GB2076761A

GB2076761A - Drag-reducing Fairings For Vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2076761A
Application number: GB8017379A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HUMPHREY THOMSON ENTERPRISES L
Current assignee: HUMPHREY THOMSON ENTERPRISES L
Priority date: 1980-05-27
Filing date: 1980-05-27
Publication date: 1981-12-09

Abstract

The air-resistance of a load- carrying vehicle, such as a lorry or a car with a roofrack, is reduced by having an inflatable body 14 mounted on the vehicle or the roofrack, the inflatable body assuming, when inflated, a streamlining shape. The body may be mounted on the front end of the load-holding compartment, or on the roof of the cab of the lorry, or around the front, and possibly sides and rear of a roofrack. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fairing The present invention relates to air-resistance reducing fairings for vehicles.

Proposals have been made for reducing the airresistance of vehicles. For example it has been proposed to provide a rigid plastics material fairing around certain parts of a motor bicycle to reduce the air resistance. Proposals have also been made to reduce the air resistance of caravans being towed and of the load-carrying compartment of lorries, by providing a rigid plastics material vane which can be adjustably mounted on the roof of a towing car or the roof of the cab of the lorry.

These fairings certainly assist in reducing the air resistance but they are not very efficient.

It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide an air-resistance reducing fairing for a load-carrying portion of a vehicle comprising an inflatable body, adapted, when inflated, to assume a streamlining shape.

Such a structure can be made relatively cheaply and can provide an effective streamlining, in particular for the front of the load-carrying compartment of a goods vehicle. Thus, the inflatable body may have a substantially flat rear wall which is adapted to be secured to the front of a load-holding compartment of a vehicle.

Alternatively, the inflatable body may have a substantially flat bottom or adapted to be secured to the roof of the vehicle cab.

In either event, the inflatabie body could have a peripheral flange, with openings therein for the passage of twistlocks securing the body to the vehicle.

In order to assist in securing the inflatable body to the vehicle, a rigid member or members may be provided to form a frame to overlie the peripheral flange, this having apertures therein positioned to overlie the openings in the peripheral flange, so that the twistlocks pass through the apertures and the twistlocks can act against the rigid frame member or members.

The invention is also applicable to roofracks for cars. Thus, the inflatable body can be mounted on a vehicle roofrack to streamline the frame of the roofrack.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward end of a goods vehicle provided with a fairing according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a roofrack provided with the fairing.

Referring first to Figure 1, the vehicle is shown as having a cab 10 and a load-carrying compartment 11. It will be appreciated that the front wall 12 of a load-carrying compartment is normally a very flat, bluff surface which causes a substantial amount of air resistance when the vehicle is moving. According to the present invention, this front wall 12 is provided with an inflatable body 14, the shape of which is such as to provide a streamlining effect for the front wall 1 2 of the compartment 11. The inflatable body is preferably constructed in a similar material to that in which rubber dinghies are constructed, that is with reinforced natural or synthetic rubber.

In the construction shown, the inflatable body 14, which is provided with an inflation valve (not shown) has a peripheral flange 1 5 having openings therein (which cannot be seen in the drawing). These openings have overlying them apertures 1 6 of the members 1 7 of a rigid frame.

Through the openings in the peripheral flange and the apertures 1 6 extend twistlocks 1 8 and these are used to secure the inflatable body in place.

It will be appreciated that the vehicle body provides a significant streamlining effect on the front wall. Equally it will be appreciated that instead of mounting the body on the front of the compartment 11, it could be mounted on the roof ofthecab 10.

In the construction illustrated in Figure 2, a roofrack is shown of the longitudinally collapsible type formed with "lazy tong" sides 20 and transversely extending load-carrying bars 21. The frame 20, 21 is provided with the usual feet 22 and means, (not shown) for securing to the roof of a car.

At the forward end, in particular, the roofrack is provided with an inflatable body 23. A similar body 24 may be provided at the rear, and sides 25 may be provided to overlie the lazy tongs 20, and thus reduce the air resistance. The roofrack is of the type which is longitudinally collapsible so that it can be folded up in a compact way, and the inflatability of the side walls 25 does not preclude this.

Claims

1. An air-resistance reducing fairing for a loadcarrying portion of a vehicle comprising an inflatable body, adapted when inflated, to assume a streamlining shape.

