WO1997016328A1

WO1997016328A1 - Bumper facade for vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO1997016328A1
Application number: PCT/US1995/014090
Authority: WO
Inventors: David M. Lund; James R. Lund
Original assignee: Lund Industries, Inc.
Priority date: 1995-10-31
Filing date: 1995-11-01
Publication date: 1997-05-09
Also published as: CA2209105A1

Abstract

A transparent bumper facade (10) for motor vehicles includes an exterior protective surface and an interior paint receiving surface. The facade is constructed and arranged to be attached to and cover an exposed surface of a motor vehicle bumper. The interior surface can be viewed through the exterior protective surface.

Description

BUMPER FACADE FOR VEHICLES

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bumper facade for vehicles, a method for covering a bumper on a vehicle, a vehicle having a bumper facade thereon, and a facade for covering a part of a motor vehicle. In particular, the bumper facade for vehicles can be applied over a vehicle's bumpers to provide a cosmetic change and/or to provide protection.

Background of the Invention

Devices have been attached to the bumpers- of automobiles to provide protection from scratching and denting. For example, United States Patent No. 3,715,138 to Finkle describes a bumper guard which is attached by adhesive to an automobile bumper; United States Patent No. 3,680,903 to Hulten describes a "rub strip" which attaches to an automobile bumper by inserting ears into slots provided in the surface of the bumper; and United States

Patent No. 4,569,865 to Placek describes a bumper fascia having a stainless steel shell .

Other devices have been developed for protecting automobile bumpers from tar, mud, stones, or other material which comes off the road. For example, United States

Patent No. 1,858,569 to Woodworth describes an early design for providing a protective material over the bumper of an automobile; United States Patent No. 4,997,229 to Swanson describes "bras" for protecting exterior portions of an automobile, such as the front fenders, hood, bumper area, grill work, and headlamps; and United States Patent No. 4,953,909 to Crane describes a resilient hood protector.

Summary of the Invention Many trucks and utility vehicles have metallic bumpers. Often the bumper becomes severely scratched or dented. Rather than replace the bumper which can be expensive, the bumper facade of the present invention, can be applied to provide a new look to the vehicle. Furthermore, many motor vehicle owners desire a change in the appearance of their motor vehicle would like to remove the metallic appearance of their motor vehicles.

A bumper facade for motor vehicles is provided by the present invention. A bumper facade includes a bumper shell and a fastener for attaching the bumper shell to the bumper of a motor vehicle. The bumper shell is substantially transparent to visible light, has an exterior protective surface and an interior paint receiving βurface, and is constructed and arranged to cover an exposed surface of a motor vehicle bumper. Preferably, the interior paint receiving surface is coated with a layer of paint. The fastener can be a mechanical fastener, such as, bolts, screws, and the like, or a chemical fastener, such as, adhesive, cement, tape, and the like.

It is an advantage of the bumper facade that it can be easily and quickly installed, and later removed from the motor vehicle without detracting from the original appearance of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the exterior surface of the bumper shell can be made of a material which is sufficiently resilient so that stones and other hard objects striking it are deflected without denting or marring the painted layer underneath. The material is preferably not self supporting. This means that the bumper facade does not take the place of a bumper but rather is be supported by the structure of the bumper.

A method for covering a bumper on a motor vehicle is provided by the present invention. The method includes the steps of providing a bumper shell, applying paint to the interior paint receiving surface of the bumper shell, and attaching the bumper shell to a motor vehicle bumper. It should be appreciated that the step of providing a bumper shell can be accomplished by purchasing a bumper shell, manufacturing a bumper shell, or ocherwise causing a bumper shell to be delivered. , Preferably, the painted bumper shell is applied to the front bumper of a motor vehicle. It should be understood, however, the painted bumper cover can be applied to the rear bumper of the motor vehicle .

A motor vehicle is provided by the present invention. The motor vehicle includes a bumper and a painted bumper shell arranged thereon. In a broader sense, a facade for covering a part of a motor vehicle is provided by the present invention. The facade includes a pa»inted shell wherein the shell is substantially transparent to visible light and has an exterior protective surface and an interior painted surface. The layer of paint is visible from the exterior protective surface of the shell. The facade can be applied over a part of a motor vehicle. Preferably, the part of the motor vehicle is a metal or chrome part .

