Abstract:
The present invention relates to a fairing for a trailer having a wheel assembly adapted to be movably attached to the trailer. The fairing is positioned to cover a frontal area of the wheel assembly. More specifically, the fairing includes a shell and an anchoring mechanism. The shell is designed to cover the frontal part of the wheel assembly. The anchoring mechanism allows attaching the shell to the wheel assembly so that the shell is adapted to freely follow a movement of the wheel assembly upon repositioning of the wheel assembly relative to the trailer.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of trailers. More specifically, the invention relates to a fairing for a trailer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, many changes have been noticed in the way goods are transported. Railway transportation has been decreasing and road transportation is on the increase. As road transportation is increasing, high levels of carbon emission have been registered. The high level of carbon emission is becoming a growing concern, as it is known to contribute to the green house effect subjected to the planet. This growing concern has encouraged many people to find ways to reduce their vehicle&#39;s fuel consumption. Furthermore, as people and businesses are always trying to reduce cost, the drive to reduce fuel consumption is all the more increasing. The concern of fuel consumption is even greater when motorized vehicles are pulling trailers as many trailers lack in aerodynamic design. 
     Many have in the past thought of ways to increase the aerodynamics of trailers particularly for semi-trailers. The following solutions increase the aerodynamics of semi-trailers, such as found in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,617, titled: “Longitudinally and Vertically Adjustable Trailer Underbody Fairing” and the U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,720, titled: “Adjustable Trailer Underbody Fairing”. Both solutions consist of side panel fairings that are placed on the underbody of a dual axle trailer closing off laterally the large gap between the trailer wheels of each axle. By placing such a fairing on the underbody of a dual axle trailer, the amount of air that would normally catch in the wheels and other extruding surfaces under the trailer is reduced, thus increasing the aerodynamics of the trailer and reducing the fuel consumption of the pulling vehicle. Although these previous inventions do serve the purpose of reducing fuel consumption, they do have downfalls. 
     The downfalls include reduction of clearance of the trailer between the axles. Firstly, in both previously stated solutions, the fairing is mounted, under the trailer, on the full length between the trailer wheels of each axle. When maneuvering over a ramp and on uneven terrain, the fairing must be either lifted up or removed, as the terrain might interfere with the fairing. To avoid damage, the driver must in this case stop his vehicle and step out of his vehicle to either lift or remove the fairing. This procedure can be arduous and quite cumbersome. 
     Secondly as the fairing is mounted, under the trailer, on the full length between the trailer wheels of each axle, the access to the underbody is difficult. The accessibility to the underbody of the trailer is important as regular verification and maintenance of the underbody is necessary for safety reasons and the proper upkeep of the trailer. Furthermore, the accessibility is also necessary to allow the deployment of a trailer-jack. 
     Hence, a solution that reduces fuel consumption of vehicles that pull trailers while giving clearance between the axles of the trailer, and allowing access to the underbody of the trailer would be advantageous. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a fairing for a trailer. More precisely, the fairing is adapted for anchoring to an underside of the trailer in front of a wheel assembly. The fairing, when installed, helps to counteract effects of the environment on the trailer while in motion. 
     The fairing includes a shell and an anchoring mechanism. The shell is designed to cover a frontal part of the wheel assembly. The anchoring mechanism allows attaching the shell to the wheel assembly. 
