Fairing for a truck cab-trailer gap
AssigneeVolvo Group North America, LLC
InventorsWei He, Mathew Frederick Heinecke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A truck for pulling a semi-trailer includes an operator cab positioned on a frame and a fifth wheel mounted on the frame for receiving an underside of the semi-trailer. The trailer when attached to the truck defines a gap between a forward most portion of the semi-trailer and rearward most portion of the operator cab. A fairing can be located on the frame, aft of the operator cab and forward of at least a portion of the fifth wheel. The fairing can block at least a portion of the air flow attempting to enter the gap from below the frame.
Claims24
A truck for pulling a semi-trailer, the truck comprising:
- an operator cab positioned on a frame;
- a fifth wheel on the frame for receiving an underside of a semi-trailer, the semi-trailer when attached defining a gap between a forward most portion of the semi-trailer and rearward most portion of the operator cab;
- and
- a fairing supported by the frame and aft of the operator cab and forward of at least a portion of the fifth wheel, the fairing extending upwardly from the frame for contact with a semi-trailer when attached, the fairing at least partly blocking an air flow path into the gap from below the frame formed when a semi-trailer is attached.
(canceled)
A fairing for blocking air flow on a truck, the truck comprising an operator cab on a frame, a fifth wheel on the frame for receiving a semi-trailer, the semi-trailer when attached to the fifth wheel defining a gap between a forward most portion of the semi-trailer and rearward most portion of the operator cab and an airflow path into the gap from a space between a top of the frame and an underside of the semi-trailer, the fairing comprising:
- a panel supported by the frame aft of the operator cab and forward of at least a portion of the fifth wheel, the panel including a portion positioned to extend vertically in the space between the top of the frame and the underside of the semi-trailer and contact the underside of the semi-trailer when attached;
- wherein the panel at least party blocks the air flow path through the space into the gap.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.