Abstract:
An apparatus for a flexible, attachable and absorbent pad for absorbing fluid leaks from an irregular surface on a motor vehicle. The pad includes an absorbent quilted pad which faces to receive the liquids or oils which drop from an engine part or structure. The pad is made from a heat resistant material which is absorbent enough to absorb a cup or two of fluid. An outer sheet is bonded to the bottom side of the absorbent pad so which is water resistant and able to retain accumulated oil or fluids which may pass through the absorbent pad. Each edge of the outer sheet is folded around the peripheral of the pad and heat sealed or glued to the pad. Tethers, such as wires, cords, or the like, are then disposed through the folded border sections and glued or sealed to the outer sheet and absorbent pad. The tethers are then used to fasten the pad to a fluid leak by connecting the tether together around the vehicle structure which is leaking and molding the pad to the irregular surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to absorbent pads for fluid leaks, and more particularly to a flexible and absorbent pad used as a vehicle accessory and attached to the underside of a vehicle to catch oil or fluid leaks from the engine, transmission or other parts of a stationary or moving vehicle. 
     2. State of the Art 
     One problem with automobiles as they age is they begin to drip fluids, especially oil. The oil that leaks from vehicles stains driveways and garages. In addition, oil leaking from vehicles accumulates on roadways which makes the roads slick when it rains or snows. The oil which falls on roadways may then find its way into nearby dirt, streams and waterways which creates an environmental hazard. 
     Leaks are also found in industrial and commercial applications where a pipe, hose or engine may leak onto a floor or carpet. It would be desirable to have an absorbent pad which is inexpensive, easy to install, and could be used in all of the applications above with equal ease, to absorb and prevent the oil or fluid from dripping onto the ground or roadway. 
     Many devices have been disclosed in the prior art to catch oil and other fluids which drip primarily from automobiles. These devices are useful to an extent but they have certain disadvantages which are overcome by the current invention. 
     Several of the oil and drip absorbing devices in the prior art have rigid fluid collectors. Examples of these are U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,402 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,848 which both have a rigid pan configuration. Rigid pans do not conform well to the irregular surface of a leaking part. Gaps formed between a leaking surface under a vehicle and a rigid collection device may allow fluids collected to leak out and also allow water or debris to enter into the pan as the vehicle is traveling. If a pan fills with water or debris, it will not effectively collect dripping fluids. Rigid collection pans also hang down below the vehicle which can make them unsightly. 
     In a fluid collection device with a rigid pan, the pan must be parallel to the bottom of the automobile and deep enough to hold the liquids it catches. A rigid pan must stay relatively level or the liquid may spill out over the pan edges when the pan is not level. Examples of this are when a vehicle is on a hill, goes over bumps or hits potholes. This spilling problem is worse if water, snow or road debris help to fill the drip pan. The depth of a pan is a disadvantage because the pan hangs down below the normal clearance of the vehicle. Reduced clearance created by the drip pan may result in the pan being pulled off the vehicle when it is hit by rocks or a high curb. 
     Another method of collecting oil and fluid leaks uses absorbent material to collect dripping oil and fluids. Devices using absorbent material generally cover the whole vehicle undercarriage or motor bottom and they do not conform in shape to these parts. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention is to provide a drip collection device which can be easily installed, molded and conformed to the leaking part of a motor vehicle. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a device which is inexpensive and yet sturdy. 
     It is also an object of the invention is to provide a replacable fluid collection device which can be disposed of easily. 
     The above objects and others not specifically recited are realized in the present invention by provision of an absorbent and attachable pad for fluid leaks in vehicle engines and pipes. The attachable, absorbent pad of the present invention is comprised of a quilted absorbent pad for placement snugly against the underside parts of a vehicle to receive liquids or oil which leak from an engine, engine part or a hose. A plastic outer sheet is bonded to the bottom side of the absorbent pad and is water resistant and able to retain accumulated oil or fluids which may pass through the absorbent pad. 
     The preferred plastic sheet is sturdy enough so that it does not easily rip or shred, is not heat sensitive, and is flexible enough to be molded around the underside parts of a vehicle. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, each edge of the plastic outer sheet is folded into border sections in an enclosing lip shape around the absorbent pad. The border sections are then beat sealed or glued to the absorbent pad. This seal holds the outer sheet in place with respect to the absorbent pad so it will not slip or move as the pad fills with liquid. 
