Deflectable Plastic Fender with Elastic Mudguard Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastic fenders for motor vehicle wheels face challenges in efficiently minimizing spray water while maintaining durability and cost-effectiveness, and in giving way to obstacles without being damaged.
Innovation Solution
A plastic fender design featuring a main fender part and mudguard made of dimensionally stable plastic material, with an elastic interface of elastomeric plastic material connecting the mudguard to the main fender part and skirt, allowing for deflection and restoring force to maintain functionality and minimize spray water, while being cost-effective and able to withstand obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the mudguard is made rigid to maintain shape and minimize spray water, then spray water minimization is improved, but the ability to give way to obstacles without damage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mudguard is designed as a deflectable component that can dynamically change its position and shape in response to external forces. It is connected to the main fender part via a hinge or pivot point, allowing it to rotate or deflect when subjected to obstacles while maintaining its spray water minimizing function during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mudguard utilizes material parameter changes by being made of elastic or flexible plastic material that can deform under load and return to its original shape. This allows the mudguard to temporarily change its rigidity parameter - rigid during normal operation for spray water control, and flexible when encountering obstacles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the fender components are made as separate parts for flexibility, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mudguard and main fender part are designed as integrally molded components made from the same plastic material, eliminating the need for separate connections or fasteners. The integral design maintains structural integrity while incorporating the deflectable functionality through geometric design rather than mechanical assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The fender system is segmented into functional zones within a single molded part - the main fender part provides structural support while the mudguard section provides spray water control and obstacle deflectability. This segmentation of function within unity of structure achieves adaptability without increasing part count.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If different materials are used for main fender part and mudguard to optimize各自 function, then functionality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Both the main fender part and mudguard are made from the same plastic material, enabling them to be molded as a single integral component. This homogeneous material selection simplifies manufacturing processes, reduces material costs, and eliminates the need for complex assembly operations while maintaining the required functional performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process merges the production of the main fender part and mudguard into a single injection molding operation. This combining of manufacturing steps for different functional sections reduces production time, material waste, and overall manufacturing cost while achieving the desired functional differentiation through design rather than material selection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fender effectively minimizes spray water and gives way to obstacles without damage, maintaining its shape and functionality through the use of an elastic interface, while being produced at a low cost and using a single type of plastic material for reduced material costs.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic interface made of an elastomeric plastic material and molded to the dimensionally stable plastic material of the main fender part, the at least one fender skirt, the main mudguard section and the at least one mudguard skirt. The elastic interface connects the main mudguard section of the mudguard to the lower back end of the main fender part, and the at least one mudguard skirt to the lower back skirt end of the at least one fender skirt.
Data Source
AI summary
A fender for a wheel rotating about an axis comprises a main fender part extending around the axis, a fender protruding from an axial fender fringe towards the axis, a mudguard comprising a main mudguard section extending downwards from the main fender part and a mudguard skirt protruding towards the wheel axis from an axial mudguard fringe, and an elastic interface. The main fender part, the fender skirt, the main mudguard section, and the mudguard skirt are molded of a same dimensionally stable plastic material. The elastic interface is made of an elastomeric plastic material molded to the main fender part, the fender skirt, the main mudguard section and the mudguard skirt, and connects the main mudguard section of the mudguard to a lower back end of the main fender part, and the mudguard skirt to a lower back skirt end of the fender skirt.