Self-contained adjustable air foil and method

Abstract

An auxiliary air foil device for mounting on a vehicle is disclosed. The air foil device includes an enclosure comprising a base plate, a plurality of side walls, and an air foil panel. The air foil panel is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the outside air flow will be substantially isolated from the volume within the enclosure. The open position provides access from outside of the enclosure to a volume within the enclosure. An actuator interconnects the underside of the air foil panel with the interior side of the base plate and allows for selective moving of the air foil panel between the open and closed positions. The actuator is pivotably connected to the base plate and the air foil panel, such that as the actuator changes length the rotational position of the air foil panel with respect to the base plate is also changed. In use, depending upon the application desired, the auxiliary air foil device of the present invention may be used as an air brake for the vehicle, as a means for increasing air flow into an engines air intake or cooling systems, as an adjustable spoiler, as a vacuum source for exhaust or other systems, or the like. The air foil device may be oriented with the pivoted edge of the air foil panel oriented towards either the front or rear end of the vehicle, and apertures in the base plate may be connected through the vehicle surface to optional air ducting means for delivering additional airflow or requiring it.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present invention is a continuation-in-part of US Patent Application 2004 / 0212219A1, filed on Apr. 22, 2003, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] This invention relates to air foil devices for vehicles, and more particularly to a self- contained adjustable air foil for attaching to an existing vehicle, or the like. DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART [0004] Consumer automobiles and other vehicles rarely have active air foil systems installed that allow the vehicle to take advantage of the wind stream passing around the vehicle for use as added braking or air flow into the engine air intake or cooling systems. While some vehicles have static structures to direct air flow into the engine, such as static air scoops or the like, or for aerodynamically pulling the vehicle closer to the ground for better traction, few vehicles hav...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The open position provides access from outside of the enclosure to a volume within the enclosure. Consequently, if the one edge of the air foil panel is oriented closest to a rear end of the vehicle, an underside of the air foil will act as a scoop to redirect air into the enclosure. On the other hand, if the one edge of the air foil panel is oriented closest to a front end of the vehicle, the air foil panel in the open position will act as a spoiler and will reduce air pressure at the underside of the air foil panel, resulting in a Venturi effect imparted upon the volume inside the enclosure.

[0010] An actuator interconnects the underside of the air foil panel with the interior side of the base plate and allows for selective moving of the air foil panel between the open and closed positions. The actuator is pivotably connected to the base plate and the air foil panel, such that as the actuator changes length the rotational position of the air foil panel with respect to the base plate is also changed.

Problems solved by technology

Moreover, there are very few options for adding such an active air foil system on existing vehicles.

However, such a device is not well suited for other air foil applications, such as direction air into an engine cooling or air intake system, for example.

Further, when such a device is in its un-deployed position for minimizing the amount of aerodynamic drag that it creates, a significant amount of additional drag is still created due to the open, uncovered design of such a device.

However, this prior art device is not suitable for use on any vehicle other than a trucking cab, such as on automobiles or the like, due to its specific shape requirements for diverting airflow up and over a trailer.

Further, use as an auxiliary air intake device for other applications is not contemplated.

Installation of such a device on an existing vehicle would result in a minimum of damage to the outer surface of the vehicle.

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