IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0863317
(2015-09-23)
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등록번호 |
US-9333993
(2016-05-10)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
49 |
초록
▼
Examples of drag reduction apparatuses and assemblies for land vehicles, and particularly for attachment to a door of a land vehicle operated by a cam lock bar, are described. A drag reduction apparatus may include a plurality of panels foldedly coupled together and automatically deployable into an
Examples of drag reduction apparatuses and assemblies for land vehicles, and particularly for attachment to a door of a land vehicle operated by a cam lock bar, are described. A drag reduction apparatus may include a plurality of panels foldedly coupled together and automatically deployable into an unfolded configuration. The panels may be coupled to a base panel that is coupled to the door of the land vehicle by a double-hinge mechanism operated by the cam lock bar. The double-hinge mechanism may draw the base panel toward the centerline of the rear of the land vehicle to allow the door to fully open with the drag reduction apparatus attached. The apparatus may be attached to two adjacent doors of a land vehicle and a plurality of panels on one door configured to overlap with a plurality of panels on the adjacent door.
대표청구항
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1. An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of panels including a pair of top panels, a pair of bottom panels, first and second side panels, and a plurality of transition panels connecting the top, bottom, and side panels, the plurality of panels foldably coupled to allow the panels to be provided betw
1. An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of panels including a pair of top panels, a pair of bottom panels, first and second side panels, and a plurality of transition panels connecting the top, bottom, and side panels, the plurality of panels foldably coupled to allow the panels to be provided between a folded configuration in which the panels are against each other and a deployed configuration in which the panels define a cavity therebetween, wherein the pair of top panels are configured to transition between the folded configuration and the deployed configuration together and the pair of bottom panels are configured to transition between the folded configuration and the deployed configuration together, the plurality of panels further comprising a pair of base panels configured for coupling the plurality of panels to a surface of a land vehicle, the pair of top and bottom panels and the first and second side panels foldably coupled to the pair of base panels; anda hinge mechanism attached to the base panels and configured to allow the base panels to move laterally with respect to a centerline of a vehicle door when the base panels are attached to the vehicle door. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first retention mechanism coupled to a back surface of the first side panel and to the first base panel and a second retention mechanism coupled to a back surface of the second side panel and to the second base panel, the first and second retention mechanisms configured to limit movement of the first and second side panels relative to the base panels. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of over-center brace members coupled between each of the pair of top panels and respective base panels. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom panels are hingedly coupled to the pair of base panels at an intermediate location along a length of the base panels. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retention mechanism coupled between at least one peripheral panel and at least one base panel to limit movement of the at least one peripheral panel relative to the at least one base panel. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein hinge mechanism is biased to return to a neutral position when the vehicle door is pivoted toward a closed position. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein hinge mechanism is further configured to allow the base panels to move away from the vehicle door while remaining attached to the vehicle door. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism provided at adjacent edges of the top panels, at adjacent edges of the base panels or both, the mechanism configured to resist separation of the adjacent edges of the top panels, the adjacent edges of the top panels, or both. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top panels are disposed on top of the side panels when the apparatus is in the folded configuration and attached to the vehicle door. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom panels are folded in a same direction as the top panels. 11. An apparatus for reducing drag, the apparatus comprising: a first and a second top panel;a first and a second bottom panel;a first and a second side panel;a first base panel extending between the first top, side and bottom panels, wherein the first top, bottom, and side panels are foldably coupled to the first base panel;a second base panel extending between the second top, side and bottom panels, wherein the second top, bottom, and side panels are foldably coupled to the second base panel;a first plurality of transition panels connecting the first top panel to the first side panel and the first bottom panel to the first, side panel, the first plurality of transition panels foldably coupled to respective ones of the first top, bottom, and side panels;a second plurality of transition panels connecting the second top panel to the second side panel and the second, bottom panel to the second, side panel, the second plurality of transition panels foldably coupled to respective ones of the second top, bottom, and side panels;wherein the first and second plurality of transition panels allow the panels to be provided between a folded configuration in which the panels are against each other and a deployed configuration in which the panels define a cavity therebetween; andfirst and second hinge mechanisms attached to respective ones of the first and second base panels to allow the first and second base panels to move laterally with respect to a centerline of a vehicle door and remain against the vehicle door when the first and second base panels are attached to the vehicle door. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first base panel is configured for attachment to a first door via the first hinge mechanism and the second base panel is configured for attachment to a second door via the second hinge mechanism. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the base panels are attachable to the first and second doors such that the first and second doors can open while the base panels remain attached thereto. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the top panels and at least one of the bottom panels are longer than the other one of the top panels and the other one of the bottom panels, respectively, such that the first top panels overlap, at least in part, and the bottom panels overlap, at least partially, when the apparatus is attached to the vehicle door. 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first top panel is magnetically coupled to the second top panel, wherein the first bottom panel is magnetically coupled to the second bottom panel, or wherein both the top panels are magnetically coupled to one another and the bottom panels are magnetically coupled to one another. 16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein transition panels foldably coupled to the first and second bottom panels are magnetically coupled to inner surfaces of the first and second side panels. 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first base panel is configured for attachment to a door by a double-hinge mechanism, wherein the door has an edge hingedly coupled to a doorway. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the door includes a cam lock bar coupled to the double hinge mechanism, wherein the double hinge mechanism is configured to draw the first base panel away from the edge hingedly coupled to the door when the cam lock bar is rotated to an unlocked position. 19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second bottom panels are coupled to the respective ones of the first and second base panels at an intermediate location along a length of the base panels. 20. A system for drag reduction, the system comprising: a first door and a second door of a land vehicle, the first and second doors each including an edge hingedly coupled to a doorway of the land vehicle, wherein the first and second doors are adjacent, the first and second doors further each including a cam lock bar; andan apparatus comprising a plurality of panels, the apparatus coupled to the first and second doors, wherein the apparatus is coupled in a manner configured to allow the first and second doors to open and close while the apparatus is attached;wherein the plurality of panels includes a first plurality of peripheral panels foldably coupled to a first base panel positioned against the first door and attached thereto using a first hinge mechanism configured to allow the first plurality of panels to move laterally with respect to the first door while remaining against the first door, and wherein the plurality of panels includes a second plurality of peripheral panels foldably coupled to a second base panel positioned against the second door and attached thereto using a second hinge mechanism configured to allow the second plurality of panels to move laterally with respect to the second door while remaining against the second door. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of panels are foldably coupled to allow the panels to be provided between a folded configuration in which the panels are flat against each other and a deployed configuration in which the panels form a cavity therebetween. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of panels are configured to automatically transition to the deployed configuration when the land vehicle moves at a threshold velocity. 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of panels are configured to automatically transition to the folded configuration when the land vehicle moves below a threshold velocity. 24. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of panels comprise a rigid material, the rigid material configured to prevent the plurality of panels from sagging in the deployed configuration. 25. The system of claim 20, further comprising a retention mechanism coupled between at least one of the peripheral panels and at least one of the first and second base panels to limit movement of the at least one of the peripheral panels relative to the at least one of the first and second base panels. 26. The system of claim 20, wherein the first and second hinge mechanisms are configured to return the panels to a neutral position when respective ones of the first and second doors are pivoted toward a closed position. 27. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first and second hinge mechanisms is further configured to allow respective one of the first and second base panels to move away from respective one of the first and second vehicle door while remaining attached thereto.
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