Abstract:
A transport vehicle includes a cab; a trailer carried by the cab, the cab and the trailer forming a gap therebetween; and a fairing carried by the cab and at least partially covering the gap. The fairing includes at least one fairing panel; and a hinge connected to the at least one fairing panel and the cab or the trailer. The hinge allows the at least one fairing panel to switch between a first coverage state and a second coverage state.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/989,853, entitled “MOVEABLE CAB FAIRINGS”, filed May 7, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to fairings, and, more particularly, to cab fairings. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When a truck cab is hauling a trailer, there can be a significant gap between the truck cab and the trailer. The gap between the truck cab and the trailer provides a surface for air resistance to form against, which increases fuel consumption and wear of the truck engine. Fairings are known that can be installed on the truck cab to cover some of the gap formed between the truck cab and trailer. The fairings are installed on the truck cab and extend toward the trailer, reducing the amount of air flow that can be directed against the trailer and create air resistance. The length of the fairings is less than the entire length of the gap, to prevent the fairings from interfering or being destroyed during a turning maneuver of the truck cab and the trailer. Such a length does not completely cover the gap and can still allow for air resistance to build between the truck cab and the hauled trailer. 
     What is needed in the art is a cab fairing that can reduce air resistance at high speeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a cab fairing that has moveable fairing panels. 
     The invention in one form is directed to a transport vehicle including a cab; a trailer carried by the cab, the cab and the trailer forming a gap therebetween; and a fairing carried by the cab and at least partially covering the gap. The fairing includes at least one fairing panel; and a hinge connected to the at least one fairing panel and the cab or the trailer, the hinge allowing the at least one fairing panel to switch between a first coverage state and a second coverage state. 
     The invention in another form is directed to a cab fairing including a fairing panel having an attachment end; a hinge connected to the attachment end that is configured to connect to a truck cab; and an actuator connected to the fairing panel that is configured to switch the fairing panel between a first coverage state and a second coverage state. 
     The invention in yet another form is directed to a cab fairing including a first fairing panel configured to attach to a truck cab; a second fairing panel moveably connected to the first fairing panel; and an actuator connected to the second fairing panel that is configured to move the second fairing panel relative to the first fairing panel. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that it allows for better coverage of the gap formed between a truck cab and a trailer, reducing the air resistance experienced at high speeds. 
     Another advantage is that the cab fairing can be configured to provide minimal interference with turning maneuvers of the truck cab and trailer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in a low speed coverage state; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  in a cruising speed coverage state; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention in a low speed coverage state; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  in a cruising speed coverage state; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  during a switch from a low speed coverage state to a cruising speed coverage state; 
         FIG. 6  is a close-up perspective view of an embodiment of a track and pin arrangement of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of a cab fairing according to the present invention in a low speed coverage state; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7  in a cruising speed coverage state. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a cab fairing  10  of the present invention is shown that includes fairing panels  12  attached to a truck cab cab  14  of a transport vehicle  11  by hinges  16 . Although the cab fairing  10  is shown as including a pair of fairing panels  12 , one attached to each lateral side  13  of the truck cab  14 , only one fairing panel  12  can be included in the cab fairing  10  if desired. The fairing panels  12  can be placed on lateral sides  13  of the truck cab  14  and extend past a gap  18  that is formed between the lateral sides  13  of the truck cab  14  and lateral sides  21  of a trailer  20  that the truck cab  14  is hauling. Alternatively, one or both of the fairing panels  12  can be attached to the trailer  20  or placed on a top side of the truck cab  14  or trailer  20 . The fairing panels  12  can be sized and shaped to provide as much coverage of the gap  18  as desired. The fairing panels  12  can be formed as a shaped sheet of a polymeric or metal material to act as an air deflector while not adding substantial weight to the overall weight of the truck cab  14  and trailer  20 . If desired, the fairing panels  12  can also be formed with vent holes (not shown) formed therein to allow some air entry into the gap  18  and help dissipate heat trapped between the truck cab  14  and trailer  20 . 
     The cab fairing  10  is shown in a low speed coverage state in  FIG. 1  and a cruising speed coverage state in  FIG. 2 . In the low speed state, the fairing panels  12  can be swung out relative to the truck cab  14  and trailer  20  so that they do not interfere with turning maneuvers of the truck cab  14  and trailer  20 , which are more likely to be performed at low speeds. In other words, the fairing panels  12  can be swung out so that they do not contact both the truck cab  14  and the trailer  20  during relative turning between the truck cab  14  and trailer  20 , which could cause damage to the cab fairing  10  if the fairing panels  12  were in the gap  18  during the turn or if the truck cab  14  or trailer  20  exerted force on the fairing panels  12  that stressed the hinges  16 . In the cruising speed state, the fairing panels  12  can be held close to the trailer  20  to deflect air that would enter the gap  18  and push on the trailer  20 , reducing the air resistance that the truck cab  14  and trailer  20  experience. The hinges  16  allow for the fairing panels  12  to swing away and toward the trailer  20 . The hinges  16  can be configured so that the hinges  16  naturally bias the fairing panels  12  away from the trailer  20  at a resting degree relative to the trailer  20 . At high enough speed, the air that hits the fairing panels  12  can push the fairing panels  12  toward the trailer  20 , overcoming the bias forces that the hinges  16  exert on the fairing panels  12  to keep them away from the trailer  20 . This allows for the fairing panels  12  to be put in the cruising speed state automatically without the need for additional components. 
