Abstract:
Certain embodiments of the present invention comprises a splashguard for use in controlling tire splashes of a vehicle. The splashguard comprises a main plate that is attachable to a vehicle. The main plate has a top and bottom. An insert is attached to the bottom of the main plate. The insert is adapted to protect the plate from abrasion and wear. A hanger is mounted to the top of the first plate. The splashguard further comprises a method of creating a splashguard that comprises providing a hanger and molding a plate around a portion of the hanger. An insert is attached to the plate. The insert and the plate form a splashguard assembly that is attached to the vehicle through the hanger.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present invention is related to U.S. patent application publication No. 2004/0066028, which is herein incorporated by reference in entirety.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to splashguards used to prevent objects, such as water, mud, rocks, sand, and debris, which may be scattered from a vehicle&#39;s tires, from impacting other objects, such as windshields of following vehicles.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     As a vehicle travels down a road, the vehicle&#39;s tires may scatter or disperse water, mud, rocks, sand, debris, and other objects. The faster the vehicle is moving, the faster these objects may be scattered. If these objects impact other vehicles or people, they can cause a significant amount of damage and inconvenience. Therefore, devices have been developed to prevent vehicle tires from scattering objects beyond a vehicle.  
         [0006]     Some vehicle owners use splashguards to prevent tire splashes from muddying their vehicles. Typical splashguards cover one wheel on one side of a vehicle. Thus, most vehicles have a pair of splashguards to cover both rear wheels. Examples of these splashguards include those disclosed in Larkin et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,311), Knoer (U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,842), Burnstein (U.S. application Ser. No. 09/792,713), and Simon (U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,475). Some trucks may have four rear wheels, so they may have four splashguards, such as the splashguards disclosed in Conner (U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,722). The splashguards discussed above are positioned perpendicular to the vehicle&#39;s undercarriage, and they define a partial surface between the undercarriage and the road. These splashguards are further positioned adjacent to a tire to cover the front of the tire so that when the tire rotates on moving road elements, such as water, mud, or dirt (hereinafter referred to as “tire splash”), the splashguards prevent tire splashes from moving, dirtying, or damaging objects, such as vehicle portions adjacent to the tire or windshields of following vehicles.  
         [0007]     One problem with these known splashguards is that they allow some tire splash to escape, particularly through the area between the vehicle&#39;s left and right tires. It is desired that splashguards cover this area.  
         [0008]     Splashguards disclosed in Knowles (U.S. Design Patent Des. 192,684) and Podall (Des. 209,044) appear to be made of rectangular material that extends throughout the rear side of the vehicle. While these splashguards appear to be able to control tire splashes being dispersed from the area between the vehicle&#39;s tires, they are unable to control tire splashes being dispersed from the area between the road and the bottom edge of the splashguard. It is desired that splashguards cover both the area between the road and the edge of the splashguard and the area between the vehicle&#39;s tires.  
         [0009]     Splashguards disclosed in Larkin et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,311), Knoer (U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,842), Burnstein (U.S. application Ser. No. 09/792,713), Simon (U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,475) further appear to be rigidly mounted to a bar. The splashguard disclosed in Rogers (U.S. Design Patent Des. 417,422) appears to be rigidly mounted to a vehicle&#39;s bumper. Another problem with these splashguards is that when the surface level of the road the vehicle travels on changes, the splashguards are susceptible to being damaged. When the road level changes, the splashguards may hit the road, and either the splashguards will eventually be detached from their attachment points, or they will physically be damaged due to the impact with the road. It is desirable to add flexibility to these splashguards to allow them to accommodate changing road levels thereby minimizing their exposure to potentially damaging impact.  
         [0010]     Another problem with known splashguards described above is that they are subject to wear and damage if they come into contact with a road surface. This can happen if the vehicle is overloaded or if the vehicle travels over an uneven roadway. Typically, the bottom of the splashguard may rub and abrade against the road surface. It is further desired that a splashguard have a way of being protected from abrasive damage from road contact.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0011]     Advantages of One or More Embodiments of the Present Invention  
         [0012]     The various embodiments of the present invention may, but do not necessarily, achieve one or more of the following advantages:  
         [0013]     control tire splashes better than conventional splashguards;  
         [0014]     the ability to substantially cover the area between the vehicle&#39;s bumper and the road;  
         [0015]     provide a durable splashguard;  
         [0016]     provide an aesthetically appealing splashguard;  
         [0017]     provide a splashguard that has a replaceable wear surface;  
         [0018]     provide a splashguard that is protected from road abrasion;  
         [0019]     the ability to allow users to customize their splashguard;  
         [0020]     provide a splashguard for use with various vehicle types.  
         [0021]     These and other advantages may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification, claims, and abstract.  
