GB2084094A

GB2084094A - A spray reducing device for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2084094A
Application number: GB8029387A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TYPROD Ltd
Current assignee: TYPROD Ltd
Priority date: 1980-09-11
Filing date: 1980-09-11
Publication date: 1982-04-07

Abstract

A device for reducing the dispersion of fluids thrown from the road wheels of a moving vehicle comprises a rubber flap 10 having means for mounting it on a vehicle in a position to receive fluids thrown from a road wheel thereof, the flap being integrally moulded, on the surface which is to face the road wheel, with diagonal rows of conical projections 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A spray reducing device for a vehicle The invention relates to a spray reducing device for a vehicle, that is to say a device for reducing the dispersion of fluids thrown from the road wheels of the vehicle when it is travelling over a wet roadway.

As is well known, the road wheels of a vehicle travelling on a wet surface pick up fluids, such as rainwater, mud, slush or snow, from the roadway and disperse the fluids, by centrifugal force, as a fine spray. With large vehicles the quantity of spray produced can be considerable, and not only will the spray foul the body and windscreen of a following vehicle, but the dispersion of the spray in the air will also impede the vision of the driver of the following vehicle, making it difficult and dangerous to overtake the vehicle producing the spray.

Attempts have been made to overcome this problem by the use of so-called "mud flaps" which extend downwardly adjacent the road wheels of a vehicle, usually on the rear side thereof, to intercept the fluids being thrown from the road wheels, However, conventional mud flaps are generally fairly ineffective since fluid droplets impinging on the surface of the mud flap are merelyatomised and deflected laterally by the flap, to be picked up by the turbulent airflow around the rear of the vehicle. Such mud flaps usually, therefore, merely have the effect of reducing the backward dispersion of fluid particles at the expense of increasing the lateral dispersion.

The present invention sets out to provide an improved form of flap which will intercept fluid thrown from the wheels of a moving vehicle in a manner to reduce the overall dispersion of such fluids into the air around the vehicle.

Accordingly, the invention provides a device for reducing the dispersion of fluids thrown from the road wheels of a moving vehicle comprising a panel having means for mounting it on a vehicle in a position to receive fluids thrown from a road wheel thereof, the panel being formed, on the surface which is to face the road wheel, with a plurality of projections, each projection, as it extends away from said surface, being free of contact with neighbouring projections.

Due to the provision of the projections, fluid droplets impinging on the device are not simply deflected laterally from the device but are intercepted by the projections which reduce the momentum of the droplets of fluid and retain them on the surface of the device. The retained fluid then runs freely downwards between the projections and drains back onto the road surface.

Each projection may be substantially conical or part-conical in shape. For example, each projection may be in the form of a right circular cone having a domed head.

The projections are preferably arranged in a regular array over at least a major part of the surface of the panel. For example the projections may be regularly spaced apart in parallel rows. The rows are preferably arranged so as to extend diagonally when the device is mounted on a vehicle.

The projections may be integrally formed with the panel, for example they may be integrally moulded therewith.

The panel is preferably flexible and may be moulded from rubber or synthetic rubber material.

The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a flap device according to the invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the device, Figure 3 is a rear view of the device, Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the front surface of the device, and Figure 5is a section through the device, again on an enlarged scale.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the device is in the form of a rectangular flap 10 moulded in one piece from rubber or synthetic rubber material. The major portion 11 of the front face of the panel 10 is integrally moulded with diagonal rows of equally spaced projections which will be described in further detail below. The upper part of the flap comprises a plain strip 12 which cooperates with any suitable means (not shown) for attaching the flap to a vehicle adjacent a road wheel thereof, the flap usually being disposed to extend downwardly to the rear of a road wheel.

Referring to Figure 3, the back surface of the flap is generally flat apart from being formed with a number of integrally moulded ridges 13 which divide the rear surface of the panel into rectangular areas as shown. Vertical ridges 13 are provided on only the upper part of the flap so that the flexibility of the flap increases as it extends downwardly.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the projections 14 formed on the portion 11 of the front surface of the flap are in the form of right circular cones having domed heads. The cones are integrally moulded with the material of the flap and are arranged in regular diagonal rows as best seen in Figure 4. Each cone is free of contact with the neighbouring cones as it extends away from the surface of the flap.

Each cone may have a height of .25 inches, a maximum diameter of .2 inches and a domed head of .050 inches diameter. However it will be appreciated that these dimensions, and indeed the particular shape of the projections, are by way of example only and a similar effect may be given by projections of other shapes, dimensions and arrangements.

Preferably the separation of the cones is such that there are approximately 1000 cones on each square foot of the device, for example 1089 cones per square foot.

The cones or other projections may be arranged in any convenient configuration on the surface of the flap, but is is found that the illustrated arrangement of diagonal rows has the advantage that the cones intercept the fluid collected on the flap as it runs downwardly and therefore also reduce the momentum of the fluid in the downward direction.

For additional strength, the flap may be formed from fibre reinforced material, for example synthetic fibre reinforced polymer. It is however desirable that the flap should be flexible since not only does this reduce the risk of damage to the flap, but fiexing of the flap may also assist in the removal of snow and ice which may become packed onto the surface of the flap in extreme weather conditions.

The means for attaching the flap to a vehicle may include a series of spaced holes along the top strip 12 of the flap, which may be reinforced with metal strips or ferrules. Bolts, rivets or other attachement devices may then be passed through the holes to secure the flap in position.

Claims

1. A device for reducing the dispersion of fluids thrown from the road wheels of a moving vehicle comprising a panel having means for mounting it on a vehicle in a position to receive fluids thrown from a road wheel thereof, the panel being formed, on the surface which is to face the road wheel, with a plurality of projections, each projection, as it extends away from said surface, being free of contact with neighbouring projections.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein each projection is substantially conical or part-conical in shape.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein each projection is in the form of a right circular cone having a domed head.

4. A device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the projections are arranged in a regular array over at lees: a major part of the surface of the panel.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the projections are regularly spaced apart in parallel rows.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the rows are arranged so as to extend diagonally when the device is mounted on a vehicle.

7. A device according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the projections are integrally moulded with the panel.

8. A device according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the panel is flexible.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the panel is moulded from rubber or synthetic rubber material.

10. A device for reducing the dispersion of fluids thrown from the road wheels of a moving vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.