Patent ID: 6158775
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A mud flap system for attachment to a vehicle body comprising:a) at least one mud flap having an upper edge secured to a mounting member;b) an elongated housing positioned proximate said mounting member and extending parallel with the upper edge of said mud flap, said elongated housing defining a fixed length and being provided with vertically opposed upper and lower apertures proximate the middle of said length;c) one or more attachment members for fixedly securing said elongated housing and said mounting member to said vehicle body;d) a power cylinder mounted on said housing, said power cylinder including a piston having a piston rod with a roller mounted at an outer end thereof, the piston rod with the roller being movable between a retracted position within the elongated housing and an extended position within the elongated housing, wherein when the piston rod is in the retracted position the roller is proximate the upper and lower apertures in said housing;e) a power supply and a control switch mounted on said vehicle body and spaced apart from said elongated housing;f) at least one power lead connected between said power supply and said power cylinder for selectively delivering power from said power supply and said power cylinder in response to activation of said control switch to control the movement of the piston rod; andg) a cable extending through said upper and lower apertures, said cable having a first end fixedly secured to said elongated housing and a second end fixedly secured to a lower portion of said mud flap, the roller mounted to said piston rod being in rolling contact with a portion of the cable within said elongated housing extending between said upper and lower apertures;whereby when the piston rod is moved from the retracted position to the extended position, the roller mounted at the outer end of the piston rod forces the portion of the cable extending between the upper and lower apertures in a direction extending away from said upper and lower apertures, thereby drawing the cable up into the elongated housing through the lower aperture and raising the lower portion of the mud flap relative to the upper edge of the mud flap.