2. A fairing according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable body has a substantially flat rear wall adapted to be secured to the front of a load holding compartment of a vehicle.

3. A fairing according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable body has a substantially flat bottom wall adapted to be secured to the roof of a vehicle cab.

4. A fairing according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the inflatable body has a peripheral flange, with openings therein, for the passage of twist-locks, for securing the body to the vehicle.

5. A fairing according to claim 4, and further comprising a rigid member or members forming a frame to overlie said peripheral flange and having apertures therein positioned to overlie the openings in the peripheral flange.

6. A fairing according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable body is mounted on a vehicle roofrack to streamline the frame of the roofrack.

7. A fairing according to claim 6, wherein the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Fairing The present invention relates to air-resistance reducing fairings for vehicles. Proposals have been made for reducing the airresistance of vehicles. For example it has been proposed to provide a rigid plastics material fairing around certain parts of a motor bicycle to reduce the air resistance. Proposals have also been made to reduce the air resistance of caravans being towed and of the load-carrying compartment of lorries, by providing a rigid plastics material vane which can be adjustably mounted on the roof of a towing car or the roof of the cab of the lorry. These fairings certainly assist in reducing the air resistance but they are not very efficient. It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide an air-resistance reducing fairing for a load-carrying portion of a vehicle comprising an inflatable body, adapted, when inflated, to assume a streamlining shape. Such a structure can be made relatively cheaply and can provide an effective streamlining, in particular for the front of the load-carrying compartment of a goods vehicle. Thus, the inflatable body may have a substantially flat rear wall which is adapted to be secured to the front of a load-holding compartment of a vehicle. Alternatively, the inflatable body may have a substantially flat bottom or adapted to be secured to the roof of the vehicle cab. In either event, the inflatabie body could have a peripheral flange, with openings therein for the passage of twistlocks securing the body to the vehicle. In order to assist in securing the inflatable body to the vehicle, a rigid member or members may be provided to form a frame to overlie the peripheral flange, this having apertures therein positioned to overlie the openings in the peripheral flange, so that the twistlocks pass through the apertures and the twistlocks can act against the rigid frame member or members. The invention is also applicable to roofracks for cars. Thus, the inflatable body can be mounted on a vehicle roofrack to streamline the frame of the roofrack. In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward end of a goods vehicle provided with a fairing according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a roofrack provided with the fairing. Referring first to Figure 1, the vehicle is shown as having a cab 10 and a load-carrying compartment 11. It will be appreciated that the front wall 12 of a load-carrying compartment is normally a very flat, bluff surface which causes a substantial amount of air resistance when the vehicle is moving. According to the present invention, this front wall 12 is provided with an inflatable body 14, the shape of which is such as to provide a streamlining effect for the front wall 1 2 of the compartment 11. The inflatable body is preferably constructed in a similar material to that in which rubber dinghies are constructed, that is with reinforced natural or synthetic rubber. In the construction shown, the inflatable body 14, which is provided with an inflation valve (not shown) has a peripheral flange 1 5 having openings therein (which cannot be seen in the drawing). These openings have overlying them apertures 1 6 of the members 1 7 of a rigid frame. Through the openings in the peripheral flange and the apertures 1 6 extend twistlocks 1 8 and these are used to secure the inflatable body in place. It will be appreciated that the vehicle body provides a significant streamlining effect on the front wall. Equally it will be appreciated that instead of mounting the body on the front of the compartment 11, it could be mounted on the roof ofthecab 10. In the construction illustrated in Figure 2, a roofrack is shown of the longitudinally collapsible type formed with "lazy tong" sides 20 and transversely extending load-carrying bars 21. The frame 20, 21 is provided with the usual feet 22 and means, (not shown) for securing to the roof of a car. At the forward end, in particular, the roofrack is provided with an inflatable body 23. A similar body 24 may be provided at the rear, and sides 25 may be provided to overlie the lazy tongs 20, and thus reduce the air resistance. The roofrack is of the type which is longitudinally collapsible so that it can be folded up in a compact way, and the inflatability of the side walls 25 does not preclude this. Claims

7. A fairing according to claim 6, wherein the roofrack frame is of a longitudinally collapsible nature, being of a lazy-tongs construction.

8. An air-resistance reducing fairing for the load-carrying portion of a vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. An air-resistance reducing fairing for the load-carrying portion of a vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.