application number 09/982690 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-28 for deformable vehicle bumper guard.
Invention is credited to Bio, Giuseppe.
Application Number | 20020024224 09/982690 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26967975 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020024224 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bio, Giuseppe |
February 28, 2002 |
Deformable vehicle bumper guard
Abstract
A temporary and removable car bumper impact absorber protection
device with adjustable straps for securing on or inside (the trunk,
for example) of an automobile with the cushioning material resting
on the bumper to be protected.
Inventors: |
Bio, Giuseppe; (Towaco,
NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ralph T. Lilore
Attorney-at-Law
1425 Broad Street
Clifton
NJ
07013
US
|
Family ID: |
26967975 |
Appl. No.: |
09/982690 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09982690 |
Oct 18, 2001 |
|
|
|
09293471 |
Apr 13, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
293/142 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 19/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
293/142 |
International
Class: |
B60R 019/44 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A protected rear bumper of an automobile comprising in
combination: (a) a rear automobile bumper attached to said
automobile, said automobile comprising a securing location remote
from said bumper, (d) a structure of a reusable impact absorbing
material covering at least part of said bumper, (e) at least two
flexible straps attached to said impact absorbing material
structure and extending outwardly therefrom, said straps being
adjustable in length and terminating in ends consisting essentially
of securing means disengagingly attached to said securing location
remote from said bumper.
2. The absorber of claim 1 wherein the absorber is constructed of a
cushioning material comprising deformable plastic, resin, natural
or synthetic rubbers, paper, cardboard, or fabric.
3. The absorber of claim 2 wherein the cushioning material
comprises polystyrene foam.
4. The absorber of claim 2 wherein the straps comprise adjustable
buckles suitable for adjusting the length of said straps extending
from said absorber.
5. The absorber of claim 4 wherein the means for securing the
straps to the automobile comprise hooks, screws, velcro, blocks, or
washers.
6. The absorber of claim 5 wherein said means comprises hooks.
7. The absorber of claim 6 wherein said straps are stretchable.
8. A method for protecting the rear bumper of an automobile
comprising in combination: (a) providing a rear automobile bumper
attached to said automobile, said automobile comprising a securing
location remote from said bumper, (e) providing a structure of a
reusable impact absorbing material for covering at least part of
said bumper, at least two flexible straps attached to said impact
absorbing material structure and extending outwardly therefrom,
said straps being adjustable in length and terminating in ends
consisting essentially of securing means disengagingly attachable
to said securing location remote from said bumper, (f) attaching
said securing means to said securing location, (g) deploying the
impact absorbing material to cover at least a part of said
bumper,
9. The absorber of claim 8 wherein the absorber is constructed of a
cushioning material comprising deformable plastic, resin, natural
or synthetic rubbers, paper, cardboard, or fabric.
10. The absorber of claim 9 wherein the cushioning material
comprises polystyrene foam.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending
U.S. Ser. No. 09/293,471 entitled Deformable Vehicle Bumper Guard
filed Apr. 13, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to an automobile protection device
and more particularly to protection of the bumper of an automobile,
especially the rear bumper. The invention relates even more
particularly to an automobile bumper protector which is effective
at low speed impacts.
[0003] Bumpers are very easily damaged upon impact even at low
impact velocities such as are encountered in the parking of
vehicles. Cars are especially vulnerable when left at parking lots
where, because of the tightness of space and the desire to cram as
many cars as possible in the lot, the cars, especially the rear,
are brought too closely into contact with the front of the next
car.
[0004] This invention provides a temporary impact or crash absorber
attachable to an automobile bumper to absorb the shock of low
impact with another vehicle when the automobile is backed into the
other vehicle during a parking operation. The impact absorber of
the invention is portable and when put in place, allows the driver
to hear and feel engagement with another vehicle before any
scratches, dents, and other damage occurs on the surface of the
bumper or of other parts of either car. Damage to both vehicles is
thus minimized, if not eliminated.
[0005] The device of the invention is portable and can be readily
attached to and removed from any automobile and is used only when
it is desired to park the car, especially in parking lots. It is
thus conveniently utilized whenever needed and is easily stored in
the trunk of the automobile or with the parking attendant until
needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The device of the invention is a portable impact absorber
having "securing means" thereon such as straps which are used to
secure the absorber to the car at a "securing location which is
remote from the bumper" of the car yet allows the absorber to rest
on and against the bumper thereby providing protection for the
bumper. The straps are equipped with means on each end, such as
hooks or the like for example, which can engage an appropriate
securing location remote from the bumper such as an attachment or
protrusion on the automobile or in the trunk of the automobile or
the inside of the trunk itself and thus allow the absorber to hang
from the securing location whether inside or outside of the trunk
onto the bumper in protective engagement. The straps may also be
adjustable via buckles or the like to allow for differences in
dimensions of the rear bumpers and their distances from the
securing location and may also be stretchable. As used herein, the
term "securing location which is remote from the bumper" means any
is remote from the bumper" means any appropriate location on the
automobile, except the bumper itself, for securing the straps. The
bumper to be protected is not an appropriate securing means and is
excluded from the definition thereof for various reasons chief
among which is that the invention requires that the absorber
loosely rest on the bumper to provide flexibility in swift and
rapid deployment for use. In this regard, a securing location
inside the trunk is most preferred. Thus, a corollary to the above
definition is that the "securing means on the impact absorber" does
not include means attachable to the bumper but only to a position
remote from the bumper.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is an elevation of the right end of the device shown
in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the impact absorber mounted
on the rear bumper of an automobile shown in dotted lines.