     In accordance with some aspects of the invention, the fairing may increase the aerodynamics of the trailer. Furthermore, the fairing may protect components included in the wheel assembly. Additionally, the fairing might prevent side splashes from the wheel assembly to hit overtaking vehicles or bystanders. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tractor pulling two trailers to which a fairing is installed on the underside, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is an underside view of one of the trailers in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2   b  is a wheel assembly of the trailer in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2   c  is a wheel of the wheel assembly in  FIG. 2   b;    
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the fairing installed on a trailer; 
         FIG. 4  is back perspective view of the fairing of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the fairing of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the fairing of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a back perspective view of the detail of a fender installed on a fairing, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the fairing in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the installation of an anchoring mechanism for attaching a fairing to the underside of a trailer in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the installation of an anchoring mechanism for attaching a fairing to the underside of a trailer in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the installation of an anchoring mechanism for attaching a fairing on a wheel assembly frame in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present solution relates to a fairing for a trailer. More precisely, the fairing is installed to an underside of the trailer, spanning across a front of a trailer&#39;s wheel assembly. As the fairing is placed in front of the trailer&#39;s wheel assembly, the fairing can protect not only the wheel assembly but can also protect, the brake boosters from the environment. Furthermore, the shape of the fairing can also reduce side splashes, thus possibly increasing the security level for surrounding vehicles. And last but not least, the fairing is shaped to divert an airflow engulfed under the trailer thus possibly improving aerodynamics of the trailer. Contrary to its prior art, as the fairing covers only a limited portion of an underside of the trailer, the present solution can allow greater access for maintenance, to the underside of the trailer. Additionally, when maneuvering the trailer over difficult terrain the fairing might not require to be removed. 
     Presented in  FIG. 1  is a powered vehicle  4  depicted as pulling two trailers  6 . Those skilled in the art will recognize the combination of the powered vehicle  4 , such as a tractor, pulling a single or multiple trailers  6  as being a semi-trailer  2 . However, it is important to specify that throughout the present description, the word “trailer”  6  is used to incorporate any non-powered vehicle that is pulled by the powered vehicle  4 . All categories of trailers are being considered, ranging from freight trailers and utility trailers that are used to transport cargo, goods and materials, to travel trailers that are meant to house people while camping. Furthermore, just as a train can be made of wagons that are pulled by a locomotive, multiple trailers can be hitched to one another and pulled by the powered vehicle  4 . 
     Conventionally, as the trailer  6  is being pulled, the airflow engulfs in an underside  8  of the trailer  6 . Consequently, due to the presence of a wheel assembly  12 , the airflow engulfed in the underside  8  of the trailer  6  cannot move freely and might limit the forward movement of the trailer  6 . Just as the airflow engulfs in the underside  8  of the trailer  6 , elements of the environment such as dirt, rain, snow, ice, etc. might also accumulate in the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . The accumulation of such elements of the environment might affect break boosters  14 , if included in the wheel-assembly  12  as presented in  FIG. 2   a.    
     To clarify the terminology used in the present description, as presented in  FIG. 2   a , the wheel assembly  12  supports the trailer  6 . More in detail, as found in  FIG. 2   b , the wheel assembly  12  is a structure composed of a frame  16  and a suspension  18  to which is attached a wheel axle  22  with wheels  24 . Furthermore, as considered in the present description, the wheel  24  is an assembly composed of a rim  26  and a tire  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2   c.    
     As depicted in  FIG. 1  and more accurately in  FIG. 3 , a fairing  10  is placed in front of the wheel assembly  12  on the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . It is important to add that the fairing  10  can be placed at any distance from the wheel assembly  12 . The fairing  10  is meant to counteract the effects that the environment has on the trailer  6  or others. The fairing  10  might counteract the effects of the environment in many ways or combination of ways. The following are possible examples of how the fairing  10  could counteract the effects of the environment: First, the fairing  10  can be designed to facilitate the forward movement of the trailer  6 . By placing the fairing  10  in front of the wheel assembly  12 , the airflow engulfed in the underside  8  of the trailer  6  can be diverted towards the sides of the trailer  6 . Secondly, the fairing  10  might serve as a shield, protecting the components of the wheel assembly  12  from the environment. Thirdly, the fairing  10  might prevent side splashes from the wheels  24  to hit nearby overtaking vehicles or any possible bystander. It is to be noted that the fairing  10  can counteract the effects of the environment also in other ways or combination of ways that are not mentioned in the examples above. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the invention, presented in  FIG. 4 , an inside view of the fairing  10  is shown. The fairing  10  is composed of an outer shell  32 , two side extensions  34  and a chassis  36 . To facilitate the comprehension of how the fairing  10  might function, the components of the fairing will be described. First, the shape of the shell  32 , as presented concurrently in  FIG. 3 , can be designed to influence the diversion path of the airflow or can act as a shield to the wheel assembly  12 , consequently protecting it. Second, the side extensions  34  connected to the shell  32 , could cover the outer sides of the wheels  24 , as presented in  FIG. 3 . Similarly to the shell  32 , the side extensions  34  can guide the airflow along the side of the trailer  6  and prevent splashes from the wheels  24  to hit overtaking vehicles or bystanders. Thirdly, as the shell  32  and the side extensions  34  might be exposed to strong winds and other environmental elements, the shell  32  and side extensions  34  can require additional strengthening. In this embodiment, the chassis  36  provides the additional strengthening. Furthermore, the chassis  36  could also serve as an attachment mean of the fairing  10  to the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . 
