Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – With distinct wind deflector
Patent
1995-05-11
1999-07-27
Pape, Joseph D.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
With distinct wind deflector
180903, B60J 100
Patent
active
059277955
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the reduction of hazard and/or driver fatigue resulting from crosswinds by means of directional control and stability devices on a vehicle body.
Vehicle operation in a crosswind can give rise to the vehicle body turning "out of wind" (i.e. the nose or bows of the vehicle body moves laterally in the same direction as the crosswind is blowing). This is because the crosswind creates a region of high suction on the leeward side of the vehicle, and/or of raised pressure on the windward side, and because the regions of highest suction usually occur over the front 20% of the vehicle body length.
A vehicle such as an automobile may well continue on its intended path, but to the driver, the lateral movement of the front of the vehicle will give rise to the impression that the vehicle is veering off-course. This can lead to driver fatigue and/or to the driver making unwarranted steering corrections which are in fact unnecessary and can cause hazard to his own vehicle or to others.
It is known that the addition of a more or less upright or vertical fin (or fins) on top and at the rear of a vehicle can produce a reduction in the tendency to turn out of wind, but such fins are visually obtrusive, structurally weak (being encastre at only one end) and they can impose roll on a vehicle in the course of applying the required lateral force(s)--and they will usually increase vehicle drag at any wind condition.
This patent describes an approach by which the effect of front end pressure and suction forces can be at least partly countered by forces produced near the tail or stern of the vehicle, and by means which are not only unobtrusive but which may also provide a reduction in vehicle aerodynamic drag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided an aerodynamic stability device for a vehicle comprising one or more aerodynamic surfaces mounted in a generally upright position adjacent to and spaced from a side of the vehicle afterbody to provide a gap between each aerodynamic surface and the adjacent side of the vehicle through which a substantial airflow can occur, in which the airflow is taken at least in part from the airflow passing over the vehicle surface, and is discharged from the gap to flow adjacent to, or to form a part of, either or both of the vehicle baseflow or the vehicle wakeflow.
The aerodynamic surfaces are mounted in a generally upright position, i.e. they are mounted so that the leading edges of the aerodynamic surfaces are substantially vertical or generally parallel to the side of the vehicle but they may also be inwardly or outwardly inclined from the vertical along part or the whole of the aerodynamic surface, for example to meet aesthetic or constructional requirements of a particular vehicle design.
The aerodynamic surfaces are mounted so as to be generally perpendicular to the airflow, but they may be forwardly or rearwardly swept along part or the whole of the leading and/or trailing edges of the aerodynamic surface, for example to meet aesthetic or constructional requirements of a particular vehicle design.
The aerodynamic surfaces are mounted on the vehicle afterbody, i.e. on the rearmost half of the vehicle body, preferably on the rearmost third of the vehicle body and may extend or start downstream of the vehicle body.
The aerodynamic surfaces can be mounted directly to and spaced from the side of the vehicle and may be attached to the side of existing vehicles. In addition or alternatively the side of the vehicle may be recessed so as to form a channel or trough in the side of the vehicle body adjacent to the aerodynamic surface. Recessing the vehicle body adjacent to the aerodynamic surfaces enables the provision of a gap between the aerodynamic surface and the vehicle body sufficient to allow a substantial airflow through the gap without the need for the aerodynamic surface to project substantially out beyond the plane of the vehicle body. Recessing the vehicle body may provide advantages both in app
REFERENCES:
patent: 1871396 (1932-08-01), Stalker
patent: 4441752 (1984-04-01), Buehrig
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