# US 8,783,727 B2 · Retractable vehicle mud flap > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,727 B2 - Document ID: US8783727B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/961,506 - Filed: 2013-08-07 - Published: 2014-02-13 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-10 - Applicants: Peter J. Flaman - Inventors: Peter J. Flaman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783727B2 ## CPC - B62D 25/182: {Movable mudguards, or mudguards comprising movable or detachable parts (B62D25/188 takes precedence)} - B62D 25/188: {Mud-guard flaps for utility vehicles} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A retractable mud flap assembly has a housing suspended from a vehicle hitch receiver tube so as not to interfere with mounting of a hitch ball thereon. The housing receives a rotatable shaft therein upon which a flexible mud flap panel can be rolled into the housing in a stored position. The housing has a lower dispensing slot between opposing flanges through which a portion of increased thickness of the panel cannot pass. A tool attachment portion is supported at one end of the shaft for selective attachment of an auxiliary handle member or rotary tool for example. A radial locking member on the housing selectively engages shaft to lock the panel in either the stored position or a working position suspended from the dispensing slot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A retractable mud flap assembly for a motor vehicle supported on wheels for movement in a forward working direction, the assembly comprising: a housing extending in a lateral direction between two opposing ends; a hitch attachment arranged to suspend the housing from a hitching portion of the vehicle rearward of the wheels such that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the forward working direction of the vehicle; a shaft supported by the housing for rotation about an axis of the shaft oriented in the lateral direction; and a mud flap panel spanning longitudinally between an inner edge secured to the shaft and an opposing free outer edge; the mud flap panel being formed of a flexible material so as to be movable between a working position depending downwardly from the housing towards the free outer edge and a stored position rolled onto the shaft; and the hitch attachment comprising a bracket arranged to be secured about a hitch receiver tube on the vehicle in a manner which does not interfere with mounting of a hitch ball relative to the hitch receiver tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the hitch attachment is arranged to wholly suspend the housing from the hitching portion of the vehicle such that the housing is only supported on the hitching portion of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 A retractable mud flap assembly for a motor vehicle supported on wheels for movement in a forward working direction, the assembly comprising: a housing extending in a lateral direction between two opposing ends; a hitch attachment arranged to suspend the housing from a hitching portion of the vehicle rearward of the wheels such that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the forward working direction of the vehicle; a shaft supported by the housing for rotation about an axis of the shaft oriented in the lateral direction; and a mud flap panel spanning longitudinally between an inner edge secured to the shaft and an opposing free outer edge; the mud flap panel being formed of a flexible material so as to be movable between a working position depending downwardly from the housing towards the free outer edge and a stored position rolled onto the shaft; and the hitch attachment comprising a bracket arranged to be secured about the hitching portion of the vehicle using threaded fasteners such that the housing is selectively separable from the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the housing is fully enclosed about the shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the housing includes two flanges spanning laterally between the opposing ends parallel to one another to define a dispensing slot therebetween and wherein the mud flap panel is received through the dispensing slot between the two flanges. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly according to claim 5 wherein the mud flap panel includes a portion of increased thickness at the outer free edge which cannot pass through the dispensing slot. ### Claim 7 A retractable mud flap assembly for a motor vehicle supported on wheels for movement in a forward working direction, the assembly comprising: a housing extending in a lateral direction between two opposing ends; a hitch attachment arranged to suspend the housing from a hitching portion of the vehicle rearward of the wheels such that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the forward working direction of the vehicle; a shaft supported by the housing for rotation about an axis of the shaft oriented in the lateral direction; and a mud flap panel spanning longitudinally between an inner edge secured to the shaft and an opposing free outer edge; the mud flap panel being formed of a flexible material so as to be movable between a working position depending downwardly from the housing towards the free outer edge and a stored position rolled onto the shaft; and the mud flap panel further comprising a rigid weighted member spanning along the outer free edge along a full width of the panel in the lateral direction. ### Claim 8 A retractable mud flap assembly for a motor vehicle supported on wheels for movement in a forward working direction, the assembly comprising: a housing extending in a lateral direction between two opposing ends; a hitch attachment arranged to suspend the housing from a hitching portion of the vehicle rearward of the wheels such that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the forward working direction of the vehicle; a shaft supported