GB2358621A

GB2358621A - A mudflap for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2358621A
Application number: GB0001880A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raghbir Singh Chaggar
Original assignee: HITECH AUTOPARTS Ltd
Current assignee: HITECH AUTOPARTS Ltd
Priority date: 2000-01-28
Filing date: 2000-01-28
Publication date: 2001-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 2020-01-28
Also published as: GB2358621B; GB0001880D0

Abstract

A mudflap (1) for a vehicle includes a projection (2) for bearing against an in-turned flange (42) of a vehicle body panel (40) adjacent a wheel arch includes a shoulder (4) at right angles to the projection (2) and a protective pad (10) integrally attached to the projection (2) by a flexible link (12). A U-shaped clamping member (20) is also provided and has a base portion (22) and first and second upright portions (24, 26) approximately at right angles to the base portion (22) and parallel to the shoulder (4). The protective pad (10) is received between the first upright portion of the clamping member (24) and the body panel (40) when the clamping member (20) is pushed over the projection (2). A bolt (30) is threaded into the first upright portion (24) and may be tightened against the pad (10) to secure the mudflap (1) without damaging the bodywork of the vehicle. Alternatively the clamping members (20) and bolt (30) may be substituted by U-shaped spring clips (50).

Description

2358621 TITLE Mudflaps for vehicles

DESCRIPTION Technical Field

The invention relates to mudflaps including means for fitting the flaps onto a vehicle having an in-turned flange on a body panel adjacent a wheel arch. Such mudf laps may be supplied as original equipment or as a replacement part or accessory.

Background Art

Traditionally mudflaps have been attached to the body panels of vehicles by means of screws. Such mudf laps are provided with predrilled holes and corresponding holes are drilled into the body panel of the vehicle to accommodate the screws. This method of attachment is subject to a number of disadvantages, the most serious of these being that the drilling of holes in the body panel of the vehicle tends to weaken its structure and to encourage the formation of rust. In addition, the fitting of the flap requires specialist tools and is not a quick or easy job for the owner. There is very little space between the mudflap and the inner wing of the vehicle, and relatively limited space between the mudflap and the tyre. This can make the manipulation of nuts and bolts very awkward. It also dictates that any alternative means of attachment of the flap to the body panel should be as narrow as possible in order to fit into the space available.

GB 2327401 overcomes the above problems by providing a mudflap for a vehicle including a projection for fastening on to an in-turned flange of a vehicle body panel adjacent a wheel arch, a shoulder approximately at right angles to the projection, for bearing against the body panel, at least one clamping member and an associated bolt. The clamping member has a portion embedded in the projection and a portion approximately at right angles to the embedded portion and parallel to the shoulder. The clamping member preferably has a third portion giving it an overall U shape. This works well but the bolts are tightly clamped directly onto the body panel or in- turned flange and may cause damage to the bodywork of the vehicle.

The Invention The invention provides a mudflap for a vehicle, the mudf lap including: a projection for bearing against an in-turned flange of a body panel adjacent a wheel arch; a shoulder at right angles to the projection for bearing against the body panel; a clamping member including a base portion suitable for engagement with the projection, and first and second portions at right angles to the base portion and parallel to the shoulder; and a protective pad integrally joined to the projection and receivable between the first portion of the clamping member and the body panel.

Although right angles between certain integers are specified, this may be varied within appropriate engineering tolerances.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamping member is approximately U-shaped in cross section and has a bolt threaded into the first portion of the clamping member. When the bolt is tightened, it bears against the protective pad (which in turn bears against the body panel), thus holding the shoulder of the mudf lap against the body panel and keeping the mudflap on the vehicle.

The U-shaped configuration of the clamping member is highly advantageous because it takes any strain caused by tightening of the bolt, helping to prevent damage occurring to the remainder of the mudflap. It is also advantageous because loading is placed across the body panel of the vehicle itself and not across the in-turned flange which may be too weak or the wrong shape to sustain such loading.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the clamping member is a spring clip which is also approximately Ushaped in cross-section. Instead of having a bolt threaded into the first portion of the clamping member, the first portion acts as a spring plate and engages the protective pad so as to bias the pad towards the shoulder and secure the mudflap on the vehicle.

