Deployable Splash Guard Flap for Tire Spray Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motor vehicles experience unsightly road spray on their side bodies and door handles due to tire rotation, which existing technologies fail to effectively block during various operating conditions.
Innovation Solution
A deployable splash guard system featuring a flap actuated by an electric motor with a gearbox and drive shaft, mounted to the wheel lip or fender, which deploys within the tire's spray field using sensor data and a weighting scheme to block road spray from reaching the door handle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a deployable splash guard system is implemented, then road spray blocking effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The splash guard flap is designed to be dynamically deployable rather than permanently fixed. The actuator system enables the flap to rotate between a stowed position (flush with the wheel lip) and a deployed position (extending into the spray field). This dynamic configuration allows the system to provide spray protection only when needed, reducing aerodynamic drag during normal operation while maintaining effectiveness when spray blocking is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system comprising sensors, a control module with weighting scheme, and an actuator. This intermediary layer processes environmental data (wheel speed, steering angle, brake status) and automatically activates the flap when spray conditions are detected, eliminating the need for manual intervention while managing the complexity through automated decision-making logic.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a flap is deployed within the spray field to block road spray, then door handle protection is improved, but aerodynamic drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flap transitions between two states: stowed (reducing aerodynamic drag) and deployed (blocking spray). The system dynamically switches between these states based on real-time sensor data and control logic, ensuring the flap is extended only when spray blocking is necessary, thereby minimizing energy loss from aerodynamic drag during normal driving conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The flap operates periodically rather than continuously, deploying only when the control module detects spray-generating conditions through sensor input. This periodic activation pattern reduces the cumulative aerodynamic drag compared to a permanently deployed flap, while still providing protection during critical periods when spray is likely.
3Measurement precision
If sensor data and weighting scheme are used to control flap deployment, then deployment accuracy is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control module receives feedback from multiple sensors (wheel speed sensor, steering angle sensor, brake status sensor) and processes this information through a weighting scheme. This feedback mechanism enables the system to accurately determine when spray conditions exist and deploy the flap accordingly, improving deployment precision while managing complexity through structured data processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module serves multiple functions: it processes data from various sensors, applies a weighting scheme to evaluate spray risk, determines deployment timing, and controls the actuator. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity into a single control unit rather than requiring separate systems for each function, improving deployment accuracy while containing overall system complexity.
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
Effectively prevents road spray from reaching the door handle and exterior surfaces, maintaining a cleaner and aesthetically pleasing appearance by accurately deploying the flap based on sensor data and environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator configured to rotate the flap between a stowed position and a deployed position
Implementation Method 2
the flap includes a front face that exhibits an aerodynamic sweep
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary deployable splash guard systems for motor vehicles may include features designed for blocking road spray. The deployable splash guard systems may include a flap that is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position for blocking the road spray. In the deployed position, the flap is positioned within a spray field of a tire of the motor vehicle and is therefore positioned to block the road spray from spraying onto a door handle and/or other structures of the motor vehicle. A control module of the deployable splash guard system may be programmed to utilize a sensor weighting scheme for accurately determining when to deploy the flap.