Loading patent…
AssigneeDimple IP B.V.
InventorsMichiel Van Nesselrooij, Olaf Van Campenhout, Leonardus Louis Maria Veldhuis
Estimating the term…
Body provided with a superficial area adapted to reduce drag when the body is moving relative to a gaseous or watery medium, comprising depressions in said superficial area, wherein the depressions have a greater length than width and are provided in the superficial area so as to collectively shape a curvature provided in a length direction of said depressions in the superficial area, and/or said depressions themselves are provided with a curvature in their length direction. The depressions are thus adapted to provide that a turbulent boundary layer of the gaseous or watery medium adjacent to the superficial area of the body is exposed to lateral excitation with reference to a movement direction of the body in the gaseous or watery medium or with reference to a flow direction of said turbulent boundary layer along said superficial area of the body. Said lateral excitation results in a reduction of drag.
A body provided with a superficial area adapted to reduce drag when the body is moving relative to a gaseous or watery medium, comprising depressions in said superficial area, wherein the depressions have a greater length than width and are provided in the superficial area so as to collectively shape a curvature provided in a length direction of said depressions in the superficial area, and/or said depressions themselves are provided with a curvature in their length direction, characterized in that the depressions are deprived of sharp edges in a transitional area wherein the depressions meet the superficial area, and that the depressions have a maximum depth (D) relative to the superficial area of 5% of the depressions' width so as to cause that in use a turbulent boundary layer of the gaseous or watery medium adjacent to the superficial area is exposed to lateral excitation with reference to a movement direction of the body relative to the gaseous or watery medium or with reference to a flow direction of said turbulent boundary layer along said superficial area of the body.
A method to reduce drag of a body moving relative to a gaseous or watery medium by providing the body with depressions in a superficial area of the body, comprising the step of providing the depressions with a greater length than width in the superficial area of the body so as to collectively shape a curvature in a length direction of said depressions in the superficial area, and/or providing that said depressions themselves have a curvature in their length direction, characterized by providing that the depressions are deprived of sharp edges in a transitional area wherein the depressions meet the superficial area, and providing that the depressions have a maximum depth (D) relative to the superficial area of 5% of the smallest of the depressions' width so as to cause that a turbulent boundary layer of the gaseous or watery medium adjacent to the superficial area of the body is exposed to lateral excitation with reference to a movement direction of the body relative to the gaseous or watery medium or with reference to a flow direction of said turbulent boundary layer along said superficial area of the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.