Vehicle bumper protector for golf spikes

• US 5,620,059 A
• Filed: 08/09/1994
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carmen C. Crispeno
• Original Assignee: Carmen C. Crispeno
• Inventors: Crispeno, Carmen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN SHUE, ALVIN C
• Application Number:
  US08/287,858
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 182/127, 182/92, 182/206, 182/150, 248/214, 403/381
• US Class Current: 182/127
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 5/00 Ladders characterised by being mounted on undercarriages or vehicles Securing ladders on vehicles ladders having wheels, rollers, or runners E06C1/397 ; ladders on boats B63B27/14

Abstract

A vehicle bumper protector for golf spikes is disclosed and includes an inverted U-shaped trunk support bracket formed from a pair of right angle L-shaped members. A footrest is connected, preferably through a vertical back plate, to the trunk support bracket. Both the vertical height of the footrest on the trunk support bracket and the width between vertical legs of the trunk support bracket are adjustable. When installed on a vehicle, the trunk support bracket securely straddles a rear wall of a vehicle trunk and the footrest securely rests on a vehicle bumper. The device can be easily adjusted for use on other vehicles.

Claims

1. A vehicle bumper protector for golf spikes comprising an L-shaped base including a footrest connected to an outer surface of a vertical back plate, an inverted U-shaped trunk support bracket including first and second right angle L-shaped members connected together, with a horizontal leg of said first L-shaped member located above, abutting and connected to a horizontal leg of said second L-shaped member, with an inner surface of said back plate abutting and connected to an outer surface of a vertical leg of said first L-shaped member, with the horizontal legs of said L-shaped members forming a horizontal brace of said trunk support bracket, with the vertical leg of said first L-shaped member forming an outer vertical leg of said trunk support bracket, and with a vertical leg of said second L-shaped member forming an inner vertical leg of said trunk support bracket, with the inner and outer vertical legs of said trunk support bracket spaced from and parallel to each other, wherein said back plate includes an elongated first adjustment slot therethrough and extending substantially vertically therealong, and further including a first releasable fastener passing through the vertical leg of said first L-shaped member and through said first adjustment slot, with said first releasable fastener connecting said back plate to the vertical leg of said first L-shaped member and, along with said first adjustment slot, permitting the vertical position of said footrest to be adjusted along said trunk support bracket, wherein the horizontal leg of the first L-shaped member includes an elongated second adjustment slot therethrough and extending substantially horizontal and perpendicular to said first adjustment slot, and further including a second releasable fastener passing through the horizontal leg of the second L-shaped member and through said second adjustment slot, with said second releasable fastener connecting together the horizontal legs of said L-shaped members and, along with said second adjustment slot, permitting the width of said trunk support bracket between said inner and outer vertical legs to be adjusted, with the width of said trunk support bracket adjusted to straddle a rear wall of a vehicle trunk and with the vertical position of the footrest adjusted to allow a lower surface of said footrest to contact an upper surface of a vehicle bumper when the horizontal brace of said trunk support bracket contacts an upper surface of the rear wall of the vehicle trunk, with said vehicle bumper protector further including a first raised guide ridge spaced from and extending parallel to said first adjustment slot and located on the outer surface of the vertical leg of said first L-shaped member, further including an elongated first guide groove complementary to said first guide ridge, spaced from and extending parallel to said first adjustment slot and located in the inner surface of said back plate, with said first guide ridge fitting in and slideable along said first guide groove when said back plate is connected to the vertical leg of said first L-shaped member, further including a second raised guide ridge spaced from and extending parallel to said second adjustment slot and located on an outer surface of the horizontal leg of said second L-shaped member, and further including an elongated second guide groove complementary to said second guide ridge, spaced from and extending parallel to said second adjustment slot and located in the inner surface of the horizontal leg of said first L-shaped member, with the second guide ridge fitting in and slideable along said second guide groove when said L-shaped members are connected together, wherein said first releasable fastener has a head which is recessed within and does not protrude above an outer surface of the vertical leg of said first L-shaped member and a releasable nut means adjacent the outer surface of the vertical back plate, and wherein said second releasable fastener has a head which is recessed within and does not protrude above an inner surface of the horizontal leg of said second L-shaped member and a releasable nut means adjacent the outer surface of the horizontal leg of said first L-shaped member.

2. The vehicle bumper protector for golf spikes of claim 1 wherein said first and second releasable fasteners are each wing nut fasteners.

3. The vehicle bumper protector for golf spikes of claim 1 wherein said footrest slopes downward as it extends outwardly from said back plate.

4. The vehicle bumper protector for golf spikes of claim 1 wherein said base, said first L-shaped member, said second L-shaped member, said first releasable fastener and said second releasable fastener are all formed of a plastic material.