Systems and methods for reducing drag on a vehicle or vehicle combination
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorsRichard R. Mihelic, Bruce Bezner, Jeffrey P. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lead vehicle includes a chassis and front and rear wheel assemblies supportively coupled to the chassis. A trailer coupling interface is mounted to the chassis and is configured to couple to a tow vehicle. The lead vehicle further includes one or more seals cooperatively including first and second side leg sections positioned on the chassis laterally outwardly of the trailer coupling interface and a cross section positioned forwardly of the trailer coupling interface. The one or more seals are configured to form a barrier between the chassis and a portion of the tow vehicle.
Claims16
A lead vehicle, comprising:
- a chassis;
- front and rear wheel assemblies supportively coupled to the chassis;
- a trailer coupling interface mounted to the chassis, the trailer coupling interface configured to couple to a tow vehicle;
- one or more seals cooperatively including first and second side leg sections positioned on the chassis laterally outwardly of the trailer coupling interface and a cross section positioned forwardly of the trailer coupling interface, wherein the one or more seals are configured to form a barrier between the chassis and a portion of the tow vehicle.
A vehicle trailer, comprising:
- a trailer body having a bottom wall;
- rear wheel assemblies disposed in a supporting relationship with respect to the trailer body;
- and
- left and right side fairings associated with the trailer body and positioned underneath the bottom wall of the trailer body and rearwardly of the rear wheel assemblies, wherein each of the side fairings includes an outwardly facing deflector surface that extends upwardly as it extends rearwardly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.