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A spray controlling system is provided for vehicles that includes, for a wheel-set, a splash guard and a side shield positioned at the rear and side of a wheel set, respectively. The guard comprises a panel having a plurality of rows of conical projections and a plurality of upstanding ribs formed o

A spray controlling system is provided for vehicles that includes, for a wheel-set, a splash guard and a side shield positioned at the rear and side of a wheel set, respectively. The guard comprises a panel having a plurality of rows of conical projections and a plurality of upstanding ribs formed on a wheel-facing surface thereof in a spaced parallel relationship. Both projections and ribs are disposed in an inverted-V configuration oriented on a vertical centerline of the panel with six rows of projections interposed between adjacent ribs. The projections are disposed closely adjacent in the rows to form water flow channels between rows and ribs with the ribs being about twice the height of the projections. Vertically extending flanges are formed at each side of the panel in outwardly spaced relationship to the ends of the rows of projections and ribs forming channels to divert outwardly and downwardly flowing water from the ribs and projections for discharge in relatively large streams downwardly toward the roadway. Each side shield is of a length to extend forwardly from the splash guard to a point forward of the front of the wheel-set and a vertical height to extend downwardly from the vehicle body to a point below the top of the wheel. Each shield comprises a panel having an inwardly facing surface provided with a plurality of vertically extending, spaced parallel ribs for directing air and water flow downwardly at the side of the wheel set.

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1. A splash guard for automotive vehicles for controlling water spray generated by the wheels when traversing a moisture covered roadway comprising a sheet-form panel having a surface adapted to be disposed in vertically extending, facing relationship to a vehicle wheel, a vertically extending edge

1. A splash guard for automotive vehicles for controlling water spray generated by the wheels when traversing a moisture covered roadway comprising a sheet-form panel having a surface adapted to be disposed in vertically extending, facing relationship to a vehicle wheel, a vertically extending edge at each side of said panel surface, transverse bottom and top edges, and a spray controlling surface conformation formed on said panel surface, said spray controlling surface conformation including a plurality of projections fixedly positioned on said sheet-form panel in outwardly projecting relationship to said panel surface to collect water thrown against said surface, said projections being arranged in a plurality of elongated rows extending generally transversely across said panel with the projections in each row disposed in sufficiently closely spaced relationship to effectively form a water directing wall, each of said rows of projections disposed in spaced relationship to an adjacent row or projections to form in cooperation therewith a channel and extending in downwardly inclined relationship toward a vertically extending side edge whereby water collected in the channels between said rows of projections will be induced to flow transversely across said panel surface in a downwardly inclined direction toward a vertical side edge of said panel. 2. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein said projections are of a finger-like configuration. 3. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein said projections are of a conical configuration with their bases secured to said sheet-form body at said surface thereof. 4. A splash guard according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said projections are of the order of 0.6 centimeters in height. 5. A splash guard according to claim 4 wherein said projections are of the order of 0.4 centimeters in diameter at their bases. 6. A splash guard according to claim 5 wherein said rows of projections are spaced apart a distance of the order of 0.6 centimeters on centerline. 7. A splash guard according to claim 5 wherein said projections are relatively spaced apart in a row a distance of the order of 0.45 centimeters on center-to-center. 8. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the height of the projections to the distance between adjacent rows at the base of the projections is of the order of 1.7. 9. A splash guard according to claim 1 or 8 wherein the ratio of the vertical height of said projections to their width at their bases in a direction transverse to the rows of projections is of the order of 1.5. 10. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein said rows of projections are disposed in a predetermined angular orientation to a vertical axis of said panel. 11. A splash guard according to claim 10 wherein said rows of projections are disposed at an included angle of the order of 60 degrees with respect to a vertical axis of the guard. 12. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein said spray controlling surface conformation also includes a plurality of elongated, flow-directing ribs fixedly positioned on said surface in outwardly projecting relationship thereto, said flow-directing ribs disposed in spaced relationship to each other and to adjacent one of said rows of projections, each pair of adjacently disposed flow-directing ribs having at least one row of said projections interposed therebetween. 