WO2012171043A1

WO2012171043A1 - Wheel generated spray mist suppressing equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2012171043A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2011/000073
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendrik Petrus SMIT
Original assignee: Smit Hendrik Petrus
Priority date: 2011-06-07
Filing date: 2011-09-27
Publication date: 2012-12-13

Abstract

A spray mist suppressor in the form of wheel generated spray mist suppressing equipment (10) comprises a fluid flow transfer duct (12) that is formed with a plurality of transverse slots (14) extending through the floor (16) of the duct (12). The equipment (10) is also formed with a slot associated venturi effect creating layout (18) constituting at least one zone of fluid flow path pinching (26) along the duct (12), running into a length (30) of reduced duct width followed by a location of duct flaring (32). The location of duct flaring (32) opens up into an expansion chamber (34) within which a zone of reduced pressure is formed especially at the upstream end of the chamber (34) once the equipment (10) is in operative use. This has the effect of sucking wheel generated spray mist into and along a fluid flow path (20) and trailingly discharging it adjacent a suppressing equipment fitted vehicle.

Description

(1) TITLE OF THE INVENTION

WHEEL GENERATED SPRAY MIST SUPPRESSING EQUIPMENT

(2) BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Under wet and especially rainy conditions the wheels of vehicles travelling at speed along macadamised or other hard surfaces throw up a wheel generated spray mist. Especially in the case of the rear wheels the spay mist creates a problem for a vehicle immediately following the spray mist creating vehicle in obscuring the vision of its driver as the spray mist is not only found on such following vehicle's windscreen but in the zone between such following vehicle and the rear end of a spray mist creating vehicle. The problem is

particularly serious in the case of large vehicle such as trucks and large trailers as their tyres are large; often substantially the height of a following car resulting in the zone of spray mist release being at the elevation of its windscreen. It is, amongst others, an object of this invention to address this problem.

(3) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a spray mist suppressor for at least substantially removing spay mist generated behind one or more vehicle wheels once running along a wetted surface under spray mist generating conditions. While not so limited the invention finds useful application when used in conjunction with larger vehicles such as trucks and large trailers.

(4) DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

Equipment and methods for the suppression of spray mist has already been dealt in the prior art. US patent 4706981 deals with a wheel cover that uses the oncoming airflow during vehicle travelling that curves the airflow downward behind a wheel so fitted in an attempt to dampen the spray mist effect. Very much the same effect is used in the case of US patent number 4192522 while in US patent number 6719328 louvres are used to direct oncoming air onto wheel mudguards. The invention in European patent application number EP

1475292 describes a wheel cover that substantially fully covers a wheel of which the spray mist effect is intended to be curtailed. All the disclosed inventions address the problem situation by diverting water as thus released as spray mist directly to the driving surface again and in line with the wheels of following traffic whereas the present invention uses a different approach. (5) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings

Figure 1 shows a spray mist suppressor in the form of installable wheel generated spray mist suppressing equipment for use in conjunction with a vehicle having a plurality of serially arranged trailing end wheels or wheel pairs, in three-dimensional view,

Figure 2 diagrammatically shows the suppressor of figure 1 in sidewall removed side elevation,

Figure 3 shows the suppressor in the direction of arrows A-A in figure 2,

Figure 4 shows in side wall removed side elevation detail the core part of the suppressor, which detail is repeated depending on the number of wheel or wheel pair intended for servicing by the suppressor, and

Figure 5 diagrammatically shows the operation of the suppressor according to the figure 2 view.

(6) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings a spray mist suppressor, according to the invention, in the form of installable wheel generated spray mist suppressing equipment is generally indicated by reference numeral 10.

The equipment 10 comprises a circumferentially enclosed fluid flow transfer duct 12 that is formed with a plurality of apertures in the form of transverse slots 14 extending through the floor 16 of the duct 12 and a pressure reducing arrangement associated with each slot 14 in the form of a venturi effect creating layout 18. The duct 12 as defining a fluid flow path 20 there along extends between an upstream inlet 22 and a downstream discharge 24 the latter being formed to promote the release of coalesced water thus in non-spray mist form as discussed in more detail below.

