IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0151214
(2016-05-10)
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등록번호 |
US-10059384
(2018-08-28)
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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 :
0 인용 특허 :
50 |
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, wherein the plurality of panels are foldably coupled to allow the plurality of p
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, wherein the plurality of panels are foldably coupled to allow the plurality of panels to be provided in a folded configuration in which at least some of the plurality of panels are against each other and in a deployed configuration in which the plurality of 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; anda pair of base panels, wherein the pair of top panels and the first and second side panels are pivotally coupled to the base panels; anda plurality of hinge mechanisms attached to the base panels for coupling the base panels to first and second doors of a land vehicle, wherein each of the hinge mechanisms of the plurality of hinge mechanisms comprises a double-hinge mechanism which includes two pivotal connections configured to pivot in opposite directions. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retention mechanism configured to limit movement of one or more of the panels. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the retention mechanism comprises one or more cords, over-the-center brace members, or combinations thereof. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pair of top panels and the first and second side panels are foldably coupled to the pair of base panels around a perimeter of the cavity, and wherein each of the bottom panels is foldably coupled to a respective one of the pair of base panels at an intermediate vertical location of the respective base panel. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pivotal connections of the double-hinge mechanism are configured to pivot up to 180 degrees. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the top panels is longer than and overlaps the other top panel, and one of the bottom panels is longer than and overlaps the other bottom panel. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top panels are magnetically coupled to one another and the bottom panels are magnetically coupled to one another. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of panels are configured to automatically transition to the deployed configuration when the land vehicle moves at a threshold velocity. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of panels are configured to automatically transition to the folded configuration when the land vehicle moves below a threshold velocity. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of panels comprise a rigid material, wherein the rigid material is configured to prevent the plurality of panels from sagging in the deployed configuration. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the panels are folded according a folding configuration in which the top panels are folded on top of the side panels in the folded configuration. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanisms facilitate lateral movement of the base panels during opening and closing of a door of the land vehicle. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanisms are biased so that the hinge mechanisms automatically return to a neutral position when the doors are pivoted back to about 90 degrees. 14. 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, wherein the plurality of panels are foldably coupled to allow the plurality of panels to be provided in a folded configuration in which at least some of the plurality of panels are against each other and in a deployed configuration in which the plurality of 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, and wherein the top panels are magnetically coupled to one another and the bottom panels are magnetically coupled to one another; anda pair of base panels, wherein the pair of top panels and the first and second side panels are pivotally coupled to the base panels; anda plurality of hinge mechanisms attached to the base panels for coupling the base panels to first and second doors of a land vehicle. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a retention mechanism configured to limit movement of one or more of the panels. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the retention mechanism comprises one or more cords, over-the-center brace members, or combinations thereof. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pair of top panels and the first and second side panels are foldably coupled to the pair of base panels around a perimeter of the cavity, and wherein each of the bottom panels is foldably coupled to a respective one of the pair of base panels at an intermediate vertical location of the respective base panel. 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each hinge mechanism of the plurality of hinge mechanisms comprises a double-hinge mechanism which includes two pivotal connections configured to pivot in opposite directions. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pivotal connections of the double-hinge mechanism are configured to pivot up to 180 degrees. 20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of the top panels is longer than and overlaps the other top panel, and one of the bottom panels is longer than and overlaps the other bottom panel. 21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of panels are configured to automatically transition to the deployed configuration when the land vehicle moves at a threshold velocity. 22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of panels are configured to automatically transition to the folded configuration when the land vehicle moves below a threshold velocity. 23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of panels comprise a rigid material, wherein the rigid material is configured to prevent the plurality of panels from sagging in the deployed configuration. 24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the panels are folded according a folding configuration in which the top panels are folded on top of the side panels in the folded configuration. 25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the hinge mechanisms facilitate lateral movement of the base panels during opening and closing of a door of the land vehicle. 26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the hinge mechanisms are biased so that the hinge mechanisms automatically return to a neutral position when the doors are pivoted back to about 90 degrees. 