Patent ID: 8162168

Claim:
A surface protecting system to protect the surface from fuel spillage, said system comprising: a fuel tank having a fill opening, said fill opening being surrounded by an outer wall; a flexible panel having a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge, said panel having an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture having a size corresponding to a size of said fill opening, said panel being transparent and having a thickness from said top side to said bottom side less than ⅓ inch, said panel comprising an elastomeric material; a covering being attached to said panel and covering said aperture, said covering having a plurality of slits therein to allow access through said covering, each of said slits traversing said aperture, said plurality of slits being two slits to form four sections in said covering; and said panel being removably positioned on said outer wall and said aperture being aligned with said fill opening to protect said outer wall from fuel when a fuel nozzle is extended through said aperture and into said fill opening.