SYSTEM FOR REDUCING THE AIR RESISTANCE OF A TRUCK

• US 20120019021A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jost-Werke GmbH
• Original Assignee: Jost-Werke GmbH
• Inventors: Alguera Gallego, Jose Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,651,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/26.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1614 with a vertical lifting movement maintaining the inclination of the roof or panel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans

Abstract

A system for reducing the air resistance of a truck, particularly an articulated vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a cargo space that is limited downward by a loading floor and in the height thereof by a roof wall spaced apart therefrom. The aim is to provide a system that minimizes the face area of the truck and thus the fuel consumption in dependence on the actual cargo space used. According to one embodiment, the roof wall is height-adjustable opposite the loading floor.

Claims

1. A system for reducing the air resistance of a truck, comprising:

the truck comprising a cargo space that is bounded at a bottom by a loading floor and in height by a roof wall spaced apart from the loading floor, and wherein the roof wall is adjustable in height relative to the loading floor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the distance between roof wall and loading floor can be changed by height-adjustable pillars.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the pillars are telescoping.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the pillars have a motorized drive unit.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the motorized drive unit comprises one or more of a spindle, a pneumatic cylinder, a rack, a scissors linkage and a cable control.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cargo space is bounded at the sides by height-adjustable side walls.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein at least one height-adjustable side wall is configured as a height-adjustable rear door.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the height-adjustable side walls are each formed from a tarpaulin rolled up about a horizontal axis.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the height-adjustable side walls are formed from sliding or folding wall panels.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the height adjustment can be set by a driver.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the height adjustment comprises a preselector control unit in assignable stages.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein a cargo height recognition module is provided, which recognizes an actual height of loading.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the cargo height recognition module automatically performs the height adjustment of the roof wall.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the cargo height recognition module determines the height of loading by one or more of at least one laser, an ultrasound sensor and an infrared sensor.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the one or more of the laser, ultrasound sensor, and infrared sensor are at the same time a transmitter and receiver and interact with reflectors arranged on an opposite side of the cargo space.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the ultrasound sensor is configured as an ultrasound unit for 3D scanning of the cargo space.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the height adjustment of the roof wall is done in dependence on the driving speed.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein a spoiler is arranged on a roof of the truck, whose inclination can be adapted to the height setting of the roof wall.