27. An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of peripheral panels including a plurality of top panels, a plurality of bottom panels, and first and second side panels, wherein the plurality of peripheral panels are pivotally coupled such that they can be provided in a folded configuration in which at least some of the plurality of peripheral panels are against each other and in a deployed configuration in which the plurality of peripheral panels define a cavity therebetween, andwherein the plurality of bottom panels include at least one bottom panel and a pair of bottom transition panels coupled to respective ones of the first and second side panels at a location spaced vertically upward from a lower end of the respective side panel, wherein the at least one bottom panel is configured to pivot downward when the apparatus transitions from the deployed configuration to the folded configuration; andat least one attachment mechanism disposed along an edge of at least one of the top, bottom, and side panels which may be configured to foldably couple the edge of the at least one of the top, bottom, and side panels to a surface of a land vehicle. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the plurality of top panels includes first and second top panels and first and second top transition panels, and the plurality of bottom panels includes first and second bottom panels and first and second bottom transition panels, and wherein the first and second top panels are configured to transition from the folded configuration to the deployed configuration together and the first and second bottom panels are configured to transition from the folded configuration to the deployed configuration together. 29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising one or more base panels, wherein the peripheral panels are pivotally coupled to the base panels, and wherein the one or more base panels are configured to be attached to respective one or more surfaces of a land vehicle. 30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism comprises a plurality of hinge mechanisms attached to the base panels for coupling the base panels to the respective one or more surfaces of the land vehicle. 31. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a retention mechanism configured to limit movement of one or more of the panels. 32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein each hinge mechanism of the plurality of hinge mechanisms comprises a double-hinge mechanism which includes two pivotal connections configured to pivot in opposite directions. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the pivotal connections of the double-hinge mechanism are configured to pivot up to 180 degrees. 34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein one of the top panels is longer than and overlaps the other top panel, and one of the bottom panels is longer than and overlaps the other bottom panel. 35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the top panels are magnetically coupled to one another and the bottom panels are magnetically coupled to one another. 36. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the plurality of peripheral panels are configured to automatically transition to the deployed configuration when the land vehicle moves at a threshold velocity. 37. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the plurality of peripheral panels are configured to automatically transition to the folded configuration when the land vehicle moves below a threshold velocity. 38. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the plurality of peripheral panels comprise a rigid material, wherein the rigid material is configured to prevent the plurality of panels from sagging in the deployed configuration. 39. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the retention mechanism comprises one or more cords, over-the-center brace members, or combinations thereof. 40. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the peripheral panels are folded according a folding configuration in which the top panels are folded on top of the side panels in the folded configuration. 41. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the hinge mechanisms are configured to facilitate lateral movement of the base panels during opening and closing of a door of the land vehicle. 42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the hinge mechanisms are biased so that the hinge mechanisms automatically return to a neutral position when the door is pivoted back to about 90 degrees. 43. An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of peripheral panels including a plurality of top panels, a plurality of bottom panels, and first and second side panels, wherein the plurality of peripheral panels are pivotally coupled such that they can be provided in a folded configuration in which at least some of the plurality of peripheral panels are against each other and in a deployed configuration in which the plurality of peripheral panels define a cavity therebetween, andwherein the plurality of bottom panels include at least one bottom panel and a pair of bottom transition panels coupled to respective ones of the first and second side panels at a location spaced vertically upward from a lower end of the respective side panel, wherein the peripheral panels are folded according a folding configuration in which the top panels are folded on top of the side panels in the folded configuration; andat least one attachment mechanism disposed along an edge of at least one of the top, bottom, and side panels which may be configured to foldably couple the edge of the at least one of the top, bottom, and side panels to a surface of a land vehicle. 44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the plurality of peripheral panels are configured to automatically transition to the deployed configuration when the land vehicle moves at a threshold velocity. 45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the plurality of peripheral panels are configured to automatically transition to the folded configuration when the land vehicle moves below a threshold velocity. 46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the plurality of top panels includes first and second top panels and first and second top transition panels, and the plurality of bottom panels includes first and second bottom panels and first and second bottom transition panels, and wherein the first and second top panels are configured to transition from the folded configuration to the deployed configuration together and the first and second bottom panels are configured to transition from the folded configuration to the deployed configuration together. 47. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one bottom panel is configured to pivot downward when the apparatus transitions from the deployed configuration to the folded configuration.
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