Laterally wind-diverting vehicle fairing

A wind-diverting apparatus for reducing drag on a terrestrial vehicle in substantial forward motion on a horizontal plane, said vehicle having a rearward cargo box connected or fixed thereto which extends laterally across the lateral width of the body of the vehicle while also extending substantially above an uppermost edge a front windshield of a driver's cab of the vehicle, with said apparatus comprising a major uppermost portion of a headwind-exposed streamlined roof of said cab wherein said streamlined roof comprises those forwardly facing cab roof surfaces that are positioned wholly above the level of said uppermost windshield edge and that are aligned directly in front of an upper portion of a forwardmost laterally extending wall of said cargo box disposed above the uppermost windshield edge, wherein the apparatus furthermore comprises:

• the streamlined roof comprising two laterally extending substantially non-horizontal sidewall portions thereof, said roof-sidewall portions being disposed substantially adjacent together at forwardmost portions thereof, while each said roof-sidewall portion furthermore extending substantially rearward therefrom in a laterally divergent manner wherein rearmost portions each thereof are separated substantially apart with each said rearmost roof-sidewall portion being disposed laterally outwards towards a respective laterally outermost side of the cab;
• the streamlined roof furthermore comprising a substantially non-vertical, upper top portion thereof spanning across the space between substantial uppermost portions of said divergent roof-sidewall portions;
• the streamlined roof furthermore comprising a substantially non-horizontal, nose portion thereof spanning wholly in-between said forwardmost roof-sidewall portions;
• and
• the divergent roof-sidewall portions comprising an upper portion each thereof arranged to be slanted vertically outwards wherein any normal vector projecting laterally outwards from the surface thereof points downwards below the horizon, and wherein said slanted roof-sidewall portions each comprise a major portion of an upper half of each respective said divergent roof-sidewall portion,
• whereby the apparatus is arranged to divert a portion of headwinds impinging thereon from otherwise being lifted substantially upwards over the top of the vehicle and to flow instead more laterally toward either side of the vehicle.

A wind-diverting apparatus for reducing drag on a terrestrial vehicle in substantial forward motion on a horizontal plane, said vehicle having a streamlined, headwind-exposed, forward-facing, fairing-styled structure disposed wholly above the level of an uppermost edge a front windshield of a driver's cab of the vehicle, with said fairing structure spanning across a major lateral width of the front windshield while also extending upwards substantially above of the level of said uppermost windshield edge and aligned directly in front of an upper portion of a forwardmost laterally extending wall of a rearward cargo box that is itself connected or fixed to the vehicle, said upper cargo box wall extending laterally substantially across the lateral width of the body of the vehicle, and with the vehicle configured wherein said upper cargo box wall portion is substantially shielded by the fairing structure from headwinds otherwise impinging thereon, wherein said apparatus comprises:

• a wind-diverting assembly comprising a fairing visor assembly disposed both substantially centered laterally on the fairing structure and substantially above the uppermost windshield edge;
• the fairing visor assembly spanning across the major lateral width of front windshield;
• the fairing visor assembly comprising a laterally extending wind-diverting lower surface thereof that is substantially exposed to a rising headwind impinging thereon, said rising headwind being deflected substantially upwards by the front windshield;
• said lower visor surface comprising a rearmost trailing portion thereof disposed adjacent along a major length thereof to an uppermost portion of the fairing structure positioned substantially above the uppermost windshield edge wherein a laterally central lower portion of the fairing structure that is also disposed directly below said rearmost trailing lower visor portion is itself also substantially exposed to the rising headwind impinging thereon, said fairing structure uppermost portion comprising a major uppermost portion of the fairing structure;
• the fairing visor assembly comprising a forwardmost leading edge thereof disposed not higher in elevation than respective portions of the rearmost trailing portion of the lower visor surface;
• the fairing visor assembly furthermore comprising a central portion of said leading edge being disposed not higher in elevation than laterally outermost portions of the leading edge;
• said central leading-edge portion being disposed forward apart from a forwardmost portion of the rearmost trailing portion of the lower visor surface a minimum forward offset equal to not less than half the vertical distance between the uppermost windshield edge and the central leading-edge portion;
• and
• the central leading-edge portion being disposed wholly above the uppermost windshield edge a minimum vertical clearance equal to not less than one-third the vertical distance between the uppermost windshield edge and the top of said cargo box,
• whereby the apparatus is arranged to divert a portion of headwinds impinging thereon from otherwise being lifted substantially upwards over the top of the vehicle and to flow instead more laterally toward either side of the vehicle.

A wind-diverting apparatus for reducing drag on a terrestrial vehicle in substantial forward motion on a horizontal plane, said vehicle having a rearward cargo box connected or fixed thereto which extends laterally across the lateral width of the body of the vehicle while also extending substantially above a roof of a driver's cab of the vehicle, with said apparatus being mounted higher on the vehicle above said cab roof directly in front of an upper portion of a forwardmost laterally extending wall of said cargo box wherein said forwardmost upper cargo box wall portion located above the cab roof is exposed to headwinds impinging thereon across a major portion thereof, wherein the apparatus comprises:

