Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-26
2001-11-13
Camby, Richard M. (Department: 3661)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315327
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to protective covers, and in particular to a flexible, magnetized, resilient protective cover for generally-conforming placement on a vehicle surface such that items to be hauled can be lodged against the surface so covered without causing damage during transport.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The importance and desirability of maintaining vehicle finishes in good condition are recognized by both automobile and truck owners and operators. Such maintenance not only enhances the general appearance of a vehicle, but also contributes to preservation of vehicle integrity by reducing paint abrasions and subsequent rust formation and body degradation. Present protective product availability includes full vehicle covers, front-end covers, and side guards. Such full cover products are exemplified by Sasaki et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,355), Balanky (U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,560), and Henke et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,825), while a front end protector is taught by Waldon (U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,218). Side guard products are defined by Marquette (U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,478), Duke (U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,911), Brown (U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,925), Klein (U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,763), and McNeil (U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,145). Many of these products can be retained in place magnetically as they generally passively protect a vehicle finish primarily from weather conditions, road hazards, or minor impacts from doors of adjacently parked vehicles.
While the above devices deal with common damage that occurs during the course of driving and/or parking, none addresses protection of vehicle surfaces that can be damaged during use of the vehicle for hauling bulky items that may be in touch with such surfaces. Thus, for instance, a pickup truck may be employed to carry a ladder that is longer than the bed of the truck. A common solution for accommodating such cargo is to stand it angularly upward against the rear of the cab portion of the truck such that the cargo leans against the surface location primarily at the rear junction of the roof and the rear wall and is secured with rope or the like. When this approach is employed, the cargo (e.g. ladder) easily rubs against the surface and scratches the paint, leading to degradation of the vehicle.
In view of the above-discussed problem that occurs during transport of out-size items, it is apparent that a need is present for protection of relevant vehicle surfaces. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a generally stationary protective cover for a vehicle surface against which a cargo item can be positioned without damaging the underlying vehicle surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a protective cover having resiliency to thereby absorb weight pressure of the cargo item without transferring damaging pressure to the underlying vehicle surface.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a protective cover that conforms to vehicle profile and accommodates the presence of vehicle equipment whose operation must not be impeded.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a resilient protective cover for placement on a vehicle surface area such that the cover is disposed between the surface area and an item subsequently placed against that surface area. The cover comprises a flexible resilient layer capable of absorbing weight pressure of the item subsequently placed there against, and a flexible magnetized layer releasably magnetically securable to the vehicle surface area and to which the resilient layer is adhered. The resilient layer preferably has a generally non-slip surface whose surface tension value inhibits slippage of the item placed against it. A score line can be provided at an anticipated bend site, and a cut-out portion likewise can be situated to accommodate vehicle equipment such as a brake light, for example, at an anticipated equipment site. A cover can be sized to extend externally from a roof site over an intersection site to a rear wall site of a cab portion of a pickup truck, with an edge of the resilient layer placeable on the roof site and meant to be oriented in a forward direction being beveled to counteract the tendency of head-on airflow caused by vehicle movement to lift the cover from the roof site. In this manner, a generally stationary protective cover for a vehicle surface is provided. A cargo item can be positioned against the cover without damaging the underlying surface of the vehicle during transport. As necessary, of course, one or more tie-down ropes or cords can be connected between the cargo item and the vehicle to thereby assure safe transit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3665355 (1972-05-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 4219218 (1980-08-01), Waldon
patent: 4294478 (1981-10-01), Marquette
patent: 4531560 (1985-07-01), Balanky
patent: 4652037 (1987-03-01), Thau et al.
patent: 4896911 (1990-01-01), Duke
patent: 4940009 (1990-07-01), Keithley, Jr.
patent: 5050925 (1991-09-01), Brown
patent: 5267763 (1993-12-01), Klein
patent: 5312145 (1994-05-01), McNeil
patent: 5529371 (1996-06-01), Egigian
patent: 5664825 (1997-09-01), Henke et al.
patent: 5799992 (1998-09-01), Kojima
patent: 5931522 (1999-08-01), Roskey
patent: 5984401 (1999-11-01), Hannah
patent: 2231602 (1974-02-01), None
Camby Richard M.
Stetina Brunda Garred & Brucker
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