BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention generally relates to parking stall bumpers, and particularly to a parking stall bumper with a removable cover that allows for advertisement or other desirable information to be placed on parking stall bumpers.

2. Descnphon of the Related Art Parking lots used in commercial or residential properties designate parking spaces with straight parallel lines painted on the ground surface several feet apart to accommodate the width and length of most motor vehicles. A driver entering a parking space directs the motor vehicle within the painted lines defining the parking space and moves forward until at least one of the . front tires makes contact with a parking stall bumper that is secured to the ground, typically at one end of the parking space. Parking bumpers may be centered in parking space or may be positioned across two parking spaces. When the front tire contacts the parking stall bumper, the forward movement of the vehicle is substantially limited. Used in this way, parking bumpers enhance safety and prevent vehicles from accidentally movmg forward and Mttmg another Object or pedestrians, and also prevent one vehicle from accidentally contacting another vehicle parked in an opposite parking stall.

Parking bumpers are conventionally known, including the manufacture and use of such bumpers_, Commonly, parking bumpers are concrete with a generally trapezoidal cross-section.

Bumpers may be held in place with respect to a parking space or otherwise by gravity or through the use of rebar"posts or other inexpensive metal rods. When rebar posts are used to hold a bumper in place, the posts are mounted in the asphalt, concrete or other pavement of the parking lot. Two posts are typically provided, extending vertically from the pavement and spaced apart

by an appropriate amount, for example a distance on the order of one half of the width of a bumper. Mating channels are provided through the bumper with sufficient clearance so that a bumper can be lowered onto the posts by, for example, a front end loader or other common hauling and moving equipment. Alternately, and in many instances more practically, the bumper is placed in position with respect to the parking space and then the anchoring posts are driven through the channels into the underlying surface of the parking lot to secure the bumper.

Parking bumpers are often painted, for example with lettering. For example, parking bumpers are sometimes lettered with paint to designate characteristics of selected parking spaces such as"visitor,""handicapped,""20 minutes only'or"resewed.'1he use of bumpers to designate parking spaces may also identify the commercial establishment for which the parking space is provided.

The paint for lettered or otherwise painted parking bumpers fades quickly. As such, painted bumpers require frequent maintenance. Moreover, the appearance of the lettering on parking bumpers is poor and is not well suited to making a commercial presentation of a message.

SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention recognizes that parking stall bumpers can be used as a platform for carrying advertisements or other messages to the public, especially to consumers in parking lots of commercial or business oriented properties, and is designed to address this application.

An aspect of the invention provides a method of providing advertising including the steps of providing a fixture adapted for use as an automobile tire stop and of providing a cover for the fixture. The meod continucs by attaching a message to the cover. Preferably, the cover is such that it can be provided over a fixture such as a parking bumper when the parking bumper is in place. The cover might be fastened to the fixture in a tamper proof manner.

Preferably, the cover has a rounded cross section In some embodiments, the cover further includes first and second lips extending fiom lower edges of the cover. These lips may engage with the fixture to better hold the cover in place.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of providing advertising by providing a cover for a concrete parking bumper. The cover is slidably mounted over the concrete parking bumper. The cover has an outer surface and an inner surface, and the inner

surface of the cover substantially conforms to an upper surface of the concrete parking bumper- The cover is fastened to the concrete parking bumper and a message is attached to the cover.

Still another aspect of the invention provides advertising by providing a cover for a concrete parking bumper, where the cover is slidably mounted over the concrete parking bumper, The cover has an outer surface and an inner surface and the inner surface of the cover substantially conforms to an upper surface of the concrete parking bumper. The cover is fastened to the concrete parking bumper and a message is attached to the cover BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention and constitute a part of the disclosure. In the drawings : FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly of a parking stall bumper with a removable cover embodying the present invention ; FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a side end of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 ; and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, with an alternative method of securing the cover to the bumper shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method of providing advertising and certain preferred equipment for best conveying that advertisement.

The method preferably uses a concrete parking bumper in a paring lot. Most preferably a preferred rounded cross section parking bumper is provided for this pmpose, but the method could also be used with parking bumpers already provided in an accessible area. A cover is provided over the concrete parking bumper. The cover is typically plastic or metal and largely covers the parking bumper. In most circumstances, the inner surface of the cover substantially conforms to the upper surface of the concrete parking bumper. Advertising is provided by attaching a message to the cover. Most preferably the advertisement is provided on one side of an adhesive label.

Those of ordinary skill will appreciate that a number of variations on this implementation are possible. For example, the parking bumpers need not be concrete. As a general matter,

concrete is particularly preferred because concrete is heavy, durable and relatively inexpensive.

Since it is preferred that the parking bumpers continue to serve their fundamental purpose in parking lots, it is preferred that the parking bumpers be made of a material consistent with that need It is preferred that the parking bumper be held in fixed relationship to its parking spot so that the advertising message remains directed in its intended manner. It is further preferred that the parking bumper be covered in a manner that both protects the parking bumper and enhances the ability of the parking bumper to effectively display advertising-This might be accomplished by providing an appropriate cover for the parking bumper.

Appropriate covers have the primary desirable characteristic of providing a good quality surface for presenting advertising. Should the advertising method be displayed as painted lettering and illustrations on the cover, the cover is preferably chosen to provide excellent visibility for an appropriate high visibility paint The combination of the cover and the paint is preferably also selected to provide good durability for the painted image.