The inner surface of the second portion of either clamping member may optionally include a plurality of ridges to provide additional grip between the clamping member and the shoulder. A slot or cut-out may optionally be provided in the shoulder to receive the second portion of either clamping member.

The protective pad is advantageous because it allows the mudflap to be fitted easily without damaging the body panel of the vehicle. Preferably the protective pad is made of a rubbery material. Optionally the protective pad may include an embedded layer of a more rigid material to strengthen the pad.

The protective pad is preferably integrally joined to the projection by means of a flexible link made of a rubbery material.. The flexible link may optionally have an embedded layer of a more rigid material so that once the flexible link is bent it will not return to its original shape. To make the flexible link easier to bend, the layer of a more rigid material may optionally include a number of weakened areas, for example, notches or regions of reduced thickness to act as bending points.

The projection and shoulder may also have an embedded layer of a more rigid material. Preferably the layers of a more rigid material embedded in the protective pad, the flexible link, the projection and the shoulder are integrally formed in a single piece.

The mudflap generally includes a plurality of protective pads and associated clamping members.

Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing part of a mudflap according to a first embodiment of the present invention without any clamping member or bolt; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along I-I of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the clamping member; Figure 4 is the crosssectional view of Figure 2 complete with clamping member and bolt; Figure 5 is a crosssectional view of a mudflap according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a mudflap according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the mudflap 1 includes a projection 2 for attachment to an in-turned flange 42 on a vehicle body panel 40 adjacent a wheel arch. The mudflap 1 also includes a shoulder 4, substantially at 900 to the projection, the shoulder 4 being contoured to fit snugly against the body panel 40.

The mudflap 1 includes a protective pad 10 formed from a rubbery material. The protective pad 10 is integral with the mudflap 1 and is attached to the projection 2. by a f lexible link 12 which is also f ormed f rom a strip of rubbery material. The mudflap 1 includes a number of such protective pads 10 arranged at intervals along the projection 2 to form a number of attachment points.

The mudf lap 1 also includes a U-shaped clamping member 20, having a base portion 22, a first upright portion 24 and a second upright portion 26. The first upright portion 24 includes an internally threaded hole 28 into which an externally threaded bolt 30 is threaded. The inner surface of the second upright portion 26 is also provided with a pair of ridges (not shown) to increase the grip between the clamping member and the shoulder 4. The mudflap 1 includes a number of such clamping members, one for each of the attachment points.

To f it the mudf lap 1 onto a vehicle, the mudf lap is f irst positioned such that the in-turned flange 42 of the vehicle body panel 40 can fit into the position shown in Figure 4 where the projection 2 and shoulder 4 fit snugly against the in-turned flange 42 and body panel 40 respectively. Although in Figure 4 gaps are shown between the various components, it should be readily understood that the components will actually be in contact with each other.

Once the mudflap 1 is in place on the vehicle, clamping members 20 are pushed over the projection 2 at each of the attachment points such that the base portions 22 contact the flat portion of the projection 6, the second upright portions 26 contact the shoulder 4 and the first upright portions 24 are parallel to the shoulder and in contact with the end portion of the projection 8 (or with the flexible link 12). The clamping members 20 are thus held securely on the projection 2. However, a number of slots or cut-out portions (not shown) may also be provided in the shoulder 4 to receive the second upright portions 26 and prevent the clamping members 20 from slipping.

Because the protective pads 10 are attached to the projection 2 by means of a flexible link 12, the action of pushing the clamping members 20 over the projection 2 moves the protective pads 10 into the position shown in 76 Figure 4 where they are received between the f irst upright portions 24 of the clamping members 20 and the body panel 40. The bolts 30 can then be threaded through the holes 28 and tightened to bear against the protective pads 10 which in turn bear against the body panel 40 and secure the mudflap 1 to the vehicle.

The loading placed across the protective pad 10 when securing the mudflap 1 to the vehicle can be quite large and may potentially damage the rubbery material from which the protective pad 10 is formed. The protective pads 10 can therefore be strengthened by embedding a layer of a more rigid material 14 (Figure 6) within the rubbery material.

