DRAG REDUCING APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20100181799A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerodynamic Trailer Acquisition, LLC, ATS Aerodynamic Trailer Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aerodynamic Trailer Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Ryan, William J., Fenske, Steven, Huggins, Peter, Chaloupek, Kenneth, Ryan, J. Barry, Pawlowski, Paul J., Ryan, Patrick E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,287,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/180.400
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/004 Inflatable nose or rear cones

Abstract

The disclosure comprises a pair of inflatable substantially inelastic lobes. A single lobe can be mounted on each of the rear trailer doors of a standard tractor-trailer unit. Each lobe can be inflated or deployed to provide an aerodynamic substantially planar contour extending rearwardly of the rear end of the vehicle. The aerodynamic shape of the lobes with stable and substantially planar external surfaces for air to pass over can be created by a series of internal cords and flag sets extending substantially horizontally and vertically in an array from one side of the lobe to the other side of each lobe. When the lobes are deflated, the trailer doors can be opened and latched to the side of the trailer in a conventional manner.

Claims

1. A drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle rear end having adjacent rear doors, each said door including opposed pairs of parallel walls and a substantially flat upwardly extending rear surface intersecting said walls to provide opposed pairs of parallel edges therewith, said drag reducing apparatus comprising:

a pair of inflatable lobes, each said lobe including opposing top and bottom surfaces, opposing side surfaces, a mounting surface proximal to the rear door, and a substantially planar aft-face distal to the rear door;

each said lobe having a deflated position and a deployed position relative to the rear end of the vehicle;

each said lobe in said deployed position overlying said surface therefrom between said opposed pairs of parallel edges; and

,

each said lobe in said deployed position provides an aerodynamic substantially planar contour extending rearwardly of the rear end of the vehicle wherein each of said opposing side surfaces having at least a first slope relative to each of one opposed pair of parallel edges, and each of said opposing top and bottom surfaces having at least a second slope relative to each of another opposed pair of parallel edges.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first slope and said second slope are substantially equal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first slope relative to a first plane perpendicular to the rear door and said second slope relative to a second plane perpendicular to the rear door are from about 4 to about 12 degrees.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first slope relative to a first plane perpendicular to the rear door and said second slope relative to a second plane perpendicular to the rear door are from about 6 to about 10 degrees.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lobes are inflated with an air pressure from about 0.10 psi to about 0.50 psi.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lobes are inflated and deflated with a pressure from about −

0.25 psi to about −

0.50 psi.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first slope relative to a first plane perpendicular to the rear door and said second slope relative to a second plane perpendicular to the rear door are from about 6 to about 10 degrees.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each said lobe assumes a truncated substantially pyramidal shape and said substantially planar aft-face is less than 6 feet from the rear door when said lobe is deployed.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each said lobe assumes a truncated substantially pyramidal shape and said substantially planar aft-face is from about 3 feet to about 5 feet from the rear door when said lobe is deployed.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said opposing top and bottom surfaces define a height, said height tapers from a maximum height to a minimum height;

said maximum height is from about 6 feet to about 9 feet; and

,

said minimum height is from about 70% to about 94% of said maximum height.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said opposing side surfaces define a width, said width tapers from a maximum width to a minimum width;

and, said minimum width is from about 60% to about 90% of said maximum width.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a vacuum mechanism on said vehicle for inter-engaging with and holding said opposing ends and said opposing sides of each said lobe against rearward displacement relative to said mounting surface in said deflated position.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lobes are interchangeable with each other and mountable to either of the rear doors.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said lobes include a medial side, said medial side of one lobe diverges from said medial side of another lobe.

15. An inflatable drag reducer adapted to be mounted on the rear doors of a vehicle transport trailer, said drag reducer comprising:

a pair of flexible enclosed lobes with one lobe mounted onto each of the two trailer rear doors, said lobes having a base surface adjacent to said trailer doors;

said lobes having opposing ends, opposing sides, and a terminal aft-face over which air passes during forward motion of said trailer;

said lobes containing an array of interior substantially inelastic cords connected to opposing flag sets arranged along an interior surface and extending between said opposing ends and said opposing sides, such that upon inflation each said lobe assumes a truncated substantially pyramidal shape with said ends, said sides, and said aft-face surfaces being substantially planar; and

,

said opposing ends and said opposing sides each having sloping surfaces relative to said base surface.

16. The drag reducer according to claim 15, wherein each said lobe base surface including an area;

each said aft-face having an area; and

,

each said aft-face area is from about 40% to about 70% of each said base surface area.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each said lobe including a maximum length, said maximum length is less than 6.0 feet.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said lobes are interchangeable with each other and mountable to either of the rear doors.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of said lobes include a medial side, said medial side of one lobe diverges from said medial side of another lobe.

20. An inflatable drag reducer adapted to be mounted on the rear doors of a vehicle transport trailer, said drag reducer comprising:

a pair of flexible enclosed lobes with one lobe mounted onto each of the two trailer rear doors, said lobes each having a base surface mounted to said trailer door;

said lobes having opposing ends, opposing sides, and a terminal aft-face over which air passes during forward motion of said trailer;

said drag reducer further including a mechanism for inflating and deflating said lobes such that upon inflation each said lobe assumes a substantially pyramidal shape with said ends, said sides, and said aft-face surfaces being substantially planar; and

,

said opposing ends and said opposing sides each having sloping surfaces relative to said base surface wherein a medial side of one said lobe diverges from a medial side of another said lobe.

21. The drag reducer of claim 20, wherein said mechanism includes a motor powered from a battery, said mechanism blows air into said lobes during inflation and extracts said air from the lobes during deflation.

22. The drag reducer of claim 20, wherein said mechanism includes a double positioning valve for allowing air to pass through the tubes in a first direction for inflation of the lobes and in a second direction for deflation of the lobes.

23. The drag reducer of claim 21, wherein said battery is a main battery associated with said vehicle engine.

24. The drag reducer of claim 20, wherein said mechanism further includes a speed sensor and timer wherein initiation of said inflation is selectively speed and time determinable.

25. The drag reducer of claims 24, wherein said initiation of said deflation is selectively speed and time determinable.

26. The drag reducer of claims 25, wherein said inflation and said deflation are autonomously initiated.