         [0022]     Brief Description  
         [0023]     The present invention comprises a splashguard for use in controlling tire splashes of a vehicle. The splashguard comprises a first plate that is attachable to a vehicle. The first plate being substantially as wide as the distance between the vehicle&#39;s rear tires. The first plate can be configured to substantially control tire splashes from a vehicle tire. The first plate has a top and a bottom. An insert is removeably attached to the bottom of the first plate. The insert is adapted to protect the first plate. At least one hanger is mounted to the top of the first plate. The hanger is configured to be attachable to the vehicle.  
         [0024]     The present invention further comprises a method of creating a splashguard. The method comprises providing a hanger and molding a first plate around a portion of the hanger. An insert is attached to the first plate. The insert and the first plate form a splashguard assembly that is attached to the vehicle through the hanger.  
         [0025]     The above description sets forth, rather broadly, a summary of one embodiment of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. Some of the embodiments of the present invention may not include all of the features or characteristics listed in the above summary. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]     The embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, wherein:  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is substantially a front view of an embodiment of the splashguard of the present invention mounted on a vehicle. A portion of the bumper in  FIG. 1  is cut away to show the mounting of the splashguard to the vehicle.  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is substantially a front view of an embodiment of a splashguard of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is substantially a rear view of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is substantially an exploded front perspective view of  FIG. 2   
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is substantially an assembled front perspective view of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is substantially a rear perspective view of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 7  is substantially a cross-sectional view of the splashguard of  FIG. 2  showing in detail the attachment of the insert and the molded hanger.  
         [0034]      FIG. 8  is substantially a front view of a hanger of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0035]     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0036]     The present invention comprises a splashguard, generally indicated by reference number  20 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , splashguard  20  has a main plate  22 . As used herein, the term “plate” generally refers to a substantially flat piece of material. Main plate  22  has a width that is substantially as wide as the width of a vehicle  15 . Alternatively, plate  22  may be wide enough to cover one rear wheel (not shown) of vehicle  15 . Plate  22  may be made of roto-molded plastic. Other types of plastic molding may also be used such as injection molding, sheet molding and thermoforming. Plate  22  may of course be made of other materials known in the art, such as rubber or steel.  
         [0037]     An insert  50  can be positioned and attached at the bottom  34  of plate  22 . In this embodiment, insert  50  has a width that is substantially as wide as plate  22 . When attached together, plate  22  and insert  50  may form a substantially rectangular shape with a long axis being substantially horizontal (longitudinal) and the short axis (lateral) being substantially vertical. Insert  50  may have a substantially straight lower edge (not shown), or the lower edge may have a variety of curves and fluctuations, an example of which is shown in  FIG. 1 . Of course, the shapes and dimensions of plate  22  and insert  50  may vary. This specification uses spatially orienting terms such as top, bottom, front, back, rearward, horizontal, etc. It is to be understood these types of terms are for ease of description of various components with respect to one another and do not define absolute orientations in space.  
         [0038]     Splashguard  20  has a height that allows splashguard  20  to substantially cover an area  94  between a vehicle bumper  16  and a road  90 . Bumper  16  is partially cut away in  FIG. 1  to show how splashguard  20  is mounted to vehicle  15 . Splashguard  20  may leave a gap  92  between insert  50  and road  90  to keep splashguard  20  away from constant contact with road  30 . Splashguard  20  can be mounted at the rear  18  of vehicle  15 . Vehicle  15  can have a frame  17 . Splashguard  20  may be attached to frame  17  by a fastening mechanism  78 . Fastening mechanism  78  can be attached to frame  17  and to hanger  70 .  
         [0039]     Referring now to  FIGS. 2-7 , plate  22  can have a hollow interior cavity  21 . The hollow interior is a result of the roto-molding process. Plate  22  can have a front side  24 , a back side  26 , ends  28 ,  30 , a top  32  and a bottom  34 . A rib  35  may extend along the top  32 . Rib  35  can reinforce plate  22 . A slot  36  may be located along bottom  34 . The slot may have the same length as plate  22 . Slot  36  can define slot walls  37  and  38 . Plate  22  has a hanger mounting area  42 .  
         [0040]     Several reinforcement members  39  may be located in back side  26 . Reinforcement members  39  can define a rectangular cavity  40 . Reinforcement members  39  are molded into plate  22  during the manufacturing process. The purpose of reinforcement members  39  is to provide structural integrity to plate  22  and to prevent plate  22  from deforming. The number, shapes, orientation, and positions of reinforcement member  39  may vary.  
         [0041]     A recess  44  can be located in front side  24 . Recess  44  may be molded into plate  22  during the manufacturing process. Holes  46  are located in recess  44 . A decorative plate  80  can be mounted in recess  44 . Decorative plate  80  has a front side  82  and a back side  84 . Back side  84  can be mounted against front side  24 . Holes  85  are located in plate  80 . Fasteners  88  can be used to attach decorative plate  80  to plate  22 . Fasteners  88  can be any suitable fastener such as screws, rivets or bolts and nuts. Decorative plate  80  may contain a symbol  86  such as a name, a mark, a logo, designs, and the like. Decorative plate  80  can be made from a variety of materials such as plastic, rubber, and steel.  