Each venturi effect creating layout 18 is formed by a zone of fluid flow path pinching 26 along the duct 12 as brought about by a zone of gradual duct width reduction 28, running into a length 30 of reduced duct width followed by a location of duct flaring 32. The location of duct flaring 32 opens up into an expansion chamber 34 within which a zone of reduced pressure is formed having the largest effect at the upstream end of the chamber 34 once the equipment 10 is in operative use owing to the conventional venturi effect. While not essential to its operation the duct 12 may be formed to cause the length 30 of reduced duct width to run at a low elevation in relation to the remainder of the fluid flow path 20. Such construction will promote the transfer of water between successive expansion chambers 34 especially for any fraction that may already have become coalesced into a body of water.

Each slot 14 is associated with its venturi effect creating layout 18 by opening up at the location of largest pressure reducing effect again being where the zone of fluid flow path pinching 26 opens up into the chamber 34. To promote the effective intake of spray mist generated behind a wheel each slot 14 is fitted with a spray mist guiding lip 36 that extends at an angle that is suitably slanted towards the upstream air inlet 22 to promote the intake of spray mist. The plane extending along each slot 14 in conjunction with its lip 36 extends generally V-shaped to attain an optimum spray mist intake effect.

As the equipment 10 is arranged to be used in an overhead relationship with the wheels of a vehicle that is intended to be subjected to its spray mist suppressing effect the discharge 24 is formed to promote the release of coalesced water by the trailing end region 38 of the duct 12 curving through a generally right angle thus facing downwards once the equipment 10 is installed. In extending through a curve any water that may still reach the trailing end region 38 in the form of spray mist is caused to coalesce into a flowing body of water. Actual release takes place along a laterally extending discharge tube 40 ending in the discharge 24 which tube 40 is of a size to ensure that any release of water is in the form of a small stream or droplets. Depending on the volume of water reaching the region 38 a body of water with a level may even be formed there within during operative use of the equipment from which a steam is continuously extracted along the discharge tube 40.

In practise the discharge tube 40 will be of a length to ensure that the release of water is adequately towards the side of a road to limit its coming into contact with following traffic but naturally not protruding beyond the side of such vehicle. The discharge tube 40 will also be situated at a low elevation in relation to a vehicle to which the equipment 10 is fitted generally at the elevation of its rear bumper. Released water will become discharged extensively remote form the windscreen of following traffic. Owing to being in non-spray mist form water as thus released will not create any driving vision problems for following traffic.

The specific construction of the equipment 10 will naturally depend on its circumstance of use, whether for a single wheel or wheel set in the form of a number of serially arranged wheels even if in the form of wheel pairs as often found on large trucks or trailers. For whichever use manufactured the equipment 10 will naturally be designed to result in the or each slot 14 being situated in a spray mist extracting relationship with the location of spay mist release behind a wheel or wheel pair. This is conventionally found behind the upper part of the trailing side of such wheel. The equipment 10 will in the normal course of events be used in conjunction with a trailing wheel or wheel set as spray mist so generated normally creates the problem for following traffic. It is obvious that an item of equipment 10 will be used along wheel sets on the opposite sides of a vehicle.

The duct 10 will normally extend from a location ahead of the wheel or wheel set from which spray mist is intended to be removed to there beyond, as shown in figure 5. But the minimum requirement is that it must extend from ahead of a location of spray mist release to a location there beyond.

While the equipment 10 is described above by way of a separately manufactured entity that is thus installable to a vehicle it will be appreciated that it can also be integral thereto thus being formed during vehicle manufacture. In whichever way caused to form part of a vehicle and while not a necessity the duct 10 will preferably extend at a liquid flow promoting rearwardly slanted downward angle.

In use and referring more particularly to figure 5 once a vehicle of which only one trailing wheel set 42 is shown and as thus fitted or originally installed with the equipment 10, travels in the direction of arrow 44 airflow is generated along the path 20 of the duct 12 by entering it through its upstream inlet 22, which may even be flared to enhance the airflow speed there along. In flowing along the path 20 the speed of airflow is increased along the successive lengths of reduced duct width 30 in turn creating venturi effect zones of reduced pressure being the most extensive at the upstream ends of the successive zones of duct flaring 32. Once such vehicle travels along a wetted surface along which wheel spray mist is

conventionally generated such as along a macadamised road under rainy conditions, spray mist is thus generated by the wheels 46 of the set 42 rising along arrows 48. Such spray mist is largely released at locations 50 found behind the upper part of the trailing side of the wheels 46. The reduced pressure found within the zones 34 and in particular at their upstream ends has the effect of 'sucking' the spray mist or at least to a substantial extent via arrows 52 along the slots 14 into the fluid flow path 20. On entering the flow path 20 the spray mist thus sucked in is urged to move in the direction of arrow 54 on joining the airflow stream along the path 20. The water as partly coalesced consequently reaches the trailing end region 38 of the duct 12 where it at the latest becomes fully coalesces up to the extent of even forming a body of water within the tailing end ducting. The water is urged by the pressure existing along the duct 12 to become blown from the tube 40 to the environment and, as discussed above, beyond creating spray mist difficulties for following traffic.

