System, method and article for use with coupled vehicles
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for use with vehicles, the apparatus comprising:
- a cover that is selectively extendable between two vehicles that are physically coupled to one another by a selectively releasable coupler to at least partially enclose a top and at least two sides of a gap between the two vehicles, the cover having a first end attached to be at least proximate one of the vehicles and a second end movable with respect to the two vehicles; and
an actuator responsive to an automatically generated signal indicative of at least one of a speed or a location of at least one of the vehicles to selectively move the cover between an un-deployed configuration in which the second end of the cover is proximate the vehicle to which the first end of the cover is attached and a deployed configuration in which the second end of the cover extends at least partially between the two vehicles to be at least proximate the vehicle to which the first end of the cover is not attached, the signal automatically generated without a manual input of a person, and wherein the cover is bellows shaped and is retracted in the un-deployed configuration and extended in the deployed configuration.
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Abstract
An automatic gap closing system automatically moves a gap closing cover between an un-deployed and a deployed configuration to selectively cover a gap between two coupled vehicles (e.g., tractor-trailer combination) in response to an actual or expected speed of at least one of the vehicles, thereby increasing fuel efficiency at relatively high or fast speeds without hindering maneuverability of the coupled vehicles at relatively low or slow speeds. Indications of speed and/or location may come from speed sensors, on-board computers (i.e., black box), GPS receivers, or wireless receivers.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use with vehicles, the apparatus comprising:
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a cover that is selectively extendable between two vehicles that are physically coupled to one another by a selectively releasable coupler to at least partially enclose a top and at least two sides of a gap between the two vehicles, the cover having a first end attached to be at least proximate one of the vehicles and a second end movable with respect to the two vehicles; and an actuator responsive to an automatically generated signal indicative of at least one of a speed or a location of at least one of the vehicles to selectively move the cover between an un-deployed configuration in which the second end of the cover is proximate the vehicle to which the first end of the cover is attached and a deployed configuration in which the second end of the cover extends at least partially between the two vehicles to be at least proximate the vehicle to which the first end of the cover is not attached, the signal automatically generated without a manual input of a person, and wherein the cover is bellows shaped and is retracted in the un-deployed configuration and extended in the deployed configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification