Trailer drag reduction system
OwnerCarl L. Shermerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for reducing the drag on a trailer comprises a series of air ducts mounted beneath the trailer which each have an intake located beneath the trailer. The duct is connected to a plurality of vertical pipes, each having vertically-spaced pipes air discharge holes. Movement of the trailer forces air to flow into the inlet, through the ducts and out the outlets. Preferably, the duct inlets face the front and the side of the trailer, and the ducting forces all inlet air into a common plenum, through a venturi and out through a series if outlets spaced about the rear surface of the trailer. A vortex generator may be used and a spoiler is fitted. The entire system is designed to be retrofitted to existing trailers without loss of cargo space.
Claims5
A system for reducing the drag on a trailer having rear doors that provide a substantially flat rear surface, comprising a series of air ducts mounted beneath the trailer and each having an intake located beneath the trailer, laterally-spaced vertical pipes mounted on the doors, a plurality of outlet ports vertically spaced along to pipes, said outlet ports being sized to discharge approximately the same volume of air, and a manifold extending along the bottom of the trailer below the doors, said manifold receiving air from the intakes and distributing it to the vertical pipes, whereby movement of the trailer forces air to flow into the inlet, through the ducts and out the outlets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.