Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – With distinct wind deflector
Patent
1998-07-20
2000-08-22
Pedder, Dennis H.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
With distinct wind deflector
2961801, B62D 3702
Patent
active
061060542
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for improving the driving characteristics of a road vehicle which includes at least one upwardly projecting guide fin coupled to a control fin arranged on a pivotal axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The driving characteristics of road vehicles are determined on the one hand by wheels rolling in contact with the road, crawler tracks or sliding runners and their steering. On the other hand, aerodynamic forces act on the vehicle body while driving and possibly, in the case of open vehicles, on passengers and/or the load, which, in the form of air resistance, cause deceleration and, particularly in the case of a cross wind and/or turbulence, can disturb the driving characteristics. In order to reduce the deceleration effect, the superstructural components of road vehicles are streamlined, if possible, and designed with small cross-sectional areas. The center of the longitudinal sectional surfaces should be situated at or behind the center of gravity of the vehicle for reasons of stability.
In the case of open vehicles, such as motorcycles, attempts are made to reduce the deceleration effect and to improve the stability by means of fairings which deflect the air flow caused by movement of the vehicle partially around or over the passenger or passengers. In the case of two track vehicles, e.g. cars, it is known to arrange horizontal guide surfaces (spoilers) at the front and/or rear ends of the vehicles, which exert downward air forces on the vehicle and thus produce a larger ground pressure to transmit correspondingly larger frictional forces by virtue of an increased loading on the vehicle suspension.
Furthermore, devices of the type referred to above are known which e.g. include two vertical, fixedly arranged guide fins on the rear of the vehicle extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. By virtue of such guide fins, air forces for improving the directional stability may be transmitted to the vehicle on the one hand but on the other hand, by virtue of the correspondingly increased longitudinal sectional area of the vehicle, its stability in the transverse direction, and thus the driving characteristics under the action of transverse forces, e.g. in the event of a cross wind, can be impaired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to provide a device of the type referred to above which is further developed, particularly in this regard, which ensures an improved directional stability in comparison to previous constructions under unfavourable driving conditions, particularly those which are impaired by the action of transverse forces, and which at the same time makes an effective improvement of the stability of the vehicle in the transverse direction possible.
The device constructed in accordance with the invention permits unimpeded adjustment movements of the guide fin, which is coupled to the control fin, about the first pivotal axis, in accordance with the air forces acting at any time on the guide fin in the longitudinal and transverse directions and at the same time enables automatic positioning of the guide fin in an aerodynamically effective, defined operational position which is determined by the deflected position of the control fin and the transverse force acting on it. The construction, in accordance with the invention thus enables the production of lateral air forces which, in contrast to previous constructions with fixedly arranged guide fins, are scarcely altered by a cross wind and/or turbulence. As a result, a nearly uniform force effect is exerted on the vehicle by the device, even under variable wind conditions, corresponding to the current deflected position of the control fin relative to the guide fin. The device in accordance with the invention is suitable for single track and multi-track vehicles. With single track vehicles, a substantial improvement of the driving characteristics may be achieved under unfavourable conditions, particularly with a cross wind or tu
REFERENCES:
patent: 4174863 (1979-11-01), Gotz
Murray Mickki D.
Pedder Dennis H.
Peraves AG
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