     The fairing  10  should not be limited to a literal interpretation of the components described above. The fairing  10  might be composed of a combination of elements or simply of a single element that might or might not be stated in the aspect of the invention. Accordingly, in the case where the fairing  10  is composed of a combination of elements, the fairing  10  might be composed of a subset of the elements stated in this description. Alternatively, the fairing  10  might be composed of a combination of a subset of the elements described in this embodiment with additional elements. Furthermore, the fairing  10  can be composed of a totally different combination of elements then stated in this aspect of the invention. 
     In this embodiment, when viewed from the outer side, as presented in  FIG. 5 , a side view of the fairing  10  and  FIG. 6 , a frontal view of the fairing  10 , the fairing  10  displays the shell  32  and side extensions  34 . The shell  32  is placed in the frontal part of the fairing  10  as to cover a frontal area of the wheel assembly  12  when the fairing  10  is anchored in place. Accordingly, as presented concurrently in  FIG. 3 , when the fairing  10  is put into place on the underside  8  of the trailer  6 , the shell  32  is positioned in front of the wheel assembly  12  and shaped to divert the airflow and other environmental effects away from the wheel assembly  12  towards the side of the trailer  6 . In this embodiment, as the shape of a top portion of a boat bow, the shell  32  has a bottom portion  42  that is set back from a top portion  44 . As a result with such a design, the airflow and environmental effects are diverted towards the sides of the trailer  6 . 
     It is to be noticed that the shell  32  might be designed to extend transversely in a single piece or in multiple pieces, along a width of the wheel assembly  12 . Consequently, when put in place on the underside  8  of the trailer  6 , the shell  32 , in a single piece or in multiple pieces, can partially or entirely cover a frontal area of the wheel assembly  12 . Furthermore, this invention does not limit the fairing  10  to resemble the top portion of a boat bow, as it can have many other suitable shapes. In addition to the possible multiple suitable shapes, the shell  32  may be fabricated with various materials, such as fiberglass, metal, metalloid, etc. . . . . However, in an aspect of the present invention, the shell  32  is built in fiberglass and the fairing  10  is composed of light, but durable materials only, so as to add very little weight to the trailer  6 . 
     Presented in  FIG. 3 , in accordance with an aspect of the invention, the side extensions  34  are connected to the outer ends of the shell  32 , partially covering the wheels  24  on each side of the trailer  6 , when the fairing  10  is put into place. In this embodiment, the side extension  34  is strengthened by the addition of longitudinal ribs  46 . Additionally to serving the purpose of guiding the airflow along the side of the trailer  6 , the side extensions  34  can also restrict side splashes generated from the wheels  24  when driving through wet or snowy conditions. 
     It is to be noticed that the side extensions  34  are optional to the invention. However, if side extensions  34  are desired, they can cover partially or entirely the single wheel  24  or multiple wheels  24  of the wheel assembly  12 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the side extensions  34  can be directly attached to the shell  32 , or be a separate piece. Furthermore, the side extensions can be a single or a combination of pieces without necessarily having the same shape as shown in  FIG. 5 . Additionally, the longitudinal ribs  46  on the side extensions  34  as found in this embodiment can be optional or shaped differently. Alternatively or additionally, the side extensions  34  might be strengthened through a chassis or other means of attachment to the vehicle. 
