Vehicle traction enhancement
AssigneeCoventry University
InventorMike Blundell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims22
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 gas source arranged to supply a burst of gas upon said signal being issued;
- and
- at least one gas outlet connected to said gas source and 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.
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 gas source arranged to supply a burst of gas upon said signal being issued;
- and
- at least one gas outlet connected to said gas source and 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.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising one or more further gas outlets arranged to direct a or the burst of gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of all of the wheels which are directly driven.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas outlet is arranged on a mounting so as to be movable towards and away from the road surface.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the gas source is single use and replaceable.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising a further gas source arranged to supply gas to said gas outlet or a further gas outlet arranged to direct said gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of said wheel.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas outlet comprises a nozzle.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas outlet comprises a valve configured to accelerate gas.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas outlet comprises a de Laval nozzle.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the control system comprises an on-board camera, laser, tyre based sensor or rain sensor.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the control system is informed by data from Vehicle-to Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication systems.
The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a deflector configured to deflect water and/or debris from said road surface.
A vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of wheels;
- a gas source;
- at least one gas outlet connected to said gas source and arranged to direct said gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of at least one of the wheels;
- and
- a deflector configured to deflect water and/or debris from said road surface, wherein said gas outlet is attached to or integrated with said deflector.
Apparatus on a wheeled vehicle comprising;
- a gas source;
- at least one gas outlet connected to said gas source and arranged to direct said gas so as to clear water and/or debris from the road surface in front of at least one of the wheels;
- and
- a deflector configured to deflect water and/or debris from said road surface, wherein said gas outlet is attached to or integrated with said deflector.
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 gas source arranged to supply a burst of gas upon receiving said signal;
- and
- at least one gas outlet connected to said gas source and 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.