Speed-Responsive Mud Guard Control for Vehicle Drag Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mud guards on vehicles increase drag, particularly at higher speeds, reducing fuel efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A mud guard control system that automatically extends and retracts mud guards based on vehicle speed, deploying them at low speeds and retracting at high speeds using actuators and sensors to minimize drag.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If mud guards are deployed to protect from mud, then protection effectiveness is improved, but drag increases and fuel efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from mudVSAvoidfuel efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The mud guard system transitions from a static configuration to a dynamic one by using actuators to move the mud guards between deployed and retracted positions based on vehicle speed. At low speeds, mud guards are deployed for protection; at high speeds, they are retracted to minimize drag and improve fuel efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of the mud guards by adjusting their position (deployed/retracted) based on the vehicle speed parameter. This parameter-based control allows the system to optimize both protection and fuel efficiency under different operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of energy

If mud guards are retracted to reduce drag, then fuel efficiency is improved, but protection effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidprotection from mud

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts mud guard positioning based on real-time vehicle speed feedback from the speed sensor, ensuring protection is available when needed while minimizing drag during high-speed operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control system uses feedback from the speed sensor to automatically control the actuators, creating a closed-loop system that responds to changing vehicle conditions and optimizes the balance between protection and fuel efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of energy

If a control system is added to optimize mud guard operation, then fuel efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system integrates multiple functions into a unified architecture: the controller manages both the actuators for mud guard positioning and receives speed information from sensors. This multi-functional approach reduces overall system complexity compared to separate independent systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is designed to be self-regulating, using the vehicle's existing speed sensor data to automatically control the mud guards without requiring external intervention or complex manual control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12415574B2Mud guard control systems for vehicles and methods of controlling mud guards

Publication Date: 2025.09.16 TOYOTA MOTOR ENG & MFG NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

A vehicle includes a mud guard control system including a speed sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of speed to a controller. The controller is configured to instruct an actuator to move a mud guard from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration based on the signal from the speed sensor when the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined threshold value.