Apparatus for reducing drag on a vehicle

• US 8,360,507 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Craig R. Benton
• Original Assignee: Craig R. Benton
• Inventors: Benton, Craig R.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUTMAN, HILARY L
• Application Number:
  US12/969,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 2961801-1805, 296/181.5, 180/903
• US Class Current: 296/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans

Abstract

An apparatus for reducing drag on a moving vehicle includes various combinations of a movable segments and a swing arm. Each combination is adapted to be mounted to the rear of the vehicle with a fixed portion being positioned forward of the movable segment upon extraction. The movable segments have a retracted position and an extended position and may be biased to the retracted position. The movable segments deploy to the extended position when moving above a predetermined velocity and returns to a retracted position when moving below the predetermined velocity.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing atmospheric drag on a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least two moveable segments successively coupled to each other and attached to the vehicle, each of the at least two moveable segments having a retracted position and an extended position; and

a swing arm attaching a first one of the at least two moveable segments with the vehicle;

wherein at least one of the moveable segments extends behind at least a portion of the back of the vehicle when in the extended position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the swing arm attaches the first one of the at least two movable segments to the top of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the swing arm and the at least two moveable segments contains a biasing feature to bias the apparatus to the retracted position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the biasing feature comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a spring and a torsion pin.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the swing arm locks in an approximately perpendicular direction from a back surface of the vehicle when the first one of the at least one moveable segment is in an extended position;

and

wherein the swing arm lies against to the back edge of the vehicle when in a retracted position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the swing arm comprises:

a slide arm;

a housing in which the slide arm is configured to slide; and

a slide arm biasing element located so as to bias the slide arm into the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the swing arm further comprises a cap engageable with the housing so as to adjust a length of the swing arm.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cap is threadably engaged with the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the swing arm biasing element is a spring.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the swing arm moves to the extended position when the vehicle moves above a predetermined velocity and returns to the retracted position when the vehicle moves below the predetermined velocity.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the swing arm is lockable in the extended position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein two successive movable segments are connected to each other via a pivoting feature.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first portion provided on a top surface of the vehicle; and

at least a second portion provided on the top surface of the vehicle;

wherein the first portion and the at least second portion are configured to minimize drag on the moving vehicle by diverting air to the at least one movable segment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein respective heights and widths the first portion and the at least second portion, and a distance separating the first portion and the at least second portion, minimize drag on the moving vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein

a cross section of the first portion and the at least second portion on the top of the vehicle is at least one of a triangular cross section, a see-saw cross section, a stair-shaped cross section, a bent line, and a straight line;

and

at least one of the plurality of air diverters has a rectangular shape.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one flap attached to an outer portion of the at least one movable diverter; and

a plurality of perforations in the at least one flap;

wherein

the perforations have at least one of a same size and/or shape and different sizes and/or shapes.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when in the extended position, the at least one of the moveable segments extends below a horizontal plane of a top portion of the vehicle.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the swing arm moves to the extended position when the vehicles moves above a predetermined velocity and returns to the retracted position when he vehicles moves below the predetermined velocity;

and

wherein in order to reach an extended position from a retracted position, one or more of the plurality of movable segments rotate more than 90°

from each other.

18. An apparatus for reducing atmospheric drag on a moving vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of moveable segments attached to the vehicle, each one of the plurality of moveable segments having a retracted position and an extended position;

wherein

the movable segments are folded against one another when in the retracted position and fold out away from one another when in the extended position; and

at least one of the plurality of movable segments extends inwardly behind at least a portion of the back of the vehicle when in the extended position.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a swing arm attaching one of the plurality of movable segments to the back edge of the vehicle;

wherein

the swing arm attaches a first one of the at least one movable segment to at least one of a top of the back edge of the vehicle and a bottom of the back edge of the vehicle;

wherein at least one of the swing arm and each of the at least one movable segment contains a biasing feature to bias the apparatus to the retracted position;

wherein the biasing feature comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a spring and a torsion pin;

the swing arm locks in an approximately perpendicular direction from a back surface of the vehicle when the first one of the at least one movable segment is in the extended position; and

the swing arm lies against to the back edge of the vehicle when in the retracted position.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the swing arm comprises:

an urging element at a portion of the swing arm attached to the back edge of the vehicle, the urging element biasing the swing arm to the retracted position;

a slide arm;

a housing in which the slide arm is configured to slide;

a slide arm biasing element located so as to bias the slide arm into the housing; and

a cap engageable with the housing so as to adjust a length of the swing arm;

wherein

the urging element is one of a spring and a torsion pin.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein when in the extended position, the at least one of the plurality of movable segments extends below a horizontal plane of a top portion of the vehicle.