초록 ▼

A cowling assembly (10) is installed about the radiator (R) of a vehicle (V). A frame (12) fits about the radiator and defines an opening through which air can flow into the radiator. The frame has a contour that allows air flow smoothly about the frame. A cover including a panel (18) or a coiled sh

A cowling assembly (10) is installed about the radiator (R) of a vehicle (V). A frame (12) fits about the radiator and defines an opening through which air can flow into the radiator. The frame has a contour that allows air flow smoothly about the frame. A cover including a panel (18) or a coiled sheet (118) is movable through the frame to cover the opening. A motor (50) operated by a controller (80) moves the panels or sheets to expose a portion of the opening and allow air to flow into the radiator. The frame and the panel or sheet facilitate smoother air flow over and about the front of the vehicle thereby reducing the amount of drag on it while still allowing air flow into the radiator.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fairing air inlet assembly to reduce drag on a vehicle having a radiator with a front comprising: a) a frame having a front and a back, wherein the frame has a pair of approximately horizontal segments and a pair of approximately vertical segments forming an interior, wherein one of the pair of

1. A fairing air inlet assembly to reduce drag on a vehicle having a radiator with a front comprising: a) a frame having a front and a back, wherein the frame has a pair of approximately horizontal segments and a pair of approximately vertical segments forming an interior, wherein one of the pair of segments has a pair of curved tracks on the interior near the front of the frame;b) at least one air tunnel in the interior of the frame;c) a cover having parallel sides; wherein the sides are moveably engaged with the pair of curved tracks;d) a drive mechanism to move the cover from an unblocked position to a blocked position and back; wherein the back of the frame is mounted adjacent to the radiator;wherein the at least one air tunnel is in front of and approximately perpendicular to the radiator front and defines an opening through which air can flow into the radiator;wherein the at least one air tunnel is further defined by at least one panel;wherein the at least one panel is generally rectangular and has sides, an outer tip end, width and depth; and wherein the at least one panel is fixedly mounted on its sides in the interior of the frame;wherein the depth of the panel is sufficient to bring the at least one panel proximate to the front of the radiator;wherein the front tip end approximately aligns with the cover in the blocked position;wherein the cover in the blocked position blocks airflow into the air tunnel toward the radiator and in the unblocked position allows airflow into the air tunnel and into the radiator;wherein the cover in the blocked position conforms to the curved shape of the track;wherein the curved shape reduces drag on the vehicle; andwherein the cover is one continuous piece. 2. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 1 further including a plurality of panels mounted in the frame at spaced intervals so to define a plurality of air flow passages to the radiator. 3. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 1 the cover is moveable back and forth on the curved tracks to control the amount of air flow through the passage to the radiator. 4. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 1 in which the cover comprises a lightweight, flexible cover, wherein the cover has a series of spaced openings are formed adjacent each side of the cover and the drive mechanism includes a motor driven toothed gear whose teeth engage the openings to move the cover back and forth along the tracks. 5. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 4 wherein the frame has at least one curved segment. 6. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 4 further including a parallel set of tracks extending along a hood installed over an engine compartment of the vehicle, the cover being drawn over the tracks by the drive mechanism, said set of tracks interconnecting with the curved tracks formed in the frame. 7. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 6 wherein the panel mounted in the frame is an approximately horizontal panel that extends approximately horizontally across the front of the radiator, and wherein the fairing air inlet assembly further includes at least one approximately vertical panel located intermediate the sides of the frame, the approximately horizontal and approximately vertical panel defining tunnels through which air flows to the radiator. 8. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 7 wherein at least one of the panels is curved. 9. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 7 further including curved tracks formed along each sidewall of the vertical panel through which a cover moves. 10. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 9 further including a plurality of parallel sets of tracks extending along a hood installed over an engine compartment of the vehicle, each said set of tracks interconnecting with the curved tracks formed in the frame, and a separate cover panel being drawn over each set of tracks in on the hood and frame by the drive mechanism. 11. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 4 further including sensors monitoring the radiator fluid temperature, wherein the sensors output data to a controller which in turn activate the drive mechanism. 12. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 11 in which the cover comprises at least one sheet of material wound on a spool and the drive mechanism winds and unwinds the sheet from the spool; wherein the sheet, when unwound, covers at least a portion of the radiator. 13. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 12 further including a plurality of sheets which is wound on a plurality of spools and when unwound covers at least a portion of the radiator. 14. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 1 in which the tracks are heated so to facilitate movement of the cover over the tracks during freezing conditions. 15. A fairing air inlet assembly to reduce drag on a vehicle having a radiator comprising: a) a frame having a front and a back, wherein the frame has a pair of approximately horizontal segments and a pair of approximately vertical segments forming an interior, wherein one of the pair of segments has a pair of curved tracks on the interior near the front of the frame;b) a plurality of air tunnels in the interior of the frame;c) a cover having parallel sides; wherein the sides are moveably engaged with the two curved tracks;d) a drive mechanism to move the cover from an unblocked position to a blocked position and back; wherein the back of the frame is mounted in front of, adjacent to and about the radiator;wherein the air tunnels are approximately perpendicular to the radiator front and define openings through which air can flow into the radiator;wherein the air tunnels are further defined by a plurality of approximately horizontal and approximately vertical panels;wherein the panels are generally rectangular and have sides, an outer tip end, width and depth; and wherein the panels are fixedly mounted on their sides in the interior of the frame;wherein the depth of the panels is sufficient to bring the mounted panel proximate to the front of the radiator;wherein the cover in the blocked position blocks airflow into the air tunnel toward the radiator and in the unblocked position allows airflow into the radiator;wherein the cover in the blocked position conforms to the curved shape of the track; and wherein the curved shape reduces drag on the vehicle;wherein the cover is one continuous piece; andwherein the cover moves between the blocked and unblocked position, and multiple intermediate positions between the blocked and unblocked positions. 16. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 15 wherein there are a plurality of pairs of curved tracks on the interior of the frame and each pair of curved tracks has a cover moveably attached to the tracks. 17. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 16, wherein the tracks move approximately horizontally. 18. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 16, wherein the tracks move approximately vertically. 19. A fairing air inlet assembly to reduce drag on a vehicle having a radiator comprising: a) a frame having a front and a back, wherein the frame has a pair of approximately horizontal segments and a pair of approximately vertical segments forming an interior, wherein one of the pair of segments has a pair of curved tracks on the interior near the front of the frame;b) a plurality of air tunnels in the interior of the frame;c) a cover having parallel sides; wherein the sides are moveably engaged with the two curved tracks;d) a drive mechanism to move the cover from an unblocked position to a blocked position and back; wherein the back of the frame is mounted in front of, adjacent to and about the radiator;wherein the air tunnels are approximately perpendicular to the radiator front and define openings through which air can flow into the radiator;wherein the air tunnels are further defined by a plurality of approximately horizontal and approximately vertical panels;wherein the panels are generally rectangular and have sides, an outer tip end, width and depth; and wherein the panels are fixedly mounted on their sides in the interior of the frame;wherein the depth of the panels is sufficient to bring the mounted panel proximate to the front of the radiator;wherein the cover in the blocked position blocks airflow into the air tunnel toward the radiator and in the unblocked position allows airflow into the radiator;wherein the cover in the blocked position conforms to the curved shape of the track; and wherein the curved shape reduces drag on the vehicle;wherein the cover is one continuous piece;wherein the cover moves between the blocked and unblocked position, and multiple intermediate positions between the blocked and unblocked positions; andwherein there are a plurality of pairs of curved tracks on the interior of the frame and each pair of curved tracks has a cover moveably attached to the tracks. 20. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 19 further including sensors monitoring the ambient temperature, and air conditions, wherein the sensors output data to a controller which in turn activate the drive mechanism.