Air Knife Road Clearing System with Pivoting Tow Bar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contaminants such as water, oil, and debris on road surfaces reduce tire grip, leading to hazardous conditions, especially in high-speed applications like racing, and prolonged or canceled events due to wet or icy tracks.
Innovation Solution
A road surface clearing system comprising an air knife with an elongate orifice, a frame, and a tow bar, allowing for adjustable positioning and pivoting to direct pressurized air at an optimal angle for effective debris removal and drying, with optional heat for melting ice and snow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the road surface is left to dry naturally, then energy consumption is reduced, but the drying time is excessively long causing race delays or cancellations
Solution Approach 1:
The air knife system is deployed in advance to clear contaminants and dry the track surface before racing begins or resumes, eliminating the need to wait for natural drying. This preliminary action allows races to start or continue without delays caused by wet conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces passive natural evaporation with an active mechanical air knife system that uses high-velocity air flow to physically remove water and contaminants from the track surface, dramatically accelerating the drying process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid mounting system is used for the air knife, then the structural stability is improved, but the system cannot adapt to uneven track surfaces or directional changes
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system incorporates pivoting and articulating joints that allow the air knife to dynamically adjust its position and angle in response to uneven track surfaces and directional changes, while maintaining stable operation during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure is divided into multiple articulated segments that can independently adjust, allowing the air knife to adapt to varying track conditions while maintaining overall system stability through controlled articulation.
3Productivity
If the air knife is positioned at a fixed angle, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the effectiveness of debris removal and drying is insufficient for optimal performance
Solution Approach 1:
The air knife incorporates adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow the angle and orientation to be dynamically optimized for different clearing tasks, enhancing debris removal effectiveness and drying performance while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system quickly clears debris and dries road surfaces, improving tire grip and preventing icy conditions, enabling safer and faster resumption of racing and other vehicle operations.
Implementation Method 1
an air knife with an elongate orifice extending along a line... direct pressurized air at an optimal angle for effective debris removal and drying
Implementation Method 2
A road surface clearing system according to some example embodiments may include a biasing member configured to bias the mounting plate in at least the first pivot direction
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are apparatuses, methods, and systems to clear a road surface of debris, water, or other contaminants. A system for clearing a road surface is provided including an air knife with an elongate orifice extending along a line, a frame configured to support the air knife in a position substantially parallel to a plane defined by the road surface, and a tow bar coupled to the frame, where the tow bar is pivotable relative to the frame along an axis orthogonal to the plane defined by the road surface. The system may include a mounting plate connected to the tow bar, where the mounting plate is pivotably mounted to the frame. The air knife may be supplied with pressurized air to clear the road surface of debris. A guide wheel may be attached to the frame, where the guide wheel is configured to rotate about an axis orthogonal to the plane defined by the road surface.