13. A splash guard according to claim 12 wherein said projections are of a finger like configuration. 14. A splash guard according to claim 12 wherein the ratio of the height of said ribs relative to the height of said projections is of the order of 2. 15. A splash guard according to claim 12 wherein said projections are of the order of 0.6 centimeters in height and said flow-directing ribs are of the order of 1.3 centimeters in height. 16. A splash guard according to claim 15 wherein said projections are of the order of 0.4 centimeters in diameter at their bases and said flow-directing ribs are of the order of 0.55 centimeters in width at their bases, said rows of projections are spaced apart a distance of the order of 0.6 centimeters on centerline and each of flow-directing ribs is spaced from an adjacent row of projections a distance of the order of 0.88 centimeters. 17. A splash guard according to claim 12 wherein adjacently disposed pairs of said flow-directing ribs are spaced apart a distance of the order of 5 centimeters. 18. A splash guard according to claim 17 wherein six rows of projections are interposed between each adjacent pair of said flow-directing ribs. 19. A splash guard according to claim 12 wherein the ratio of the spacing of adjacently disposed flow-directing ribs to the height of said ribs is of the order of 4. 20. A splash guard according to claim 12 wherein the ratio of the height of the flow-directing ribs to the distance between a rib and a next adjacent row of projections is of the order of 2.5. 21. A splash guard according to claim 20 wherein the ratio of the height of the flow-directing ribs to the height of said projections is of the order of 2. 22. A splash guard according to claim 21 wherein the ratio of the spacing of adjacently disposed flow-directing ribs to the height of said ribs is of the order of 4. 23. A splash guard according to claim 12 wherein said sheet-form panel is provided on the surface thereof with first and second sets of rows of projections and flow-directing ribs with each set disposed at opposite sides of a vertical axis of said panel located a distance relatively inward of each of said vertically extending side edges, each of said sets having the rows of projections and flow-directing ribs disposed in predetermined angular relationship with respect to the vertical axis and inclined downwardly toward a respective vertically extending side edge. 24. A splash guard according to claim 23 wherein each row of projections and each flow-directing rib of each set is contiguous at said vertical axis with a respective row of projections or rib of the other set. 25. A splash guard according to clain 23 wherein said sheet-form panel includes an elongated, vertically extending side flange disposed at each side thereof in predetermined spaced relationship to the adjacent ends of a respective set of said rows of projections and said flow-directing ribs to form a vertical flow channel therebetween, each of said side flanges projecting a distance outwardly with respect to said panel surface. 26. A splash guard according to claim 23 wherein each of said rows of projections is of a length in the range of 15-35 centimeters. 27. A splash guard according to claim 23 or 26 wherein each of said flow-directing ribs is of a length in the range of 15-35 centimeters and is substantially equal in length to said rows of projections. 28. A splash guard according to claim 27 wherein said sheet-form panel includes an elongated, vertically extending flange disposed at each side thereof in laterally outwardly spaced relationship to the adjacent ends of said rows of projections a distance of the order of 3 centimeters. 29. A splash guard according to claim 28 wherein said sheet-form panel is formed in a width in the range of 35-62 centimeters. 30. A splash guard according to claim 29 wherein the vertical extent of the sheet-form panel surface having said spray controlling surface conformation formed thereon is in the range of 55-85 centimeters. 31. A splash guard according to claim 23 wherein the ratio of the rib length at one side of said vertical axis to the height of said rib is of the range of 25-50. 32. A splash guard according to claim 12 or 23 wherein said rows of projections and said ribs are disposed in a predetermined angular orientation to a vertical axis of said panel. 33. A splash guard according to claim 32 wherein said predetermined angular orientation is of the order of an included angle of 60 degrees. 34. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein said sheet-form panel includes an elongated, vertically extending side flange, said side flange projecting a distance outwardly with respect to said panel surface and disposed in laterally spaced relationship to a adjacent end of each of said rows of projections to form a vertical flow channel therebetween. 35. A splash guard according to claim 34 wherein said side flange projects a distance of the order of 1.9 centimeters outwardly with respect to said panel surface. 36. A splash guard according to claim 35 having an elongated, vertically extending side flange formed with said sheet-form panel at the side thereof opposite said first mentioned flange. 37. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein said sheet-form panel and spray controlling surface conformations are formed from a material having a predetermined degree of resilient flexibility. 38. A splash guard according to claim 37 wherein said sheet-form panel is provided with a transversely extending mounting header at an upper end thereof. 39. A splash guard according to claim 37 or 38 which includes at least one stiffening member extending vertically with respect to said sheet-form panel in mechanically coupled relationship thereto to reduce the flexing capability. 40. A splash guard according to claim 39 wherein said stiffening member extends downwardly from the upper end of said sheet-form panel and terminates a predetermined distance upwardly from the extreme bottom edge thereof. 41. A spray controlling system for use in association with an automotive vehicle wheel including in combination, a vehicle having a wheel set and a body structure associated therewith, a splash guard adapted to be mounted on said vehicle in rearwardly disposed relationship to the vehicle wheel set having a sheet-form panel having a surface adapted to be disposed in vertically extending, facing relationship to a vehicle wheel, a vertically extending edge at each side of said panel surface, transverse bottom and top edges, and a spray controlling surface conformation formed on said panel surface, said spray controlling surface conformation including a plurality of projections fixedly positioned on said sheet-form panel in outwardly projecting relationship to said panel surface to collect water thrown against said surface, said projections being arranged in a plurality of elongated rows extending generally transversely across said panel with the projections in each row disposed in sufficiently closely spaced relationship to effectively form a water directing wall, each of said rows of projections disposed in spaced relationship to an adjacent row of projections to form in cooperation therewith a channel and extending in downwardly inclined relationship toward a vertically extending side edge whereby water collected in the channels between said rows of projections will be induced to flow transversely across said panel surface in a downwardly inclined direction toward a vertical side edge of said panel, and a side shield adapted to be mounted on said vehicle in laterally outward disposed relationship to said wheel set, said side shield including an elongated panel depending from said vehicle body structure and forming an effective continuation thereof, said panel being of a length substantially greater than the longitudinal extent of said wheel set and of a vertical extent to project a distance downwardly to at least the top of said wheel set. 42. A system according to claim 41 wherein said side shield panel has a vertically extending surface disposed in inwardly facing relationship to the vehicle, said panel having a plurality of vertically extending flow-control ribs formed thereon and disposed to spaced parallel relationship. 43. A system according to claim 42 wherein said ribs are of the order of 19 centimeters in length and are of the order of 1.9 centimeters in height with adjacent ribs being spaced apart a distance of the order of 3.8 centimeters. 44. A system according to claim 42 wherein the ratio of the distance between adjacent flow-control ribs to the height of said ribs is of he order of 2. 45. A system according to claim 41 wherein said side shield and said guard meet at the rear of said splash wheel set. 46. A system according to claim 41 wherein said side shield is mounted on said vehicle by hinge means permitting relative swinging movement about a horizontal axis. 47. A system according to claim 41 wherein the spray controlling surface conformation on said splash guard includes a plurality of elongated, flow-directing ribs fixedly positioned on said surface in outwardly projecting relationship thereto, said flow-directing ribs disposed in spaced relationship to each other and to adjacent ones of said rows of projections, each pair of adjacently disposed flow-directing ribs having at least one row of said projections interposed therebetween. 48. A system according to claim 47 wherein said sheet-form panel is provided on the surface thereof with first and second sets of rows of projections and flow-directing ribs with each set disposed at opposite respective sides of a vertical axis of said panel located a distance relatively inward of each of said vertically extending side edges, each of said sets having the rows of projections and flow-directing ribs disposed in predetermined angular relationship with respect to the vertical axis and inclined downwardly toward a respective vertically extending side edge. 49. A splash guard according to claim 48 wherein each row of projections and each flow-directing rib of each set is contiguous at said vertical axis with a respective row of projections or rib of the other set. 50. A splash guard according to claim 48 wherein said sheet-form panel includes an elongated, vertically extending side flange disposed at each side thereof in predetermined spaced relationship to the adjacent ends of a respective set of said rows of projections and said flow-directing ribs to form a vertical flow channel therebetween, each of said side flanges projecting a distance outwardly with respect to said panel surface. 51. A splash guard according to claim 47 or 48 wherein said rows of projections and said ribs are disposed in a predetermined angular orientation to a vertical axis of said panel. 52. A splash guard according to claim 51 wherein said predetermined angular orientation is of the order of an included angle of 60 degrees. 53. A splash guard according to claim 41 wherein said projections are of a finger-like configuration. 54. A splash guard according to claim 41 wherein said projections are of a conical configuration with their bases secured to said sheet-form body at said surface thereof.