Automated drag reduction in moving objects
OwnerEric Sandgreninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for reducing drag on a vehicle body moving through fluid includes a sensor mounted on the vehicle body for measuring data adjacent to the vehicle body surface, an eddy disrupter element mounted on the vehicle body for motion to a transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle body surface and a processor for facilitating a comparative analysis of the measured data with a threshold condition to determine if the threshold condition is satisfied, wherein the threshold condition is associated with drag resulting from the vehicle body movement through the fluid that can be reduced by the motion of the eddy disrupter element to a transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle body surface and wherein the element is responsive to satisfaction of the threshold condition.
Claims20
A system for reducing drag on a vehicle body moving through fluid comprising:
- a sensor mounted on the vehicle body for measuring data adjacent to the vehicle body surface;
- an eddy disrupter element mounted on the vehicle body for motion to a transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle body surface;
- and
- a processor for facilitating a comparative analysis of the measured data with a threshold condition to determine if the threshold condition is satisfied, wherein the threshold condition is associated with drag resulting from the vehicle body movement through the fluid that can be reduced by the motion of the eddy disrupter element to a transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle body surface and wherein the element is responsive to satisfaction of the threshold condition.
A method of reducing drag on a vehicle body moving through fluid comprising the steps of:
- sensing a condition relating to the fluid adjacent to a portion of the vehicle body;
- comparing the sensed condition with a threshold condition to determine if the threshold condition is satisfied, wherein the threshold condition is associated with drag resulting from the vehicle body movement through the fluid that can be reduced by the motion of an eddy disrupter element mounted on the vehicle body to a transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle body surface;
- and
- actuating movement of the eddy disrupter element to the transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle if the threshold condition is satisfied.
A vehicle that moves through fluid comprising
- a) a vehicle body defining front, rear, side, top and bottom surfaces, wherein at least one of the surfaces of the vehicle body causes drag as the vehicle moves through a fluid;
- b) at least one sensor on the vehicle body that senses pressure changes on at least one of the surfaces of the vehicle body as the vehicle moves through the fluid;
- c) a processor receiving signals from the sensors relating to sensed pressure changes, the processor being configured for facilitating a comparative analysis between the sensed pressure changes and drag on the vehicle body;
- d) at least one element mounted on at least one surface of the vehicle body in a position forward of the rear surface of the vehicle, wherein the at least one element is configured for being moved to a transverse position in relation to the at least one surface in response to a signal from the processor, and
- e) a program executable by the processor that sends signals to the at least one element while the vehicle is moving causing the at least one element to move in a manner that will at least partially and physically disrupt at least some eddies on the at least one surface before the eddies reach the rear surface of the vehicle body, wherein the disruption of the eddies reduces overall drag on the vehicle as the vehicle moves through the fluid.
The vehicle of claim 19, further comprising a motor that moves the at least one panel in response to signals from the processor to pivot the panel about 10° with respect to the vehicle surface and in the direction of the front surface of the vehicle body in less than about one second.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.