The flexible links 12 are designed so that the mudflap 1 may be easily removed by simply untightening the bolt and removing the clamping members. The protective pads 10 will then move back to the position shown in Figure 2 and release the body panel 40 and in-turned flange 42. However, if easy removal is not required then the protective pads 10 may be attached to the projection 2 by a flexible link 12 in which a layer of a more rigid material 18 (Figure 6) is embedded. The layer of rigid material 18 includes a number of weakened areas (not shown), for example, notches or regions of reduced thickness. These weakened areas act as bending points and make the flexible link 12 easier to bend when attaching the mudf lap 1 to the vehicle.

A layer of a more rigid material 16 (Figure 6) is also embedded in the projection 2 and shoulder 4. As shown in Figure 6, the layers 14, 16 and 18 are integrally joined in a single piece.

When the mudf lap 1 is to be attached to the vehicle, the flexible links 12 are bent along the bending points (with pliers or similar) to thei position shown in Figure 4. if the clamping members 20 are subsequently removed then the flexible links 12 will not automatically return to the position shown in Figure 2.

The U-shaped clamping members 20 are particularly advantageous because the clamping member takes any loading caused by the tightening of the bolt 30. If the bolt 30 is tightened excessively, this acts to push the first upright portion 24 of the clamping member apart from the second upright portion 26. The clamping members 20 also allow the loading to be placed across the body panel 40 and not across the in-turned flange 42 which may be too weak or simply the wrong size or shape.

The protective pads 10 allow the mudflap 1 to be firmly secured to the body panel 40 without damaging the bodywork of the vehicle.

Figure 5 shows an alternative mudflap in which the clamping member 20 has been replaced with a spring clip 50. The remaining components are identical to those described above and will not be discussed again in detail. The spring clip 50 has a base portion 52, a f irst upright portion 54 and a second upright portion 56. The f irst upright portions 54 act as spring plates such that when the spring clips 50 are pushed over the projection 2 the first upright portions 54 bear on the protective pads 10 which in turn bear on the body panel 40 and secure the mudflap to the vehicle.

The spring clips 50 are advantageous in that they eliminate the need for separate bolts and also prevent overloading and the resulting damage that may be caused to the protective pad 10 or body panel 40 if the bolts are tightening too much. Having spring clips So instead of clamping members 20 also means that the mudflap can be secured the vehicle without using any tools.

Claims

CLAIMS A mudflap for a vehicle, the mudflap including: a projection

forbearing against an in-turned flange of a body panel adjacent a wheel arch; a shoulder at right angles to the projection for bearing against the body panel; a clamping member including a base portion suitable for engagement with the projection, and first and second portions at right angles to the base portion and parallel to the shoulder; and a protective pad integrally joined to the projection and receivable between the first portion of the clamping member and the body panel.
2. A mudflap according to claim 1, further including a bolt for threading into the first portion of the clamping member and screwing towards the shoulder to contact the protective pad and secure the mudflap to the vehicle.
3. A mudflap according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the clamping member directly engages the protective pad so as to bias the protective pad towards the shoulder and secure the mudflap on the vehicle.
4. A mudflap according to any preceding claim, wherein the protective pad is made of a rubbery material.
5. A mudflap according to claim 4, wherein the protective pad further includes a layer of a more rigid material embedded in the rubbery material.
6. A mudflap according to any preceding claim, wherein the protective pad is integrally joined to the projection by means of a flexible link made of a rubbery material.
7. A mudtlap acc ording to claim 6, wherein the flexible link further includes a layer of a more rigid material embedded in the rubbery material.
8. A mudf lap according to any preceding claim, further including a layer of a more rigid material embedded in the projection.
9. A mudf lap according to any preceding claim, further including a layer of a more rigid material embedded in the shoulder.
10. A mudflap according to any preceding claim, wherein the inner surface of the second portion of the clamping member includes a plurality of ridges.
11. A mudflap according -to any preceding claim, wherein a slot or cutout is provided in the shoulder to receive the second portion of the clamping member.
12. A mudflap according to any preceding claim, wherein the mudflap is provided with a plurality of protective pads and associated clamping members.
13. A mudflap substantially as described herein with reference to the Figures.