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

• the invention relates to an air guide for an improved overflow of a gap between a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle, wherein the spoiler is attachable to the towing vehicle or trailer vehicle and comprises a flexible and air-tight air cushion, which is connected to a filling channel.
• the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle are always mechanically connected to one another via a coupling device.
• a tractor which is usually formed of a tractor as a towing vehicle and a semi-trailer as a trailer vehicle. Both vehicles are in this case over one
• Coupling device comprising a fifth wheel and a kingpin detachably coupled together.
• the invention can also be realized on a articulated train consisting of a motor vehicle as towing vehicle and a trailer as a trailer vehicle. Such vehicles are usually connected to one another by means of a coupling device comprising a bolt coupling and a drawbar held therein.
• the towing vehicle includes a front, closer to the towing vehicle Satteiauflieger or trailer and the trailer vehicle a rear, further to the tractor or motor vehicle spaced semitrailer or trailer.
• a predetermined minimum gap width is necessary, however, since in particular when cornering between towing vehicle and trailer vehicle takes place a relative movement and otherwise there is a risk that in a sharp turn the curve inner, front corner of the trailer with the towing vehicle collided. Even with sharp braking parts of the trailer vehicle can bump due to load change reactions against the towing vehicle.
• the air apron can be pushed back manually or by means of adjusting cylinders in the direction of the cab.
• the main disadvantage of this known spoiler lies in their adaptation before driving and thereby unavoidable abutment of the trailer to the spoiler. This causes repeated damage to the spoiler or the trailer.
• a generic prior art is the US 3,834,752.
• the bridging of the gap between towing vehicle and trailer vehicle is realized here by means of an inflatable air bag, which is mounted on the front of the trailer vehicle and is releasably secured after coupling the tractor to the rear wall of the cab.
• the otherwise closed airbag is inflated via a compressed air line of the towing vehicle and thereby stabilized.
• the compressed air supply of the airbag should be done in particular via the compressor of the vehicle brake system.
• the towing vehicle must be equipped with a considerable compressor power to fill in addition to the brake system and the volume of several cubic meters large airbag. This problem is exacerbated when the air bag is damaged by damage and the compressor is therefore no longer able to fill the pressure accumulator of the brake system. This could possibly lead to failure of the brake system, so that the saddle or articulated train remains.
• the invention has for its object to provide a largely low-maintenance and reliable air guide for an improved overflow of the gap between a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle, which can be installed independently of the compressed air supply of the towing vehicle.
• the filling channel has on its side facing away from the air cushion an aligned in the direction of travel air inlet opening, which is arranged such that the air cushion is filled exclusively by a back pressure of the airstream.
• An air cushion is understood to mean a closed enclosure made of a flexible and airtight wall material.
• the filling channel may be formed from a pipe or a bore.
• the filling channel goes directly into the air inlet opening, which preferably widens conically in the direction of travel.
• the dynamic pressure is the dynamic pressure and corresponds to the increase in the pressure at the stagnation point of a body around which flows around against the static pressure of the fluid, here the ambient air.
• the gap between the tractor and trailer vehicle can be almost completely closed. Only minor modifications are necessary for this, so that the air guiding element can also be retrofitted to existing vehicles.
• the air cushion should be adapted to the cross-sectional contour of the structure on the traction vehicle side, as a result of which an encircling attachment is also possible.
• the air cushion On the part of the trailer, the air cushion must be tuned to its height and width.
• a roof spoiler can be arranged in front of the upper area of the air cushion so that the height level of the trailer vehicle has already been reached and the air cushion only needs to bridge the gap space in the horizontal direction.
• the roof wall of the towing vehicle is formed by the roof spoiler.
• the invention also covers such an inflatable, molded from an air cushion roof spoiler, which is, however, beyond the horizontal level also adjustable.
• the air cushion coincides at a low speed by the internal pressure escaping through the filling channel, which is not or hardly affected by the back pressure.
• the required internal pressure is taken off at the front of the towing vehicle and increases with the speed.
• the air cushion can inflate to such an extent, especially at higher speeds, that it therefore also assumes a sealing function between towing vehicle and trailer vehicle.
