# US 2019/0168541 A1 · Vehicle traction enhancement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168541 A1 - Document ID: US20190168541A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/321,184 - Filed: 2017-07-21 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-29 - Assignees: Coventry University - Applicants: Coventry University - Inventors: Mike Blundell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168541A1 ## CPC - B60B 39/025: {related to the control system} - B60B 39/022: {related to reservoirs} - B60B 39/026: {the material being in gas form} - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) The vehicle according to claim 1 or apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the gas source comprises exhaust gasses from a pyrotechnic explosion. ### Claim 4 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. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle or apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said mounting is controlled by the control system. ### Claim 7 The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the gas source is single use and replaceable. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle or apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said further gas source comprises an air intake located on the vehicle. ### Claim 10 The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas outlet comprises a nozzle. ### Claim 11 The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas outlet comprises a valve configured to accelerate gas. ### Claim 12 The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gas outlet comprises a de Laval nozzle. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 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. ### Claim 15 The vehicle or apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a deflector configured to deflect water and/or debris from said road surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle or apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the gas outlet is attached to or integrated with the deflector. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15, 16) The vehicle or apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the deflector is movable automatically towards and away from the road surface. ### Claim 18 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. ### Claim 19 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18, 19) The vehicle according to claim 18 or apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the gas source is arranged to supply a burst of gas. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) The vehicle or apparatus according to any of claims 15 to 20, wherein the deflector is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis. ### Claim 22 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.