     Wires or other manipulable elements are then disposed through selected opposing border sections and glued or sealed to the outer sheet and absorbent pad. These elements are used to fasten the pad to the each side of a dripping structure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an attachable absorbent pad showing the quilted top side, and made in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows a top view of an attachable absorbent pad with elastic edges; 
     FIG. 3 shows a side perspective view of an attachable absorbent pad below a vehicle axle; 
     FIG. 4 shows a side perspective view of an attachable absorbent pad attached to the axle; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an absorbent pad below a vehicle transmission; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an absorbent pad attached to the vehicle transmission. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of this invention. The absorbent pad  10  is shown in perspective view to include a generally rectangular pad  11  enclosed on its underside by a plastic outer sheet  14 . The pad  11  may be quilted  12  in a square block type pattern which aids in retaining fluid by creating pockets so the fluid is more evenly distributed throughout the absorbent pad  11 . 
     The pad  11  is made from any material which is absorbent enough to absorb at least one or two cups of fluid. Examples of materials from which the pad  11  can be made are absorbent paper based material, treated natural fibers, natural fabric, synthetic textiles and fibers, synthetic sponge or any porous absorbent material commonly used for absorbing oil spills. This absorbent material could be anywhere from ⅛ of an inch to several inches thick with the preferred thickness being ¾ of an inch thick. The thickness also depends on the material used. The preferred absorbent material should be heat resistant because it will be used near vehicle engines and exhaust systems which can become quite warm. 
     Although the pad  11  and its outer sheet could be many sizes, the preferred sizes are: a 10 inch by 10 inch absorbent pad for small leaks, a 6 inch by 18 inch pad for vehicle differentials or cross frames, and an 18 inch by 18 inch pad for drips from the transmission fluid pan, oil pan or other large areas. 
     A plastic outer sheet  14  is bonded to the bottom side of the pad  11 . The outer sheet  14  is water resistant and is able to retain accumulated oil or fluids which may pass through the pad  11 . The preferred plastic sheet  14  is a strong plastic which does not easily rip or shred and is not heat sensitive. One plastic that has these properties is a plastic by the trademark TYVEK which is manufactured by the Dupont corporation. TYVEK is plastic formed into tough sheets made of high-density polyethylene fibers. Very fine fibers of polyethylene are spun together and bonded with heat and pressure. Although TYVEK is the preferred plastic sheet in this invention, is should be recognized that other plastic sheets with similar strength, heat resistance, toughness and light weight properties could be used in the plastic outer sheet. Using a tough, durable outer sheet makes the invention less susceptible to damage by rocks or road debris when the absorbent pad  10  is attached to the motor vehicle. The preferred embodiment of this invention uses a tough outer sheet of plastic which resists shredding or water. The plastic sheet is very flexible so it can be molded around the leaking automobile part or pipe. Fluid leaks are contained more effectively when the absorbent pad is molded directly to the irregular surface of a motor vehicle. 
     Each edge of the plastic outer sheet  14  is folded into border sections  16 - 22  around the pad  11  and heat sealed or glued to the pad  11 . This seal holds the pad  11  in place with respect to the outer sheet  14  so it does not slip or move as it fills with liquid. The pad  11  can also be sealed to the outer sheet in other places, if desired, to further bond the absorbent pad to the sheet. 
     The preferred embodiment uses one wire  24  slotted through the first border section  16  in a direction parallel to the pad&#39;s edge. The wire is then glued or sealed in place to the outer sheet  14  and pad  11 . This fixes the wire in relation to the border  16  it is passing through. The wire is then used to fasten the pad  10  to the first side of a leak by pulling the wire ends together around the object which is leaking, and twisting the two opposite ends of the wire together with several twists. The material which forms the wires can be any suitable flexible metal or metal alloy. The metal or alloy does not necessarily need to be rust or weather resistant because the pad  11  is only a temporary drip retainer. 
     A second wire  26  is disposed through a second opposing border section in a direction parallel to the second opposing pad edge  18 . The second wire  26  is also glued or sealed in place to the outer sheet  14  and the pad  11  to hold the wire in place. The second wire is wrapped around a second part of the structure near the leak and then twisted several times to hold the wire in place. The invention uses the wire connectors to form the pad  11  to the irregular motor vehicle surface. The prior art devices are not molded to a leaking surface because they are only attached below the leaking area. Using the wire connectors to connect the pad to an irregular vehicle surface is also an advantage over the prior art because wire connectors are difficult to use with a drip pan which may rock and tilt when attached. 
     Attachment methods other than wires may be used to connect the absorbent pad to the leaking parts of the vehicle. Cords connected with plastic clipping mechanisms or twine tied together or can be used to attach the pad to parts underneath the vehicle. If cords are used they should be fairly heat resistant. Another embodiment of the connectors are metal chains or thin cables which can be used with the pad. There are a number of ways one skilled in the art could attach the flexible and conformable pad as long as the pad can still be formed around the irregular surfaces of automobile parts. 
