Pneumatically actuated air control devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9714057-B2
Application number	US-201514707816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2015
Priority date	May 8, 2015
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A pneumatically actuated air control device is provided. The device includes a control surface that affects the air flow along the device, and an at least one pneumatic motor configured to alter or change the configuration or orientation of the control surface or sections thereof. The device is configured such that when selective air pressure is supplied to the at least one motor, the control surface or sections thereof changes its configuration or its orientation with respect to the air flow, thereby affecting the air flow with respect to the device.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An aerodynamic control device, comprising:
a body defining a control surface;
a plurality of pneumatic motors coupled to the body, each pneumatic motor comprising a sealed chamber and at least one port configured to provide access into/out of the sealed chamber, wherein the pneumatic motors are positioned with respect to the control surface such that pressurizing one or more of the plurality of sealed chambers via the respective ports results in a change in configuration of at least a portion of the control surface;
a source of pressurized gas connected in fluid communication with the port of each pneumatic motor;
a controller, at least one valve configured to selectively permit pressurized gas to be delivered to the port of each pneumatic motor, and at least one sensor, wherein the controller is configured to control the at least one valve based on the output of the at least one sensor;
wherein the controller and the at least one valve are configured to sequentially supply pressurized air to the chambers of the plurality of pneumatic motors.

2. The aerodynamic control device of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to return the control surface into an unchanged state upon de-pressurizing the sealed chambers.

3. The aerodynamic control device of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing means configured to return the control surface into an unchanged state upon de-pressurizing the sealed chambers.

4. The aerodynamic control device of claim 1 , wherein the controller and the at least one valve are configured to supply pressurized air to the chamber of one pneumatic motor of the plurality of pneumatic motors independently of supplying pressurized air to the others of the plurality of pneumatic motors.

5. The aerodynamic control device of claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic device is a vehicle side deflector.

6. A method for changing the configuration of a control surface, comprising:
providing an aerodynamic device including a body that defines a control surface, a plurality of pneumatic motors coupled to the body, the plurality of pneumatic motors comprising a sealed chamber and at least one port configured to provide access into/out of the sealed chamber;
sensing an aerodynamic condition;
changing the configuration of the control surface based on the sensed aerodynamic condition via a supply of pressurized gas to the sealed chamber of the at least one pneumatic motor,
wherein said changing the configuration of the control surface includes selectively supplying pressurized air sequentially to at least two pneumatic motors of the plurality of pneumatic motors.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the aerodynamic condition includes a cross wind condition or a trailer gap distance.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of pneumatic motors includes more than two pneumatic motors.

Assignees

• Smith Jeffrey P
• Bezner Bruce
• Paccar Inc

Inventors

• Smith Jeffrey P
• Bezner Bruce

Classifications

• B62D35/001 Primary

  For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans · CPC title

• B62D35/008

  Side spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T10/82

  Elements for improving aerodynamics · CPC title