MUDFLAP WITH OVERLAPPING INCLINED LOUVERS

Abstract

A mudflap for a truck or a trailer, the mudflap comprising a frame, attached to a support in the vehicle, a front side being oriented toward the wheel, and a rear side oriented away from the wheel, the frame having a left upright, a right upright, a top cross member, a bottom cross member, a plurality of louvers, each louver having ends fixedly attached to the left and right uprights, each louver comprising a first louver portion having a leading free edge and a second louver portion, the second louver portion extending from the first louver portion, the first louver portion being inclined with regard to a horizontal direction by a first angle comprised between 40? and 55?, and the second louver portion being inclined with regard to first louver portion by a second angle.

Claims

1. A mudflap for a vehicle such as a truck or a utility vehicle or a trailer, the mudflap being arranged substantially in a vertical position in a normal use condition, where the mudflap is configured to be attached to a support in the vehicle, a front side being oriented toward the wheel, and a rear side oriented away from the wheel; wherein the mudflap comprises a left upright and a right upright; wherein the mudflap comprises: a plurality of louvers, extending substantially horizontally in the normal use condition; each louver having a first longitudinal end fixedly attached to the left upright and a second longitudinal end fixedly attached to the right upright; each louver comprising a first louver portion having a leading free edge at a front side thereof, and a second louver portion, the second louver portion extending continuously from the first louver portion, at a rear side of the first louver portion, the second louver portion being delimited by a trailing free edge; wherein the first louver portion is inclined with regard to a horizontal direction by a first angle, the first angle being comprised between 30? and 65?; and wherein the second louver portion is inclined with regard to first louver portion by a second angle, the second angle being comprised between 5? and 85?.

2. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein the left upright and the right upright are part of a frame, wherein the frame further comprises a top cross member extending between the left upright and the right upright, and a bottom cross member extending between the left upright and the right upright.

3. The mudflap any of claim 1, wherein for a couple of adjacent louvers, with one upper louver and one lower louver, the trailing edge of the upper louver is located below the leading edge of the lower louver.

4. The mudflap of claim 3, exhibiting a louver overlapping ratio H2/H1 comprised between 10% and 30%, where H1 is a vertical offset distancing two successive louvers, and H2 denotes a vertical distance separating the trailing edge of an upper louver and the leading edge of a lower louver.

5. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein the louvers are arranged parallel to each other.

6. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein the first louver portion is flat.

7. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein the second louver portion is flat.

8. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein there is defined regarding the cross section of a louver, a length of the first portion denoted L41, and a length of the second portion length L42, and wherein L42/L41 is comprised between 0,15 and 0,30.

9. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein all the louvers are identical and aligned vertically.

10. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein the first angle is comprised between 42? and 46?.

11. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein the second angle is comprised between 20? and 40?.

12. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein an overall thickness of the mudflap along the longitudinal direction is comprised between 20 mm and 40 mm.

13. The mudflap of claim 1, wherein a thickness of each louver is comprised between 4 mm and 8 mm.

14. A wheel arrangement for a vehicle such as a truck or a utility vehicle or a trailer, comprising: an arcuate wheel cover or a fender; and the mudflap of claim 1.

15. A vehicle comprising at least the wheel arrangement of claim 14.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Other features and advantages of the invention appear from the following detailed description of one of its embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0045] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic side view of wheel arrangement for a vehicle, with a mudflap in accordance with the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 2 is exemplary diagrammatic side section view a first embodiment of a mudflap according to the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 3 is exemplary diagrammatic enlarged side section view.

[0048] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the mudflap, from a front perspective view and a rear perspective view.

[0049] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view that illustrates values geometric feature of one louver included in the mudflap.

[0050] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view that illustrates values geometric feature of another louver type included in the mudflap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0051] In the figures, the same references denote identical or similar elements.

[0052] As apparent from FIG. 1, there is provided a wheel arrangement for a vehicle. The vehicle at stake can be a truck, a bus, a heavy-duty vehicle or a utility vehicle. The vehicle can be a trailer. Generally speaking, the vehicle is a road vehicle. The vehicle can have four wheels, six wheels or any number of wheels.

