 |
Description  |
|
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the bodies of pickup trucks and more particularly
to streamline shapes therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pickup trucks are common vehicles today. Not only are they used in small
commercial firms and establishments and in agriculture, buth they have a
certain appeal to sportsmen.
In general, a pickup truck has a cab with a straight back. There is a
pickup bed having a front gate, side walls and a tail gate. The
aerodynamics of a pickup truck are very poor. Therefore, particularly at
higher speeds, they obtain very poor gas milage because of its poor
aerodynamic qualities.
On large trucks, certain efforts have been made to provide deflectors
between the cab and trailers of semitrucks. Other workers in the field
have provided wind deflectors on dump trucks to prevent blowing sand from
the truck. Woodward, U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,222.
Efforts have been made to reduce the drag at the rear of automobiles.
Typical examples of these efforts are WOLVERTON, U.S. Pat. No. 1,923,349,
STALKER, U.S. Pat. No. 2,037,942, and JOUSSERANDOT, U.S. Pat. No.
3,029,862.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
1. New and Different Function
I have solved the problem of the drag of an empty pickup resulting from the
straight back of the cab and the front gate of the bed by providing an air
slot or hole in the front of the floor of the pickup. This slot permits
air to flow from underneath the pickup into this area behind the cab and
bed, thus breaking or spoiling the vacuum. This improves the aerodymamics
of the empty pickup. The end result is twofold: first, it decrease fuel
consumption and, second, it decreases the lift. A standard empty pickup
tends to have a lift on the bed which reduces the weight on the rear tires
and in turn reduces traction. Installation of this slot reduces the lift
and, therefore, puts the full weight on the rear tires. The slot also
reduces noise.
Therefore, it may be seen that great results are obtained. The results of
the total combination is far greater than the sum of the functions of each
of the individual parts.
2. Objects of the Invention
An object of this invention is to improve the aerodynamics of an empty
pickup.
Other objects are to improve fuel comsumption and rear wheel traction.
Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy,
compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, and
reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, adjust, and
maintain, and no moving parts.
Even further objects are to achieve the above with a method that is
versatile, rapid, efficient, and inexpensive, and does not require skilled
people to install, adjust, operate, and maintain.
The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and
advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and
from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not to the
same scale.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a pickup of the PRIOR ART with arrows
showing air flow.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a pickup with the front of the bed in section
showing an embodiment of my invention thereon with arrows showing air
flow.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a pickup with my invention thereon.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawing, there may be seen a typical pickup. Such pickup
has cab 10. The cab will have straight back 12. By "straight back" I mean
that it is basically a planer surface and basically vertical.
Also, the pickup will have front wheels 14 and rear wheels 16. The pickup
will have bed 18. The bed will include floor 20, front gate 22, tail gate
24 and side walls 26. The bed 18, obviously, forms a box-like structure.
The bed is adjacent to the straight back of the cab. Although occasionally
there is some clearance between the back of the cab 12 and the front gate
22, this is not always the case.
Those skilled in the art will understand that what has been described to
this point and shown in FIG. 1 is conventional, old and commercially on
the market. The arrows of the PRIOR ART pickup show the turbulence or
vacuum behind the cab and front gate.
I have improved the aerodynamics of a pickup by cutting slot 30 through the
front of the bed floor 20 from side to side. The slot provides a vent,
opening or a hole through the pickup floor so that air from beneath the
pickup can flow upward through the hole to spoil the vacuum or to provide
a smooth air flow at the back of the pickup cab and behind the front gate
of the bed. I have had good success in placing this slot in the front
one-fourth of the length of the floor 20. Also, I have had good success
having the slot extend at least three-fourths the distance from side wall
to side wall.
To prevent material in the pickup bed from falling through the slot 30, it
is desirable to place a screen in the slot. This has been represented in
FIG. 3, showing screen 32 in the slot 30. The screen is conveniently
attached to flange 34 extending along the edges of the slot. A plate may
be provided to use over the slot in the event granular material such as
grain is to be carried in the pickup.
The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. I do not claim
to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various
modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and
operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of
the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and
defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing
of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of
this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to make and use the
invention.
SUBJECT MATTER CLAIMED FOR PROTECTION
* * * * *
|
|
 |
|
 |
Description |
|