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bumper facade on a pickup truck according to the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bumper facade of FIGURE 1 ;

FIGURE 3 is an elevated front view of the bumper facade of FIGURE 1 ;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the bumper facade of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 5 is an elevated rear view of the bumper facade of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the bumper facade according to FIGURE 1 except that the center covering region has been replaced. Detailed Description of the Invention

The preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views . Reference to the preferred embodiment does not limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a bumper facade for vehicles in accordance with this invention is illustrated generally at 10. The bumper facade 10 is constructed and arranged to cover the visible surface of the bumper_* of a pickup truck 12 extending from an area proximate the grill 14, around the bumper and toward the lower valance or air dam 16. The bumper facade 10 then extends laterally around the ends of the bumper and terminates near the left and right fenders 18, 19. It should be understood that the visible surface of a bumper describes the area of the bumper of a vehicle which is exposed and visible to a person upon normal or casual inspection while walking around the vehicle. The visible surface of a bumper does not include the surface which is hidden from view. Furthermore, it should be understood that the "left" and "right" sides, as these terms are used in the present description, are based upon a point of reference from inside the vehicle in the driver's seat.

Although the invention is being described in the context of a pickup truck, it should be appreciated that the invention can be applied to the bumper of any vehicle, motor or otherwise, in need of a cosmetic change and/or further protection. The reference herein to "motor vehicles" includes light trucks, such as a pickup trucks, heavy trucks, utility vehicles, automobiles, and the like. In fact, the bumper facade of the present invention can be applied to non-motorized vehicles and even stationary objects without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is believed that the bumper facade of the present invention will find a more popular application on older trucks, utility vehicles, and trucks having metallic bumpers which are functional but have been cosmetically damaged by, for example, scratching, denting, rusting, and the like. Since replacing a vehicle's bumpers can be rather expensive, the present invention provides a less costly way for owners of vehicles with cosmetic damage to the bumper to provide a new look to the bumpers . In addition, some owners of vehicles are tired of the look of metallic bumpers. By attaching a bumper facade according to the present invention over the bumpers, the appearance or look of the vehicle can be significantly altered. The bumper facade can advantageously be attached and removed without damaging the bumper. If one is not satisfied with the final look of the vehicle, the bumper can easily be restored to its prior appearance.

Now referring to FIGURES 1-6, the bumper facade 10 is described in more detail. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bumper facade 10 is constructed of three major regions or parts so that it can be easily packaged and shipped. These general regions or parts include a left bumper cover region 20, a right bumper cover region 22, and a front or center covering region 24. The bumper facade 10 is then assembled by placing the left covering region 20 and the right covering region 22 over the left and right portions of the bumper, respectively, then placing the center covering region 24 over the center portion of the bumper in an overlap arrangement with the overlap edges 26, 28 of the left covering region 20 and the right covering region 22, respectively. More details concerning the preferred method for assembling the bumper facade 10 is provided below.

It should be appreciated that the bumper facade of the present invention can be provided as a single structure or as an assembly of two or more parts. It is preferred to provide more than one piece since it is more difficult to construct a single large bumper facade by vacuum molding. In addition, it is preferred to provide three parts so that the center covering region 24 having a license plate holder 25 can be interchanged with a center covering region not having a license plate holder 27. The bumper facade 10 can be referred to as an integral unit when it is assembled and attached together. The reference to the bumper facade of the present invention is meant to encompass the integral unit and the unassembled parts which can be assembled to provide the bumper facade.

The bumper facade 10 is shaped to fit the contours of the bumper of the truck 12. It should be appreciated that the dimensions of the bumper facade according to the present invention can be varied so that it provides a more tailored fit over the bumper contours of a specific motor vehicle model. Of course, a more universal bumper facade can be provided which will fit a number of motor vehicle models but the fit will likely be less tailored. Such a bumper facade can be characterized as having relatively universal application which means that one overall design thereof can be adapted to fit over the original factory bumpers of several models of motor vehicles.

