Device to selectively create drag on a transport vehicle for speed reduction

A drag creation device to selectively provide for a creation of a drag effect on a transport vehicle combination during a forward advance of the transport vehicle combination along a highway, the transport vehicle combination having a truck, a trailer and a directional orientation based on the forward advance along the highway, the trailer having a streamlined front, the drag creation device comprising:

• a) a movable striking surface device attached to the trailer forwardly from the streamlined front of the trailer, the striking surface device having an impingement surface extending horizontally and vertically and movable between impingement and free flow configurations;
• b) a slipstream control device situated on the truck;
• c) control means to provide for placing the slipstream control device in:
• 1) a slipstream streamlining orientation to provide for a streamlining redirection of a portion of a slipstream, the streamlining redirection to provide for a diversion of the portion of the slipstream away from the impingement surface of the striking surface device during the forward advance of the transport vehicle combination, the slipstream created by the forward advance of the transport vehicle combination;
• and
• 2) a slipstream redirecting orientation to provide for a redirection of the portion of the slipstream, the redirection to provide for an impingement of the impingement surface of the striking surface device by the portion of the slipstream, the impingement to provide for the creation of the drag effect on the transport vehicle combination wherein the transport vehicle combination experiences a resistance to the forward advance.

A drag creation device to selectively provide for a creation of a drag effect on a transport vehicle combination during a forward advance of the transport vehicle combination along a highway, the transport vehicle combination having a truck, a trailer and a directional orientation based on the forward advance along the highway, the trailer having a streamlined front, the drag creation device comprising:

• a) a slipstream control device situated on the truck;
• b) slipstream control device deployment means to provide for moving the slipstream control device between:
• 1) a slipstream streamlining orientation to provide for a streamlining redirection of a portion of a slipstream, the streamlining redirection to provide for a diversion of the portion of the slipstream away from the trailer during the forward advance of the transport vehicle combination, the slipstream created by the forward advance of the transport vehicle combination;
• 2) a slipstream redirecting orientation to provide for a redirection of the portion of the slipstream, the redirection to provide for a diversion of the portion of the slipstream toward the trailer;
• c) a striking surface device attached to the trailer forwardly from the streamlined front of the trailer;
• d) striking surface device control means to provide for moving the striking surface device between:
• 1) a free flow configuration to provide for a passage of air thereby with a minimal resistance to the passage;
• 2) an impingement configuration to provide for an exposure of an impingement surface, the impingement surface extending horizontally and vertically, wherein the redirection of the portion of the slipstream by the slipstream control device while in the slipstream redirecting orientation causes the portion of the slipstream to impinge the impingement surface of the striking surface device while in the impingement configuration for the creation of the drag effect on the transport vehicle combination which experiences a resistance to the forward advance.