Mini skirt aerodynamic fairing device for reducing the aerodynamic drag of ground vehicles
First Claim
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1. An aerodynamic device for reducing drag on a ground vehicle, comprising:
- a first pair of rigid panels attached to the left side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel substantially coplanar with the left surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the first pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired first vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a first horizontal distance;
a second pair of rigid panels attached to the right side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel substantially coplanar with the right surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the second pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired second vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a second horizontal distance; and
wherein the first and second pairs of rigid panels are configured so as to form a first and second inverted U-shaped channel open to the downward direction, with the panels configured to generate a vortex within the channel when the ground vehicle is in motion, wherein the vortex has an axis of rotation aligned with the direction of motion of the ground vehicle, and wherein at least a portion of at least one inner panel is inclined inwardly as it extends downward so that the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels at the lower edge of the panels is greater than the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels proximate to the bottom surface of the vehicle.
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Abstract
A device for the reduction of aerodynamic drag and for improved performance and stability of ground vehicles by reducing the mass and velocity of the flow passing under a vehicle is described. The device is particularly suited for a tractor-trailer truck system that includes a motorized lead vehicle pulling one or more non-motorized vehicles. The device is designed to control the flow from entering the undercarriage region from the side of a trailer of a tractor-trailer truck system.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. An aerodynamic device for reducing drag on a ground vehicle, comprising:
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a first pair of rigid panels attached to the left side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel substantially coplanar with the left surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the first pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired first vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a first horizontal distance; a second pair of rigid panels attached to the right side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel substantially coplanar with the right surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the second pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired second vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a second horizontal distance; and wherein the first and second pairs of rigid panels are configured so as to form a first and second inverted U-shaped channel open to the downward direction, with the panels configured to generate a vortex within the channel when the ground vehicle is in motion, wherein the vortex has an axis of rotation aligned with the direction of motion of the ground vehicle, and wherein at least a portion of at least one inner panel is inclined inwardly as it extends downward so that the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels at the lower edge of the panels is greater than the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels proximate to the bottom surface of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An aerodynamic device for reducing drag on a ground vehicle, comprising:
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a first pair of rigid panels attached to the left side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel attached inboard and proximate to the left surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the first pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired first vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a first horizontal distance; a second pair of rigid panels attached to the right side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel attached inboard and proximate to the right surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the second pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired second vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a second horizontal distance; and wherein the first and second pairs of rigid panels are configured so as to form a first and second inverted U-shaped channel open to the downward direction, with the panels configured to generate a vortex within the channel when the ground vehicle is in motion, wherein the vortex has an axis of rotation aligned with the direction of motion of the ground vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the first and second outer panels are inclined outwardly without exceeding the plane of the left or right surfaces of the vehicle, respectively, and the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels proximate to the bottom surface of the vehicle is less than the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels at the lower edge of the panels. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An aerodynamic device for reducing drag on a ground vehicle, comprising:
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a first pair of rigid panels attached to the left side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel substantially coplanar with the left surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the first pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired first vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a first horizontal distance; a second pair of rigid panels attached to the right side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel substantially coplanar with the right surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the second pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired second vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a second horizontal distance; and wherein the first and second pairs of rigid panels are configured so as to form a first and second inverted U-shaped channel open to the downward direction, with the panels configured to generate a vortex within the channel when the ground vehicle is in motion, wherein the vortex has an axis of rotation aligned with the direction of motion of the ground vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the first and second inner panels are inclined outwardly, and wherein the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels proximate to the bottom surface of the vehicle is greater than the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels at the lower edge of the panels. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An aerodynamic device for reducing drag on a ground vehicle, comprising:
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a first pair of rigid panels attached to the left side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel attached proximate to the left surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the first pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired first vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a first horizontal distance; a second pair of rigid panels attached to the right side of the bottom surface of the vehicle and extending downward from the vehicle, including an outer panel attached proximate to the right surface of the vehicle and an inner panel located inboard of the outer panel, wherein the second pair of rigid panels is configured with each panel extending downward from the vehicle a desired second vertical distance and having a lower edge that is aerodynamically sharp and wherein the outer panel is separated from the inner panel at the lower edges by a second horizontal distance; and wherein the first and second pairs of rigid panels are configured so as to form a first and second inverted U-shaped channel open to the downward direction, with the panels configured to generate a vortex within the channel when the ground vehicle is in motion, wherein the vortex has an axis of rotation aligned with the direction of motion of the ground vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the first and second outer panels are inclined inwardly but substantially proximate to the plane of the left or right surfaces of the vehicle, respectively, and wherein the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels proximate to the bottom surface of the vehicle is greater than the horizontal distance between the inner and outer panels at the lower edge of the panels. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification