ENHANCED VEHICLE EFFICIENCY USING AIRFOIL TO RAISE REAR WHEELS ABOVE ROAD SURFACE

• US 20190322324A1
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autaero, LLC
• Original Assignee: Autaero, LLC
• Inventors: Hurst, J. Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 10,730,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/007 Rear spoilers B62D35/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/02 by aerodynamic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics

Abstract

A vehicle with a body, two front wheels and at least one rear wheel. An airfoil is mounted to the body with adjustability in angle of attack, and at least one of the front wheels is driven to permit acceleration to a cruise speed at which the airfoil provides sufficient lift to raise the rear wheel off the road while the front wheels maintain contact with the road. Lift may be modified by at least modifying velocity and modifying the angle of attack of the airfoil. This vehicle provides advantages in comfort and efficiency due to reduced friction in contact with the road and imperfections on the road. The wing may also be adjusted to increase downward force on the rear wheel.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

(a) a vehicle body configured to receive at least one person;

(b) at least two front wheels rotatably mounted to the body about a front axis of rotation, the at least two front wheels having road-receiving circumferential surfaces, wherein at least one of the at least two front wheels is drivingly linked to a prime mover that is configured to propel the vehicle along a road;

(c) at least one rear wheel rotatably mounted to the body about a rear axis of rotation, the rear wheel having a road-receiving circumferential surface;

(d) an airfoil mounted to the body above the at least one rear wheel at an angle of attack and configured for modification of the angle of attack to create sufficient lift on the body at a vehicle cruise speed to cause the road-receiving circumferential surface of the rear wheel to separate from the road, while the road-receiving circumferential surfaces of the at least two front wheels maintain contact with the road.

2. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one rear wheel comprises two rear wheels.

3. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the airfoil is mounted near the most aft position on the body at a height that when the rear wheel is suspended the airfoil is positioned in a range between about three inches and about twenty inches higher than a highest surface of the vehicle body.

4. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wing is mounted above a top of a vehicle body roof a distance in a range between about three inches and about twenty inches.

5. A method of operating a vehicle having a body configured to receive at least one person, the body having a roof, the method comprising:

(a) resting road-receiving circumferential surfaces of at least two front wheels, which front wheels are rotatably mounted to the body about a front axis of rotation, on a road;

(b) placing in contact with the road a road-receiving circumferential surface of at least one rear wheel that is rotatably mounted to the body about a rear axis of rotation;

(c) applying torque to at least one of the at least two front wheels until the vehicle attains a cruise velocity; and

(d) adjusting an angle of attack of an airfoil mounted to the body above the at least one rear wheel to increase lift applied by the airfoil to the body sufficient to cause the road-receiving circumferential surface of the rear wheel to separate from the road while the road-receiving circumferential surfaces of the at least two front wheels maintain contact with the road.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the step of adjusting an angle further comprises adjusting the airfoil angle of attack in a range between about 60 degrees positive and about 40 degrees negative.

7. The method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a step of maintaining the angle of attack of the airfoil at a substantially positive pitch with a trailing edge of the airfoil down when the vehicle has a forwardly-directed apparent wind under 25 miles per hour to mitigate influence caused by a rearwardly-directed wind.

8. A vehicle having an enclosed body configured to receive at least one person, the body having a roof and at least two front wheels rotatably mounted to the body about a front axis of rotation, the at least two front wheels having road-receiving circumferential surfaces and at least one of the at least two front wheels is drivingly linked to a prime mover that is configured to propel the vehicle along a road, the vehicle comprising:

(a) at least one rear wheel rotatably mounted to the body about a rear axis of rotation, the rear wheel having a road-receiving circumferential surface; and

(b) an airfoil horizontally and pivotably mounted to the body above the at least one rear wheel, the airfoil having an angle of attack; and

(c) means for pivoting the airfoil to modify the angle of attack to create sufficient lift on the body at a vehicle cruise speed to cause the road-receiving circumferential surface of the rear wheel to separate from the road, while the road-receiving circumferential surfaces of the at least two front wheels maintain contact with the road.

9. The vehicle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the airfoil is pivotably mounted on or near the wing'"'"'s aerodynamic center.