BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a typical vehicle with the instant invention low cost braking aerostabilizer installed. In this example the aerostabilizer is in its more horizontal non-braking orientation.
FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the same vehicle but with the braking aerostabilizer in its more vertical braking orientation.
FIG. 3 shows the aerostabilizer assembly only in its more horizontal non-braking orientation.
FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the aerostabilizer assembly only in its more vertical braking orientation.
FIG. 5 is a cross-section, as taken through plane 5-5 of FIG. 3, that shows the aerostabilizer in its horizontal non-braking orientation. FIG. 5 also shows a preferred embodiment means to power movement of the aerostabilizer. In this case vacuum from the vehicle's engine would be supplied to one side of a pneumatic cylinder to accomplish movement of the cylinder's piston. The condition where vacuum has been applied is shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 6 presents a cross-section, as taken through plane 6-6 of FIG. 4, showing the aerostabilizer in its more vertical braking orientation. A vacuum that has been applied to the upper portion of the pneumatic cylinder here has resulted movement of the aerostabilizer to its braking orientation. Means than a cylinder, including a rectangular shape, or other are considered within the spirit and scope of the invention.
FIG. 7 shows and optional accumulator tank that would be used to accumulate vacuum pressure between the vehicle's engine and the braking aerostabilizer. The purpose of the accumulator tank is to speed up movement of the aerostabilizer.
FIG. 8 is a cross-section, as taken through plane 8-8 of FIG. 3, illustrates another embodiment where gas pressure for movement of a pneumatic cylinder is provided by the vehicle's spare tire.
FIG. 9 gives a cross-section, as taken though plane 9-9 of FIG. 4, that shows the aerostabilizer in its more vertical braking orientation. In this case, power for movement is provided by pressurized gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder through the braking valve.
FIG. 10 shows an addition of an optional air pressure pump to maintain pressure in the spare tire that was presented in FIG. 8. The air pressure pump would normally have a pressure regulator associated with it.
FIG. 11 shows another way of supplying gas pressure which in this case is an accumulator tank rather than the spare tire. Note that use of the spare tire is preferred since that approach avoids the cost of and space required by the accumulator tank.
FIG. 12 presents the addition of gas pumping means which preferably includes both gas pump and pressure regulator means to supply pressurized gas to the accumulator tank. Note that the same system can be applied for use with the vacuum system of FIGS. 5 and 6 but in that case the gas pumping means is a vacuum pump system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 presents a typical vehicle 35 with the instant invention low cost braking aerostabilizer 30 installed. In this example the aerostabilizer 30 is in its more horizontal non-braking position. Items shown in this preferred embodiment of the invention include: vehicle brake lights 34, aerostabilizer support stanchions 32, aerostabilizer end caps 31, and aerostabilizer brake lights 33. Note that more current cosmetic design thinking is to avoid the stanchions 32 and have the pneumatic cylinder internal to the aerostabilizer 30 itself or internal to a part of the vehicle 35 such as the vehicle's trunk.
FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the same vehicle 35 but with the braking aerostabilizer 30 in its more vertical braking orientation.
FIG. 3 shows the aerostabilizer 30 independent of a vehicle. It is in its more horizontal non-braking orientation here. The rotational axis 54 of the aerostabilizer 30, air flow arrows 37, and a brace 36 connecting the two support stanchions 32 are also shown.
FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the aerostabilizer 30 in its more vertical braking orientation.
FIG. 5 is a cross-section, as taken through plane 5-5 of FIG. 3, that shows the aerostabilizer 30 in its horizontal non-braking orientation. FIG. 5 also shows a preferred embodiment means of powering movement of the aerostabilizer 30. In this embodiment the vehicle's engine 40 provides a vacuum, by way of connector means such as a Tee 45 and vacuum tubing 44, to one side of a pneumatic cylinder 49. The vacuum is supplied when a valve 39 is actuated when the vehicle's braking system is actuated with energy from the braking system passing through connector 38. Location of a typical pneumatic cylinder piston and rod 50 shows that the vacuum would be applied to the upper portion of the pneumatic cylinder 49 to accomplish movement of the aerostabilizer 30 in this instance. The pneumatic cylinder's piston and rod 50 and a pivoting means such as a pivot pin 52 are also shown. The aerostabilizer's axis of rotation, noted in FIGS. 3 and 4, would preferably pass through the pivot pin 52. A means to adjust the end stop of the aerostabilizer 30, such as set screw 55 shown here, may be incorporated to set the angle of attack of the aerostabilizer 30 when it is in its non-braking orientation.
FIG. 6 presents a cross-section, as taken through plane 6-6 of FIG. 4, showing the aerostabilizer 30 in its more vertical braking orientation. A vacuum is applied to the upper portion of the pneumatic cylinder 49 here which results in the aerostabilizer 30 moving to its more vertical braking orientation.
FIG. 7 shows an optional accumulator tank 41 that could be inserted between the engine and the brake valve to accumulate vacuum pressure between the vehicle's engine and the braking aerostabilizer. The purpose of this optional accumulator tank 41 is to decrease the response time for movement of the aerostabilizer.
FIG. 8 is a cross-section, as taken through plane 8-8 of FIG. 3, illustrates another embodiment where pressure for movement of a pneumatic cylinder 49 is provided by the vehicle's spare tire 42 by way of spare tire valve stem 53 It is important to note that virtually all components for the vacuum powered system of FIG. 5 and this pressurized system of FIG. 8 are the same except for the addition of the pressure regulator 43 here. The pressure regulator 43 drops the tire pressure to only about one pound per square inch (psi) which is sufficient to power the pneumatic cylinder 49. In such manner, the spare tire 42 is generally capable of supplying about 3,000 operations of the pneumatic cylinder 49 before it is depleted of its air supply.
Both the vacuum system presented in FIG. 5 and the pressurized air system presented in FIG. 8 are simple and low in cost and use, except for the addition of a few dollar cost pressure regulator 43 in the FIG. 8 pressurized system and the less than one dollar cost connector of FIG. 5, the same components. This is a very important concept of the instant invention where low cost is a major driving factor. A customer may employ either the vacuum or the pressurized system dependent upon which is simplest and easiest to install. In the case of the pressurized system given in FIG. 5, the user would have to repressurize the spare tire every few weeks unless a low cost air pressurization pump is added as is shown in FIG. 12.
FIG. 9 presents a cross-section, as taken though plane 9-9 of FIG. 4, that shows the aerostabilizer 30 presented in FIG. 8 in its more vertical braking orientation. In this case, power for movement is provided by gas pressure supplied to a lower port of the pneumatic cylinder 49 resulting in upward movement of the pneumatic cylinder 49.
FIG. 10 shows the addition of an optional gas pressurizing pump 46, that normally would include a pressure regulator. Such a pump would be used to set and maintain the proper pressure in the spare tire 42 that was presented in FIG. 8. A power line 48 for supplying energy to the gas pressurizing pump 46 is also shown.
FIG. 11 shows another way of supplying gas pressure which in this case is an accumulator tank 41 rather than a spare tire.
FIG. 12 presents the addition of gas energizing means, such as the gas pressurizing pump 46 that supplies pressurized gas to the accumulator tank 41. Note that the same basic concept can be applied for use with the vacuum system of FIG. 5 but in that case the gas pumping means is a vacuum pump.
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred and several alternative embodiments, it will be understood that there is no intention to thereby limit the invention. On the contrary, there is intended to be covered all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, which are the sole definition of the invention.
Patent Application
20080061596
