Abstract:
A multiple piece device for preventing damage to automotive vehicles includes a mounting section that is secured to the vehicle and a cushioning piece that is separate and distinct from and releasably attached to the support section. The support section itself may include one or multiple pieces that are fastened to the cushioning piece in various ways.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates to multiple piece apparatus for protecting a motor vehicle from damage when the vehicle is parked. 
         [0003]    Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Cars and other motor vehicles parked adjacent to each other in parking lots or parking garages frequently receive dents from the doors of adjacent vehicles when they are irresponsibly opened. While most parking spaces are marked, many drivers do not make an effort to park parallel with the marked lines. This results in many car doors being too close to each other. When such doors are opened, they are apt to dent, ding/or scratch the adjacent door. 
         [0005]    Various automotive door guards have been introduced. Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 7,635,152 discloses a molded, one piece elongated door guard that is designed to be wedged between the car door and the body of the vehicle when the door is closed. Although this provides satisfactory protection to the vehicle in many cases, the one piece molded door guard can require a fairly expensive mold in order to manufacture the product. In addition, if the door guard is vandalized or torn, it must be entirely replaced. Conventional door guards also do not satisfactorily protect the front and rear bumpers of the vehicle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a highly effective and easy-to-install multiple piece apparatus that may be designed for protecting either a door or a bumper of an automotive vehicle. 
         [0007]    This invention features an automotive damage prevention device including at least one cushion mounting section for wedging between the body of the vehicle and a pivoting closure of the vehicle when that closure is shut. A separate cushion section includes receptacles for receiving the respective and mounting sections to attach the cushion section thereto. The cushion section has an elongated shape and a resilient composition. When the mounting sections are attached to the vehicle, the separate cushion section extends across the vehicle to protect the vehicle against damage from an adjacent vehicle. 
         [0008]    The mounting sections include a pair of deformable mounting components for securing to respective receptacles formed in opposite ends of the cushion section. 
         [0009]    In alternative versions, a protective device is provided for the front and rear bumpers of the vehicle. The device includes a cushioned bumper guard having an interior surface for engaging a respective bumper of the vehicle. 
     
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a multiple piece damage prevention device secured to a door of an automotive vehicle in accordance with this invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the assembled multiple piece device wherein an extruded cushion piece is received by a pair of support and attachment fittings. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exploded partial perspective view of the vehicle protection device wherein a mounting section is attached to the cushion piece by an interlocking plug and receptacle construction. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view on lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial top plan view of a door guard retainment portion. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged front elevational view thereof. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate version of the device, depicting a bumper guard that is releasably secured to a vehicle to protect either the front or rear bumper of the vehicle, shown in broken lines. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the bumper guard. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is an end view thereof. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a multiple piece damage prevention device  10  can be seen secured to an automotive vehicle  11  in order to prevent damage to door  12  resulting from the careless opening of adjacent doors (not shown). The damage prevention device  10  includes a pair of mounting portions  13  that are fastened to the door  12  in a manner described more fully hereinafter. 
         [0020]    The mounting portions  13  thus seen in  FIGS. 3, 5, and 6  of the drawings have a deformable tab portion  14  and an integral upstanding, locking receptacle plug  15 . The tab portion  14  has an elongated open tubular channel  16  formed in its bottom surface  17  centrally therein. A bendable wire reinforcement  18  is registerably positioned therewithin as best seen in  FIG. 4  of the drawings. The wire reinforcement  18  provides for select deformability of the tab portion  14  for placement between the respective front and rear door edges  12 A and  12 B as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
         [0021]    An elongated cushioning component  19  can be seen secured to and between the mounting portions  13 . The cushioning component  19  is typically molded and comprised of a resilient cushioning material, such as polyfoam and various polymers which may be utilized. The cushioning component  19  may have assorted configurations and is preferably wide and thick enough to prevent damage that commonly occurs when an adjacent vehicle door (not shown) is carelessly opened and allowed to strike vehicle. 
         [0022]    The cushioning component  19  is transversally tapered from a flat based  20  defining respective contoured sidewalls  21 A and  21 B terminating in a spaced parallel top surface  22 . Each of the cushioned components  19  ends have an inwardly extending tapered longitudinal surface  23  and  24  with a retainment registration opening  25  therein respectively, as best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. A mounting recess  26  is formed within the flat based  20  inwardly of the respective cushioned component ends interconnecting with the hereinbefore described retainment receptacle openings  25 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 6  of the drawings. 
