Brake system for using the air resistance of a vehicle to produce energy

#This application is a National Phase Application of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2009/004645, entitled “BRAKE SYSTEM FOR USING THE AIR RESISTANCE OF A VEHICLE TO PRODUCE ENERGY,” International Filing Date, Jun. 26, 2009, published on Dec. 30, 2009 as International Publication No. WO 2009/156177, which in turn claims priority from European Patent Application No. 08011617.1, filed Jun. 26, 2008, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

#The present invention relates to a system for using the air resistance of a vehicle, in particular a car, to effect a braking force to act on the vehicle.

#A moving vehicle constantly is being decelerated by the air resistance acting thereon. Thus, in order to overcome this constant deceleration the vehicle constantly consumes energy. There have been attempts to use the air resistance acting on a vehicle for actively decelerating the vehicle or for transforming the energy of the air stream passing the moving vehicle into a usable form of energy that can be stored and used by the vehicle.

#FIG. 1 shows schematically a front view of a car comprising the air brake system according to the present invention.

#FIG. 2 shows a schematic view from one side of the car of FIG. 1 comprising the air brake system according to the present invention.

#The present invention will now be further described by defining different aspects of the invention generally outlined above in more detail. Each aspect so defined may be combined with any other aspect or aspects unless clearly indicated to the contrary. In particular, any feature indicated as being preferred or advantageous may be combined with any other feature or features indicated as being preferred or advantageous.

#FIG. 1 shows a conventional car 1 being equipped with an air brake system according to the present invention. The air brake system according to the present invention comprises an air intake port 2, which in FIG. 1 is located on the grille of the car 1 and has an open position and a closed position. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the air intake port 2 can be opened and closed by means of a movable cover plate 3. As indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1, the cover plate 3 can be linearly moved, for instance, by means of a linear motor such that it completely covers the air intake port 2 (i.e. the closed position of the air intake port 2 corresponding to the extended position of the cover plate 3) or the air intake port 2 is not covered at all by the cover plate 3 (i.e. the open position of the air intake port 2 corresponding to the retracted position of the cover plate 3). In FIG. 1 the cover plate 3 is in an intermediate position, wherein the air intake port 2 is half-open. Because in the open position of the air intake port 2 a portion of the air passing by the car 1, when it is moving, enters the air intake port 2 the drag coefficient of the car 1 is increased. In other words, for a given velocity the car 1 will experience in comparison to the closed position of the air intake port 2 an increased air resistance, i.e. a stronger braking force, with the air intake port 2 in its open position.

#The person skilled in the art will appreciate that the exact location of the air intake port 2 and, thus, the movable cover plate 3 as well as the exact shapes of these elements is not important as long as the air intake port 2 can obtain a closed and an open position to sufficiently adjust the drag coefficient of the car 1. Moreover, it is contemplated that the air intake port 2 could be configured as a closable flap so that in such an embodiment the movable cover plate 3 would not be necessary.