EP2160317A1 - Verbesserungen bei anhängern oder containern oder diese betreffend - Google Patents

Verbesserungen bei anhängern oder containern oder diese betreffend

Info

Publication number
EP2160317A1
EP2160317A1 EP08736998A EP08736998A EP2160317A1 EP 2160317 A1 EP2160317 A1 EP 2160317A1 EP 08736998 A EP08736998 A EP 08736998A EP 08736998 A EP08736998 A EP 08736998A EP 2160317 A1 EP2160317 A1 EP 2160317A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
trailer
roof
container
leading
profile
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP08736998A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Andrew Richardson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Don Bur Bodies and Trailers Ltd
Original Assignee
Don Bur Bodies and Trailers Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Don Bur Bodies and Trailers Ltd filed Critical Don Bur Bodies and Trailers Ltd
Publication of EP2160317A1 publication Critical patent/EP2160317A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D35/00—Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining
    • B62D35/001—For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improvements in or relating to trailers or containers and is more particularly concerned with the aerodynamics of the trailer/container and/or the aerodynamics of a trailer/container vehicle combination.
  • This invention is more particularly but not exclusively concerned with a trailer or container including a box body having an underside which, in use, rests on, or extends over, a chassis of a motorised vehicle (hereinafter defined as a trailer or container of the type specified).
  • Such trailer/container vehicle combinations usually include a motorised (articulated) vehicle including a driver's cab. It is known for such trailer/container vehicle combinations to be equipped with various airflow guidance surfaces to improve the aerodynamics of the combination in order to reduce overall drag coefficients, increase fuel efficiency and so forth and in order to help safeguard the environment. Whilst much attention has been given to shaping of the driver's cab to direct airflow up and over the top of the trailer/container in order to improve aerodynamic efficiency, less attention would appear to have been given to the overall shaping on the trailer/container. Some attention has been given to improving airflow underneath the vehicle by the provisions of side skirts that wrap around the trailer/container wheels (such as depicted in the Applicant's Registered Design No.
  • a trailer or container (preferably of the type specified) comprising a roof having a front or leading portion which is inclined upwardly in a rearward direction from a leading front edge of the roof and having a rear portion which is inclined downwardly in a rearward direction from said front or leading portion to a rear edge of the roof.
  • a trailer/container as defined in the immediately preceding paragraph in combination with a vehicle.
  • said front or leading portion of the roof will be (smoothly) curved and/or said rearward portion will be (smoothly) curved.
  • the radius of curvature of the front or leading portion will be different to the curvature of the rearward portion and the radius of curvature of the front or leading portion will usually be greater than the radius of curvature of the rearward portion.
  • the profile of the roof may be of non-circular partial teardrop cross section.
  • the roof may be integrally-formed or of one-piece, unitary construction.
  • the drag coefficient (CD) value of the trailer/container vehicle combination may be less that .53 and may be as low as about 0.4 or any value in the range of less than 0.53 to about 0.4.
  • the profile of said leading or front portion of the roof is substantially a continuation of, or matched to, the profile of a driver's cab of the vehicle where provided.
  • the roof of the trailer and roof of the driver's cab may together be of non-circular, partial teardrop cross section.
  • a front or leading face of the trailer/container is angled forwardly and upwardly, preferably in a curved (concave) manner that may match the profile of a rear face of a driver's cab of the vehicle.
  • the shape of the roof may be varied to suit and could be symmetrical or asymmetrical about a transverse vertical plane of the trailer/container.
  • the length of the trailer will be at least 5 metres and the height location of the roof above the front and/or rear face of the trailer may be up to 1 metre.
  • a trailer/container (preferably of the type specified) for a trailer/container vehicle combination, said trailer/container having a curved roof of non-circular, partial, teardrop (longitudinal) cross section and/or a front leading face being angled forwardly and upwardly.
  • a trailer/container vehicle combination as defined in the immediately preceding paragraph in which the vehicle has a driver's cab with a profile matching, or being an extension of the, non-circular, partial teardop cross section.
  • trailer/container or trailer/container vehicle combination having any feature or combination of features as herein described.
  • FIGURE 1 shows in side elevation a known trailer/container vehicle combination with airflow pattern
  • FIGURE 2 shows in side elevation a second known trailer/container combination with improved airflow pattern
  • FIGURES 3a and 3b show in side elevation a trailer/container vehicle combination in accordance with the present invention showing further improved airflow pattern and with and without some main dimensions;
  • FIGURE 4 shows diagrammatically a sectional side elevation of the trailer/container only of FIGURE 3;
  • FIGURE 5 shows in side elevation the trailer/container vehicle depicted in FIGURE
  • FIGURE 6 shows partial front perspective view of the trailer/container only shown in FIGURE 5;
  • FIGURE 7 shows diagrammatically the trailer/container as shown in FIGURE 3 in opposite side elevation with airflow pattern and overall airflow envelope
  • FIGURE 8 shows a comparison table highlighting features of the existing trailer shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and the trailer in accordance with the present invention shown in FIGURES 3 to 6
  • FIGURE 1 of the drawings shows a known trailer/container combination 1 of the type specified having a box body B in which the height of the front vertical face 2a of the trailer/container 2 is substantially higher than the height of the driver's cab 3a of the motorised vehicle 3.
  • Such a trailer/container vehicle combination 1 has a drag coefficient (CD) of 0.6.
  • the trailer/container combination 1 has a trailer with a flat, horizontal roof 2b, vertical front and rear vertical face 2 arranged at right angles to the roof 2b.
  • the underside of the box body B has an integrally moulded, aerodynamic wrap around side skirt S, embracing a rear wheel set N, to direct airflow underneath the trailer/container 2 as shown.