     Optionally, the fairing panels  12  can be pushed into the low speed state or cruising speed state by one or more actuators  22 . The actuators  22  can be attached to a back  24  of the truck cab  14  and push the fairing panels  12  outward to put them in the low speed state. The actuators  22  can be any type of actuator, such as an electrical or pneumatic actuator. In the low speed state, the actuators  22  can also help keep the fairing panels  12  pushed away from the truck cab  14  and trailer  20  to reduce the risk of interfering with turning maneuvers. The actuators  22  can be controlled such that they will automatically push the fairing panels  12  out during certain conditions, such as a low truck cab speed, or can be manually controlled by the truck cab&#39;s operator. Similarly, the actuators  22  can be controlled to retract the fairing panels  12  to cover the gap  18  automatically or manually. It should be appreciated that the actuator(s)  22  can be a passive element, such as a spring, that naturally biases the fairing panels  12  toward or away from the truck cab  14  and trailer  20  until sufficient air resistance against the fairing panels  12  is built up to push the fairing panels  12  in a direction opposite to the bias force exerted by the actuator(s)  22 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a pair of cab fairings  30  are shown that include a first fairing panel  32  connected to a truck cab  14  and a second fairing panel  34  that is moveably connected to the first fairing panel  34 . The truck cab  14  is connected to a trailer  20  with a gap  18  formed between the truck cab  14  and the trailer  20 . For ease of explanation, remaining discussion of the cab fairings  30  will focus on a single cab fairing  30 , but it should be understood that multiple cab fairings  30  can be installed on a truck cab  14  according to the present invention as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the cab fairing  30  is in a low speed coverage state. In the low speed coverage state, the first fairing panel  32  and second fairing panel  34  are retracted relative to the trailer  20  which allows for tight turning maneuvers to be performed without interference from the cab fairing  30 . While the first fairing panel  32  is shown as being the outer fairing panel and the second fairing panel  34  is shown as being the inner fairing panel, the position of the fairing panels  32  and  34  could be reversed such that the first fairing panel  32  is the inner fairing panel, connected to truck cab  14 , and the second fairing panel  34  is the outer fairing panel. The second fairing panel  34  can move along the first fairing panel  32 , which will be described later, such that there is a complete overlap of the first fairing panel  32  and second fairing panel  34  in the low speed coverage state, or there could be a part of the second fairing panel  34  that does not overlap with the first fairing panel  32 . The second fairing panel  34  can also optionally lock, manually or automatically, to the first fairing panel  32  to keep the cab fairing  30  in the low speed coverage state. The second fairing panel  34  can then be unlocked from the first fairing panel  32  to allow the cab fairing  30  to be switched into the cruising speed coverage state (shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
       FIG. 4  shows the cab fairing  30  in the cruising speed coverage state, with the second fairing panel  34  being extended to cover a greater portion of the gap  18  than in the low speed coverage state. As can be seen, there is not a complete overlap of the first fairing panel  32  and second fairing panel  34  in the cruising speed coverage state. The second fairing panel  34  can be moved closer or farther relative to the truck cab  14  by any suitable method, such as by an actuator  36  connected to the second fairing panel  34  and either the first fairing panel  32  or the truck cab  14 . The actuator  36  can be controlled similarly to the previously described actuators  22 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a side view of the previously described cab fairing  30  as the second fairing panel  34  is extending away from the first fairing panel  32 . As can be seen, tracks  38  are installed on the first fairing panel  32  that hold pins  40  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) that are attached to the second fairing panel  34 . The tracks  38  have slots  42  formed therein that the pins  40  slide along to control movement of the second fairing panel  34  relative to the first fairing panel  32 . When the actuator  36  is a pneumatic actuator, a piston rod  44  of the actuator  36  can be connected to the second fairing panel  34  and extend or retract the second fairing panel  34  relative to the first fairing panel  32 . The tracks  38  can optionally extend out past an end  46  of the first fairing panel  32 , allowing for a venting gap  48  to be formed between the first fairing panel  32  and the second fairing panel  34 . A venting gap  48  can be a desirable inclusion due to heat buildup that can occur in the gap  18  from operation of the truck cab  14 . The venting gap  48  allows for hot gases in the gap  18  to be pulled outside through the venting gap  48 , reducing the temperature of the gap  18 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7-8 , an embodiment of a cab fairing  50  is shown that includes a first fairing panel  52  connected to the truck cab  14 , a second fairing panel  54  connected to the first fairing panel  52  and a third fairing panel  56  connected to the second fairing panel  54 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the fairing panels  52 ,  54  and  56  can be in a low speed coverage state where the panels mostly overlap one another. The first fairing panel  52  can stay statically connected to the truck cab  14 , or trailer  20  if desired, while the second fairing panel  54  and third fairing panel  56  can move relative to the first fairing panel  52 . As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , the second fairing panel  54  can move relative to the first fairing panel  52  similarly to previously described moveable fairing panels  32  and  34  and the third fairing panel  56  can move relative to the second fairing panel  54  similarly as well to assume a cruising speed coverage state. The moveable second fairing panel  54  and/or third fairing panel  56  can be moved relative to other fairing panels by an actuator or other provided force, such as force caused by air resistance at a certain speed, either manually or automatically. The first fairing panel  52 , second fairing panel  54  and third fairing panel  56  can also form venting gaps  58  between adjacent panels. While the cab fairings  30  and  50  shown in  FIGS. 3-4 and 7-8  include two and three fairing panels, respectively, cab fairings can be designed with any number of moveable fairing panels according to the present invention. 
     While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.