• the air cushion remains so elastic that steering movements and thus relative movements between the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle are not hindered.
• the air cushion is preferably permanently installed on the towing vehicle. However, it is also an installation on the front of the trailer conceivable. However, the air cushion can only be fixedly mounted on the towing vehicle or the trailer, since it must allow a slow movement, especially during maneuvering, a relative movement of towing and towing vehicle without tearing.
• Another advantage of the air guide element according to the invention is that with a suitable design of the materials in the event of an accident by a controlled escape of the pressure prevailing in the air cushion energy is dissipated, if the coupling device should break and the trailer vehicle strikes from behind on the structure of the towing vehicle, in particular the cab.
• the at least one air cushion is U-shaped to an outer
• Cross-sectional contour of a box-shaped structure of the towing vehicle adapted and adjacent to a roof wall and on two side walls of the structure.
• This embodiment is advantageous in that a console of the supply lines located on the rear wall of the structure continues to function and does not get in the way even when the air cushion is inflated.
• the air cushion or the air cushion can fill the gap over its entire area within the outer cross-sectional contour of a box-shaped structure of the towing vehicle. This embodiment is particularly advantageous if the air cushion is to be suitable, if appropriate, to intercept a trailer vehicle hitting the towing vehicle.
• the air cushion deforms during very tight cornering particularly favorable, without a part of the amount of air must be drained or there is a wear-intensive increase in internal pressure, since the trapped in the air cushion air without constrictions or deflections from the inside of the curve with a due to the approach From train and trailer vehicle small available volume to the outside of the curve with a large volume can flow.
• a single air cushion is provided. This allows a particularly simple construction and removal of the internal pressure within the air cushion.
• the single air cushion can cover either the complete cross-sectional contour of the structure in the direction of travel of the towing vehicle or only parts thereof, in particular by a U-shaped construction.
• a plurality of air cushions are arranged in series, so that a precise adaptation of several air cushions to the
• Cross-sectional contour of the structure can be done and at the same time important aggregates can be cut out on the rear wall of the structure.
• the at least one air cushion has a plurality of air chambers in the interior, as a result of which a particularly effective stiffening of the at least one air cushion takes place.
• the at least one air cushion may have a stiffener by means of support brackets.
• the support brackets are elastic rods that help the air cushion to a predetermined shape and prevent flutter in the pressureless state of the air cushion.
• the support brackets can be arranged inside or outside the air cushion.
• the support brackets are fixedly mounted on the structure and are manufactured as an integral, homogeneous component.
• a check valve is disposed within the Füilkanals and / or at the entrance to the air cushion.
• the check valve can remain closed at a predetermined lower driving speed, so that the air cushion, for example, in traffic jams, when driving through villages or generally with changing driving speeds maintains its maximum contour and does not coincide in the meantime.
• the air cushion should cooperate with a blow-off valve, via which the inner pressure of the air cushion is discharged into the environment for maneuvering or when changing the trailer vehicle.
• a blow-off valve via which the inner pressure of the air cushion is discharged into the environment for maneuvering or when changing the trailer vehicle.
• the check valve serves as a blow-off valve, the check valve.
• the air cushion is attached to a dimensionally stable spoiler.
• This dimensionally stable spoiler can be arranged as a roof spoiler on the roof wall of the body or as a side spoiler on the side walls of the body and advantageously with its front end in the direction of travel pivotally engage the towing vehicle.
• the dimensionally stable spoiler is permanently and directly attached to the structure at at least one point.
• This has the advantage that a substantial portion of the forces acting on the spoiler are introduced via the pivotable attachment in the structure. Torsional forces or tensile forces could hardly be controlled by a force flow exclusively through the air cushion.
• the dimensionally stable spoiler adjusts itself into the intended driving position as a function of the speed.
• the air cushion thus serves as an actuator for the dimensionally stable and with respect to the structure positively guided spoiler.
• FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a towing vehicle and trailer with an air guiding element in the driving mode according to a first embodiment
• FIG. 2 shows a side view according to FIG. 1 with the air guiding element in the standing and maneuvering mode
• FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the towing vehicle according to FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 shows a rear view of the towing vehicle with an air guiding element according to a second embodiment
• 5 shows a rear view of the traction vehicle with an air guide element according to a third embodiment
• 6 is a front view of the tractor with one on a
• FIG. 7 shows a detail of a side view of the towing vehicle and trailer with an air guiding element according to a fourth embodiment
• FIG 8 shows a side view of the towing vehicle and trailer with an air guiding element according to a fifth embodiment.
• the spoiler element 1 shows the spoiler element 1 according to the invention comprising an air cushion 5 and a Bashamai 6 connected thereto, which lie at its in direction of travel F lie- ing, front end opens on an inflow side 25 of the towing vehicle 3.
• the inflow side is understood to be the contour of the towing vehicle 3 that is streamed by the airstream.
• the air cushion 5 is arranged in a gap 2 between a towing vehicle 3 and a trailer vehicle 4.
• the traction vehicle 3 is a semitrailer tractor, at the rear end of which a common fifth wheel 20 is located as a clutch device.
• the trailer vehicle 4 is accordingly designed as a semi-trailer and is held detachably in the fifth wheel 20 by means of a king pin (not shown) fastened to the underside.
• the towing vehicle 3 has a structure 9, in which, among other things, the cab is housed.
• a permanently mounted spoiler 18 can be seen above the structure 9, which delimits the structure 9 in the manner of a roof wall 10 upwards.
• the vertical level of the roof wall 10 approximately corresponds to the level of the trailer vehicle 4.
• the air cushion 5 On a rear wall 22 of the body 9 of moving in the direction of travel F towing vehicle 3, the air cushion 5 is fixed, which is inflated in the driving mode shown to its maximum size and both with the roof wall 10 formed from the spoiler 18 of the towing vehicle 3 and the roof wall 23rd of the trailer vehicle 4 terminates in a common horizontal plane.
• a residual gap dimension W of not more than 500 mm can remain between the air cushion 5 and a front side 24 of the trailer vehicle 4.
• the air cushion 5 is connected to the filling channel 6, on a side facing away from the air cushion 5 page 7 in the direction of travel.
• F of the towing vehicle 3 opens into an air inlet opening 8.
• the air inlet opening 8 is aligned in the direction of travel F and is therefore flowing in the driving mode of the wind.
• the air inlet opening 8 expediently has a conical widening in the direction of travel F, as a result of which a back pressure within the filling channel 6 and the air cushion 5 located behind it builds up particularly efficiently. Due to the back pressure, the air cushion 5 inflates or falls together with decreasing dynamic pressure.
• the air cushion 5 is filled to the maximum and it sets a minimum residual gap W a. As soon as the towing vehicle 3 reduces its driving speed, the dynamic pressure in the air cushion 5 also drops, so that this collapses in the parking and maneuvering mode as shown in FIG.
• Fig. 3 illustrates the approximately comprehensive coverage of a
• the structure 9 is increased by the spoiler 18 up to the level of the trailer vehicle 4.
• the air cushion 5 therefore terminates on its upper side with the spoiler 18.
• the air cushion 5 extends to the side walls 1 1 a, 11 b, which continue in the area of the spoiler 18.
• FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the air cushion 5 in U-shape, in which only outer edge portions of the rear wall 22 adjacent to the side walls 1 1a, 11b and the roof wall 10 are covered by the air cushion 5.
• Cross-sectional contour 12 of the structure 9 is thus covered exclusively by the air cushion 5 at its outer edge region.
• the centrally arranged on the rear wall 22 supply bracket 21 with infected supply lines 26 is only partially surrounded by the air cushion 5 and can be used without further conversion measures.
• the air cushion 5 is provided for a particularly stable stiffening in the interior of the closed body at several points with a chamber-forming cone 14.
• the cone 14 causes on the one hand a supporting effect of the air cushion 5 in the presence of a low dynamic pressure and on the other hand avoids leaks emptying of the entire air bag 5.
• An opening of the blow-off valve 17 takes place, for example, by hand by the driver of the towing vehicle 3.