[0010] Referring now to the Figures, in FIG. 1, a layer of
deformable material 3 is provided as the basis for the device of
the invention. The deformable material may be any cushioning
material such as plastic foam, preferably Styrofoam, pressed paper,
cardboard or fabric, and elastic material such as rubber or a
rubbery polymer such as synthetic rubbers or nitriles used as
cushioning materials. The material is preferably one which bounces
back to its original configuration, but does not have to be. Two
adjustable straps 4 and 5 have adjustment buckles 6 and 7 which fit
around and extend from deformable absorber 3. Straps 4 and 5 are
preferably elastic, i.e. stretchable, materials though they do not
have to be.
[0011] Affixed to adjustable straps 4 and 5 are retaining hooks 8
and 9. Hooks 8 and 9 are adapted to hook onto any appropriate
securing location such as protrusions available in the trunk of the
car or outside the car, remote from the bumper, but preferably
inside the trunk (see FIG. 3) and the buckles 6 and 7 adjusted so
that absorber 3 rests and rides on the rear bumper 10 (FIG. 3) of
the automobile and protects the same. A trunk door of the
automobile (not shown) can be closed over the straps once hooks 8
and 9 or any other means capable of holding the straps are in place
to help secure them.
[0012] The presence of the adjustable buckles 6 and 7 provide the
variability needed to account for any differences in dimensions
from one car to another. Such adjustments may, therefore, be made
with the absorber in place and the hooks 8 and 9 secured inside the
trunk or elsewhere in or on the car, thus providing a good amount
of flexibility from one car to another and ease of use without
constant adjustment of screw-type adjusters found in the prior
art.
[0013] As noted, straps 4 and 5 do not have to be elastic and may
be of any material strong enough to handle the absorber such as
leather, canvas, fabric, vinyl, or other plastic and the like. The
remainder of the straps, i.e. pieces 11 and 12, are attached to the
absorber 3 and provide the means by which the absorber is secured
to the straps. While stretchable straps 4 and 5 are most preferred,
they may also be of the non-elastic variety since adjustments 6 and
7 provide the means by which variations in length can be
accommodated.
[0014] In the Figures, while absorber 3 is shown in FIG. 2 as being
rectangular or box-shaped, it may be molded, if desired, to conform
to curves expected to be found in car bumpers.
[0015] It is preferred to use only one absorber per car and for
that reason, absorber 3 is preferably a length of about twelve
inches to eighteen inches, a height of about six inches to eight
inches, and a depth of about four inches to six inches to provide
both a convenient size for handling and a sufficient coverage for
most bumpers.
[0016] The length of the absorber is more than each of its height
and thickness and preferably more than double the height. The
thickness is preferably equal to the height, but may be less or
more, but not usually less than the amount by which any bumper
attachment protrudes from the bumper. The length of the absorber 3
is preferably substantial in relation to the length of the bumper,
most preferably at least about 1/3 or more that of the bumper.
[0017] In various experimentations and trials, various embodiments
of the invention have been made and tested for operability with
very satisfactory results. Such tests included equipping an
automobile rear bumper with the impact absorber of the invention
and permitting a driver to park the car by driving directly
backward into a stationary parked car at about five miles per hour
and the car brakes applied upon notice of impact. The bumper guard
was made of polystyrene, the straps were elastic and adjustable.
The bumper guard of the invention absorbed the shock and prevented
damage to either car.
[0018] The use of the absorber of the invention eliminates the need
for using a plurality of smaller absorbers placed strategically
around the bumper. When a relatively large portion of the bumper is
covered by the absorber, damage resulting from angled orientations
of the car can be minimized and it is not necessary to make certain
that cars being parked are exactly aligned with one another, Since
not all of the bumper is covered, the guard is easier to handle by
the operator of the vehicle when it is applied.
[0019] There are other numerous features and advantages of the
present invention including, without limitation, the following:
[0020] The impact absorbing structure has means for disengagingly
attaching the strap to strap securing means on the automobile. This
provides for temporary and repetitive coverage of the bumper,
permitting storage in the trunk or removal of the device
entirely,
[0021] The structure is reusable being preferably constructed from
impact absorbing and cushioning material.
[0022] The instant bumper protector is preferably part of a
combination with the automobile. It is also temporary and
removable.
[0023] It may be easily deployed by the simple maneuver of flipping
the absorber out of the trunk and allowing it to rest against the
bumper in a single step.
[0024] The invention thus contemplates a protected rear bumper of
an automobile comprising
[0025] (a) a rear automobile bumper attached to said automobile,
said automobile comprising a securing location remote from said
bumper,
[0026] (b) a structure of a reusable impact absorbing material
covering at least part of said bumper,
[0027] (c) at least two flexible straps attached to said impact
absorbing material structure and extending outwardly therefrom,
said straps being adjustable in length and terminating in ends
consisting essentially of securing means disengagingly attached to
said securing location remote from said bumper.
[0028] The invention also contemplates a method for protecting the
rear bumper of an automobile. The method comprises in
combination:
[0029] (a) providing a rear automobile bumper attached to said
automobile, said automobile comprising a securing location remote
from said bumper,
[0030] (b) providing a structure of a reusable impact absorbing
material for covering at least part of said bumper, at least two
flexible straps attached to said impact absorbing material
structure and extending outwardly therefrom, said straps being
adjustable in length and terminating in ends consisting essentially
of securing means disengagingly attachable to said securing
location remote from said bumper,
[0031] (c) attaching said securing means to said securing
location,
[0032] (d) deploying the impact absorbing material to cover at
least a part of said bumper.
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