It is an advantage of the invention as specifically described that airflow created by vehicular movement is used to create zones of reduced pressure in turn utilised to extract vehicle wheel created spray mist while converting it to a body of water that is discharged in a non spray formed way.

Claims

(7) CLAIMS

(1) A spray mist suppressor (10) for at least substantially removing spay mist generated behind one or more vehicle wheels once running along a wetted surface under spray mist generating conditions, once installed if in the form of installable equipment if not integrally forming part of a vehicle, and of which, in the case of vehicles with spaced laterally carried wheels, at least one is used along opposite vehicle sides comprising

a circumferentially enclosed fluid flow transfer duct (12) extending along such vehicle, at least once the suppressor is in the appropriate case installed, from a position ahead of a location of spay mist release found behind the upper part of the trailing side of such at least one wheel intended for spray mist removal, to behind such location and extending between an upstream air inlet (22) that faces the oncoming air once such vehicle travels along and a discharge (24) and along which duct a fluid flow path (20) is defined, and

at least one though an adequate plurality of apertures (14), depending on the number of serially spaced wheels that are intended for spray mist removal, through the wall of the duct (12) the entrance of which is situated in a spray mist removal relationship with such location of spay mist release again in the appropriate case at least once the suppressor is installed, characterised in that the transfer duct (12) incorporates a pressure reducing arrangement (18) constituted to create a zone of reduced pressure along the duct in the region of and for the at least one aperture (14) to the extent of causing the removal of an at least substantial portion of spray mist generated on such wheel rolling along a wetted surface by becoming sucked into the duct (12) along the aperture (14) subsequently passing along the duct as brought about by the air flow there along under conditions of vehicular spray mist removal, the discharge (38) from the duct being formed to promote the release of coalesced liquid, thus in non-spray mist form, having the effect of increasing the road visibility of following traffic as otherwise obscured by such wheel generated spray mist.

(2) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in claim 1 in which the pressure reducing

arrangement is in the form of a venturi effect creating layout (30) constituted by a zone of fluid flow path pinching (26) and subsequent flaring into an expansion chamber (34) formed along the fluid flow path (20) towards at least the upstream end of which chamber the zone of reduced pressure is thus formed, once the suppressor is in operative use with the aperture (14) accordingly opening up there into.

(3) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in claim 2 in which the zone of fluid flow path pinching (26) is situated at a low level along the fluid flow path to promote the flow of fluid there along at least once the suppressor is in operative use.

(4) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the duct (12) extends in an overhead relationship with the at least one wheel of a vehicle of which the location of spay mist release behind such wheel is involved in spray mist removal, at least once in the appropriate case installed, while the at least one aperture (14) faces downward having the effect of sucking spray mist upward into the fluid flow path once the suppressor is in operative use.

(5) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in claim 4 that is formed with a spray mist guiding lip (36) extending transversely as regards the fluid flow path (20) behind the aperture (14) in relation to the direction of vehicular travelling and at an angle that is suitably slanted towards the upstream air inlet to promote the intake of spray mist.

(6) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 in which the duct (12) is formed with a floor (16) with the aperture being in the form of a laterally extending slot (14) of generally the width of the tyre of a wheel or wheel cluster from which spray mist is intended to be removed.

(7) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the duct, as extending along a linear central axis, extends at a liquid flow promoting rearwardly slanted downward angle, at least once the suppressor is in the appropriate case installed.

(8) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the discharge from the duct is formed to promote the release of liquid as coalesced by way of a downwardly curved duct end (38) that is formed with a liquid release location of suitable size to promote the release of liquid by way of a coalesced liquid as generally brought about by the maintenance of a liquid body inside the duct end once the suppressor is in operative use, at least once in the appropriate case installed.

(9) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims that is in the form of installable equipment.

(10) A spray mist suppressor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 that is integrally formed with a vehicle.