Mudflap bracket
AssigneeFleet Engineers, Inc.
InventorsSteven A. Antekeier, Leonard A. Gould, Louis E. Eklund
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mudflap assembly (10) mounts a mudflap (14) onto a vehicle frame. The mudflap assembly (10) includes a downwardly extending mudflap. The mudflap (14) is suspended from a support bar (16) and provides spray suppression. A bracket member (18) secures the mudflap (14) to the support bar (16). The bracket member (18) has an end flap (22) which extends downwardly from the bracket member (18) to conceal an outer end of the support bar (16) from view. The bracket member (18) can also include a crimped portion (23) at an inner end thereof for limiting vertical movement of the bracket member (18) relative to the support bar (16).
Claims6
In a mudflap assembly for mounting a mudflap onto a vehicle frame, said mudflap assembly having a downwardly-extending mudflap suspended from a support bar for spray-supression, the improvement comprising:
- a U-shaped tubular bracket member having an upper bight portion and substantially parallel, spatially separated side flanges depending downwardly therefrom and positioned around said support bar;
- means for securing said tubular bracket member to said mudflap;
- and
- an end flap integral with said bight portion and extending vertically downwardly from said bracket member so as to conceal an outer end of said support bar from view, thereby increasing the visual aesthetics of said mudflap assembly
- wherein said end flap further comprises an integral horizontal portion at a lower portion thereof, said horizontal portion extending beneath said support bar so as to further secure said end flap in place at an outer end of said support bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.