Apparatus and method for increasing downward force exerted on a spinning vehicle

An apparatus for increasing the safety of automobiles traveling at high speed and that is particularly useful in vehicles used for competitive racing, said apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle having a closed wheel body;
• an air inlet opening in a rear surface of said closed wheel body for admitting a flow of air into said body when said closed wheel body is traveling in a direction yawed from a forward path of travel;
• and
• an air exit opening in the surface of said closed wheel body positioned forward of and in communication with said air inlet opening, and that directs flowing air entering said air inlet opening to exert a downward force on said yawed body as the flowing air exits said air exit opening, said air exit opening oriented in a plane that is substantially parallel to the surface of said closed wheel body;
• wherein said air exit opening comprises a gate that is closed when said vehicle is traveling forward and that opens under the force of flowing air from said air inlet opening when said vehicle is yawed from the forward path of travel.

An apparatus for increasing the safety of automobiles traveling at high speed and that is particularly useful in vehicles used for competitive racing, said apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle having a closed wheel body and at least one roof flap that spoils a flow of air traveling over surfaces of said closed wheel body when said body is traveling in a direction yawed from a forward path of travel;
• an air inlet opening in the rear of said closed wheel body for admitting a flow of air into said yawed closed wheel body;
• and
• an air exit opening in said closed wheel body positioned forward of and in communication with said air inlet opening, and that directs air entering said air inlet opening to exert a downward force on said yawed closed wheel body as the flowing air exits said air exit opening, said air exit opening oriented in a plane that is substantially parallel to the surface of said closed wheel body;
• wherein said air exit opening comprises a gate that is closed when said closed wheel body is traveling forward and that opens under the force of flowing air from said air inlet opening when said closed wheel body is yawed from the forward path of travel;
• wherein said air exit opening directs the flowing exiting air in a manner that avoids interfering with the air spoiling operation of said at least one roof flap.

A method of directing air into an automobile traveling at high speed to exert a downward force on the vehicle, and that is particularly useful in vehicles used for competitive racing, said method comprising the steps of:

• admitting a flow of air into the rear of the vehicle at an air inlet opening when the vehicle is traveling in a direction yawed from a forward path of travel;
• and
• directing the flowing air entering the rear of the vehicle to an air exit opening positioned forward of and in communication with the air inlet opening to thereby exert a downward force on the yawed vehicle as the flowing air exits the air exit opening;
• wherein the step of directing comprises venting the flowing exiting air upwards.

A vehicle apparatus for increasing the safety of automobiles traveling at high speed and that is particularly useful in vehicles used for competitive racing, said apparatus comprising:

• an air inlet opening in the rear of said vehicle for admitting a flow of air into said vehicle when said vehicle is traveling in a direction yawed from a forward path of travel, said air inlet opening oriented in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the path of the flowing air;
• and
• an air exit opening in said vehicle positioned forward of and in communication with said air inlet opening, and that directs flowing air entering said air inlet opening to exert a downward force on said yawed vehicle as the flowing air exits said air exit opening;
• wherein said air inlet opening comprises a gate that is closed when said vehicle is traveling forward and that opens under the force of flowing air when said vehicle is yawed from the forward path of travel.