by the housing for rotation about an axis of the shaft oriented in the lateral direction; a mud flap panel spanning longitudinally between an inner edge secured to the shaft and an opposing free outer edge; the mud flap panel being formed of a flexible material so as to be movable between a working position depending downwardly from the housing towards the free outer edge and a stored position rolled onto the shaft; and a tool attachment portion supported at one end of the shaft so as to be arranged selective attachment to an auxiliary handle member for manually driving rotation of the shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly according to claim 8 wherein the tool attachment portion protrudes outwardly beyond the housing in the lateral direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The assembly according to claim 8 wherein the tool attachment portion comprises an end portion of the shaft having a cross section perpendicular to the lateral direction which is polygonal. ### Claim 11 A retractable mud flap assembly for a motor vehicle supported on wheels for movement in a forward working direction, the assembly comprising: a housing extending in a lateral direction between two opposing ends; a hitch attachment arranged to suspend the housing from a hitching portion of the vehicle rearward of the wheels such that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the forward working direction of the vehicle; a shaft supported by the housing for rotation about an axis of the shaft oriented in the lateral direction; a mud flap panel spanning longitudinally between an inner edge secured to the shaft and an opposing free outer edge; the mud flap panel being formed of a flexible material so as to be movable between a working position depending downwardly from the housing towards the free outer edge and a stored position rolled onto the shaft; and a locking member supported on the housing for movement in a radial direction relative to the shaft between a disengaged position in which the shaft is freely rotatable and an engaged position in which the locking member engages to the shaft so as to prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The assembly according to claim 11 wherein the locking member is in threaded connection with the housing such that rotation of the locking member about a respective longitudinal axis displaces the locking member in the radial direction relative to the shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The assembly according to claim 11 further comprising a plurality of sockets at circumferentially spaced apart positions on the shaft, wherein the locking member comprises an inner end portion arranged to be received in a selected one of the sockets in the engaged position. ### Claim 14 A retractable mud flap assembly for a motor vehicle supported on wheels for movement in a forward working direction, the assembly comprising: a housing extending in a lateral direction between two opposing ends and being arranged to be supported on the vehicle rearward of the wheels such that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the forward working direction of the vehicle; a shaft supported by the housing for rotation about an axis of the shaft oriented in the lateral direction; and a mud flap panel spanning longitudinally between an inner edge secured to the shaft and an opposing free outer edge; the mud flap panel being formed of a flexible material so as to be movable between a working position depending downwardly from the housing towards the free outer edge and a stored position rolled onto the shaft; the housing being fully enclosed about the shaft; the housing including two flanges spanning laterally between the opposing ends parallel to one another to define a dispensing slot therebetween; the mud flap panel being received through the dispensing slot between the two flanges; and the mud flap panel including a portion of increased thickness at the outer free edge which cannot pass through the dispensing slot. ### Claim 15 A retractable mud flap assembly for a motor vehicle supported on wheels for movement in a forward working direction, the assembly comprising: a housing extending in a lateral direction between two opposing ends and being arranged to be supported on the vehicle rearward of the wheels such that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the forward working direction of the vehicle; a shaft supported by the housing for rotation about an axis of the shaft oriented in the lateral direction; a mud flap panel spanning longitudinally between an inner edge secured to the shaft and an opposing free outer edge; and a tool attachment portion supported at one end of the shaft so as to be arranged selective attachment to an auxiliary handle member; the mud flap panel being formed of a flexible material so as to be movable between a working position depending downwardly from the housing towards the free outer edge and a stored position rolled onto the shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15 wherein the tool attachment portion comprises an end portion of the shaft having a cross section perpendicular to the lateral direction which is polygonal and protrudes outwardly beyond the housing in the lateral direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15 further comprising a locking member supported on the housing for movement in a radial direction relative to the shaft between a disengaged position in which the shaft is freely rotatable and an engaged position in which the locking member engages to the shaft so as to prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15 further comprising: the housing being fully enclosed about the shaft; the housing including two flanges spanning laterally between the opposing ends parallel to one another to define a dispensing slot therebetween; and the mud flap panel being received through the dispensing slot between the two flanges.