Vehicle aerodynamic improvement apparatus and system
An apparatus for the improvement of the aerodynamic properties of a primary vehicle or the aerodynamic properties of a secondary vehicle, such as a trailer, towed by a primary vehicle. Certain embodiments of the invention include an apparatus and a system typically mounted to a rear-ward portion of a semi-trailer for aerodynamic improvement. Certain embodiments of the invention include an airfoil and a stabilizer interconnected by a series of stiffeners spanning between them creating apertures for interaction with air-flow surrounding the trailing edge of a vehicle.
1. An apparatus for the improvement of vehicle aerodynamics comprising:
mounting features;
an airfoil and a stabilizer, said airfoil and stabilizer separated by a predetermined distance and interconnected by a plurality of stiffeners;
said plurality of stiffeners being offset from each other;
an aperture defined by a trailing edge of said airfoil, a leading edge of said stabilizer, a first stiffener and a second stiffener; and
said mounting features configured to affix to an external surface of a ground vehicle with a leading edge of said airfoil proximate to said external surface.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second edge of said airfoil further comprises an edge for mating with the trailing vertical edge of said ground vehicle.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two of said stiffeners are mounting stiffeners, allowing for the fixation of mounting features.
4. The stiffeners of claim 1 wherein at least two of said stiffeners are mounting stiffeners, said mounting stiffeners further comprising a channel recess.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said mounting features further comprise hinged mounts for hinged fixation to said ground vehicle.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a tensile component affixed to said aerodynamic device, said tensile component having a first end affixed to said aerodynamic device and a second end affixed to the aft-plane of said ground vehicle; wherein said tensile component maintains a maximum angle of separation between said aerodynamic device and said aft-plane of said ground vehicle.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus extends rearward from an aft-plane of said ground vehicle.
8. A system for the improvement of vehicle aerodynamics comprising:
a first aerodynamic device having mounting features, said first aerodynamic device further comprising an airfoil and a stabilizer;
a second aerodynamic device having mounting features;
said second aerodynamic device further comprising an airfoil and a stabilizer;
said airfoil and stabilizer of said first aerodynamic device separated by a predetermined distance and interconnected by a plurality of stiffeners;
said plurality of stiffeners of said first aerodynamic device having an offset from each other;
an aperture defined by a trailing edge of said airfoil of said first aerodynamic device, a leading edge of said stabilizer of said first aerodynamic device, a first stiffener of said first aerodynamic device and a second stiffener of said first aerodynamic device;
said airfoil and stabilizer of said second aerodynamic device separated by a predetermined distance and interconnected by a plurality of stiffeners;
said plurality of stiffeners of said second aerodynamic device being offset from each other;
an aperture defined by a trailing edge of said airfoil of said second aerodynamic device, a leading edge of said stabilizer of said second aerodynamic device, a first stiffener of said second aerodynamic device and a second stiffener of said second aerodynamic device;
said first aerodynamic device configured to affix to a first external surface of a ground vehicle with a portion of said airfoil of said first aerodynamic device proximate to said first external surface with said first aerodynamic device extending rearward from an aft-plane of said ground vehicle; and
said second aerodynamic device configured to affix to a second external surface of said ground vehicle with a portion of said airfoil of said second aerodynamic device proximate to said second external surface with said second aerodynamic device extending rearward from said aft-plane of said ground vehicle.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein said mounting features further comprise hinged mounts.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein said first aerodynamic device further comprises a first tensile component affixed to said first aerodynamic device, said first tensile component having a first end affixed to said aerodynamic device and a second end affixed to the aft-plane of said ground vehicle; and
said second aerodynamic device further comprising a second tensile component affixed to said first aerodynamic device, said second tensile component having a first end affixed to said second aerodynamic device and a second end affixed to the aft-plane of said ground vehicle;
wherein said first tensile component is configured to maintain a maximum predetermined device offset angle between said first aerodynamic device and said aft-plane of said ground vehicle and said second tensile component is configured to maintain a maximum predetermined device offset angle between said second aerodynamic device and said aft-plane of said ground vehicle.