Pivotable Wing Drag Reduction Device for Vehicle Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drag reduction devices for land vehicles, such as trucks and tractor-trailer rigs, often impede the ability to open rear doors and require manual intervention, and they have a bulky profile that poses risks during loading and unloading operations, especially in tight spaces.
Innovation Solution
A drag reduction device featuring pivotable wing assemblies that automatically adjust their position relative to the vehicle body when the rear door opens or closes, using a spring-based mechanism to deploy and stow the wings, ensuring they do not obstruct the door's operation and fit within the gap between the door and the side wall, thereby reducing drag without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If drag reduction devices are mounted on the rear of the vehicle body, then drag is reduced by optimizing airflow, but the devices impede the ability to open rear doors and require manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The drag reduction device employs a movable wing assembly that can dynamically change its position between a deployed configuration (when the door is closed) and a retracted configuration (when the door opens). The wing is pivotally mounted to the door and automatically moves with the door, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining drag reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing assembly is designed to nest within the gap between the door and the side wall of the vehicle body when the door is in the open position. This nesting arrangement allows the drag reduction device to be stored in a compact space that would otherwise be unused, preventing interference with door operation while maintaining aerodynamic benefits when needed.
2Loss of energy
If drag reduction devices are mounted on the rear of the vehicle body, then drag is reduced, but the devices have a bulky profile that poses risks during loading and unloading operations in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a bulky static profile to a dynamic profile that adapts to the operational context. When the door opens, the wing automatically retracts into a compact nested position within the door-side wall gap, eliminating the bulky profile that would pose collision risks during loading and unloading operations in tight spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing assembly is specifically designed to nest within the limited space between the door and the side wall when not in use. This nesting capability allows the device to maintain a low profile during door operations and loading/unloading, reducing the risk of collisions while preserving the aerodynamic benefits when the door is closed.
3Loss of energy
If the wing is positioned to reduce drag, then airflow is optimized, but the wing obstructs the door's operation when opening
Solution Approach 1:
The wing assembly is pivotally connected to the door, creating a dynamic system where the wing's position is automatically adjusted as the door moves. When the door is closed, the wing is in the deployed position for drag reduction; when the door opens, the wing automatically pivots to follow the door's movement and ultimately nests within the gap, providing full adaptability to both closed and open door positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing is designed with sufficient length to provide effective drag reduction when deployed, yet it can be fully retracted to nest within the gap between the door and side wall when the door is open. This nesting design ensures that the wing does not obstruct door operation while maintaining the capability to optimize airflow when the door is closed.
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 device effectively reduces drag by optimizing airflow while allowing full access to the rear doors, enhancing safety and operational efficiency during loading and unloading, and maintaining a lower profile when doors are open, thus preventing collisions in tight spaces.
Implementation Method 1
using a spring-based mechanism to deploy and stow the wings
Implementation Method 2
a wing sized and configured to turn airflow across the top wall of the body
Data Source
AI summary
A drag reducing device for a vehicle body having a top wall and a door pivotably mounted to the rear of the body to open toward a side wall of the body, includes a wing sized and configured to turn airflow across the top wall of the body, the wing having a trailing edge and a proximal edge; and an assembly mounted to the door and configured for pivoting the wing so that the trailing edge of the wing is pivoted upward to a position above the top wall of the vehicle body when the door is open and for pivoting the wing so that the trailing edge of the wing is pivoted downward to a position below the top wall of the vehicle body when the door is closed.