Mudflap with aerodynamic improvement
AssigneeVolvo Truck Corporation
InventorGangaram Baliram Eakmbe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mudflap in a wheel arrangement for a vehicle such as a truck or a utility vehicle or a trailer, the mudflap comprising a plate, arranged substantially in a vertical position, the plate being 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 plate having a plurality of holes and closing member(s), wherein each closing member exhibits a rest position in which the closing member closes holes at the rear side thereof, and a deflected position in which a dynamic air pressure pushes the closing member away from its rest position, thereby allowing air to pass through the hole, and thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag of the mudflap.
Claims15
A mudflap in a wheel arrangement for a vehicle such as a truck or a utility vehicle or a trailer, the mudflap comprising:
- a plate, arranged substantially in a vertical position, the plate being attached to a support in the vehicle, a front side of the plate being oriented toward the wheel, and a rear side of the plate being oriented away from the wheel, wherein the plate is made of hard polymer material, and wherein the plate has a plurality of holes, and
- one or more closing member(s) of a plurality of closing members, wherein a portion of each closing member is attached to and overlaps the plate at a position above at least one hole of the plurality of holes,
- wherein each closing member comprises:
- a rest position in which the closing member substantially closes one or more holes at the rear side thereof, and
- a deflected position in which a dynamic air pressure pushes the closing member away from the rest position, thereby allowing air to pass through the one or more holes, and thereby reducing aerodynamic drag of the mudflap without compromising the protection provided by the mudflap against projections of solid particles or liquid droplets,
- wherein each closing member of the plurality of closing members deflects independently from one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.