• the blow-off valve is controlled by the vehicle control unit, wherein the braking or steering gradient directly in the vehicle control unit (27) or an external, the blow-off valve associated control unit (28) is generated.
• the control signal for the blow-off valve (17) derived from the braking or steering gradient can also be determined within the vehicle control unit (27) or the external control unit (28).
• FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of the air cushion 5, in which, however, the U-shape has been reached via a plurality of adjoining airbags 5.
• the emptying of the plurality of air cushions 5 may, but need not, be realized via a plurality of blow-off valves 17. It would also be possible to ventilate a plurality of air cushions 5 via the filling channel 6 and the distribution channels 6a.
• a towing vehicle 3 is shown in the driving mode with on hCodefhrenf ahrzeug 4, that is with inflated air cushion 5 of shipsleiteiementes 1.
• the air cushion 5 is laterally on both the side walls 1 1a, 11 b and the roof wall 18 formed by the roof 10 slightly above.
• the filling channel 6 is integrated in the spoiler 18.
• the filling channel 6 aligned in the vehicle longitudinal axis has an air inlet opening 8 which widens conically in the direction of travel.
• Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment in which the air cushion 5 is formed as a skirt with a triangular cross-section.
• the section of the airbag 5 engaging the body 9 of the towing vehicle 3 is relatively small with respect to the width of the gap 2 to be bridged.
• a plurality of carrying tongues 15 are located in the interior of the airbag 5 for maintaining the profile and for stiffening Tragspangen 15 have elastic properties and deform in stand and Rangiermodus possibly reversible.
• FIG. 7 has a common non-return
• Blow-off valve 16, 17 on This avoids that the air cushion 5 constantly changes its outer shape with fluctuating driving speed of the towing vehicle 3.
• the actuation of the blow-off valve 17 takes place in accordance with the statements relating to FIG. 5, wherein it is not necessary here to connect the blow-off valve 17 permanently to the flexible wall material of the air cushion 5.
• the air cushion 5 interacts with a dimensionally stable spoiler 18.
• the position of the spoiler 18 in the driving mode and in broken line in the standing and maneuvering mode are shown in a continuous line.
• the air guide 1 with the air cushion 5 and the dimensionally stable spoiler 18 is located on the roof wall 10 of the structure 9, wherein the roof wall 10 is disposed at a lower level than the roof wall 23 of the trailer vehicle 4.
• the air cushion 5 inflates and thereby pushes the spoiler 18 so far up until it reaches approximately the vertical level of the roof wall 23 of the trailer vehicle 4 or slightly exceeds with his the trailer vehicle 4 adjacent end.
• the spoiler 18 is pivotally mounted with its front end 19 on or in the vicinity of the roof wall 10.
• the filling of the air cushion 5 and the subsequent construction of the dynamic pressure is also realized via the filling channel 6, which for this purpose passes by the structure 9 and is aligned in the direction of travel F.
• a check valve 16 which is particularly useful in this embodiment and holds the loaded by the spoiler 18 air bag 5 even with fluctuations in the driving speed in the maximum inflated position.
• the blow-off valve 17 can, as shown, be arranged directly on the air cushion 5 or in the filling channel 6 as a combination valve together with the check valve 16.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=47559469

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (1)

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Citations (6)

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• 2012
  • 2012-01-27 DE DE102012201219.2A patent/DE102012201219B4/de active Active
• 2013
  • 2013-01-07 AU AU2013211779A patent/AU2013211779B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2013-01-07 ES ES13700277.0T patent/ES2573834T3/es active Active
  • 2013-01-07 US US14/374,060 patent/US9248873B2/en active Active
  • 2013-01-07 RU RU2014134841/11A patent/RU2573529C1/ru active
  • 2013-01-07 PL PL13700277.0T patent/PL2807072T3/pl unknown
  • 2013-01-07 WO PCT/EP2013/050154 patent/WO2013110487A1/de not_active Ceased
  • 2013-01-07 CA CA2861144A patent/CA2861144C/en active Active
  • 2013-01-07 EP EP13700277.0A patent/EP2807072B1/de active Active
  • 2013-01-07 BR BR112014018037-7A patent/BR112014018037B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation

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