Automatically actuated rear air drag reducing system and method of use thereof
AssigneeTranstex Inc.
InventorsMathieu Boivin, Sylvain Daoust, Alexandre Derny, Alfredo Javier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to an actuated aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus for reducing the air drag of a vehicle, the actuated aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus being adapted to move between an expanded configuration and a retracted configuration by an actuator on a basis of a signal associated to the behavior of the vehicle. The actuator being connected to a slider selectively connected to a pair of pivotable elongated members for being used between a plurality of configurations.
Claims18
An automatically actuated aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus for reducing the air drag from a rear portion of a trailer, the automatically actuated aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus comprising:
- a first half disposed on a left rear portion of the trailer and a second half disposed on a right rear portion of the vehicle, each half comprising
- a top panel pivotably secured to an upper portion of the rear portion of the trailer adapted to move between an expanded configuration and a retracted configuration;
- a side panel pivotably secured on a lateral side portion of the rear portion of the trailer adapted to move between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration;
- a bottom panel pivotably disposed on a lower portion of the rear portion of the trailer adapted to move between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration;
- an actuation mechanism for respectively actuating each half of the actuated aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration, the actuation mechanism comprising
- a pair of elongated members adapted to pivot about their axis, the pair of elongated members interconnecting the top panel and the bottom panel;
- a slider secured to the pair of elongated members;
- an actuator operatively connected to the slider to move the slider and the pair of elongated members for actuating the top panel, the bottom panel and the side panel between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration.
An aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus kit for reducing the air drag from a rear portion of a trailer, the aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus comprising:
- a first half adapted to be disposed on a left rear portion of the trailer and a second half adapted to on a right rear portion of the vehicle, each half comprising
- a top panel adapted to be pivotably secured to an upper portion of the rear portion of the trailer adapted to move between an expanded configuration and a retracted configuration;
- a side panel adapted to be pivotably secured on a lateral side portion of the rear portion of the trailer adapted to move between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration;
- a bottom panel adapted to be pivotably disposed on a lower portion of the rear portion of the trailer adapted to move between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration;
- a pair of actuation mechanisms for respectively actuating, when assembled, each half of the aerodynamic air drag reducing apparatus between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration, the actuation mechanism comprising
- a pair of elongated members adapted to pivot about their axis, the pair of elongated members being adapted to interconnect the top panel and the bottom panel;
- a slider adapted to be secured to the pair of elongated members;
- an actuator adapted to be operatively connected to the slider to move the slider and the pair of elongated members for actuating the top panel, the bottom panel and the side panel between the expanded configuration and the retracted configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.