Airflow baffle for commercial truck fuel efficiency improvements

摘要

An aerodynamic drag reduction device for use on an over-the-road cargo vehicle. The vehicle has a prismatically shaped cargo area, which includes a rear face of the cargo area substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel. The device comprises a plurality of resilient prongs arranged along a rear edge of the vehicle body, extending from a respective fixed end secured to the vehicle body rearward in a flow-wise direction beyond the rear edge of the vehicle body to a respective free end. Each prong is separated from an adjacent prong in the plurality, and each is flexible to permit deflection, under the influence of airflow over the vehicle at a predetermined speed, above and below a first plane defined by the surface of the vehicle to which the plurality of prongs is secured. Each prong is further resistant to deflecting in a direction parallel to the first plane.

主权项

1. An aerodynamic drag reduction device, the device comprising a plurality of prongs arranged along a rear edge of a cargo vehicle body, the plurality of prongs being resilient, the plurality of prongs extending from a fixed end secured to the cargo vehicle body rearward in a flow-wise direction beyond the rear edge of the cargo vehicle body to a free end, the plurality of prongs being disposed apart from each other, thereby enabling, under an influence of airflow over the cargo vehicle body at a predetermined speed, deflection of the free end above and below a first plane defined by a surface of the cargo vehicle body to which the plurality of prongs is secured, the plurality of prongs being resistant to deflection in a direction parallel to the first plane.