         [0023]    The receptacle openings  25  have an interior shape that closely conforms to and lockably engages with the locking plug  15  of the mounting portions  13 . The mounting and cushioning pieces are both resilient with the central periphery  27  of the respected receptacle openings  25  are of a size that is slightly smaller than that of the peripheral size of the locking plug  15 . It will be evident therefore that as a result, the cushioning component  19  is secured to the mounting components  13  by pushing the plug  15  through the central periphery  27  and thereby engaging and retaining the locking plug  15  snuggly and securely therewithin. Accordingly, no glue or other adhesive is used, which affords ease of attachment and removal as may be required. 
         [0024]    Once so engaged, the tab  14  of the respective mounting portion  13  extends outwardly through the recess  26  within the flat based  20  of the cushioned component  19  as described. A second mounting portion  13  is therefore likewise attached to the analogous structure at the opposite end of the cushion component  19 , thus completing the assembly for placement and retainment on the door  12  as seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
         [0025]    After the two mounting portions  13  have been secured to the cushioning component  19  in the foregoing manner, the damage prevention device  10  is releasably attached to the door  12  of the vehicle. In particular, this is accomplished with the respective deformable tabs  14  which are bent as illustrated in  FIG. 2  of the drawings, and then able to be wedged and received between the front edge of the door  12  and the body of the vehicle  11  and the rear of the door edge and body of the vehicle, as seen and noted in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
         [0026]    It will be evident from the above description that the deformability of the respective tabs  14  can be selectively formed and reformed depending on use requirements, given the bendable wire reinforcement  18  positioned therewithin. 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7, 8, and 9  of the drawings, an alternate multiple piece bumper guard assembly  30  can be seen. The bumper guard assembly  30  includes an elongated cushion piece  31  composed of a material analogous to that previously described. The cushion piece  31  has a generally flat interior and exterior surface,  32  and  33  respectively. A deformable wire reinforcement insert  34  is positioned within the cushion piece  31  longitudinally as best seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9  of the drawings. 
         [0028]    A pair of mounting openings  34  and  35  are formed transversally through the cushion piece  31  between the respective interior and exterior surfaces  32  and  33 . Each of the passageways  34  and  35  includes a large diameter bottom portion  36  and smaller diameter portion  37  that extends therefrom along the interior surface  32 . 
         [0029]    Bumper guard assembly  30  also includes a pair of mounting inserts  38  and  39  that are composed of a flexible synthetic material analogous to that forming the mounting portion  13 . The mounting inserts  38  and  39  may be flat, cylindrical or include alternate shapes. The inserts have a deformable wire  38 A and  39 A. Each of the inserts  37  and  38  include a relatively wide end stop portion  39  that generally confirms in shape to the large diameter bottom  36  as hereinbefore described. Each of the inserts further includes a narrow portion  40  extending therefrom that conforms in shape with the narrow portion  37  of the respective transverse openings  34  and  35  that extend through the cushion piece  31 . 
         [0030]    To secure the bumper guard assembly  30  to the vehicle  12  so that it protectively covers a respective front and/or rear bumper (not shown), the so configured cushion piece  31  is engaged against the selected bumper B such that its interior surface  32  directly touches the bumper B. The inserts  37  and  38  are then inserted through the respective transverse openings  34  and  35 . The free ends of the inserts extend up from the cushion piece  31  and then are installed between the body of the vehicle  11  and (depending upon which bumper is being protected) the hood H as illustrated in broken lines in  FIG. 7  of the drawings, or the trunk (not shown) of the vehicle. 
         [0031]    When as illustrated the hood H is closed, the respective inner ends  37 A and  38 A of each insert is captured therebetween and secured to the vehicle. 
         [0032]    The wide end stop portions  39  which are engaged within the cushioned piece  31  as described essentially supports and holds the bumper guard  30  assembly against the bumper B and affords protection against possible damage from other vehicles. Such damage most typically occurs when the other vehicle carelessly backs up or otherwise maneuvers in tight parking or garage spaces, as will be well understood by those skilled within the art. 
         [0033]    It will be further be evident that the interchangeability of the elements as hereinbefore described in both the primary and alternate forms of the invention, provides for simple and quick interchangeability while avoiding expensive repair and damage to the vehicle&#39;s door and/or front and rear bumper. In the primary form of the invention, the damage prevention device  10  provides the utility of re-useable respective end mounting portions  13  with interchangeable cushion component  19  therebetween which if damaged can be replaced or substituted as required. 
         [0034]    It will thus be seen that new and novel vehicle protection configurations for both the door, front and back bumpers of the vehicle, have been illustrated and described. It will apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.