Apparatus for decreasing aerodynamic drag, improving stability, and reducing road spray of a transport vehicle

• US 9,139,240 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kodiak Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kodiak Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Long, Jonathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACK, MELISSA ANN
• Application Number:
  US13/350,352
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 296/180.4, 296/180.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/007 Rear spoilers B62D35/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/02 Streamlining the undersurfaces B62D35/005, B62D35/007, B62D35/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for decreasing aerodynamic drag, improving stability, and reducing road spray of a transport vehicle. The apparatus comprises an underbody fairing comprising a substantially parabolic elongated panel. The underbody fairing is strategically positioned beneath the transport vehicle and forward of the rear wheel assembly to deflect air around the rear wheel assembly while also facilitating a laminar airflow moving laterally beneath the transport vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for decreasing aerodynamic drag, improving stability, and decreasing road spray of a transport vehicle, comprising:

an underbody fairing for mounting to a bottom portion of a transport trailer forward of the rear wheel assembly, said underbody fairing comprising a substantially parabolic elongated panel having a first edge portion, a second edge portion, a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, and a vertex portion, said vertex portion being substantially arcuate;

wherein the shortest distance between (i) the intersection of said vertex portion with said first lateral portion and (ii) the intersection of said vertex portion with said second lateral portion is between twenty percent and fifty percent of the shortest distance between (i) said first edge portion and (ii) said second edge portion;

whereby said underbody fairing diverts airflow around the rear wheel assembly of the transport vehicle while facilitating the laminar flow of crosswind beneath the transport vehicle, thereby decreasing aerodynamic drag, improving stability, and decreasing road spray of the transport vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vertex portion defines a portion of a circle having a radius equal in length to a specified percentage of the width of the transport vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the specified percentage is between 5 percent and 25 percent.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the specified percentage is between 10 percent and 20 percent.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the specified percentage is between 14 percent and 18 percent.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the specified percentage is 16 percent.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said underbody fairing is positioned substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the transport vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said underbody fairing extends from the bottom of the transport vehicle a vertical distance that is a specified percentage of the distance from the bottom of the transport vehicle to the ground.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the specified percentage is between 65 percent and 85 percent.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the specified percentage is about 77 percent.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first lateral portion and said second lateral portion are substantially straight.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first lateral portion and said second lateral portion are substantially arcuate.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the horizontal length of said underbody fairing is equal to a specified percentage of the inside wheelbase of the transport vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said specified percentage is between 18 percent and 58 percent.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said specified percentage is between 28 percent and 48 percent.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said specified percentage is about 38 percent.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substantially parabolic elongated panel has a substantially resilient lower portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substantially parabolic elongated panel has a substantially resilient upper portion, and wherein said resilient upper portion will, when the underbody fairing is installed on a transport vehicle, bend to form an outwardly-bending curve that substantially blocks the flow of air between the underbody fairing and the bottom of the transport vehicle when the transport vehicle is in a forward motion.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substantially parabolic elongated panel has a substantially rigid middle portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said vertex portion is positioned adjacent to the bottom of the transport vehicle and substantially along a longitudinal centerline of the transport vehicle and forward of said first edge portion and said second edge portion;

said first edge portion is positioned substantially adjacent to an intersection of the bottom of the transport vehicle and one side of the transport vehicle; and

said second edge portion is positioned substantially adjacent to an intersection of the bottom of the transport vehicle and an opposite side of the transport vehicle.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said first edge portion and said second edge portion are each further positioned substantially adjacent to the front portion of the rear wheel assembly.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said first edge portion and said second edge portion are each further positioned a horizontal distance from the most forward axle of the rear wheel assembly, said horizontal distance being equal to a specified percentage of the diameter of the largest wheel of the rear wheel assembly.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the specified percentage is between 75 percent and 175 percent.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the specified percentage is between 90 percent and 110 percent.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the specified percentage is about 100 percent.

26. An apparatus for decreasing aerodynamic drag, improving stability, and decreasing road spray of a transport vehicle, comprising:

an underbody fairing for mounting to a bottom portion of a transport trailer forward of the rear wheel assembly, said underbody fairing comprising a substantially parabolic elongated panel having a first edge portion, a second edge portion, a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, and a vertex portion, said vertex portion being substantially arcuate, the forwardmost 90 degrees of arc of the curve of said vertex having a radius that is equal to between 5 percent and 25 percent of the shortest distance between the first edge portion and the second edge portion;

whereby said underbody fairing diverts airflow around the rear wheel assembly of the transport vehicle while facilitating the laminar flow of crosswind beneath the transport vehicle, thereby decreasing aerodynamic drag, improving stability, and decreasing road spray of the transport vehicle.

27. An apparatus for decreasing aerodynamic drag, improving stability, and decreasing road spray of a transport vehicle, comprising:

an underbody fairing for mounting to a bottom portion of a transport trailer forward of the rear wheel assembly, said underbody fairing comprising a substantially parabolic elongated panel having a first edge portion, a second edge portion, a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, and a vertex portion;

wherein said substantially parabolic elongated panel has a substantially resilient upper portion.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said resilient upper portion will, when the underbody fairing is installed on a transport vehicle, bend to form an outwardly-bending curve that substantially blocks the flow of air between the underbody fairing and the bottom of the transport vehicle when the transport vehicle is in a forward motion.