It is expected that most bumpers for motor vehicles are relatively similar in shape and that one skilled in the art would readily appreciate how a bumper facade could be designed for a particular motor vehicle model based upon the teachings herein with respect to the bumper facade 10.

The bumper facade 10 wraps around the front portion of the truck's bumper and extends from a position forward and below the grill, laterally around the sides of the motor vehicle where the ends terminate near the fenders. The shape of the bumper facade 10 can be characterized as a bumper shell in that it tends to enclose the bumper. It should be appreciated, however, that the bumper shell need not enclose the entire bumper or the entire exposed surface of the bumper. In the context of the present invention, the bumper is enclosed if only a fraction of the exposed surface of the bumper is covered or if the entire exposed surface of the bumper is enclosed. Portions or panels of the bumper facade 10 are discussed below along with an indication of their function.

It should be appreciated that certain portions or panels extend across the regions 20, 22, 24, and certain other portions or panels can be limited to a particular region or regions. A top panel 30 is provided which opposes the top surface of the bumper and generally extends the entire length of the bumper facade 10. A recess 32 is provided in the top panel 30 for styling and to provide a more favorable surface of adhesion of the bumper facade 10 to the bumper. A front panel 34 is provided which opposes the front surface of the bumper. The front panel 34 generally terminates at the front corners of the truck 12. Side panels 36, 38 are provided for opposing the side surfaces of the bumper. The front panel 34 wraps around the forward edges 40, 42 of the bumper facade 10 and forms the side panels 36, 38. The side panels 36, 38 then continue rearward around the rear edges 44, 46 of the bumper facade 10 to provide the ends or flanges 48, 50 which enclose or wrap around the ends of the bumper. An under panel 52 is provided which follows generally the entire length of the bumper facade 10 and opposes the bottom or underneath side of the bumper. The under panel 52 includes an attachment flange 54 which provides attachment of the bumper facade 10 between the bumper and the lower valance or air dam 16. The attachment flange 54 is provided with attachment holes or recesses 56 which allow bolts or screws or other fastening member to hold the bumper facade 10 in place between the bumper and the lower valance or air dam 16. During installation of the bumper facade 10, the lower valance or air dam 16 can be temporarily removed from the bumper, then the bumper facade 10 can be placed over the exposed surface of the bumper, and the lower valance or air dam 16 can be replaced. The bolts or screws which attach the lower valance or air dam 16 can then be attached to the bumper through the attachment holes or recesses 56. The surface of the top panel 30 can be characterized as being substantially horizontal whe« it is installed on a bumper. In addition, the surfaces of the front panel 34 and the side panels 36, 38 can be characterized as being substantially vertical when installed on a bumper.

The bumper shell is preferably characterized as being made of a resilient or protective material which is substantially transparent to visible light. The material preferably has an interior surface which is paintable so that a desired color paint or pigment can be applied thereto. Since the material is substantially transparent to visible light, the color of the applied paint or pigment can be appreciated or viewed through the exterior surface. This feature of the invention can be called back-coating, and is particularly advantageous since it provides enhanced protection for the painted layer from scratching or marring caused by stones or other debris which may impact the bumper facade, minor accidents, and the like.

The bumper shell is preferably prepared by vacuum molding sheets of polymeric material which, after molding, provide a desired shape and texture, and exhibit the properties of resiliency and transparency. Example of materials which can provide such properties include PETG and IMPLEX products from Spartech Plastics of Jackson, Missouri. It is understood that the PETG product is generally characterized as a polyester of polyethylene terephthalate glycol and that the IMPLEX product is an acrylic resin modified with butyl rubber compounds. In addition to these polyesters and acrylics, it is additionally believed that polycarbonates may be useful for forming the shell. In a most preferred embodiment, a 0.236 mil sheet of PETG material is vacuum molded to provide the left and right covering regions, and the a 0.177 mil thick sheet of PETG material is vacuum molded to provide the center covering region.

Installation Procedure

The bumper facade 10 can be installed on the pickup truck 12 according to the following described procedure. Generally, the bumper facade can be installed over the original factory bumper, including the original molding or trim thereon. The license plate frame, however, should be removed. The lower valance or air dam 16 should be removed from the bumper. It should be appreciated that in certain models, it is not necessary to remove the lower valance or air dam if it is riveted in place or if it is too difficult to remove. If the lower valance is not removed, the facade can be trimmed appropriately.

