Abstract:
The liner assembly incorporates a liner formed of a synthetic air permeable material adhesively mounted to the underside of an exposed motorcycle fender or to a structure having surfaces susceptible to mud buildup, chipping or other types of damage. The liner is a relatively thin, flexible sheet of air permeable, synthetic material formed to substantially cover the concave portion of an exposed fender. The liner is either directly attached to the structure, or is attached via a double-sided tape, or has a bead of adhesive material disposed around the edge thereof, further securing the liner to the surface of the fender and protecting the edge from fraying and the lining from delaminating. The liner is coated with a wet or dry lubricant to increase its lubricity.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part application of patent application Ser. No. 11/384,428, filed Mar. 21, 2006, now pending, which is a continuation application of patent application Ser. No. 10/691,525, filed Oct. 24, 2003, now abandoned. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to protecting a surface of a vehicle, and more specifically, devices that prevent the buildup of mud under the fenders of motorcycles, multi-wheeled vehicles and exterior surfaces prone to collect mud and devices that protect vehicle surfaces that are prone to being chipped or damaged by rocks or debris.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Motorcycles and vehicles of all sizes and shapes invariably find themselves driving under conditions which cause the buildup of mud under the fenders. While the accumulation of mud under the fender may not normally be a problem for most recreational vehicles, the presence of mud under the fender of a motorcycle participating in a sporting event becomes, at best, a handicap, and at worst, a contributing cause of personal injury. When the dirt track becomes wet, the resulting mud adheres to the vehicle, adding unwanted weight, thereby lessening the chances for winning.  
         [0006]     U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0121708, published in July 2003, discloses a fender assembly and associated air transfer and dirt protection system incorporating a layer of unpigmented porcelain which avoids the adherence of mud particles and dirt to the underside of the fender.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,129, issued to Arlen B. Olsen in April 1992, discloses an inner fender lining that can be applied against the underside of an exposed fender for protecting the fender from damage by rocks or other objects. The liner comprises a relatively thick but flexible sheet of plastic material shaped to cover the rear portion of the fender. The liner is bent to conform to the underside of the fender and fit flush thereagainst, and is held in place using the fasteners normally used to hold the fender on the vehicle.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,710, issued to A. Waner in March 1997, discloses a fender liner for a dual wheel fender formed of epoxy-fiberglass and having a substantially flat top and an inboard side for attachment to a vehicle with bolts along the top of the fender on the inboard side. The fender liner is formed as an elongated flat panel made of sheet material with an inboard side flange. The flat panel runs substantially the length and breadth of the flat top on the inside of the fender for guarding the underside of the flat top against damage by rocks and other objects which may be hurled up against it. The fender liner is attached to the fender along the inboard side flange by the bolts attaching the fender to the vehicle along the top of the fender.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,361, issued to E. Powell, in May 1999, discloses a removable mudguard system for a bicycle including one shield for the rear wheel and one shield for the front wheel. The rear wheel shield is formed into an arcuate shape that conforms to the outside surface of a top section of the rear wheel. The shield is held in place by support rods may be removed when desired.  
         [0010]     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a foam liner to prevent accumulation of mud on fenders solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The liner assembly of the present invention incorporates a synthetic liner which can be applied against the underside of an exposed fender of a motorcycle or other structure susceptible to mud buildup. The present invention addresses the need of motorcycles, particularly sports vehicles engaged in racing over dirt tracks, to control the weight of their vehicles by minimizing the weight gained by dirt and mud buildup.  
         [0012]     A liner backing sandwiched between the protective liner and the surface to be protected, functions to prevent the protective liner from delaminating.  
         [0013]     The liner comprises a relatively thin flexible sheet of air permeable synthetic material shaped to substantially cover the concave underside portion of an exposed fender. The liner may be adhesively attached to the exposed fender, or alternatively, a liner backing may be sandwiched between the liner and the fender to stabilize the liner, thereby preventing the liner from delaminating from the surface. The liner is slightly smaller than the surface to be covered, the liner having a bead of adhesive material disposed around the edge thereof, protecting the liner from fraying and from delaminating.  
