Rotationally supporting structure of vehicle's drag-reducing apparatus

• US 8,196,994 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermaflow Energy Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Thermaflow Energy Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Shih-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chenevert, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/605,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20110095565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 105/1.1, 105/1.2, 105/1.3, 180/903, 296/180.1, 296/180.2, 296/180.3, 296/180.4, 296/180.5
• US Class Current: 296/180.4
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 180/903 Airstream reactive vehicle or vehicle structure

Abstract

A vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus, adapted to be arranged at the tail end of a vehicle, includes a diversion body positioned at the lateral surface of the vehicle and a rotary piece. The airflow flowing across the lateral surface of the vehicle body is guided to the tail end of the vehicle by the diversion body. One end of the rotary piece is pivoted to the vehicle body, while another end is fixed to the diversion body. Rotating the rotary piece will bring along the diversion body to be abutted against the tail end of the vehicle body or to be moved to the position far away from the tail end of the vehicle body. Thereby, the opening of the rear door at the tail end of the vehicle won'"'"'t be hindered, even where there is an arrangement of the diversion body.

Claims

1. A rotationally supporting structure of a vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus, adapted to be arranged at a tail end of a vehicle, comprising:

a diversion body which is positioned at a lateral surface of the vehicle, and which guides an airflow flowing across the lateral surface of the vehicle to the tail end of the vehicle; and

a rotary piece, one end of which is pivoted to the vehicle body, and another end of which is fixed to the diversion body, and by a rotation of which the diversion body will be brought along to be abutted against the tail end of the vehicle or to be moved to a side that has a spaced distance away from the tail end of the vehicle,

wherein the diversion body further includes a fixed seat body and a plurality of fasteners arranged at the fixed seat body, and the fixed seat body is combined to an inside of the diversion body and, when the diversion body is stopped at the tail end of the vehicle, the fasteners are buckled onto the vehicle.

2. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diversion body is a long piece body.

3. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixed seat body is comprised of a rubber material.

4. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotary piece is a pair of links, one side of each of which is pivoted to the lateral surface of the vehicle and can be rotated, while another side is fixed to the diversion body.

5. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotary piece can be rotated an angle within a range of 0-180 degrees.

6. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diversion body is configured as a long frame body which is comprised by a combination of a plurality of deflectors, and between two of which an airflow channel is formed, and at two sides of which an air inlet and an air outlet are formed by being communicated with the airflow channel.

7. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the frame body includes an outer deflector, an inner deflector disposed by corresponding to the outer deflector and two lateral deflectors connecting the outer deflector and the inner deflector.

8. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the outer deflector and the inner deflector are both configured as a piece of arc body.

9. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the frame body further includes a plurality of separating plates which are disposed in parallel to the lateral deflectors and are interspaced to each other by being accommodated in the airflow channel.

10. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further includes a pair of locking assemblies which are locked onto the vehicle body in parallel to each other and each has a pivot, and an axial direction of the pivot is vertical to a top face of the vehicle.

11. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the locking assembly is configured as a “

T”

-shaped plate body, which is locked onto the vehicle body by a plurality of screwing elements.

12. The rotationally supporting structure of vehicle'"'"'s drag-reducing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the pair of locking assemblies are respectively locked to a top side and a bottom side of the lateral surface of the vehicle.