Vehicle air extractor having multilayered flaps
An air extractor assembly includes a housing, and at least one multilayered flap pivotably secured to the housing, the at least one multilayered flap configured to transition from a sealed position to a pressure-releasing position relative to at least one first aperture of the housing. The at least one multilayered flap can include a first flap layer directly adjacent a second flap layer. The first flap layer can shield the second flap layer from debris.
1 . An air extractor assembly, comprising:
a housing defining at least one aperture and a plurality of arrow-shaped tabs extending from the housing; and
at least one multilayered flap pivotably secured to the housing, the at least one multilayered flap configured to transition from a sealed position to a pressure-releasing position relative to the at least one aperture of the housing,
wherein the at least one multilayered flap comprises a first flap layer directly adjacent a second flap layer, the first flap layer including a plurality of first openings, the second flap layer including a plurality of second openings aligned with the first openings, and
wherein each arrow-shaped tab includes a stem portion and an enlarged head portion, the stem portion extending through one of the first openings in the plurality of first openings and one of the second openings in the plurality of second openings, and the enlarged head portion configured to mechanically retain the at least one multilayered flap to the housing.
2 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one multilayered flap in the sealed position permits less flow through the at least one aperture than the at least one multilayered flap in the pressure-releasing position.
3 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first flap layer and the second flap layer are the same material.
4 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first flap layer and the second flap layer are both rubber.
5 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first flap layer and the second flap layer are nominally the same size.
6 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first flap layer is less than one millimeter, wherein a thickness of the second flap layer is less than one millimeter.
7 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one multilayered flap is pivotably secured to the housing using the plurality of arrow-shaped tabs that extend through both the first flap layer and the second flap layer.
8 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first flap layer is configured to warp relative to the second flap layer.
9 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing and the at least one multilayered flap are configured to be constituents of an air extractor of a pickup truck.
10 . The air extractor assembly of claim 9 , wherein the air extractor opens to a gap between a passenger compartment and a cargo bed of the pickup truck.
11 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein each enlarged head portion defines opposed barbs configured to snap-fit through the respective first and second openings to retain the multilayered flap.
12 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enlarged head portion of each arrow-shaped tab is configured to retain the multilayered flap on the stem portion of each arrow-shaped tab.
13 . The air extractor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enlarged head portion has a width greater than the respective first opening and greater than the respective second opening.
14 . An air extractor shielding method, comprising:
positioning a first flap layer adjacent a second flap layer to provide a multilayered flap of an air extractor, the multilayered flap defining a plurality of first openings in the first flap layer and a plurality of second openings in the second flap layer; and
inserting a plurality of arrow-shaped tabs extending from a housing through the plurality of first openings and the plurality of second openings until a stem portion of each arrow-shaped tab extends through the first and second openings and an enlarged head portion of each arrow-shaped tab mechanically retains the multilayered flap to the housing, the multilayered flap configured to transition from a sealed position to a pressure-releasing position relative to at least one first aperture of the housing.
15 . The air extractor shielding method of claim 14 , further comprising shielding the second flap layer from debris using the first flap layer.
16 . The air extractor shielding method of claim 14 , further comprising contacting the second flap layer against the housing when the multilayered flap is in the sealed position.
17 . The air extractor shielding method of claim 14 , wherein the first flap layer is configured to warp relative to the second flap layer.
18 . The air extractor shielding method of claim 14 , wherein the enlarged head portion has a width greater than the respective first opening and greater than the respective second opening.
19 . The air extractor shielding method of claim 14 , wherein each enlarged head portion defines opposed barbs configured to snap-fit through the first and second openings to retain the multilayered flap.