Undercarriage airstream deflector assembly for truck trailers and the like

摘要

Airstream deflector assembly (D) on the underside (16) of a large vehicle such as a semi-trailer (T) or the like, to reduce drag, improve fuel economy, and reduce turbulence of rain or snow on a roadway (R) traveled by the vehicle, such assembly comprising a main panel (30) which is essentially flat and situated well forward of the following tires (14) of the vehicle and deflecting the airstream downwardly primarily below the following axle (15) and centers of such following tires (14), such main deflection panel (D) having mounted thereon four lateral airstream deflectors, two (80) outboardly and two (90) inboardly of the panel (30) which serve to concentrate the deflected airstream laterally toward the following tires (14) of the vehicle and away from the "tunnel" between the tires (14). Both the main deflection panel (30) and lateral deflectors (80, 90) are preferably angularly adjustable, either manually or remotely, with the preferred angularity of the main panel being with it lying in a plane which intersects the following tires (14) slightly below their axis of rotation, e.g. at an angle of 10 DEG -15 DEG , and with the preferred angularity of the lateral deflectors (80, 90) being with them lying in planes substantially intersecting the inner faces of the following tires of the vehicle, e.g. at angles of 4 DEG -15 DEG relative to the direction of movement of the vehicle.