         [0014]     Weight control due to mud buildup is accommodated by the open cell texture of the synthetic liner. The relatively high ratio of space to material content of the liner tends to minimize the ability of mud to cling to the surface.  
         [0015]     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a motorcycle fender assembly that prevents mud from adhering to the tire-facing surface of the fender.  
         [0016]     It is another object of the invention to provide a synthetic liner for a motorcycle fender that is adhered directly to the fender that will minimize the buildup of mud on any exterior surface.  
         [0017]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a mud resistant liner assembly for a motorcycle fender that helps to maintain a constant weight for a motorcycle racing on dirt tracks.  
         [0018]     Still another object of the invention is to provide a method by which a mud resistant liner may be attached to a motorcycle fender.  
         [0019]     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
         [0020]     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a motorcycle fender incorporating a protective liner according to the present invention in order to prevent accumulation of mud within the concave underside surface of the motorcycle fender.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the motorcycle fender and liner assembly according to the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective, transverse section view through a motorcycle fender having the mud resistant liner assembly according to the present invention installed therein.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4A  is an exploded view of the motorcycle fender and liner according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4B  is an exploded view of the motorcycle fender and liner according to a further embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective, transverse section view through the fender of  FIG. 4A  along section line F 5 -F 5 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective, transverse section view through the fender of  FIG. 4B  along section line F 5 -F 5 . 
     
    
       [0028]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     The present invention is a fender and mud protecting liner assembly, designated generally as  100  in the drawings. The fender assembly  100  has particular application in connection with motorcycles used in racing or other sporting events where the accumulation of mud or dirt would detract from the performance of the vehicle.  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the front portion of a motorcycle  106  is shown having a fender assembly  100 , mounted to a motorcycle frame  114  between two parallel forked wheel mounts  112 , the wheel mounts supporting the front wheel  110  of the motorcycle  106 . The fender assembly  100  is mounted above the forward wheel  110  and generally forms to the curvature of the wheel  110 .  
         [0031]     As shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , fender assembly  100  comprises a fender  102  with an upper surface  108 , a concave lower surface  204 , and an outer rim  210 . The fender  102  has apertures cut therethrough, allowing the fender  102  to be mounted to the frame  114  of the motorcycle  106 . Although the liner  104  may be adhesively bonded directly to the lower surface  204  of the fender  102 , preferably a liner backing material  206  is inserted between the liner  104  and the fender  102  to increase the bond between the lower surface  204  of the fender  102  and the liner  104 , making the liner  104  resistant to delaminating due to the stresses present when the motorcycle is either engaged in competition or during normal use.  
         [0032]     In the present invention, the backing  206  is a made of mesh material woven from monofilament fibers in a grid pattern, having a density not unlike the backing of a carpet. The upper surface of the backing  206  is adhesively attached to the lower concave surface  204  of the fender  102 . An adhesive layer  208  either rolled or sprayed onto the surface  204 , provides a bonding layer, which secures the backing  206  to the concave surface  204 . Fender liner  104  is then glued to the lower surface of the backing  206  by means of a second adhesive layer  216 .  
         [0033]     The fender liner  104  consists of a flexible, synthetic, and air permeable material shaped to fit the lower concave surface  204 . The liner  104  is approximately ¼ inch thick and is made of a synthetic fiber or foam material. The liner  104  is preferably made from an open cell material, i.e., having interconnected cells with openings between the cells so that the material is sponge-like. The liner  104  may, for example, be made from any polymeric, plastic, open-cell foam known in the plastics art. The liner  104 , as well as the backing  206 , may be planar segments cut from a sheet of liner material and laid up in adjoining sections. Alternatively, the liner  104  and backing  206  may be preassembled and molded to the specific contours of the lower surface  204  of the fender  102 .  