[0053] Now for clarity, we concentrate on one wheel W, but it should be noted that several or all wheels can be equipped with the present invention.

[0054] When the vehicle moves, the wheel rotates. The forward direction is denoted FW on FIG. 1. The wheel comprises a tire 92. The tire outer surface can have various superficial shapes including grooves.

[0055] When the wheel rotates, the periphery of the tire may project liquid or solid items P3 toward the rear direction. Said liquid or solid items P3 are called wheel projections and may comprise water droplets, mud droplets, gravels, particles, small stones. These wheel projections can entail risk of damage for any following vehicle. The following vehicle can be a truck, a passenger car, a motorcycle, etc . . . .

[0056] The wheel projections can also make the following vehicle(s) dirty. The wheel projections can also provoke damages and/or dirt to the vehicle at stake itself. In a semi-trailer configuration, the wheel projections of the tractor can provoke damages and/or dirt to the trailer. The quantity of the wheel projections depends on the local configuration of the road surface. In particular, the quantity of the wheel projections increases with wet and dirt conditions of the road surface. The velocity of the wheel projections increases in relation with the vehicle speed.

[0057] Thus, there is provided a mudflap 3. The purpose of the mudflap 3 is to strongly reduce the adverse effects of the wheel projections on the rear portion of the vehicle at stake itself and on the following vehicles.

[0058] In the shown example, the wheel arrangement comprises an arcuate wheel cover 20. In the shown example, the arcuate wheel covers the top half of the wheel, i.e. 180? coverage on both sides from the top point. The arcuate wheel cover can also be named wheel housing or wheel casing.

[0059] However, such arcuate wheel cover is optional, the mudflap 3 can be attached to a transverse support. The transverse direction is parallel to the wheel axis A, whereas the longitudinal direction X corresponds to front/rear direction (in normal use).

[0060] We note here that the commonly used term mudguard can comprise only the mudflap as explained herein or a combination of a mudlfap and an arcuate wheel cover.

[0061] In one example, the mudflap extends transversely over the entire width of the tire.

[0062] It is not excluded to have, besides the mudflap of interest here, some additional deflector laterally arranged on the outer side of the mudflap, or on both sides of the mudflap.

[0063] In use in the wheel arrangement, there is a clearance H7 left between the ground and the bottom and of the mudflap. Of course the clearance H7 depends on the load of the vehicle. In practice H7 can be comprised, according to various applicable regulations, between 20 cm (max load or suspension depressed) and 40 cm (low load). Further, the mudflap is mounted with some flexibility on its support, and therefore if the mudflap hit something on the ground, or hit by a impacting foreign object, it will deflect and thereafter return to this initial position after the deflection.

Frame

[0064] The mudflap 3 comprises a frame 1 attached to a support in the vehicle. Such support can be a wheelcover as discussed above, but such support can also be any cross member available close to the wheel.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the mudflap is hanging on a support. This hanging arrangement can comprise a pivotal mount or can be a somewhat rigid mount.

[0066] The frame 1 comprises a front side being oriented toward the wheel, and a rear side oriented away from the wheel.

[0067] The frame 1 has a general rectangular shape. The frame 1 comprises a left upright 11, a right upright 12, a top cross member 13, and a bottom cross member 14.

[0068] The left upright 11 and the right upright 12 extend along the vertical direction Z.

[0069] The top cross member 13 and the bottom cross member 14 extend along the horizontal direction, transverse Y.

[0070] The frame 1 is arranged substantially in a vertical position in a normal use condition.

[0071] In the illustrated example, the frame 1 is made of hard thermoplastics like ABS, PP, PA, PVC. In the illustrated example, the frame 1 is monolithic, whereas it is not excluded to have four distinct members assembled together to form the frame.

[0072] The dimension of the frame along the longitudinal direction X is denoted E3. E3 is comprised between 20 mm and 40 mm. The mudflap 3 comprises a plurality of louvers 2, which are discussed below. The height H3 of the frame can be comprised between 35 cm and 65 cm The width W3 of the frame can be comprised between 25 cm and 65 cm. The frame can cover a twin wheel configuration.

Louvers

[0073] Each louver 2 extends substantially along the horizontal transverse direction Y in the normal use condition.

