Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – End gates
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-04
2001-06-19
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
End gates
C296S039100, C296S039200, C296S136070, C280S770000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247742
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tailgate protecting devices and more particularly pertains to a new tailgate protecting device for protecting a tailgate from impact damage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tailgate protecting devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, tailgate protecting devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,016; U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,503; U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,201; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,560; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 391,545.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new tailgate protecting device. The inventive device includes a plate. The plate has a top edge, a bottom edge, a front side and a back side. A panel is securely attached to and substantially covers the back side of the plate. A first pair of securing means removably attaches the top edge of the plate to a top edge of a tailgate. A second pair of securing means removably attaches the bottom edge of the plate to a bottom edge of the tailgate.
In these respects, the tailgate protecting device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of protecting a tailgate from impact damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of tailgate protecting devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new tailgate protecting device construction wherein the same can be utilized for protecting a tailgate from impact damage.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new tailgate protecting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the tailgate protecting devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new tailgate protecting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art tailgate protecting devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a plate. The plate has a top edge, a bottom edge, a front side and a back side. A panel is securely attached to and substantially covers the back side of the plate. A first pair of securing means removably attaches the top edge of the plate to a top edge of a tailgate. A second pair of securing means removably attaches the bottom edge of the plate to a bottom edge of the tailgate.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new tailgate protecting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the tailgate protecting devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new tailgate protecting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art tailgate protecting devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new tailgate protecting device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new tailgate protecting device which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new tailgate protecting device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such tailgate protecting device economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new tailgate protecting device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new tailgate protecting device for protecting a tailgate from impact damage.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new tailgate protecting device which includes a plate. The plate has a top edge, a bottom edge, a front side and a back side. A panel is securely attached to and substantially covers the back side of the plate. A first pair of securing means removably attaches the top edge of the plate to a top edge of a tailgate. A second pair of securing means removably attaches the bottom edge of the plate to a bottom edge of the tailgate.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new tailgate protecting device that is retrofittable to existing tailgates.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new tailgate protecting device that has a wool panel to protect the tailgate from scratches.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 391545 (1998-03-01), Arndt et al.
patent: 4531560 (1985-07-01), Balanky
patent: 4707016 (1987-11-01), McDonald
patent: 4743058 (1988-05-01), Fedrigo
patent: 4763945 (1988-08-01), Murray
patent: 4875731 (1989-10-01), Ruiz
patent: 4936625 (1990-06-01), Pickard et al.
patent: 5000503 (1991-03-01), Bernatek
patent: 5169201 (1992-12-01), Gower
patent: 52
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
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