Vehicle Snow Rain Deflector Assembly for Whiteout Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle flaps do not effectively address whiteout conditions caused by snow and rain on roads, as they fail to prevent the spray of moisture from commercial vehicles' tires, leading to hazardous driving conditions.
Innovation Solution
A snow and rain deflector assembly comprising a sleeve assembly with a side wall and bottom, a sleeve support assembly for remounting to a vehicle, and panels secured to a panel support member, designed to break down moisture spray before it forms a cloud, thereby preventing whiteout conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional vehicle flaps are used, then basic mud protection is provided, but whiteout conditions caused by snow and rain spray are not prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector assembly is divided into multiple functional segments: a vertical sleeve assembly that captures spray at the source, horizontal panel members that redirect the spray, and support structures that maintain positioning. This segmentation allows each component to address specific aspects of the spray problem, effectively preventing whiteout conditions while maintaining manageable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional two-dimensional mud flaps to a three-dimensional assembly with vertical and horizontal components. The vertical sleeve extends upward to intercept spray before it spreads horizontally, creating a volumetric barrier that effectively blocks snow and rain spray in multiple directions, thereby improving visibility without excessive complexity
2Reliability
If a comprehensive snow and rain deflector assembly is implemented, then visibility and safety are improved, but installation complexity and vehicle alteration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly incorporates adjustable and removable components, including panels that can be configured in different positions and support members that allow for installation variations. This dynamic design enables the system to adapt to different vehicle types and installation scenarios, maintaining high reliability while facilitating easier installation without extensive vehicle modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The deflector assembly is designed with universal mounting capabilities that can accommodate various vehicle types. The support members and mounting mechanisms are configured to work with standard vehicle structures, allowing the same basic assembly design to be installed on different commercial vehicles without requiring vehicle-specific customizations, thereby improving ease of manufacture and installation
Data Source
AI summary
A snow and rain deflector assembly for vehicles for preventing whiteout conditions on snow covered roads caused by commercial vehicles. The snow and rain deflector assembly for vehicles includes a sleeve assembly including a sleeve having a side wall and a bottom; a sleeve support assembly in communication with the sleeve and adapted to removably mount the sleeve to a vehicle such as a trailer; a panel support member removably fastened to and depending from the sleeve assembly; and panels secured to and depending from the panel support member.