Patent Application
20080185808
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of spray suppression in commercial trucking. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a mudflap assembly.
Mudguards or mudflaps are used primarily behind single or dual rear-wheeled truck and trailer vehicles, particularly heavy duty class 6, 7, and 8. Typically, the mudflap assemblies have the ability to flex in horizontal and vertical directions in order to withstand forces placed upon them during normal operation. Some mudguard mounting structures comprise a single piece of spring-like bar stock bent in a shape for supporting the mudguards and for flexing in all directions.
Other mounting assemblies for mudflaps use a rigid hanger assembly and resiliently bias the hanger assembly to a seat which is attached to a vehicle. In such assemblies, devices are often provided for restraining rotational movement of the hanger assembly with respect to the seat so that the mudflap always remains in its vertical orientation. If the hanger rotates so that the flap moves toward the wheels, the wheels may prematurely wear the mudflap away. If the hanger rotates in an opposite direction, the effectiveness of the mudflap may be diminished.
Mudflap brackets having a horizontal tube with a longitudinal mudflap mounting flange on its underside are known. Such brackets comprise a vehicle frame-mounted plate having bolts or studs of a predetermined, fixed separation, often selected to match existing manufacturer provided apertures in the vehicle frame. A proximate end of the horizontal tube is held against the frame-mounted plate, generally in an abutting relationship, by the bias of an elongate spring residing in the tube, the spring connected at one end to the frame-mounted plate and at the other end to the tube, at a location on the tube distal from the vehicle frame.
The abutting relationship of the horizontal tube and mounting plate to the frame-mounted plate may result in misalignment of the tube, which occurs when the tube is struck or subjected to the forces experienced by the vehicle traveling down the road. The bias of the elongate spring may not overcome the misalignment by itself. Corners or edges between the mounting plate, or tube, and the frame-mounted plate catch or hang up on each other, preventing realignment of the tube. Furthermore, such devices can be expensive to manufacture and replace, and are difficult to install and assemble.
The present disclosure is directed to a mudflap assembly device. This is accomplished by providing a mudflap hanger, a mudflap bracket, a pin, a ramping sleeve, and a compressive spring.
For purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the disclosure have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
The present disclosure discloses a ramping mudflap assembly. The mudflap bracket contains a universal bolting pattern for attachment to any vehicle frame, and can be made from any material such as metal, composites, or high-density plastics which are capable of withstanding normal operational forces. A mudflap hanger is inserted within the bracket leaving the mudflap projecting away therefrom. The mudflap hanger is also made of durable material such as metal, composites, or high-density plastics, capable of withstanding normal operational forces. The mudflap itself is known in the art and made from standard industrial material. The mudflap can either be molded into the mudflap hanger or can otherwise be secured to the hanger using traditional means such as bolts or fasteners. In an alternative embodiment, the mudflap may be secured to the hanger via a slot along the length of the hanger for receiving a mudflap. In such an embodiment, the top of the mudflap is wedged such that when the bottom of the mudflap is inserted through the top of the hanger through the slot, the wedged portion of the mudflap sets securely within the mudflap slot. The wedge can be preformed into the mudflap, or can be created by mudflap retainers—accomplished by providing two halves of a mudflap retainer, wherein each half of the retainer has protrusions which extend through the standard hole placements of the mudflap. The halves are mated together through the mudflap creating a wedge at the top of the mudflap. The mudflap can then be inserted through a slot in a mudflap hanger assembly wherein the wedge created by the retainer couples with the mudflap hanger.
In one embodiment, the mudflap hanger is secured to the assembly by a pin which is inserted through the mudflap bracket and mudflap hanger, representing a hinged joint. The pin is also inserted through a spring and a ramping sleeve placed on either side of the hanger between the hanger and the bracket. Any device or material capable of providing compressive force may be used in the place of the spring. The ramping mechanism is oriented such that a horizontal force placed upon the mudflap hanger causes the hanger to rotate about the hinged joint and displaced upward and away from such force. The upward displacement of the hanger further compresses the spring such that when the horizontal force is removed, the hanger returns along the ramping sleeve to its resting position. In an alternative embodiment, the ramping mechanism can be molded or machined into the bracket at either the top portion, bottom portion, or both.
These and other embodiments of the present disclosure will also become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the disclosure not being limited to any particular embodiment(s) disclosed.
The present disclosure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.
The various embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to
This disclosure may be provided in other specific forms and embodiments without departing from the essential characteristics as described herein. The embodiments described above are to be considered in all aspects as illustrative only and not restrictive in any manner. The following claims rather than the foregoing description indicate the scope of the disclosure.
As described above and shown in the associated drawings, the present disclosure comprises a mudflap assembly. While particular embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it will be understood, however, that the disclosure is not limited thereto, since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. It is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications that incorporate those features or those improvements that embody the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/887,940, entitled “Ramping Mudflap Assembly,” filed on Feb. 2, 2007, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60887940 | Feb 2007 | US |
