The present invention generally relates to mud flaps for vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for attaching a mud flap to a vehicle.
As is known, many large trucks and similar vehicles often have mud flaps positioned behind various wheel structures. The mud flaps not only prevent damage to other vehicles caused by rocks and other debris, they improve visibility for nearby vehicles by preventing excessive rain, snow, etc., spray from being created. For these reasons, quite often there are laws and ordinances requiring the use of mud flaps on certain vehicles, particularly large trucks. Failure to comply with these laws can lead to hazardous situations on the road as well as excessive penalties and fines for the operation of the vehicle without mud flaps.
The environments the above noted vehicles often operate in, and the functions they perform, can potentially lead to the damage or loss of mud flaps. For example, tractor trailers typically have to back into loading docks to unload and take on freight. The potential exists during this ingress and egress to have a mud flap become caught on various objects and subsequently lost or damaged. Similarly, operators of cement mixers, dump trucks, tow trucks, road pavers, etc., have similar concerns because they quite frequently operate in harsh environments and perform functions that lend themselves to damaging mud flaps.
Ideally, a damaged or lost mud flap should be replaced at the earliest opportunity. This is not only desirable from a safety standpoint, but also from an economical standpoint in that early replacement of the mud flap will reduce the likelihood of incurring fines for failure to comply with ordinances and regulations. Therefore the driver, rather than a maintenance person, is probably going to have to replace the mud flap when and where the damage or loss is discovered.
Presently there are mud flap mounting assemblies that allow mud flaps to be changed xe2x80x9cin the field.xe2x80x9d However, these assemblies tend to require specially designed mud flaps or tools of some sort. These assemblies are inadequate in that the use of specially designed mud flaps is inconvenient and more costly, and the driver of the vehicle may not have access to the required tools.
From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to have a simple, inexpensive, and effective mechanism for replacing mud flaps, thereby facilitating the safe operation of vehicles while reducing the potential of incurring the fines associated with the violation of safety regulations.
Briefly described, a mud flap attachment device provides an apparatus and method for attaching mud flaps to vehicles. An embodiment of the mud flap attachment device includes a bracket having a first plate and a second plate. The first plate is configured for mounting to the vehicle and includes a plurality of flap supports configured to receive fasteners. The second plate is of lesser width than the first plate, includes a plurality of support apertures and is hingably attached to the first plate on one end. The plurality of support apertures are positioned such that when the apertures of a mud flap are placed over the flap supports, the second plate can be rotated into a position whereby the flap supports extend through the support apertures and the mud flap is positioned between the first and second plates. Threaded fasteners are then used to engage the flap supports, thereby securely attaching the mud flap to the vehicle.
The mud flap attachment device can also be viewed as providing a method for securing a mud flap to a vehicle. In this regard, the method can be broadly summarized by the following steps: mounting a first plate on a vehicle that includes a plurality of flap supports configured to receive threaded fasteners; rotatably attaching a second plate that includes a plurality of support apertures formed therein to the first plate; hanging a mud flap from the flap supports by placing apertures formed in the mud flap over the flap supports; rotating the second plate into a position such that the flap supports pass through the support apertures and the mud flap is held between the first and the second plates; and securing the second plate in position, thereby securely attaching the mud flap to the vehicle.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present mud flap attachment device will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the mud flap attachment device, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds