Automobile air and ground effects power package

• US 5,287,004 A
• Filed: 09/04/1992
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael D. Finley
• Original Assignee: Michael D. Finley
• Inventors: Finley, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOOVER, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/941,207
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/55, 180/2.2, 180/65.3
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/0445 the shield being fixed with respect to the wind motor
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/2212 perpendicular to wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/941 which is a land vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

This invention consists of two parts, an air dam attached to the lower front end of a motor vehicle and a spoiler attached to the upper rear end of the vehicle, with rotors and generators integrated into each of these parts. The rotors have horizontal axes and fixed blades running the length of the axes and extending symmetrically no more than a few inches from the axes, each blade being curved in the same direction. Two electric generators are attached to each rotor by short rods at both ends. Air current passing around the vehicle turns the rotors and generates electricity, while the air dam and spoiler counteract the drag created by the rotors and improve the overall drag coefficient of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A horizontal-axis fixed-blade rotor with several horizontal blades running the length of the axis and extending symmetrically no more than a few inches from the axis, each blade being curved in the same direction, and the rotor being attached by short rods at both ends to electrical generators, embedded within an air dam attached to the lower front end of a motor vehicle to prevent the formation of an air pocket beneath the vehicle, with a portion of the rotor exposed to the flow of air current or wind through a small horizontal vent at the bottom of which a gently sloping ramp directs the air current or wind to cool the engine or ventilate the passenger compartment.

3. An integral air dam and rotor unit in accordance with claim 1 and an integral spoiler and rotor unit in accordance with claim 2 attached to a motor vehicle and operating together to generate electricity to recharge the vehicle'"'"'s battery or batteries and to reduce the vehicle'"'"'s overall drag, thereby improving the driveable distance and/or mileage of the motor vehicle.

2. A horizontal-axis fixed-blade rotor with several horizontal blades running the length of the axis and extending symmetrically no more than a few inches from the axis, each blade being curved in the same direction, and the rotor being attached by short rods at both ends to electrical generators, embedded within a spoiler unit attached to the upper rear end of a motor vehicle, about one-third or one-fourth of the rotor being exposed to the flow of wind across the small, gently sloping deflector plate in front of the rotor (to guide and lift the flow of air current into the rotor'"'"'s blades) and the spoiler located behind the rotor (to break up post-rotor turbulence and prevent the formation of a pocket of air behind the vehicle), and an opening at the lower rear of the spoiler unit exposing about one-third or one-fourth of the rotor in order to prevent the formation of a vacuum around the rotor and to allow wind blowing toward the rear of the vehicle to turn the rotor when the vehicle is parked or driving very slowly.