Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1979-03-12
1982-06-15
Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
280153R, 280158R, B62D 2518
Patent
active
043346944
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a splash protection assembly for vehicles equipped with mudguards comprising means arranged between the wheel of the vehicle and the mudguard to lessen the spread of dust and splash resulting from the movement of the vehicle.
There are a number of different kinds of splash protectors in the prior art, as is apparent from the following publications:
Swedish Pat. Nos. 320 281, 324 113 and 212 544 as well as Swedish Pat. No. 798/72,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,619,363, 2,782,053, 3,198,545 and 3,341,222,
German Pat. No. 880 555 and German Application Nos. 2 025 519 and 2 045 212.
In the great majority of these known splash protection assemblies, the accepted theory is that the water and dust mist occurring behind a vehicle in movement can be eliminated by preventing splashes from impinging on different parts of the inside of the mudguard and mud-flap where they are disintegrated into smaller drops forming the mist at the side and behind the vehicle. The term "splash" is intended here to denote the portion of the splash which is generated by water and particles being entrained in the tire tread and tangentially flung off by centrifugal force from the tire.
Heavier particles will thus be thrown off from the tire relatively quickly, while water and smaller particles are thrown off at a later time, due to the suction effect occurring when the tire tread expands after contact with the road surface. This time is dependent on the size of the mud particle, adhesion force between the tire and the particle and the circumferential speed of the wheel. With low circumferential speed, the adhesion force dominates, and the majority of the muddy water is retained in the tire for the greater part of the rotation. With a higher circumferential speed, the adhesion force is overcome by the centrifugal force and there is a separation of particles in the direction of rotation of the tire, the heavier particles being separated first while lighter particles are separated later, at times depending on the weight of the particle, the adhesion force and the centrifugal force.
The screening assemblies of the prior art are formed in such way that mainly heavier particles are prevented from being thrown off towards a following vehicle. This effect is also obtained by different kinds of so-called "mudflaps", i.e. the splash protectors of flexible material which are usually fixed to the extension of the mudguard behind the tire and towards the road surface. In certain structures the screen has been placed as close to the circumference of the wheel as possible, and has been directed so that the particles thrown off in front of the screen impinge on it and are partially guided back down towards the road surface in a spread-out condition. The particles of muddy water which are thrown off behind the screen will thus, as previously, give rise to a mist of water around the vehicle. This function is also strived for in newer types of mudflap, and it therefore consists of a plurality of baffles which guide the heavier particles in the splash down towards the road surface. All these known structures are, however, only intended to limit the spread of the heavier particles in the splash and not the part which is thrown off later, and which gives rise to the water mist behind and at the side of the vehicle.
Only in one of the patent specifications cited above, namely the German patent specification No. 880 555, is there indicated an arrangement in the form of a splash plate for motor vehicles, especially motorcycles, intended to service as an impinging surface for the part of the splash normally impinging on the inside of the mudguard, said splash being caused to flow against the direction of vehicle travel by reason of its speed, and out from the forward and upper portion of the mudguard, where the drops are then redirected by the airflow and thrown to the sides so that they impinge on the legs of the driver ("airflow" being defined in this context as the relative stream of air due to travel). To prevent this effect, a guiding scr
REFERENCES:
patent: 1220494 (1917-03-01), Bulter
Peters Jr. Joseph F.
Smith Milton L.
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