Aerovolution Corporation

Aero Industries, Inc.

Other

Lee Joseph Telnack

John David Vogel

James R Tuerk

Examples of drag reduction apparatuses and assemblies for land vehicles, and particularly for attachment to a door of a land vehicle operated by a cam lock bar, are described. A drag reduction apparatus may include a plurality of panels foldedly coupled together and automatically deployable into an unfolded configuration. The panels may be coupled to a base panel that is coupled to the door of the land vehicle by a double-hinge mechanism operated by the cam lock bar. The double-hinge mechanism may draw the base panel toward the centerline of the rear of the land vehicle to allow the door to fully open with the drag reduction apparatus attached. The apparatus may be attached to two adjacent doors of a land vehicle and a plurality of panels on one door configured to overlap with a plurality of panels on the adjacent door.

Self-deploying apparatuses, assemblies, and methods for drag reduction of land vehicles

Examples of drag reduction apparatuses and assemblies for land vehicles, and particularly for attachment to a roll-up door of a land vehicle, are described. A drag reduction apparatus may include a plurality of panels foldably coupled together and automatically deployable into an unfolded configuration in which the panels define a cavity therebetween. The panels may be made from a semi-rigid material so that the panels generally conform to a roll-up door when the door is rolled up and/or down. The apparatus may be attached to the roll-up door using any of a variety of attachment mechanisms, for example a slidable keder-type device and/or one or more spring-loaded members.

Apparatuses, assemblies, and methods for drag reduction of land vehicles

A drag reducing apparatus is hingedly mounted to the rear of a truck or trailer vehicle so that the apparatus can be pivoted clear of the rear doors of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a hinge assembly that allows the apparatus to open substantially flat against the side of the vehicle so as not to impede the full movement of the doors. The apparatus includes an arrangement of connected panels that are initially folded flat against the back of the vehicle but automatically open to a drag reducing configuration at a sufficient vehicle speed. The connected panels are further configured so that the force of gravity automatically returns the panels to their initial folded configuration when the vehicle speed falls below a threshold. The apparatus incorporates a modular construction that allows replacement of individual panel sections. The mounting frame is constructed to augment the drag reduction characteristics of the apparatus.

Self-deploying drag reducing device

Two layers of a flexible and essentially impervious material are sealed to each other at their edges and are otherwise separate from each other so as to form an interior portion. Many lengths of thread connect the layers together at numerous points throughout the interior portion. The length of the thread that is between the layers is relatively short and the thread connects the layers at a sufficient number of points to restrain the layers and hold them in a spaced relationship when the interior portion is inflated with air. Applying modest air pressure to the interior portion produces a lightweight structure of sufficient stiffness that is attached to the rear ends of truck trailers to improve airflow and reduce drag at highway speeds.

Growing community of inventors

Olympia, WA, United States of America

Lee Joseph Telnack