Sliding Clamp Mud Flap Attachment Without Drilling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mud flaps require drilling holes into vehicle fender folds for attachment, leading to corrosion issues and potential safety hazards when they detach at high speeds.

Innovation Solution

A mud flap design featuring a screw-threaded attachment bolt with a sliding clamping member that securely affixes to the fender fold without drilling, using a polymeric body and a guide to prevent rotation, allowing for clamping between the sliding clamping member and a stationary clamping member without visible components post-installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If through-fasteners are used to affix the mud flap to the vehicle, then firm affixation is achieved, but drilling holes creates corrosion problems and may void the OEM corrosion warranty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirm affixationVSAvoidcorrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a clamp as an intermediary component that engages with the fender fold without requiring holes to be drilled. The clamp acts as a mediator between the mud flap and the vehicle body, providing secure attachment through clamping force while preserving the integrity of the fender fold surface and avoiding corrosion issues associated with drilled holes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If prior attempts to affix mud flaps without drilling holes are used, then corrosion problems are avoided, but the affixation is less than satisfactory and may create safety issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion preventionVSAvoidaffixation security

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp incorporates a sliding mechanism that allows it to be dynamically positioned along the fender fold. This dynamic positioning capability enables the clamp to engage optimally with the curved surface of the fender fold, ensuring secure attachment without drilling holes. The sliding feature allows adjustment to achieve the best clamping position, thereby maintaining both corrosion prevention and reliable affixation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a sliding clamping member is used to clamp the fender fold, then visible fasteners are eliminated, but the mechanism becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidfastening mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into the single clamp component: it provides the clamping force, incorporates the sliding mechanism for positioning, and includes the attachment bolt interface. By merging these functions into one integrated component, the design achieves clean aesthetics with no visible fasteners while managing complexity through functional integration rather than multiple separate parts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS7717467B2Vehicle mud flap with sliding fender fold clamp

Publication Date: 2010.05.18 MACNEIL IP LLC

AI summary

The drilling of new holes into a vehicle fender fold is avoided by providing a mud flap with a sliding clamping member. When an attachment bolt is slid in a slot formed in the polymeric mud flap body, the sliding clamping member slides with it from a disengaged position to a second position behind the fender fold. A wall integrally formed in the mud flap body prevents rotation of the clamping member as the attachment bolt is rotated, drawing the clamping member forwardly on the threads of the attachment bolt to clamp the fender fold between the sliding clamping member and a stationary clamping member insert-molded into the mud flap body.