The invention herein pertains to removable bumper plugs and particularly pertains to bumper plugs for recreational vehicles (RV) which are quick and easy to manually install or remove and will remain tightly in place during use while allowing air flow therethrough.
Recreational vehicles (RV's) include a variety of storage compartments and the like inside and outside the vehicle including the rear bumpers to maintain necessities such as sewer hoses and attachments, electrical cords, water lines and the like. Various types of caps or plugs are often utilized to close such compartments. Unfortunately over time and use such usual closures can become loose fitting or worn whereby they can inadvertently fall out or become lost during travel, possibly releasing the contents of the compartment to the dismay of the RV occupants. Further, such plugs sometimes include a hole therein for inserting a finger for grasping and removing the plug. Unfortunately such holes allow an infiltration point for insects, bees, snakes and the like which is undesirable and which can be harmful.
Thus, in view of the problems and disadvantages associated with prior plug devices, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a bumper plug for an RV and method of use which is durable, economical and will remain tightly in place during use.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a bumper plug for an RV bumper compartment having an insect screen.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a flexible bumper plug which is easy to install and remove.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a bumper plug which is inexpensive to manufacture and sell.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a bumper plug having an easily graspable handle for plug removal and insertion.
It is still a further objective of the present invention to provide a bumper plug that permits the free flow of air into the bumper compartment while simultaneously securing its contents.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.
The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by providing a bumper plug formed such as by conventional molding techniques from a low density polyethylene for plugging a bumper compartment of a typical RV. The bumper plug is flexible and includes a pair of cavities therein to allow for easy thumb and multi-finger grasping and flexing for insertion into and removal from the bumper compartment. Apertures are provided in the bottom of the plug cavities to prevent infiltration of various pests and allow air flow. Grippers are formed along the outside walls of the plug body for tightly gripping the interior walls of the bumper compartment to maintain the bumper plug in tight frictional engagement therewith. For example, these grippers may be, but are not limited to sets of stiff ribs that frictionally interact with the inner walls of the bumper compartment.
The foregoing Summary, as well as the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustration, there is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments, however, the presently disclosed invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed in the following drawings.
For a better understanding of the invention and its operation, turning now to the drawings,
As seen in various views in
In
Apertures 22 also serve as a screen to prevent bugs and other pests from accessing compartment 33 of bumper 30. For example, if a user desired to store a waste hose in bumper compartment 33, the user would insert bumper plugs 10 on each end of bumper 30 to secure the hoses (not shown) therein, allowing a hose such as a sewer hose to dry while simultaneously preventing insects from being attracted to any residual waste remaining in the hose.
Plug front 14 extends beyond plug body 12, creating plug lip 24 as seen in
In
The preferred method of use of bumper plug 10 as shown in
The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.
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92-8991 BP-1/30000 Locking Bumper Plug; WirthCo Engineering, Inc.—Locking Bumper Plug; Stag Parkway RV Parts & Accessories Catalog 2006; 2 pages (Catalog cover and p. 532)—also one page wih two (2) digital pictures showing the front and back of the product. |
92-8987 40302, 4″ plug; CamcoRV—Rubber Bumper Plugs; Stag Parkway RV Parts & Accessories Catalog 2006; 2 pages (Catalog cover and p. 532)—also one page wih two (2) digital pictures showing the front and back of the product. |
92-9145 208-A, 4″ plugs & 92-8989 329-A, 4-1/4″ plugs w/tabs; JR Products Rubber Bumper Plugs; Stag Parkway RV Parts & Accessories Catalog 2006; 2 pages (Catalog cover and p. 532)—also one page wih two (2) digital pictures showing the front and back of the product. |
92-8988 10011, 4-1/2″ plug; BRD Rubber Bumper Plugs; Stag Parkway RV Parts & Accessories Catalog 2006; 2 pages (Catalog cover and p. 532). |
31-8627 10722 Hinged Bumper Cap; BRD Full Access Hinged Bumper Cap; Stag Parkway RV Parts and Accessories Catalog 2006; 2 pages (Catalog cover and p. 532). |
88-9434 40313, RV Bumper Cap, w/Saver; CamcoRV—RV Bumper Cap; Stag Parkway RV Parts & Accessories Catalog 2006; 2 pages (Catalog cover and p. 532). |
B&B Molders—Bandbmolders.com—webpage printout—1 page—Bumper Plugs—p. 32 of Accessories Catalog, dated Apr. 2009; also one page wih two (2) digital pictures showing the front and back of the product. |
MoCap—Plugs for Square Standard Tubes, webpage printout—5 pages; dated Jan. 23, 2010. |
One page with two (2) digital pictures showing the front and back of a Bumper Hatch of Fun, LLC; webpage printout—3 pages; dated Jun. 29, 2009. |