         [0042]     Splashguard  20  may have an insert  50  attached to the bottom  34  of plate  22 . Insert  50  can have a wide section  52 , a thin section  54 , a bottom  56  and a top  58 . Insert  50  has a width that is substantially as wide as top plate  22 . Insert  50  may be mounted in slot  36 . The top  58  of insert  50  is located in slot  36  between walls  37  and  38 . Apertures  60  are located in insert  50 . Fasteners  62  can be used to attach insert  50  to plate  22 . Fasteners  62  pass through apertures  48  and  60 . Fasteners  62  can be any suitable fastener such as screws, rivets or bolts and nuts. Insert  50  may be made from a variety of materials such as plastic, rubber and steel.  
         [0043]     Insert  50  protects plate  22  from wear and damage in the case of splashguard  20  coming into contact with a road surface. Splashguard  20  can contact the road surface if the vehicle is overloaded or if the vehicle travels over an uneven roadway. The bottom  56  of insert  50  would preferentially rub and abrade against the road surface. Since insert  50  can be attached to plate  22  with fasteners, insert  50  is replaceable if it becomes worn or is damaged. Replacing insert  50  is significantly less costly than replacing the entire plate  22 . Insert  50  may be formed from a material that resists abrasion or that is robust enough withstand a significant amount of abrasion. A dense rubber material may be suitable for this purpose.  
         [0044]     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , an embodiment of a hanger  70  is shown. Hanger  70  may have a T-shape and includes a mounting member  72  and a pair of retaining members  76 . Hanger  70  may have an aperture  76  located in mounting member  72 . Hanger  70  may have other shapes than that which was shown.  
         [0045]     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , hanger  70  may be mounted partially within plate  22  in the hanger mounting area  42 . Hanger  70  can be insert molded into plate  22  during the roto-molding process. Hanger  70  may be partially placed into a mold (not shown) for plate  22 . The retaining members  74  may be located in the mold and mounting member  72  is located outside of the mold (see  FIG. 8 ). After the mold is filled with liquid plastic and rotated, it is cooled. The liquid plastic solidifies around retaining members  74 , integrally connecting the hanger  70  to plate  22 . The hanger  70  is integrally mounted within plate  22 . Mounting member  72  can extend away from the top  32  of plate  22 .  
         [0046]     Turning to  FIG. 1 , fastening mechanism  78  hingably attaches plate  22  to a frame  17  or undercarriage of a vehicle. Fastening mechanism  78  can be a chain or may be one of many other types of fastening mechanisms such as hinges or bushings. In the case where fastening mechanism  78  is a chain, the chain can be attached to hanger  70  by various methods such as welding, crimping, using U-bolts or using a device such as a carabiner.  
         [0047]     It is noted that with fastening mechanism  78 , the height of splashguard  20  is flexible to changing road levels, as plate  22  may swing forward and backward thereby adjusting the height of splashguard  20  relative to the road level. The height of splashguard  20  is generally defined by plate  22  and insert  50 . In one embodiment, the height of splashguard  20  allows a gap (not shown) in between splashguard  20  and the road. When the road level increases and closes the gap, the road will contact insert  50  and will set plate  22  in motion to partially rotate. As plate  22  rotates, the height of splashguard  20  is shortened.  
         [0048]     It can be realized that certain embodiments of the present invention provide a splashguard that is able to protect the splashguard from abrasion and wear thereby allowing the splashguard to handle any potentially damaging impact it may receive when it comes in contact with the road. It can further be realized that in situations when a vehicle pulls forward or backs up on surface that provides low ground clearance, certain embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle splashguard that is less likely to be damaged or deformed than conventional splashguards. The present invention also provides a splashguard that has a replaceable wear insert. Thus, certain embodiments of the present invention provide both a splashguard that is less susceptible to being damaged and a splashguard that has a replaceable wear insert.  
         [0049]     It is noted that splashguards  20  are not limited for use with recreational vehicles. Splashguards  20  may be used with a variety of vehicles, including motorized vehicles, such as sport-utility vehicles, sedans, limousines, trucks, non-motorized vehicles, such as bicycles and trailers, commercial vehicles, non-commercial vehicles, vehicles designed for transporting passengers, vehicles designed for carrying loads, and other vehicles known in the art.  
       CONCLUSION  
       [0050]     It can thus be realized that the certain embodiments of the present invention have better ability to control tire splashes than conventional splashguards. Certain embodiments also have the ability to substantially cover the area between the vehicle&#39;s bumper and the road. Certain embodiments are able to provide a splashguard with a replaceable wear surface. Certain embodiments also provide a durable and aesthetically appealing splashguard. Certain embodiments further provide the ability to allow users to customize their splashguard, and certain embodiments of the present invention provide a splashguard that has a replaceable insert that protects the main body of the splashguard from abrasion.  
         [0051]     Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of presently embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.