Vehicle drag reduction assembly
AssigneeAeroFab, LLC
InventorsLewis S. Wayburn, Stephen M. Tuel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drag reduction assembly is mountable on a vehicle or other object experiencing relative motion in a fluid environment. The assembly comprises at least one shell of flexible web material movable between non-deployed and deployed positions. In addition, the shell is configured to provide at least an outer flow surface in the deployed position (e.g., a curved surface) to reduce the effects of aerodynamic drag. In many embodiments, intake apertures such as NACA ducts may be provided to allow a portion of the flowing fluid into the shell. The flowing fluid will cause the shell to assume automatically the deployed position. In cases where fluid enters the shell, an exit location is provided in the shell to permit such fluid to exit and rejoin fluid on the outside.
Claims40
A drag reduction assembly mountable on a vehicle, said assembly comprising:
- at least one shell of flexible web material, said shell being connectable to the vehicle to be movable between non-deployed and deployed positions;
- said shell being configured to provide an inner flow surface and an outer flow surface in the deployed position along which air flows as the vehicle experiences relative motion with respect thereto;
- said drag reduction assembly further defining at least one intake aperture through which a portion of the moving air will enter and flow along said inner flow surface, other air flowing along said outer flow surface;
- and
- said drag reduction assembly further defining an air exit location at which the portion of the moving air which entered said shell will exit said shell.
A drag reduction assembly for an object experiencing relative motion in a fluid environment, said assembly comprising:
- at least one shell of flexible web material, said shell being movable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position;
- in said deployed position, said shell defining a curved outer flow surface along which fluid will flow in a flow-smoothing manner;
- and
- said shell being connectable to said object such that flow of said fluid at least in part along said outer flow surface will cause said shell to deploy.
A combination comprising:
- a vehicular object having first and second lateral sides and a rear surface downstream of said lateral sides;
- a drag reduction assembly mounted to said vehicular object to smooth flow of air through which said vehicular object is moving, said drag reduction assembly comprising first and second drag reduction devices associated with respective of said first and second lateral sides of said vehicular object;
- each of said drag reduction devices including:
- first and second flow modifiers located on respective of said first and second lateral sides of said vehicular object, said flow modifiers configured as vortex generators;
- and
- a flexible shell having a leading edge connected to said vehicular object such that said flexible shell is downstream of said flow modifiers, said flexible shell defining a curved outer flow surface extending from said leading edge adjacent to a respective one of said first and second lateral sides of said vehicular object to a trailing edge spaced apart in a rearward direction from said rear surface of said vehicular object.
A combination as set forth 32, wherein said first and second drag reduction devices are further connected to respective of said swing doors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.