     Installing this invention is very straightforward. Since the wires  24  and  26  are attached to the outer sheet  14  and the pad  11 , which are in turn bonded to each other, there is no setup involved to install the temporary fluid collection pad. This is an advantage because the prior art devices must be assembled before they are installed and places must be found to attach the springs or straps. This invention is already pre-assembled and ready to mount around the leaking part. Another useful feature of this invention is that the pad can be resized quickly by an installer if necessary. The pad  11  and the plastic outer cover  14  can be cut with a pair of scissors to adjust the pad and outer cover size to fit the dripping area more precisely. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, an attachable pad  10  for fluid leaks is shown with elastic material sewn into the two opposing edges  28  and  30  which do not have wires attached through them. The elasticated borders  28  and  30  are also folded over the pad  11  and glued or heat sealed to the pad  11 . Elasticated borders allow the invention to better conform to a dripping area. This is an advantage over the prior art which does not conform to irregularly shaped dripping areas. The prior art only uses absorbent materials which are fastened below the leaking area in a flat manner using complicated attachment mechanisms such as springs or buckled straps. This invention conforms to a leaking area whether it is a transmission, a hose or similar structure, and better absorbs the dripping liquid in the pad  11 . Because the invention uses elastics to conform the dripping area and it has a water resistant outer sheet, the invention keeps water or snow out of the absorbent area. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, multiple wires can be attached at different points along the absorbent pad instead of using wires only at each pad edge. A pad may have wires or tethers attached along the invention at multiple points to hold the pad more securely to the dripping area. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is to attach the wires in multiple directions. When the wires are attached to each of the border flaps so the wires cross each other, they give additional support to the other wires and the absorbent pad is attached tightly to the leak. It must be mentioned that the wires can also be wrapped around separate vehicle structures as opposed to being twisted together around a single structure (e.g. each wire is twisted to a different pipe but the pad is still under the dripping area). The use of wires as attachment devices in the invention is advantageous because they do not sag or vibrate like springs. Springs may come loose or eventually lose their strength over time as the vehicle travels. Wires do not stretch out or become weaker when this invention is attached and the vehicle is driven. This invention generally has a lighter load because the material that forms the pad weighs only a few ounces, in contrast to a heavy drip pan. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention use different pad shapes. The pad can be configured in a variety of shapes such as a triangle, ellipse (football), L-shape, or other flat geometric shapes which will help it conform to a leaking vehicle part or structure. 
     FIG. 3 is the attachable pad  8  underneath a vehicle axle  32  before it has been fastened to the axle  32 . Oil or fluid  34  is shown leaking out of the axle  32 . FIG. 4 shows the attachable pad  8  after it has been fastened to the axle  32  to absorb the oil leak. The wires  24  and  26  are wrapped around the axle  32  and the ends are twisted together to hold the attachable pad  8  in place. The outer sheet is also shown  14  as it forms a protective sheet for the absorbent pad  8 . As you can see from the attachment configuration, this invention is much quieter than the prior art because there is no drip pan to clang against the automobile when bumps are encountered and there are no springs to bounce up and down. 
     FIG.  5 . shows the attachable pad  8  underneath a vehicle transmission  36  before it has been fastened to the transmission  36 . FIG. 6 then shows the absorbent pad  8  attached to the axle with wires  24  and  26  including their ends twisted together over the transmission  36 . When the pad  8  is attached it exposes the outer layer  14 . It should be noted that the size of the pad  8  used for the transmission  36  will be much larger than one used for an axle  32  (e.g. transmission pads would be 18 by 18 inches). Pads  8  used for hoses or pipes would be smaller still (e.g. 10 by 10 inches). The length of the wires varies depending on the size of the object they will be wrapped around. Long wires may be wrapped around a small object several times to help to attach the pad  8  to the leaking structure. An example is a leaking pipe or hose where the wire could be wrapped around the item several times before the wire ends are twisted together to effectively attach the pad  8 . 
     The current invention is designed to be temporary and disposable, so the removal of the pad  8  is simple too. After the pad  8  has been attached to the dripping area and has filled with fluid, the attachment wires  24  and  26  can be cut or untwisted to remove the pad. Then because the pad  8  is very flexible, it rolls up and the wires  24  and  26  can be wound around the roll. This way the pad is disposed of without an oily mess and the oil is trapped by the absorbent material and the plastic outer sheet. In addition, the pad  8  is made from materials which are inexpensive so that it can be disposed of when the fluid leak is repaired or a new pad is put on in its place. This pad  8  has the extra advantage it is inexpensive to manufacture because it only has a few parts. 
     It will be appreciated that other embodiments of the present invention may be employed in many applications to accomplish an attachable pad for absorbing vehicle fluid leaks. While certain preferred embodiments have been explained above, the appropriate scope hereof is deemed to be in accordance with the claims as set forth below.