FAIRING FOR A TRAILER

• US 20080238139A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francis Cardolle
• Original Assignee: Francis Cardolle
• Inventors: Cardolle, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 7,806,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/180.4
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fairing for a trailer having a wheel assembly. The fairing is positioned on the underside of the trailer to cover a frontal area of the wheel assembly. More specifically, the fairing includes a shell and an anchoring mechanism. First, the shell is designed to cover the frontal part of the wheel assembly. Secondly, the anchoring mechanism allows attaching the shell to the wheel assembly.

Claims

1. A fairing for trailer having a wheel assembly, the wheel assembly having a frame, a wheel set, a width and a frontal area, the fairing comprising:

a shell covering substantially the frontal area of the wheel assembly; and

an anchoring mechanism for attaching said shell to the trailer, the anchoring mechanism being adapted to attach to the wheel assembly.

2. The fairing of claim 1 wherein said shell extends transversely substantially the width of the wheel assembly.

3. The fairing of claim 2 wherein said shell has a bottom portion and a top portion, said bottom portion being set back from said top portion.

4. The fairing of claim 3 wherein said shell comprises side extensions extending along sides of the trailer, said side extensions at least partially covering the sides of the wheel set of the wheel assembly.

5. The fairing of claim 4 wherein said side extensions at least partially clear a central area of wheels of the wheel set.

6. The fairing of claim 5 wherein said side extensions have longitudinal ribs.

7. The fairing of claim 1 further comprising a chassis for strengthening said shell and said side extensions.

8. The fairing of claim 3 wherein said shell is equipped with an access door for accessing the wheel assembly.

9. The fairing of claim 3 wherein said shell has a top edge matching an underside of the trailer.

10. The fairing of claim 3 wherein said shell is shaped similarly to a top portion of a boat bow.

11. The fairing of claim 3 further comprising a chassis for strengthening said shell, said chassis comprising a width adjustment mechanism for adjusting the width of said shell.

12. The fairing of claim 3 wherein said fairing further comprises fenders attached to said shell, said fenders being adapted to partially cover a thread surface of wheels of the wheel set.

13. The fairing of claim 12 wherein said fenders are equipped with transversal cascading ripples at their upper portion.

14. The fairing of claim 13 wherein said fenders are equipped with water channeling embossments angled downwardly towards a center of said fenders.

15. The fairing of claim 1 further comprising a chassis for strengthening said shell, said anchoring mechanism being attached to said shell through said chassis.

16. (canceled)

17. A trailer equipped with a wheel assembly and a fairing, the fairing comprising:

a shell covering substantially the frontal area of said wheel assembly; and

an anchoring mechanism for attaching said shell to said wheel assembly.

18. The trailer of claim 17 further comprising a chassis for strengthening said shell, said anchoring mechanism attaching said chassis to a said frame of the wheel assembly.

19. (canceled)