Patent Abstract:
A protective cover is disclosed which is positioned adjacent the rear side of a pickup truck tailgate to protect the same from rock chips, etc. The lower end of the cover is removably attached to the lower end of the tailgate. The upper end of the cover is removably attached to the upper end of the tailgate.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a protective cover for a pickup truck tailgate and more particularly to a protective cover which protects the rear side of a pickup truck tailgate.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Many types of protective covers or “bras” have been previously provided for protecting the front ends of cars and trucks from rock chips, etc. Further, protective covers or shields have also been provided for the protection of the cargo side of a pickup truck tailgate, since the cargo side of the tailgate is exposed to the materials being transported in the truck box such as rocks, lumber, etc. Additionally, protective covers have also been provided to protect the rearward side of the tailgate, since rocks sometimes are thrown from a passing vehicle towards a trailer or the like which is being pulled by the pickup truck with the rocks bounding forwardly from the trailer onto the rear side of the tailgate. Tailgate protective covers, which protect the rear surface of a pickup truck tailgate, are disclosed in Des. Pat. Nos. 433,661 and 323,639. Although the covers of the &#39;661 and &#39;639 patents would appear to protect the tailgates upon which they are mounted, it is believed that those covers are less than convenient to install and will perhaps become inadvertently detached during use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    A protective cover for a pickup truck tailgate is disclosed which is designed to be placed adjacent the rear side of the tailgate to prevent flying rocks from chipping the finish of the tailgate. The cover of this invention comprises a generally rectangular, flexible plastic and/or fabric cover member having a rear side, a front side, an upper end, a lower end, and opposite side edges. An elongated, J-shaped channel member is secured to the lower end of the cover member and extends between the side edges thereof. An elongated strip of the hooked portion of a hook-and-loop fastener is secured to the upper front end of the cover member and which extends between the side edges of the cover member. The lower end of the protective cover is secured to the tailgate by attaching the J-shaped channel member to the lower end of the tailgate. The upper end of the protective cover is secured to the tailgate by securing the strip of the hooked portion of the hook-and-loop fastener to a strip of the looped portion of the hook-and-loop fastener which is secured to the upper forward end of the tailgate.  
           [0006]    It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a protective cover for the rearward side of a pickup truck tailgate.  
           [0007]    A further object of the invention is to provide a protective cover for the rearward side of a pickup truck tailgate which is conveniently attached to the tailgate.  
           [0008]    A further object of the invention is to provide a protective cover for the rearward side of a pickup truck tailgate which will not become detached during use.  
           [0009]    A further object of the invention is to provide a protective cover for the rearward side of a pickup truck tailgate which economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.  
           [0010]    These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the protective cover of this invention mounted on a pickup truck tailgate;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the protective cover;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the tailgate and the cover; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the protective cover mounted on the tailgate. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    The numeral  10  refers to a conventional pickup truck having a truck bed  12  and a tailgate  14 . Tailgate  14  includes a cargo side  16 , rear side  18 , upper end  20 , lower end  22 , and opposite side edges  24  and  26 . Tailgate  14  is provided with a conventional rearwardly presented handle  28  mounted thereon for opening the tailgate  14 . Normally, most tailgates have a lip or flange  29  at the lower end thereof which extends downwardly from the lower rearward end thereof.  
         [0016]    The protective cover of this invention is referred to by the reference numeral  30  and is preferably constructed of a flexible plastic material or a flexible fabric material such as used on protective covers fitted to the front of vehicles to protect the same. Cover  30  includes an interior or front surface  32 , exterior or rear surface  34 , an upper end  36 , a lower end  38 , and opposite side edges  40  and  42 . Cover  30  is provided with an elongated opening  43  formed therein adapted to register with the tailgate handle  28  when cover  30  is mounted on the tailgate  14 . An elongated strip  44  of the hooked portion of a hook-and-loop fastener material such as Velcro™ or the like is secured to the front surface  32  of cover  30  at the upper interior end thereof. In the preferred embodiment, an elongated J-shaped channel member  46 , comprised of plastic or the like, is secured to the lower end of the cover  30 . For purposes of description, channel member  46  will be described as including leg portion  48 , base portion  50  which may either be curved or flat, and leg portion  52 . Leg portion  48  is secured to the lower end of the cover  30  by stitching, adhesive, etc., as seen in FIG. 4. When secured to the cover  30 , as seen in FIG. 4, the leg portion  52  is spaced forwardly of cover  30  to provide a space  54  between leg portion  52  and cover  30 . Space  54  is provided so as to be able to receive the lip  29  of the tailgate  14  when the cover is secured to the tailgate  14 . As seen, channel member  46  has outer end portions  56  and  58 , respectively, which receive the lower ends of side edges  40  and  42 , respectively, of cover  30  for strengthening or reinforcing purposes. The upper inner end of tailgate  14  has an elongated strip  60  of the looped portion of a hook-and-loop fastener material such as Velcro or the like secured thereto.  
         [0017]    When it is desired to mount the protective cover  30  on the tailgate  14  to protect the rearward side thereof, the cover  30  is positioned adjacent the rear side of tailgate  14  with the front surface  32  of the cover  30  being adjacent the rear side of tailgate  14 , as seen in FIG. 3. The J-shaped channel member  46  is then secured to the lip  29  at the lower end of tailgate  14  so that lip  29  is received in space  54 . The upper end  36  of cover  30  is then drawn over the upper end  20  of tailgate  14  so that strip  60  may be secured to strip  44  thereby securely mounting the cover  30  on tailgate  14  to protect the rearward surface thereof. When the cover  30  is positioned on the tailgate  14 , the opening  43  of cover  30  registers with the tailgate handle  28  to provide convenient access thereto.  
         [0018]    The fact that the upper end  36  folds over the upper end  20  of tailgate  14 , as seen in FIG. 4, reduces the possibility that wind could inadvertently blow the cover  30  from the tailgate  14 . Although the J-shaped channel member  46  is the preferred method of securing the lower end of the cover  30  to the lower end of the tailgate  14 , a strip of the hooked portion of a hook-and-loop material could be secured to the lower end of tailgate  14  and a strip of the looped portion of a hook-and-loop material could be secured to the lower front side of cover  30  for engagement with the hooked strip on the lower end of tailgate  14 . Further, in some cases, the opening  43  may be omitted if the tailgate does not have a tailgate handle at its rear side.  
         [0019]    Although it is preferred that strips  44  and  60  extend continuously across the widths of cover  30  and tailgate  14 , spaced-apart strips  44  and spaced-apart strips  60  could be utilized. Further, while strip  44  has been described as being hooked and strip  60  has been described as being looped, strip  44  could be looped and strip  60  could be hooked.  
         [0020]    Additionally, although it is preferred that the J-shaped channel member  46  extend continuously across the lower end of cover  30 , a plurality of spaced-apart J-shaped channel members could be secured to the lower end of cover  30 . However, it is believed that the use of a continuous J-shaped channel member improves the appearance of the cover and lessens the likelihood that the lower end of the cover will inadvertently become disconnected from the tailgate. Further, while the J-shape of the channel member  46  is the preferred shape, it is possible that a U-shaped channel member could be substituted therefore. It is believed that the J-shape enhances the attachment of the channel member to the cover  30 .  
         [0021]    Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1