     In this embodiment, to avoid the accumulation of liquids or solids, such as water or snow collected from the wheels and dropped into the shell  32 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , fenders  62  are added to the shell  32 . The fenders  62  are placed in an inner side at both ends of the shell  32 , perpendicularly to the side extensions  34 . Consequently, the fenders  62  are positioned to partially cover a thread surface of the wheels  20 , when the fairing is placed into position in front of the wheel assembly  12 . Furthermore, the fenders  62  are equipped with transversal cascading ripples  64  at their upper portion and water channeling embossment  66  angled downwardly towards the center of the fenders  62  at their lower portion. 
     It is to be noticed that the fenders  62  are optional. There may simply be no means of avoiding the accumulation of liquids or solids in the fairing  10 . Alternatively, other means of avoiding the accumulation of liquids or solids in the shell might be used. For example, the shell might have a small or large opening in the bottom preventing liquids or solids to accumulate. However if present, the fenders  62  might be shaped differently. The fender could cover entirely or partially, the full width of the fairing  10  rather than only the surface of the wheels. Furthermore if present, the fenders  62  can be attached differently, for example, they could be attached to the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . It is to be noted that the ripples and embossments allowing water channeling on the fenders  62  are also optional and can have different shapes. 
     As the fairing  10  is placed right in front of the wheel assembly  12 , for maintenance purposes, the access to the components of the wheel assembly  12  can be difficult. In this embodiment, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 8 , the shell  32 , in its top portion  44 , may be further equipped with an access door  72  giving access to the components of the wheel assembly  12 . 
     Notice that the maintenance door  72  is optional. The fairing  10  might simply not have any means of accessing the wheel assembly  12 . Furthermore, the presence of the door  72  in the fairing can be for any other reason then for the maintenance of the wheel assembly  12 . For example, it might be present to access other parts of the underside  8  of the trailer  6  or to access the inside of the fairing  10 . Alternatively, if present, the maintenance door  72  might be shaped or placed differently at single or multiple locations. 
     Furthermore, again illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the shell  32  also has a top edge  74  matching the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the top edge  74  of the shell  32  allows anchoring the fairing  10  into place on the underside  8  of the trailer  6  thanks to an anchoring mechanism  82 . The anchoring mechanism  82  can consist of a bolt and nut system or of any other means of attaching the top edge  74  of the shell  32  to the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . 
     Notice that the shape of the top edge  74  might be optional or different. The top edge  74 , if present might not necessarily match the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . For example, the fairing  10  might be shaped in such a way as to cover only the bottom portion of the wheel assembly and might not require matching the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . Furthermore, the top edge  74 , if present, might not be used to anchor the fairing  10  to the trailer  6 . As there are numerous ways that can be thought for anchoring the fairing  10  to the underside  8  or other parts of the trailer  6 , the following are to be considered as possibilities but must not be limited to the following alternatives. 
     One alternative is to use the chassis  36  as an attachment means to the underside  8  of the trailer  6 . As presented in  FIG. 10 , an anchoring mechanism  92  consists of connecting the chassis  36  to the underside  8  of the trailer  6  with connecting rods or any other means of connection. 
     Another alternative way of connecting the fairing  10  to the underside  8  of the trailer  6 , as presented in  FIG. 11 , is to connect the chassis  36  to the wheel assembly  12  rather than directly to the underside  8  of the trailer  6 , with the means of connecting rods  102  or any other means of connection. This alternative might be appreciated, when the wheel assembly  12  must often be moved, in order to adjust to the weight of the goods to be transported. 
     The present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments. The description as much as the drawings were intended to help the understanding of the invention, rather than to limit its scope. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the present description.