[0074] The number of louvers can be comprised between 2 and 20. In some embodiments, the number of louvers can be comprised between 8 and 12.

[0075] Each louver has a first longitudinal end 21 fixedly attached to the left upright 11 and a second longitudinal end 22 fixedly attached to the right upright 12.

[0076] Each louver 2 has a cross section which is illustrated in particular at FIG. 3 and FIG. 5. In the illustrated example, each louver 2 exhibits a constant cross section along Y. Each louver comprises a first louver portion 41. The first louver portion 41 has a leading free edge 45 at a front side thereof and a back area 47.

[0077] Each louver comprises a second louver portion 42. The second louver portion 42 extends continuously from the back area 47 of the first louver portion, at a rear side of the first louver portion. The second louver portion is delimited by a trailing free edge 46 at the rear end. In the illustrated example, the first louver portion 41 is substantially flat. In the illustrated example, the second louver portion 42 is substantially flat.

[0078] The thickness E2 of each louver portion is comprised between 4 mm and 8 mm. In the shown example, the thickness E2 is constant along the cross section. In other implementations, the thickness E2 could be decreasing along the cross section from front to rear.

[0079] Regarding the cross section of a louver, there is defined a length of the first portion denoted L41, and a length of the second portion length L42. A ratio L42/L41 is comprised between 0,15 and 0,30.

[0080] All the louvers 2 are identical and aligned vertically.

[0081] In the shown example, the louvers are exactly encompassed within the frame; that is, the front end of the louvers coincides with a plane of the front face of the frame, the back end of the louvers coincides with a plane of the back face of the frame.

[0082] The louvers are made of hard polymer material. More precisely each louver can be made of hard thermoplastics like ABS, PP, PA, PVC.

[0083] Given the material used to manufacture the mudflap, the mudflap exhibits a fixed geometry with few possibility of flexing under stress.

Inclination of Louver Portions

[0084] We take as reference a plane of the front face of the frame, and a normal direction denoted X, which coincides with a horizontal direction when the frame is in a vertical position.

[0085] The first louver portion 41 is inclined with regard to a horizontal direction X by a first angle ?. The first angle ? is generally comprised between 30? and 65?. In some embodiments, the first angle ? is comprised between 40? and 55?.

[0086] Said otherwise, the primitive direction W1 of the first louver portion, taken at mid thickness, deviates from X by first angle ?.

[0087] The second louver portion is inclined with regard to first louver portion by a second angle ?. The second angle ? is comprised between 5? and 85?.

[0088] Said otherwise, the primitive direction W2 of the second louver portion, taken a mid thickness, deviates from W1 by first angle ?.

[0089] According to some preferred configuration, the first angle ? can be comprised between 42? and 46?. According to some preferred configuration, the second angle ? can be comprised between 20? and 40?. The second angle ? can be comprised between 27? and 33?.

Passages for Airflow and Particles.

[0090] As depicted at FIG. 2, airflow coming from the front area can pass through the mudflap with minimal drag, also being deviated downwards. This is illustrated by a path PP at FIG. 2. Regarding solid particle, they bounce on the louvers and come down to the ground in downwards direction.

[0091] The distance HZ separating two primitive directions of two respective successive louvers along the vertical direction Z has the same value as per H1. HZ is a vertical offset distancing two neighboring louver.

[0092] Turning now to FIG. 6, there may be provided rounded end 48 at the leading edge of the first louvre portion, a sharp edge is therefore avoided. Similarly, there may be provided rounded end 49 at the trailing edge of the second louvre portion 42, a sharp edge is therefore avoided. This kind of end shape can help mitigating a possible air borne noise.

[0093] The dimensions H1, H2, E1, E2, E3, 0, B, L41, L42 is determined by the packaging space available in the mudflap region.

[0094] Generally speaking, the mudflap can be a separate part or not. A separate part is distinct from other parts, with a frame and louvers as exemplified FIGS. 4A and 4B.

[0095] However, the mudflap can be part of a larger part having possibly other functionalities. Indeed, instead of being encompassed within a frame, the louvers can be supported in a part of the vehicle having grooves or slots to receive the louvers therein.