SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR AERODYNAMIC SKIRT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF INSTALLATION THEREOF

• US 20170066487A1
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transtex, Inc. (Transtex Composite Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Transtex Composite Incorporated
• Inventors: DEIR, Walid, TOME, Elizabeth, DAOUST, Sylvain, JAHROMI, Ali Fellah, BOIVIN, Mathieu, BASSILY, Georges, KANTHARAJU, Swaroop Mulenahalli
• Granted Patent: US 10,414,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics

Abstract

Aerodynamic skirt systems are used to reduce air drag of a vehicle. The present aerodynamic skirt system comprises a skirt panel, a plurality of struts, each strut comprising an upper portion for securing an upper portion of the skirt panel to the trailer, a strut member connected, at a first end thereof, to the upper portion of the strut, a lower portion for securing a lower portion of the skirt panel, the lower portion being connected to the strut member at a second end thereof, the strut member including a concave portion adapted to sustain a force applied by air routing on the aerodynamic skirt in an aerodynamic configuration thereof, the strut member being adapted to buckle and bend when a force exceeding a buckling threshold is applied on the aerodynamic skirt to move the aerodynamic skirt in an object avoidance configuration. A kit and a method of use thereof is also presented.

Claims

1. A strut for securing an aerodynamic skirt panel to a trailer, the strut comprising:

an upper portion for securing an upper portion of the aerodynamic skirt to the trailer;

a strut member connected, at a first end thereof, to the upper portion of the strut;

a lower portion for securing a lower portion of the aerodynamic skirt, the lower portion being connected to the strut member at a second end thereof, the strut member including a concave portion adapted to sustain a force applied by air routing on the aerodynamic skirt in an aerodynamic configuration thereof, the strut member being adapted to buckle and bend when a force exceeding a buckling threshold is applied on the aerodynamic skirt to move the aerodynamic skirt in an object avoidance configuration.

2. The strut of claim 1, wherein the single concave portion includes a cavity facing the aerodynamic skirt.

3. The strut of claim 1, wherein the strut portion is made of polymer.

4. The strut of claim 1, wherein the concave portion becomes flat where buckling.

5. The strut of claim 1, wherein the concave portion has a depth of between about 5 mm and 25 mm.

6. The strut of claim 1, wherein the concave portion has a width of about between 50 mm and 180 mm.

7. The strut of claim 1, wherein the strut comprises a trailer-contacting portion for securing the strut on the trailer.

8. The strut of claim 7, wherein the strut comprises a skirt panel contacting portion, the skirt panel contacting portion being about a 90-degree angle in respect with the trailer-contacting portion.

9. The strut of claim 7, wherein the trailer-contacting portion includes a pair of openings for receiving a pair of clamps securing the trailer-contacting portion to the trailer.

10. The strut of claim 7, wherein the trailer-contacting portion includes a mechanism to locate the trailer-contacting portion in respect of a side of the trailer.

11. An aerodynamic skirt system comprising:

a skirt panel;

a plurality of struts, each strut comprising

an upper portion for securing an upper portion of the skirt panel to the trailer;

a strut member connected, at a first end thereof, to the upper portion of the strut;

a lower portion for securing a lower portion of the skirt panel, the lower portion being connected to the strut member at a second end thereof, the strut member including a concave portion adapted to sustain a force applied by air routing on the aerodynamic skirt in an aerodynamic configuration thereof, the strut member being adapted to buckle and bend when a force exceeding a buckling threshold is applied on the aerodynamic skirt to move the aerodynamic skirt in an object avoidance configuration.

12. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 11, wherein the single concave portion includes a cavity facing the aerodynamic skirt.

13. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 11, wherein the strut portion is made of polymer.

14. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 11, wherein the concave portion becomes flat where buckling.

15. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 11, wherein the concave portion has a depth of between about 5 mm and 25 mm.

16. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 11, wherein the concave portion has a width of about between 50 mm and 180 mm.

17. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 11, wherein the strut comprises a trailer-contacting portion for securing the strut on the trailer.

18. The strut of claim 17, wherein the strut comprises a skirt panel contacting portion, the skirt panel contacting portion being about a 90-degree angle in respect with the trailer-contacting portion.

19. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 17, wherein the trailer-contacting portion includes a pair of openings for receiving a pair of clamps securing the trailer-contacting portion to the trailer.

20. The aerodynamic skirt system of claim 17, wherein the trailer-contacting portion includes a mechanism to locate the trailer-contacting portion in respect of a side of the trailer.