Accessory cover plate for rear mounted plow

Abstract

The present invention relates to an accessory cover plate adapted to be removably attached to an outer rear portion of a rear mounted vehicular snowplow. The cover plate incorporates a license plate holder and a rear lighting system for the vehicle on which the snowplow is mounted. When the snowplow is in a raised position, for example, when the vehicle is being driven on a highway, the snowplow obscures the rear lights and license plate of the vehicle, creating an unsafe and possibly illegal condition. When the accessory cover plate of the present invention is attached, it provides an alternate rear lighting system and license plate holder.

Description

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/636,349 filed on Dec. 15, 2004, titled ACCESSORY COVER PLATE FOR REAR MOUNTED PLOW.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an accessory for snowplows and, in particular, to an accessory cover plate for rear mounted snow plows.

Rear mounted snowplows or “pull plows” are commonly used on pick-up trucks and the like to allow the removal of snow in areas close to a permanent structure, such as a building, by pulling the snow away rather than pushing it forward as is commonly done with a conventional front mounted plow. Typically, a pull plow comprises a flat box scraper mounted at the rear of the vehicle, for example, by attachment to a hitch or bumper of the vehicle, and may be raised or lowered by use of an hydraulic system or other means.

During plowing, the snowplow is in a lowered position, and when not in use, the snowplow is in a raised position. Commonly, when the plow is in the raised position, for example, when the vehicle is being driven on the highway, the snowplow obscures the taillights and license plate of the vehicle, creating an unsafe and possibly illegal condition. Various snowplows, both “push plows”, for attachment to the front of vehicle, and “pull plows” for attachment to the rear of a vehicle, as well as various attachment means and accessories for use therewith are shown in the literature.

Various prior art patents, disclose apparatus and methods for attaching a plow blade or the like to the bucket of a front end loader or backhoe or other vehicle to allow its use for snowplowing, scraping, grading or other purpose. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,000 (Stanford) discloses a bumper attachment for a snowplow that enables the plowing vehicle to be quickly and easily converted into a vehicle that can used to safely push another vehicle without risk of damaging it. U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,727 (Guy) discloses a method for affixing lighting to a snowplow to warn others of the presence and position of the snowplow apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,380 (Young) discloses a lighted blade guide for a snowplow blade attached to a vehicle to allow the driver and others to see the location of the snowplow blade.

Although the prior art discloses various attachments for snowplows and the like, that are useful for the purposes intended, it will be appreciated that a need still exists for a method and apparatus that addresses the aforementioned unsafe and illegal conditions associated with pull plows when the vehicle to which it is attached is being driven on the road and the pull plow is in a raised position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an accessory cover plate adapted to fit over a rear mounted vehicular snowplow.

It is a further object to provide an accessory cover plate that is attachable to and adapted to fit over at least a portion of the outer rear surface of a rear mounted snow plow.

It is a further object to provide an accessory cover plate for a rear mounted vehicular snowplow that includes lighting apparatus such as tail lights, back-up lights, and the like operable from the vehicle on which the snowplow is mounted.

It is a still further object to provide an accessory cover plate for a rear mounted vehicular snowplow that incorporates thereon a license plate holder.

It is an additional object to provide an accessory cover plate that incorporates a means for illuminating an area to the rear of the vehicle on which the plow is mounted.

It is a further object to provide an accessory cover plate for a rear mounted snowplow that includes a detachable electrical connection means that can be conveniently connected and disconnected to the electrical system of a vehicle to which the snowplow is attached.

It is a further object to provide an accessory cover plate that can be conveniently attached to the outer rear surface of a rear mounted vehicular snowplow.

It is a further object to provide a rear mounted vehicular snowplow having attached thereto and covering at least a portion of an outer rear surface thereof, an accessory cover plate that incorporates thereon a license plate holder and an auxiliary rear lighting system operable from the vehicle on which the snowplow is mounted.

The above and other objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention which provides an accessory cover plate adapted to be attached to and cover an outer rear portion of a rear mounted vehicular snowplow. Preferably the accessory cover plate is adapted to fit closely, that is, to approximate the outer shape of the rear portion of the snowplow to which it is attached. Various attachment means may be employed to secure the cover plate to the snowplow. The cover plate may be fabricated from various materials including, for example, metals, such as steel, aluminum, or the like, or non-metallic materials, such as plastic. Preferably, the material is lightweight, I.e. low density, such as aluminum or plastic and, based on strength and weight considerations, the preferred material is aluminum. The cover plate may be attached by various means using, for example, bolts, screws, rivets, clamps, and the like. In addition, depending on the suitability of the materials of which the plow and the cover plate are made, other means of attachment, such as soldering, welding or the like may be employed.

