Aerodynamic retarder
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorLarry W. Orr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for aerodynamically braking a tractor-trailer combination utilizing a centrally pivoted, fast-acting door within a roof-mounted aerodynamic fairing to selectively expose and conceal the front surface of the trailer, which is masked by the fairing, and in one embodiment, to operate the door cooperatively with the vehicle's brake system.
Claims10
An aerodynamic retarding device for a tractor-trailer having a cab and a high rearward cargo compartment that extends upwardly above the cab, comprising:
- an air-deflecting fairing mounted on top of the cab;
- a door within said fairing covering an opening in the fairing that is the major frontal surface area of the fairing, movable relative to said fairing to an open position for exposing a large surface of the cargo compartment for creating aerodynamic drag and to a closed position to reduce drag;
- a quick-acting actuating mechanism operatively associated with said door for rapidly opening and closing the door;
- and
- means for energizing said actuating mechanism in response to a signal indicating the desire for braking of the tractor-trailer to open said door to expose the rearward cargo compartment when braking is desired and to close said door to deflect air over the cargo compartment when braking is not desired.
A method for aerodynamically retarding the forward motion of a vehicle having a rearward cargo carrying section that extends upwardly above the passenger section, comprising the following steps:
- mounting an air-deflecting fairing above the passenger section to reduce drag on the cargo section;
- providing a door within said fairing to selectively direct airflow through the fairing to increase drag on said cargo section or divert the air above the cargo section when said door is in open and closed positions, respectively;
- rapidly opening said door in the fairing while the vehicle is moving in response to a signal to begin braking the vehicle so as to quickly apply a retarding drag force on the rearward cargo carrying section to retard the forward motion of the vehicle.
A method of aerodynamicaly retarding a vehicle having an operator's cab and a rearward, vertical cargo carrying compartment, said cab provided with a deflector for deflecting airflow around the rearward, vertical cargo carrying compartment, comprising the following steps:
- selectively deflecting the airflow around the rearward, vertical cargo carrying compartment for decreasing drag;
- selectively and rapidly creating an opening within the deflector for exposing the rearward, vertical cargo carrying compartment to the airflow for increasing drag;
- and
- initiating said step of creating an opening responsive to braking demand on the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.