Vehicle traction enhancement
AssigneeCoventry University
InventorMike Blundell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle (100) comprising a plurality of wheels (106a, b) and an apparatus on a wheeled vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle, or apparatus, comprises a control system arranged to issue a signal in the event of determining that one or more wheels of the vehicle has lost, or is at risk of losing, frictional contact with a road surface (104). The vehicle, or apparatus, further comprises a gas source arranged to supply a burst of gas upon said signal being issued. At least one gas outlet (112) is connected to said gas source and is arranged to direct said burst of gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of at least one of the wheels.
Claims18
A vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of wheels;
- a control system arranged to issue a signal in the event of determining that one or more wheels of the vehicle has lost, or is at risk of losing, frictional contact with a road surface;
- a plurality of gas sources, wherein each wheel of the plurality of wheels has associated therewith at least one gas source of the plurality of gas sources, and each gas source of the plurality of gas sources is arranged to supply a respective burst of gas upon said signal being issued;
- wherein each gas source of the plurality of gas sources is connected, via a respective deflector comprising a flat internal chamber that acts as a plenum, to a respective gas outlet to direct said respective burst of gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of the wheel with which the gas source is associated.
An apparatus on a wheeled vehicle comprising:
- a control system arranged to issue a signal in the event of determining that one or more wheels of the vehicle has lost, or is at risk of losing, frictional contact with a road surface;
- a plurality of gas sources, wherein each wheel of the plurality of wheels has associated therewith at least one gas source of the plurality of gas sources, and each gas source of the plurality of gas sources is arranged to supply a respective burst of gas upon said signal being issued;
- wherein each gas source of the plurality of gas sources is connected, via a respective deflector comprising a flat internal chamber that acts as a plenum, to a respective gas outlet to direct said respective burst of gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of the wheel with which the gas source is associated.
An apparatus for a wheeled vehicle comprising a control system arranged to issue a signal in the event of determining that one or more wheels of the vehicle has lost, or is at risk of losing, frictional contact with a road surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of gas sources, wherein each wheel of the plurality of wheels has associated therewith at least one gas sources of the plurality of gas source, and each gas source of the plurality of gas sources is arranged to supply a respective burst of gas upon receiving said signal;
- wherein each gas source of the plurality of gas sources is connected, via a respective deflector comprising a flat internal chamber that acts as a plenum, to a respective gas outlet to direct said respective burst of gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of the wheel with which the gas source is associated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.