Vehicle Air Dam System

• US 20080303309A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roderick Dayton
• Original Assignee: Roderick Dayton
• Inventors: Dayton, Roderick
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/02 Streamlining the undersurfaces B62D35/005, B62D35/007, B62D35/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

An air dam is made of flexible cells installed adjacent to one another so that the air dam is capable of installation in many deflecting configurations on a vehicle and can also deflect under impact. The air dam system may be capable of being deployed at higher speeds while being stowed under the frame of the truck when the truck is operating on rough road surfaces to reduce the potential for air dam damage. The air dam system can be actuated pneumatically and when deployed tends to reduce aerodynamic drag by altering the path of airflow under and/or immediately around a vehicle. Other methods of actuation such as hydraulic or mechanical components may also be used with the air dam system. Alternatively, the air dam cells may be stationary and include an inflated bladder and/or flexible sleeve mounted adjacent to one another on an air dam frame.

Claims

1. For use with a land vehicle, an air dam comprising a plurality of flexible deflector cells disposed adjacent to one another on an air dam frame that is mounted to an underside of the land vehicle, wherein the cells project from the underside of the vehicle into a space between the underside of the vehicle and the ground.

2. The air dam of claim 1 wherein each deflector cell can assume a stowed position and a deployed position;

wherein when the cells are in the deployed position they project from the underside of the vehicle to form the air deflecting air dam, forming a barrier covering a substantial portion of the ground clearance between the land vehicle and the ground.

3. The air dam of claim 2 comprising an actuator that selectively actuates the plurality of deflector cells between the stowed position and deployed position.

4. The air dam of claim 1 wherein each deflector cell is generally cylindrically shaped.

6. The air dam of claim 4 wherein each of said generally cylindrically shaped deflector cells include an internal bladder.

7. The air dam of claim 4 wherein each of said generally cylindrically shaped deflector cells is made from impact resistant elastomeric material.

8. The air dam of claim 1 wherein the air dam frame includes nipples onto which the plurality of flexible deflector cells are press fit.

9. The air dam of claim 7 wherein said impact resistant elastomeric material is silicon rubber.

10. The air dam of claim 9 wherein the durometer of the silicon rubber is substantially equal to 60.

11. The air dam of claim 8 wherein the nipples includes nipples that are adjacent to one another.

12. The air dam of claim 8 wherein an outer periphery of each nipple includes one or more barbs for engaging an inner surface of the flexible deflector cells.

13. The air dam of claim 1 comprising one or more air dam frames, each supporting at least one of said plurality of flexible deflector cells.

14. The air dam of claim 13 wherein at least one of the one or more air dam frames extends laterally across a front of the vehicle.

15. The air dam of claim 13 wherein at least one of the one or more air dam frames is disposed on a bottom surface of the vehicle and has a generally ogival shape having a sharpness in the approximate range of 0.5-3.5 that originates at a front portion of the vehicle and radiates toward a rear portion of the vehicle such that the deflector cells route wind that encounters the vehicle between front and rear wheels of the vehicle.

16. The air dam of claim 13 wherein at least one of the one or more air dam frames is disposed on a bottom surface of a trailer carried by the vehicle and wherein the air dam has a generally ogival shape having a sharpness in the approximate range of 0.5-3.5 that originates at a middle portion of the trailer and radiates toward a rear portion of the trailer such that the deflector cells route wind that encounters the wheels and wheel assemblies of the trailer.

17. The air dam of claim 13 wherein at least one of the one or more air dam frames is disposed on a bottom surface of a trailer carried by the vehicle and wherein the air dam has a generally ogival shape having a sharpness in the approximate range of 0.5-3.5 that originates at a rear portion of the trailer and radiates toward a front portion of the trailer such that the deflector cells route wind that encounters the trailer aft of the rear wheels of the trailer.

5. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. The air dam of claim 8 wherein the plurality of flexible deflector cells are connected to a respective nipple of said nipples on the air dam frame with a circular clamp.

19-1. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

22. A method for deflecting air encountered by a land vehicle having a frame suspended above the ground by a plurality of wheels, the method comprising suspending a bank of adjacent flexible air dam cells between the vehicle frame and the ground.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the flexible air dam cells comprise a plurality generally cylindrical impact resistant elastomeric cells.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said impact resistant elastomeric cells are made from a silicon rubber having a durometer substantially equal to 60.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of suspending a bank of adjacent flexible air dam cells between the vehicle frame and ground further comprises mounting the air dam cells on a bottom surface of a trailer carried by the vehicle and wherein the air dam has a generally ogival shape having a sharpness in the approximate range of 0.5-3.5 that originates at a middle portion of the trailer and radiates toward a rear portion of the trailer such that the deflector cells route wind that encounters the wheels and wheel assemblies of the trailer.

26. A system for reducing aerodynamic drag of a motorized or non-motorized wheeled vehicle, the system comprising:

a mounting fixture being supported to an underside of a vehicle frame, the mounting fixture having a plurality of nipples projecting from the mounting fixture toward the ground; and

an arcuately-shaped resiliently deflectable air barrier assembly comprising a plurality of independently flexible cells that extend from the underside of the wheeled vehicle to cover a substantial portion of the ground clearance between the underside of the wheeled vehicle and the ground, each of the plurality of flexible cells being independently secured to a respective nipple of said plurality of nipples projecting from the mounting fixture.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein each of the flexible cells comprise an impact resistant elastomeric cylinder having first and second ends said first end having an opening for receiving and attaching to said respective nipple and said second end extending from said first end to the ground.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the mounting fixture is disposed on a bottom surface of a trailer carried by the vehicle and wherein the air barrier has a generally ogival shape having a sharpness in the approximate range of 0.5-3.5 that originates at a middle portion of the trailer and radiates toward a rear portion of the trailer such that the deflector cells route wind that encounters the wheels and wheel assemblies of the trailer.