  • the angled front face Sl of the wrap around side skirt 5 terminates some distance before the front face 2a and before the chassis C of the vehicle 3.
  • Chassis C extends underneath and supports box body B and is articulated thereto as shown.
  • the trailer/container may have a rear door or doors for loading goods in a well known manner.
  • FIGURE 2 shows a second, known trailer/container combination V of very similar form to the combination 1 (the rear height of driver cab 3 ⁇ a and driver cab profile being varied) in which the height of the front face 2 v a of the trailer/container 2 is only slightly higher than the height of the driver's cab 3 x a of the motorised vehicle 3 ⁇
  • Such a trailer/container vehicle combination V has a moderately improved drag coefficient (CD) of 0.53.
  • FIGURES 3 and 3a show a trailer/container vehicle combination 100 of similar general appearance to combinations I 5 V in accordance with the present invention but having a very significantly improved CD value of only 0.4.
  • the highest location R' of the trailer is 4500 mm above ground level
  • a front face 103 of the trailer has an upper edge located 4000 mm above ground and a rear face 104 having an upper edge located at 3700 mm above ground.
  • trailer/container vehicle combination 100 has a trailer/container T with roof R including a front or leading portion 101 which is inclined upwardly in a rearward direction from a leading front edge rl of the roof R and having a rear portion 102 which is inclined downwardly in a rearward direction from said front or leading portion to a rear edge r2 of the roof.
  • the roof R may be manufactured as a unique one- piece rolled roof section.
  • FIGURE 8 shows a comparison of features provided by trailer/container 2, T and trailer T in a manner which should be self-explanatory.
  • front or leading portion 101 is smoothly curved upwardly from front edge rl to the highest location R' of the roof R and the rear portion 102 curves smoothly downwardly from the leading/front portion (from K) to rear edge r2.
  • the radius of curvature of the front/leading portion 101 is somewhat greater than the radius of curvature of the rear portion 102 and thus the roof R is generally of partial teardrop cross section.
  • FIGURE 4 shows diagrammatically how the internal space within the trailer/container T may be utilised, in one embodiment, to advantage over and above, similar existing trailers/containers having a flat roof.
  • the load space within trailer 2 is 78 m3 compared to the improved load space of 86m3 in trailer T, advantageously representing an improved increase in load space of about 10%.
  • the curvature of the leading/front portion 101 of roof R advantageously, is substantially a continuation of, or matched to, the curvature of the roof Cl of the driver's cab C. Matching the curvature of the roof portion 101 to that of the curvature Cl in this way improves the aerodynamics of the vehicle combination.
  • gap g between the trailer/container T and cab C.
  • the front face of the trailer T has been modified to vary considerably from the standard flat vertical face provided on trailers 2, T .
  • front face 103 is now angled forwardly and upwardly in a curved concave manner, substantially matching the rear face profile C2 of the cab C.
  • the same width of gap is subsequently maintained along the height direction (albeit that the gap g curves forwardly), and any turbulence or anomalous airflow around the gap g is seemingly reduced to a minimum as evidenced by the depicted airflow in FIGURE 3b.
  • trailer/container combination 100 should produce dramatically improved C02 emissions (e.g. a 24 tonne saving per combination per annum over other trailer/container vehicle combinations e.g as shown in FIGURE 2), along with reduced NOx emissions.
  • the trailer/container T may, advantageously, include TECHNOLITE panelling of e.g. some 20mm thick consisting of aluminium honeycomb faced with aluminium sheet. Such panelling may be 100% recyclable with about 560 kg saving in weight per trailer/container. Of course, lower trailer/container weight means lower fuel consumption and use of such panelling may provide a 2.5-3% saving in fuel.
  • FIGURE 6 shows front end perspective view of box body B of trailer T, to illustrate more clearly the curvature of roof R and the shape of front face 103.
  • FIGURE 7 shows the combination 100 which is lighter weight, has better aerodynamics, lower fuel consumption and which will fit under standard height canopies and is easy to load.
  • the radius of curvature of the front/leading portion 101 may be at least approximately equal to the radius of curvature of the rear portion 102 of roof R, the length of portion 101 may be equal or less than the length of portion 102, the roof may be symmetrical about a vertical transverse plane, the height of front face may be greater than, less than, or equal to the height of rear face.
  • the airflow around embodiments of the trailer/container vehicle combination in accordance with the present invention creates less turbulence than with known designs, thereby increasing safety for following and/or overtaking vehicles.
  • any range mentioned herein for any parameter or variable shall be taken to include a disclosure of any derivable sub-range within that range or of any particular value of the variable or parameter arranged within, or at an end of, the range or sub-range.
  • a method modifying a trailer/container comprising adding a roof airflow guidance surface means to an existing flat roof of the trailer/container, said airflow guidance means providing a front or leading portion which is inclined upwardly in a rearward direction from a leading front edge of the roof and having a rear portion which is inclined downwardly in a rearward direction from said front or leading portion to a rear edge of the roof.
  • a method comprising modifying a front face of a trailer/container by adding a front face airflow guidance surface which is angled forwardly and upwardly.
  • the embodiments of the present invention as herein described relate to a trailer/container for a trailer/container vehicle combination, it is possible that the overall non-circular partial teardrop roof profile be applied across a plurality of interconnected trailers (and usually driver's cab also).
  • the front trailer/container may have a leading roof portion inclined upwardly and rearwardly and a following trailer may be provided with a rear roof portion inclined downwardly in a rearward direction.
EP08736998A 2007-04-16 2008-04-16 Verbesserungen bei anhängern oder containern oder diese betreffend Withdrawn EP2160317A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0707243A GB2443035B (en) 2007-04-16 2007-04-16 Improvements in or relating to trailers or containers
PCT/GB2008/001336 WO2008125863A1 (en) 2007-04-16 2008-04-16 Improvements in or relating to trailers or containers

