License plate holder

#The invention relates to a license plate holder made of a resilient material that provides protection to the vehicle and the license plate mounted thereon.

#Every motor vehicle is generally required to have at least a license plate mounted at the front or rear of the vehicle. Typically, a license plate holder is placed in the front of the vehicle affixed to the front bumper. Similarly, if a license plate is to be placed at the rear of the vehicle, it is affixed to the rear bumper. The license plate and license plate holder becomes the first point of contact when the vehicle bumped into or by another vehicle or an object.

#Prior art license plate holder normally comprises a thin, flat, plastic or metal frame having a border of about ½ inch and a flat back support substantially the same size as the license plate. The back support is typically mounted with screws on the front or rear bumper of the vehicle. A license plate is placed on top of the back support and the frame is then mounted over the license plate with nuts and bolts passing through the frame, license plate and back support. When a vehicle bumped into or is bumped by another vehicle or an object, for example, while parking the vehicle, the license plate and the prior art license plate holder are easily damaged. The thinness of the plastic frame of the prior art license plate holder often cracks when bumped into another vehicle or an object. Also, if the force is large enough, the bumper or body of the vehicle may be damaged.

#A preferred embodiment of the present invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a front view of the license plate holder of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

#With reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the same element throughout, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the license plate holder 10 of the present invention with a license plate 12 (shown in dotted line) mounted thereon. The license plate holder 10 comprises a rectangular back support 14 having a plurality of holes 16 for mounting the license plate 12 on the holder 10 with nuts 18 and bolts 20.

#In one embodiment, a wall 22 extends substantially perpendicularly from the front face 24 of a generally rectangular shaped back support 14 along the entire perimeter of the back support 14, creating a border 26 having a thickness, T, advantageously shown to be approximately ¾ inch and defining a well 28. The well 28 is slightly larger than the outer perimeter of the license plate 12 for mounting the license plate 12 into the well 28 and against the front face 25 of the back support 14. The height, H, of the wall 22 extending from the back support 14 is preferably larger than the thickness of the license plate 12 to provide adequate protection of the license plate 12 mounted therein. The height, H, of the wall 22 may be approximately ¾ inch.

#The license plate holder 10 is preferably made of a tough resilient material such as resilient plastic or rubber, preferably by a molding process to create a single integral unit. The license plate holder 10 can also be made from dense foam or polypropylene. Preferably, the license plate holder 10 is reflective and made of a fluorescent material.