The outer surface of the plate cover includes various auxiliary features selected to meet safety and legal considerations. In a preferred form, the cover plate includes a rear lighting system and a license plate holder. The lighting system may include emergency flashing lights, taillights, brake lights, back-up lights and the like together with an electrical connection means to the vehicle, so that the system may be conveniently operated from within the vehicle. A light to illuminate the license plate holder may also be included. In one embodiment, the lighting system may additionally include a high powered light, such as a floodlight, to illuminate the area that is being plowed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention and the manner in which it may be practiced is further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pull plow mounted at the rear of a vehicle, in a raised position and having a cover plate of the present invention attached thereto.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded view of a pull plow and a cover plate of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective exploded view of the inside of the accessory cover plate depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a pull plow and accessory plate cover taken along the reference line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front outside view of an accessory cover plate of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an inside view of the cover plate of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a pull plow and accessory plate cover of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/636,349 filed on Dec. 15, 2004, titled ACCESSORY COVER PLATE FOR REAR MOUNTED PLOW. The accessory cover plate of the invention as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7, includes plate 11 having mounted thereon, a license plate holder 12 and a lighting system including taillights 13 and 13a, and reverse lights (backup lights) 14 and 14a. In FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 7, accessory cover plate 11 is shown attached or attachable to pull plow 15 and is configured to conform to, and cover, the rear portion of the plow. It will be understood that pull plows may vary somewhat in shape from the embodiment shown (pull low 15), and that the configuration of the cover plate may vary accordingly to conform thereto. In addition, although in the embodiment shown, cover plate 11 is configured to cover essentially the entire outer rear portion of pull plow 15, it may be configured to cover only a part of the outer rear portion of the pull plow, provided the license plate holder and lights are clearly visible from the rear when the pull plow is in the raised position. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, cover plate 11 is attachable to pull plow 15 in a known manner by means of metal screws 16a-j. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other attachment means, such as, bolts, rivets, cotter pins, soldering or welding may be employed.

Although the accessory cover plate of the preferred embodiment, as shown in the drawings, is constructed from separate components, (cover plate 11 is shown attached or attachable to pull plow 15) it should be understood, that other constructions may be used without departing from the invention. For example, cover plate 11 and pull plow 15 may be formed in a unitary construction as a single molded unit.

Accessories, such as license plate holder 12, taillights 13 and 13a, and reverse lights 14 and 14a, as well as other accessories, may be mounted on accessory cover plate 11, for example, by surface attachment using metal screws, bolts, rivets, welding, soldering, or other known means of attachment as shown in FIG. 2, where license plate holder 12 is attached by means of metal screws 16. Alternatively, accessories may be mounted into cutouts in the cover plate in the manner shown in FIG. 3 where the components of taillights 13 and 13a are fitted into taillight cutouts 17 and 17a. Thus, rubber grommets 18 and 18a are fitted into cutouts 17 and 17a and lampholders 19 and 19a are then fitted into rubber grommets 18 and 18a. In a similar manner, rubber grommets 21 and 21a and lampholders 22 and 22a are fitted into cutouts 20 and 20a, respectively, to form reverse lights 14 and 14a. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lights are then wired by means of wiring 29 into an electrical connection plug 26 for connection to the electrical power system of the vehicle to which the pull plow 15 and accessory plate cover 11 are attached to allow the lighting system to be controlled by the driver of the vehicle.

Preferably, as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 7, accessory plate cover 11 is spaced slightly apart from the rear of pull plow 15 to allow room for the electrical fixtures and wiring. In the embodiment depicted in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, the wiring and electrical connection plug 26 are routed through an opening 27 and through pull plow 15 for connection to the electrical power source (not shown) of the vehicle. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the wiring and electrical connection plug 26 may be routed outside of pull plow 15 for connection to the vehicle power source. Furthermore, in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, the cover plate 11 includes side brackets 28 on each side for mounting to pull plow 15. The side brackets include mounting means and add strength to the cover plate as well providing convenience for spacing cover plate 11 slightly apart from the rear face of pull plow 15.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An accessory cover plate adapted to be attachable to an outer rear portion of a rear mounted vehicular snowplow.

2. An accessory cover plate according to claim 1 including a license plate holder and a lighting system.

3. An accessory cover plate according to claim 2 wherein said lighting system is operatively connected to the electrical system of a vehicle to which the snowplow is attached.

4. An accessory cover plate according to claim 3 wherein said lighting system includes taillights, brake lights, and reverse lights.

5. An accessory cover plate according to claim 4 wherein said lighting system further includes at least one light for illuminating said license plate holder.

6. An accessory cover plate according to claim 5 wherein said lighting system further includes at least one work light for illuminating an area to the rear of said vehicle.

7. A pull plow adapted to be mounted at the rear of a vehicle, said pull plow having attached thereto and covering at least a portion of an outer rear surface thereof, an accessory cover plate, said accessory cover plate having incorporated thereon, a license plate holder and a rear lighting system electrically connectable to a power source within said vehicle, said rear lighting system being operable from said vehicle.

8. A pull plow according to claim 7 wherein said rear lighting system includes taillights, brake lights, and reverse lights.

9. A pull plow according to claim 8 wherein said rear lighting system further includes at least one worklight for illuminating an area to the rear of said vehicle.

10. A pull plow according to claim 8 wherein said rear lighting system further includes at least one light for illuminating said license plate holder.