• a wind-diverting open-panel assembly comprising four longitudinally extending sidewalls joined together along longitudinally extending opposing respective edges thereof to form a poly-sided, closed-shaped figure as forwardmost sidewall edges thereof are viewed from directly in front of the vehicle, with said sidewalls being disposed adjacent to the forwardmost upper wall portion along respective rearmost edges thereof while each said sidewall also substantially extends longitudinally forward therefrom toward the front of the vehicle;
• said open-panel assembly arranged wherein said longitudinally extending sidewalls are furthermore joined together to form a rearmost poly-sided closed-shaped figure as rearmost sidewall edges thereof are also viewed from directly in front of the vehicle;
• the open-panel assembly furthermore arranged wherein the length of the perimeter of said forwardmost sidewall edges forming said forwardmost poly-sided closed-shaped figure is not more than the length of the perimeter of said rearmost sidewall edges forming said rearmost closed poly-sided shaped figure;
• the open-panel assembly furthermore arranged wherein a rearmost edge of an uppermost said sidewall is disposed substantially horizontal and located substantially adjacent to an uppermost edge of said forwardmost cargo box wall wherein an upper headwind impinging on an uppermost surface of said uppermost sidewall is diverted largely upwards to flow above the cargo box;
• the open-panel assembly furthermore arranged wherein a forwardmost edge of the uppermost sidewall is disposed not higher than respective portions of said rearmost edge thereof along respective major lengths thereof;
• the open-panel assembly furthermore arranged wherein a forwardmost edge of a lowermost said sidewall is disposed not lower than respective portions of a rearmost edge thereof along respective major lengths thereof;
• the open-panel assembly furthermore arranged wherein forwardmost edges of any laterally outermost said sidewalls are each disposed no further laterally outwards than respective portions of respective rearmost edges thereof along respective major lengths thereof;
• said lowermost sidewall being disposed substantially no further forward on the vehicle than the forwardmost edge of the uppermost sidewall;
• and
• major central forwardmost portions of said sidewalls remain respectively laterally or respectively vertically disconnected from each other, wherein said wind-diverting assembly remains substantially open in-between said respective sidewalls wherein a major portion of the forwardmost upper wall portion positioned inside the perimeter of said forwardmost sidewall edges forming said forwardmost poly-sided closed-shaped figure when viewed from directly in front of the vehicle remains exposed to headwinds impinging thereon,
• whereby the apparatus is arranged to divert a portion of headwinds impinging thereon from otherwise being lifted substantially upwards over the top of the vehicle and to flow instead more laterally toward either side of the vehicle.

A wind-diverting apparatus for reducing drag on a terrestrial vehicle in substantial forward motion on a horizontal plane, said vehicle configured wherein vehicle headwinds are being diverted upwards by impinging on laterally central, headwind-exposed, forward-facing vehicle surfaces that are disposed forwardly on the vehicle while also spanning substantially across the major lateral width of the vehicle, and that are also positioned below respective levels of the wind-diverting apparatus itself, wherein said apparatus comprises:

• a wind-diverting fairing structure of, or that is disposed on, the vehicle;
• said fairing structure disposed in a substantially elevated location positioned substantially toward the front of the vehicle;
• the fairing structure itself comprising two laterally extending substantially non-horizontal sidewalls disposed substantially adjacent together at respective forwardmost portions thereof;
• said laterally extending sidewalls spanning upwards to extend substantially above any front windshield of the vehicle;
• the laterally extending sidewalls furthermore extending substantially rearward on the vehicle in a laterally divergent manner wherein rearmost portions thereof are arranged substantially apart in lateral disposition;
• and
• the laterally extending sidewalls each comprising an upper forwardly facing portion thereof arranged to be slanted vertically outwards wherein any normal vector projecting laterally outwards from the surface thereof points downwards below the horizon, said upper sidewall portions each comprising a major portion of the upper half of the respective said laterally extending sidewall,
• whereby the apparatus is arranged to divert a portion of headwinds impinging thereon from otherwise being lifted substantially upwards over the top of the vehicle and to flow instead more laterally toward either side of the vehicle.

A wind-diverting apparatus for reducing drag on a terrestrial vehicle in substantial forward motion on a horizontal plane, said vehicle configured wherein vehicle headwinds are being diverted upwards by impinging on laterally central, headwind-exposed, forward-facing vehicle surfaces that are disposed forwardly on the vehicle while also spanning substantially across the major lateral width of the vehicle, and that are also positioned below respective levels of the wind-diverting apparatus itself, wherein said apparatus comprises:

• a wind-diverting fairing structure of, or that is disposed on, the vehicle;
• said fairing structure disposed in a substantially elevated location positioned substantially toward the front of the vehicle;
• the fairing structure itself comprising two laterally extending substantially non-horizontal sidewalls disposed substantially adjacent together at respective forwardmost portions thereof;
• said laterally extending sidewalls spanning upwards to extend substantially above any front windshield of the vehicle;
• the laterally extending sidewalls furthermore extending substantially rearward on the vehicle in a laterally divergent manner wherein rearmost portions thereof are arranged substantially apart in lateral disposition;
• the fairing structure furthermore comprising laterally outer overhanging side portions of a top panel, said overhanging side portions extending laterally outwards distinctly further than respective uppermost portions of the laterally extending sidewalls along major lengths each thereof;
• and
• the top panel arranged wherein forwardmost portions thereof are disposed distinctly below the level of respective rearmost portions thereof,
• whereby the apparatus is arranged to divert a portion of headwinds impinging thereon from otherwise being lifted substantially upwards over the top of the vehicle and to flow instead more laterally toward either side of the vehicle.