The regions of the bumper facade 10 should be prefit to determine whether any trimming thereof is needed.

A high speed fine grit die grinder should be used for trimming. The regions should then be removed, the exterior surfaces taped, and the interior surface painted with a desired color base coat. It is an advantage of the present invention that a clear coat is not needed thereover. Once the paint is dried, a double sided tape 60 is preferably provided on the interior surface of the bumper shell as shown in FIGURE 2. A satisfactory double sided tape is 4042 Double Sided 3M brand adhesive tape. The bumper should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water, and dried. The area of the bumper which will contact the tape is preferably treated with an adhesion promoting primer such as K-500 Adhesion Promoter from 3M, Inc. The backing from the double sided tape should be removed and the left and right covering regions should be applied to the bumper, and the center covering region should be applied thereover. The lower valance or air dam 16 should be replaced and the bolts inserted through the holes 56. Finally, the license plate is attached to the license plate holder 25 by washer head cap screws inserted through holes 62, and trim caps are placed thereover.

Although the bumper facade 10 is attached to the bumper by a combination of tape and bolts, it should be understood that the present invention includes other mechanisms commonly used for attaching plastic to metal, including the use of adhesives, mechanical fasteners, and the like.

Although the invention has been described in reference to a bumper facade, it should be appreciated that the invention can be applied to additional parts of a motor vehicle in order to alter the aesthetics thereof and/or provide enhanced protection, and that the mechanism for attaching to the vehicle can be the same as described herein. In particular, should be appreciated that the back-coating technique described above can be used over the front grill of a motor vehicle to cover exposed metal or chrome surfaces. In fact, it is understood that metal or chrome surfaces anywhere on a vehicle can be covered by the present invention. If a back-coated shell is used to cover the front grill of a motor vehicle, it may be advantageous to provide openings over the headlamp areas. In addition, a back-coated shell according to the present invention can be provided as other accessories of a motor vehicle including, for example, the running boards, visors, and the like. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that different alternatives, modifications, variations, and uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to these embodiments or the use of elements having specific configurations or shapes as presented herein.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A bumper facade for motor vehicles comprising: bumper shell having an exterior protective surface and an interior paint receiving surface, the bumper shell being constructed and arranged to cover an exposed surface of a motor vehicle bumper, wherein the bumper shell is substantially transparent to visible light; and fastener for attaching the bumper shell to a motor vehicle bumper.

2. The bumper facade for motor vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the bumper shell comprises a top panel, a front panel, right and left side panels, and an under panel for covering an entire exposed surface of a motor vehicle bumper.

3. The bumper facade for motor vehicles according to claim 1, further comprising a layer of paint adjacent to the interior paint receiving surface of the bumper shell.

4. The bumper facade for motor vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the bumper shell further comprising a license plate holder.

5. The bumper facade for motor vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the bumper shell is an integral unit formed by assembly of a center covering region over a left covering region and a right covering region.

6. A method for covering a bumper on a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: providing a bumper shell having an exterior protective surface and an interior paint receiving surface, the bumper shell being constructed and arranged to cover an exposed surface of a motor vehicle bumper, wherein the bumper shell is substantially transparent to visible light; applying paint to the interior paint receiving surface of the bumper shell; attaching the bumper shell to a motor vehicle bumper.

7. The method for covering a bumper on a motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the bumper is a front bumper.

8. The method for covering a bumper on a motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the bumper is a rear bumper.

9. A motor vehicle comprising: a bumper; and a bumper shell arranged thereon, the bumper shell having an exterior protective surface and an interior paint receiving surface, the bumper shell being constructed and arranged to cover a surface area of the bumper, wherein the bumper shell is substantially transparent to visible light; and a layer of paint arranged on the paint receiving surface of the bumper shell.

10. A facade for covering a part of a motor vehicle comprising: a shell which is substantially transparent to visible light and which is attachable over a part of a vehicle, the shell having an exterior protective surface and an interior paint receiving surface; and a layer of paint applied to the paint receiving surface of the shell which is visible from the exterior protective surface of the shell.