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2160317A1 true EP2160317A1 (de) 2010-03-10

Family

ID=38116750

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP08736998A Withdrawn EP2160317A1 (de) 2007-04-16 2008-04-16 Verbesserungen bei anhängern oder containern oder diese betreffend

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2160317A1 (de)
GB (1) GB2443035B (de)
WO (1) WO2008125863A1 (de)

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CN102020074B (zh) * 2009-09-09 2012-05-09 中国国际海运集装箱(集团)股份有限公司 一种可降低风阻的集装箱
US8342595B2 (en) 2010-05-06 2013-01-01 SmartTruckSystems, LLC Devices and methods for reducing vehicle drag
US8251436B2 (en) 2010-05-06 2012-08-28 Henderson Industries, Llc Devices and methods for reducing vehicle drag
US8684447B2 (en) 2010-05-06 2014-04-01 SmartTruck Systems, Inc. Devices and methods for reducing vehicle drag
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WO2012010922A1 (en) * 2010-07-22 2012-01-26 Renault Trucks Vehicle having a deformable roof for aerodynamics improvement
EP2570283B1 (de) 2011-09-14 2014-04-23 Technische Universität Graz Nutzfahrzeug
JP5856427B2 (ja) * 2011-10-11 2016-02-09 日野自動車株式会社 トラックのティアドロップ荷台
US8573680B2 (en) 2012-01-13 2013-11-05 Paccar Inc Vehicle trailer with improved aerodynamics
CN103863420A (zh) * 2012-12-07 2014-06-18 北京精诚博桑科技有限公司 一种降低卡车风阻的空气导流装置
PL2969715T3 (pl) 2013-03-13 2021-07-19 Andrew Bacon Ulepszenia efektywności paliwowej pojazdów drogowych
US8870265B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2014-10-28 Paccar Inc Trailer with improved aerodynamic characteristics
GB2523026B (en) 2013-04-05 2016-08-31 Bacon Andy Improvements in the fuel efficiency of road vehicles
US20150137501A1 (en) * 2013-07-02 2015-05-21 Mac Trailer Manufacturing, Inc. Trailer and method of manufacturing same
US9308852B2 (en) * 2013-07-02 2016-04-12 Mac Trailer Manufacturing, Inc. Method of manufacturing a trailer
US9616799B1 (en) 2013-10-16 2017-04-11 Racehorse Investments, L.L.C. Pneumatic tank trailer
US9789916B1 (en) 2013-10-16 2017-10-17 Racehorse Investments, L.L.C. Pneumatic tank trailer
US9758083B1 (en) 2013-10-16 2017-09-12 Racehorse Investments, L.L.C. Pneumatic tank trailer
WO2015087104A1 (en) * 2013-12-11 2015-06-18 Renault Trucks Aerodynamic system for a vehicle, vehicle equipped with such an aerodynamic system, and method for reducing a vehicle drag
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0707243D0 (en) 2007-05-23
WO2008125863A1 (en) 2008-10-23
GB2443035A (en) 2008-04-23
GB2443035B (en) 2011-03-02

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