In other embodiments, appropriate covers might be provided for the display of labels affixed to the covers. This represents a presently particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, since the technology for providing durable labels with excellent visibility characteristics is well developed. Appropriate covers for the parking bumper generally then have a generally smooth or rounded outer surface and provide a good surface for mounting label adhesives-Materials well suited for covers include metals and particularly inexpensive but durable metals such as aluminum. Other covers might be made out of plastics.

When covers are made out of plastics, it is possible to provide the advertising message directly on or within the plastie cover. This implementation has the disadvantage, however, of being poorly suited for the use of replaceable advertising. As such, the preferred use of plastic covers is to provide advertising messages on the surface of the bumper.

Generally, covers for parking bumpers should cover most all of the parking bumper, with the general exception of the ends of the parking bumper, which are expected to have little value for advertising. In most implementations, it is expected that covers will extend over the surface of the parking bumpers and extend partially beneath edges of the parking bumpers. In certain embodiments, receiving indentations are provided in the parking bumpers to receive lips or other extensions of the cover that are intended to fit Under the parking bumper. Providing such lips or

extensions that extend from the cover under the parking bumper is particularly preferred as enhancing the durability and resistance to vandalism for these covered parking bumpers.

To further facilitate the durability of the cover and parking bumper assembly, it is preferred that the cover be fixed to the parking bumper by vandal resistant fasteners, for example including tamper resistant nuts or cap nuts.

Most preferably, the covers for parking bumpers are made to slip onto a parking bumper already in place within an accessible area such as a parking lot. This is true if the cover is intended for use with an existing parking bumper, such as those that have trapezoidal cross sections, or with those particularly preferred parking bumpers described here. Thus, the covers are preferably sufficiently pliable so that the covers can be spread apart to fit the preferred lips, extending from the bottom of the cover, over the parking bumper. Most preferably, the covers are sufficiently resilient as to spring back into shape after being slid over the parking bumper.

This may be accomplished with many different metals, including aluminum, as well as with plastic. When the cap is made of aluminum or a similar metal, the cover is preferably powder coated for the appearance advantages associated with powder coating, as well as the added durability powder coating provides.

FIGS. 1 through 3 show in greater detail parking stall bumpers and (czover assembly 10 with a parking stall bumper 12 and a slidabl mountable cover 14. The dimensions of the bumper 12 are such that its length is much longer than its width, preferably approximately 48 inches in length and 7 inches in width, although other desirable dimensions may also be used.

The bumper is created by mass production methods well known in the art. For example, a parking bumper might be manufactured by longitudinally placing a pair of horizontally spaced steel rebars in a cast or mold of desired shape, pouring concrete in the cast, allowing the concrete to harden, and then separating the cast from the concrete. During the casting of the concrete bumper, a pair of hollow channels are placed in the cast perpendicular to the longitudinal center- line of the bumper a distance apart such that a pair of channels 16 are provided in the finished bumper-The channels 16 in the finished bumper may be used for driving a pair of anchors through the upper surface of the bumper into the ground or pavement, thereby securing the bumper to the parking lot surface. The bumper 12 is preferably designed with a substantially semi-circular cross section having a rounded, smooth outer surface 16to aUow the placement of

the cover 14 over the bumper, and longitudinally positioned notched segments 22 along the two bottom side edges of the bumper.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the cover 14 is shaped similar to the bumper 12 so as to be able to mate with and be removably placed over the outer surface of the bumper. Most preferably, the shape of the inner surface of the cover substantially conforms to the upper surface of the bumper. <BR> <BR> <P>Preferably, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover has a substantially semi-circular cross-section, and is<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> :<BR> <BR> <BR> made of a thin sheet of metal/tlummum, or plastic with inwardly bent lip segments 24 that extend along the two longitudinal edges of the cover-As such, the cover 14 is shaped and dimensioned so that it can snap fit over the outer surface of the bumper, with the longitudinal lip segments 24 mating with the longitudinally positioned notched segments 22 of the bumper. A pair of cutout slits 26 are provided on each side of the cover 14 to enable a tool such as a screw driver to be placed therein to pry open and separate the cover from the bumper when necessary.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, a plurality of concrete anchor inserts are inserted through the cast along side lower edges of the cast, so that the anchor inserts will be integrated in the concrete bumper. After the bumper is dried and finished, the anchor inserts can receive corresponding vandal-free type screws 28 to secure the cover to the bumper so as to make it difficult for unauthorized individuals to remove the cover In this alternative embodiment, the notched segments 22 of the bumper as well as the longitudinal lip segments 24 of the cover can be eliminated and the cover will slide over the bumper and be secured thereto by way of the. screws.

In accordance with the present invention, the cover can be used to place a variety of advertisements thereon to take advantage of parking stall bumpers as a pleasing and highly visible advertising platform. For example, a desired advertisement or other nage can be permanently applied to the exterior surface of the cover, with the cover removed and replaced when a new advertisement or sign is to be applied and shown over the bumper. Alternatively, one or more advertisement stickers/sheets can be adhesively attached to the exterior surface of the cover, with new stickers applied over the old ones whenever there is a need to change the advertisement. The advertisement can also be in the form of a sheet with a holograph sign or message applied thereon.

It is to be understood that the bumper and cover assembly of the present invention may alternatively be constructed from a variety of materials and in a variety of shapes and sizes, so

long as the bumper has sufficient structural strength and durability and an exterior shape that is adaptable to accept a removable cover for placing advertisements or other messages thereon. For example, in accordance with the invention, a cover may be shaped to conform to and be placed over commonly available and existing parking stall bumpers.

A variety of further modifications and improvements in and to the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention