Patent ID: 8517204

Claim:
A drip pan device ( 100 ) for helping to collect leaks when removing a water heater, the device comprising: (a) abuse platform ( 110 ) having a front edge ( 114 ) and a curved back edge ( 115 ), the front edge ( 114 ) is bevelled; (b) a lip ( 120 ) extending upwardly and generally perpendicularly from the back edge ( 115 ) of the base platform ( 110 ), the lip ( 120 ) tapers down at intersections of the back edge ( 115 ) and front edge ( 114 ) of the base platform ( 110 ); (c) a plurality of raised ribs ( 130 ) disposed and extending upwardly from a top surface of the base platform ( 110 ) to a front surface ( 121 ) of the lip ( 120 ); (d) a first buckle ( 150 a ) and a second buckle ( 150 b ) disposed on a back surface of the lip ( 120 ), the buckles ( 150 ) allow hook-and-loop fasteners, bungee cords, string, or rope, to secure the drip pan device ( 100 ) to a hand truck ( 101 ), wherein the first buckle ( 150 a ) engages a set of first holes ( 160 a ) disposed in the lip ( 120 ) and the second buckle ( 150 b ) engages a set of second holes ( 160 b ) disposed in the lip ( 120 ); wherein the base platform ( 110 ) is configured to support a cylindrical water heater ( 102 ) having a top surface ( 103 ) and bottom surface ( 104 ) wherein the cylindrical water heater ( 102 ) has a side wall ( 105 ) closely contacting the lip ( 120 ) when the water heater is being removed.