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US 2010/0059982 A1Published application
Mud Wing Having Directional Spray Suppression
OwnerAndreas Franz Schubertinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mud wings of the present invention include an enclosed space in which water diverters are disposed in positions and in orientations that cause water entering the enclosed space through the front panel of the mud wing to directionally drain to a predetermined exit port in the mud wing. In one embodiment, the exit port is located on the bottom portion of a thin sidewall of the mud wing that is designed to release water on the inboard side of the tire path, which prevents the water from being deposited into the path of any rearward tires.
Claims20
A mud wing, comprising:
- a back panel
- a first side wall disposed in contact with said back panel and projecting outward therefrom;
- a second side wall disposed in contact with said back panel and projecting outward therefrom, wherein said second side wall is disposed opposite said first side wall on said back panel;
- a front panel disposed in contact with said first side wall and said second side wall, wherein said front panel defines openings through which water may pass, wherein said back panel, said first side wall, said front panel, and said second side wall define an enclosed space;
- and,
- one or more water diverters disposed between and in contact with said back panel and said front panel, wherein one or more ports are defined in one or more of said first side wall, said second side wall, and said back panel;
- wherein, when water enters said space through said openings in said front panel, said water will be pulled downward by gravity into said one or more water diverters, which will divert said water toward said one or more ports, after which said water will drain from said space through said one or more ports.
4 more elements
A method of controlling water spray produced by a tire, comprising:
- installing behind said tire a mud wing, comprising:
- a back panel
- a first side wall disposed in contact with said back panel and projecting outward therefrom;
- a second side wall disposed in contact with said back panel and projecting outward therefrom, wherein said second side wall is disposed opposite said first side wall on said back panel;
- a front panel disposed in contact with said first side wall and said second side wall, wherein said front panel defines openings through which water may pass, wherein said back panel, said first side wall, said front panel, and said second side wall define an enclosed space;
- and,
- one or more water diverters disposed between and in contact with said back panel and said front panel, wherein one or more ports are defined in one or more of said first side wall, said second side wall, and said back panel;
- wherein, when water enters said space through said openings in said front panel, said water will be pulled downward by gravity into said one or more water diverters, which will divert said water toward said one or more ports, after which said water will drain from said space through said one or more ports.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.