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Vehicle drag reduction system

  • US 5,280,990 A
  • Filed: 04/13/1993
  • Issued: 01/25/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A vehicle drag reduction system, for installation on a vehicle presenting a large forward aspect surface area and a substantially planar vertical rear transverse surface, comprising:

  • means, attachable to a substantially planar forward facing vertical surface area of said vehicle, said planar surface being oriented to be substantially transverse with respect to a forward direction of travel of said vehicle, for deflecting an air volume residing forwardly of, and along a path of forward travel of, said vehicle into portions passing along each vertical side surface of said forwardly moving vehicle, a portion passing longitudinally over a top surface of said forwardly moving vehicle;

    means for deflecting a portion of air passing along a left side surface of said forwardly moving vehicle so as to cause said portion of air to flow substantially horizontally across, and external with respect to, a rear transverse vertical surface of said vehicle;

    means for supporting, from a generally vertical left rear corner of said vehicle, said means for deflecting a portion of air passing along said left side surface of said forwardly moving vehicle;

    means, mirror imaging said means for deflecting a portion of air passing along said left side surface of said forwardly moving vehicle, for deflecting a portion of air passing along a right side surface of said forwardly moving vehicle so as to cause said portion of air to flow substantially horizontally across, and external with respect to, a rear transverse vertical surface of said vehicle;

    means for supporting, from a generally vertical right rear corner of said vehicle, said means for deflecting a portion of air passing along said right side surface of said forwardly moving vehicle;

    means, attached to a transverse upper rear corner of said vehicle, for deflecting a portion of air passing longitudinally over the top of said forwardly moving vehicle so as to cause said portion of air to flow substantially vertically downwardly across, and external with respect to, said rear transverse vertical surface of said vehicle;

    means, attached to a transverse lower rear corner of said vehicle, for deflecting a portion of air passing longitudinally beneath said forwardly moving vehicle so as to cause said portion of air to flow substantially vertically upward across, and external with respect to, said rear transverse vertical surface of said vehicle;

    means, depending from and attached to an undercarriage structure of said vehicle, for enclosing said undercarriage structure within a housing extending substantially from a forwardmost longitudinal station that is non-interfering with operation of said vehicle to a rearmost longitudinal station proximate to, but forward from, a most forwardly disposed rear axle and wheel assembly of said vehicle, said housing having a transverse dimension substantially equal to a width of said vehicle and a vertical dimension depending from said undercarriage structure of said vehicle to a substantially horizontal planar open area, bounded by left and right vertical side surfaces, sufficiently above a roadway surface on which said vehicle travels so as to provide adequate road clearance, said housing including a substantially horizontal planar surface affixed to said housing below structure, excluding axle assemblies, of said vehicle, said horizontal planar surface being disposed to be above a lowermost extent of said housing, said housing being configured to deflect a volume of air into portions passing along right and left vertical surfaces of said housing, respectively, and a portion passing longitudinally into a volume of said housing below said horizontal planar surface; and

    flexible side skirt extension panel elements depending, respectively, from a lowermost extent of said right and left vertical side surfaces of said undercarriage housing to non-contacting proximity with said roadway surface, said side skirt extension panel elements having a longitudinal extent substantially equal to the longitudinal extent of said undercarriage housing.

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