         [0034]     The liner  104  and backing  206  extend to, but stop short of, the edge  210  of the lower concave surface  204 , thereby allowing a protective bead  202  of waterproof sealant to bond the edges of the liner  104  and backing  206  to the inner concave surface  204  of the fender  102 . In the present invention, the fender liner  104  and backing  206  preferably substantially cover the entire lower concave surface  204  of the fender  102 , thereby providing the optimum in mud resistant protection. However, as a quick short-term remedy to the problem of mud buildup, the protective liner  104  and backing  206  may be applied to only the top portion or roof of the lower concave surface  204 , thereby leaving the downwardly extending lateral sides of the fender  102  uncovered by the liner  104  and exposed to dirt or mud splashed up by the wheel. Although not as effective as the former approach, the latter will alleviate the major portion of the problem.  
         [0035]     As mentioned previously, a further embodiment of the present invention would eliminate the backing material  206 , thereby having the protective liner  104  mount directly to the lower surface  204  of the fender assembly  100 . Although not as resistant to delaminating, this alternative would be slightly lighter, quicker to apply, and would offer short-term protection.  
         [0036]     Operationally, the liner  104  retards the buildup of mud in the concave portion  204  of the fender  102 , thereby maintaining a nearly constant weight of the motorcycle, or at least preventing weight being added due to the accretion of mud and debris. However, the liner  104  disclosed above is not limited to motorcycles. Any motorized or non-motorized vehicle may benefit from application of the liner  104  to the underside of a fender or wheel well and the method of use heretofore disclosed. Furthermore, any flat or round surface may be retrofitted to retard and resist any absorption or build up of agricultural, industrial, or other foreign matter by the application of the disclosed liner.  
         [0037]     The liner  104  may be mounted in a matter of minutes and may be repaired using the same procedure. For best adhesive quality, the ambient temperature of the environment should be between 65° and 80° Fahrenheit, which can easily be achieved using a hair blow dryer. The surface to be lined must first be cleaned of all residue dirt and mud. Then the surface must be roughened, such as with 120 grit sandpaper, to provide a suitable bonding surface for the adhesive layer  216 . The adhesive should be a professional grade adhesive and can be either sprayed on or rolled on. For use in the fender assembly  100 , the adhesive used was 3M® HIGH STRENGTH 90 SPRAY ADHESIVE.  
         [0038]     As previously stated, the liner  104  and backing  206  may be preformed or cut from a sheet of liner material. Once the adhesive is applied, a roller may be used to apply a uniform pressure to the liner, thereby helping to squeegee out air pockets and create a uniform and secure bond. Finally, a bead of adhesive sealant material is applied around the edges of the liner and backing to protect the edge from fraying and from delaminating.  
         [0039]     Further embodiments of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 4A, 4B  and  5 A,  5 B, where like parts are primed. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the backing material  206  and the protective bead  202  are eliminated. In this embodiment, the fender  102 ′ has an upper surface  108 ′ and a lower surface  204 ′. The liner  104 ′ is assembled to the lower surface  204 ′ of the fender  102 ′ in a “peel and stick” technique. That is, by first removing the release sheet or layer  218 , the adhesive layer  220  on the liner  104 ′ is exposed and is used to directly attach the liner to the lower surface of the fender. The liner  104 ′ is sized to conform to substantially the entire lower surface  204 ′ and extend to the edge of the fender  210 ′. It has been found advantageous in all of the embodiments to coat the liner  104 ′ with any commercially available wet or dry lubricant, for example, silicone spray. The silicone may be applied prior to the “peel and stick” assembly or may be applied after the liner has been attached to the fender. It has been found that the silicone increases the lubricity of the liner and retards the buildup of mud and debris in the concave portion of the fender. Additionally, the liner is both water and oil repellant. In a further embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the backing material  206  and the protective bead  202  have also been eliminated. In this embodiment, a double-sided adhesive tape  222  is exposed when the release sheet or layer  218  is removed. The top adhesive surface of the tape  222  is adhered to the vehicle surface with sufficient adhesive strength to hold the liner thereon but may be made to be removable therefrom if desired. Likewise, the adhesive strength of the lower surface of the tape to secure it to the liner  104 ′ may also be made to be removable therefrom if desired.  
         [0040]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.