Patent Publication Number: US-2002000497-A1

Title: Surface construction for bodies moving through a fluid

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] This invention relates to the surface construction of a body for improving the movement in a fluid medium and particularly air and like gaseous mediums.  
       [0002] Prior U.S. patents and other literature disclose utilization of various surface configurations for reducing of the drag and/or creating of various forces on the surface of a moving body such as an automobile, boat, airplane or other devices having a surface which moves through air, water or other fluids.  
       [0003] The present inventor&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,302 (issued Aug. 18, 1981) and 5,988,568 (issued Nov. 23, 1999) disclose surface modifications to a body to improve the efficient movement through a fluid. Both patents disclose air directing flutes which are laterally and longitudinally spaced and distributed over a surface to improve the efficiency movement in fluid mediums.  
       [0004] As noted in those patents and others there is a continuing demand for practical constructions which will more fully promote the efficient movement of vehicle and other bodies in air, water and other fluid mediums. The current energy crisis has increased the need and the desire for more effective surface constructions for various bodies which move through various mediums with an increased efficiency.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0005] The present invention is particularly directed to providing a body with substantially laterally extended continuous wing-shaped surface elements with the direct fluid movement of the air or other fluid over the body and surface elements in such a manner as to more effectively promote the efficient movement through the fluid i.e., significant drag reduction and air velocity increase. In accordance with the teaching of the present invention, the inventor has found that having a substantially continuous surface consisting of wing-shaped elements, each of which extends laterally over a substantial portion of the body and at a substantial angle to the relative angle of movement of the air results in a unique and effective response. A plurality of wave-shaped elements are formed or secured over a substantial portion of the body and each element extends laterally with respect to the relative movement of the body and the fluid medium. Each of the wing-shaped elements have a configuration which includes a smooth curved configuration extending between a curved nose end to a trailing outward tapered end tail and with a smooth transition from the crest between the nose and the tail portions of the element. The shape is typically that generally formed in various wings of birds. The tail portion is formed with a small radius and may preferably terminate in a small reverse radius end in many applications. In addition, a plurality of like elements are located in parallel with each other and in adjacent close spaced relationship to each other to provide a substantial coverage of the body for movement through a fluid medium. Further, the elongated wing-shaped elements may advantageously be formed with a base layer with smaller wing-shaped elements, such as shown in FIG. 30. The basic wave produces an improved air flow characteristic which is further improved by further providing similar processing of the air moving over the surface.  
       [0006] The height and length of each wing-shaped element will generally vary in accordance with the length of surface being covered by the successive elements. Thus, as the span increases, such as on an aircraft with its increased length, the elements may increase in both length and height. The devices such as blowers or aircraft blades, a smaller wing-shaped element would be used. Generally, the dimensions of the elements will vary with dimensions of base surface and the relative vebocities involved are such the dimensions may vary significantly. Generally, it appears that a length of ½ to 1¼ inches and a height of {fraction (3/32)} to ¼ inches may be applicable in many applications.  
       [0007] The desired relative sizes can be readily located by simple testing of a particular device surface in a typical air or other fluid condition. A typical example is set forth hereinafter as applied to a piston member.  
       [0008] The inventor has also found, however, that the relative orientation of the elements with respect to the air flow can have varying effects or changes depending upon whether the elements form the upper portion or the lower portion of an air borne unit such as an airplane. Thus with the element applied to the lower portion of the vehicle and with a reversed orientation of the tail portion as the leading end engaging the relative air movement the surface creates a lifting action on the airplane.  
       [0009] In applications wherein the air or fluid flow functions to move a confined sliding element, such as a piston, in an internal combustion engine, the inventor has found that directing the air across the piston face increases the pressure on the piston face and increases the efficiency of the system. The surface is preferably configured with a central dome and at least one circular created wing-shape surface element.  
       [0010] Further, in certain applications such as where a vertical surface is to be treated, angular orientation of the elements can be used to divert the air movement laterally while maintaining the more efficient movement of the body through the air.  
       [0011] In all arrangements, however, a significant factor is the construction of the plurality of the wing-shaped elements located in selected relationship and extending substantially transverse to the fluid flow. This maintains the airflow in a smooth motion over the unit, with air circulation occurring between adjacent the tail of an element and the nose of the next element. This would appear to be true even with the construction applied to the underside of a body to effect a lifting action with respect to the body. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0012] The drawings furnished herewith illustrating preferred constructions of the present invention for illustrating the above advantages and features as well as others which will be readily understood from the following description of the illustrated embodiment.  
     [0013] In the drawings:  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is plane view of a surface constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken generally on line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating an alternate construction of the surface element shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a circular embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is a view of the present invention applied to a tubular body;  
     [0019]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a motor the vehicle with surfaces as shown in FIG. 1;  
     [0020]FIG. 7 is a view taken on line  7 - 7  from the left side of the vehicle and illustrating the configuration of the bumper shown in FIG. 6;  
     [0021]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side view portion of an aircraft, with the wing shown in vertical section for purposes of illustrating a further surface construction in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0022]FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-section of piston and cylinder units of an internal combustion engine;  
     [0023]FIG. 10 is a plan view of the piston shown in FIG. 9;  
     [0024]FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the top face of the piston shown in FIGS. 9 and 10;  
     [0025]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the tubular body shown in FIG. 5; and,  
     [0026]FIG. 13 is a view of the elements spaced from each other. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0027] Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plan view and a sectional view of a body unit with the surface modification for application to various mobile bodies is shown. The body unit  1  includes a plurality of like wave-shaped elements  2  which are located in adjacent parallel relationship. The elements are shown in essentially abutting relationship in FIGS. 1 and 2, but may be spaced. Each of the elements  2  is shown identically constructed with a cross section, as shown in FIG. 2. Each element  2  is a generally wave-shaped construction which includes a forward nose  3  which curves upwardly and is connected at the top by a small top curvature  4  to a downwardly extended tail  5  of smaller curvature than the nose to the bottom end portion  5   a  of the element that may have a slight reverse curvature to a substantially planer relationship to the bottom end of the nose  3 . Each of the elements is shown correspondingly configured.  
     [0028] In FIG. 2, each of the elements  2  is shown integrally connected to the adjacent element  2  with a common connection between the tail portion of the leading end of the nose portion of the trailing element. The units are constructed as a single integral member or unit in FIG. 2 through a suitable forming machine and the like and formed directly as part of an outer body unit  7 .  
     [0029] The unit  1  may be formed as a separate laminate, as shown by the dashed line  8  in FIG. 2. The unit then would be affixed to a basic support or body through suitable means, such as bonding adhesively, physically attachment bolts, welds or the like.  
     [0030] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3 elements  2  may be formed separately and individually assembled and attached as at  9  to a supporting laminate or to a body  9   a  as such. A laminate may be desirable if the elements  2  are formed of a relatively thin material and do not have the structural strength needed to attach and support the structure as a part of a vehicle or other body. The support member may be formed of any suitable material to provide the strength needed while permitting shaping and forming for attachment to an existing frame or body. In any event, the assembly is such that elements  1  are shown essentially as in FIG. 1 with the elements parallel and adjacent in closed space orientation.  
     [0031] With elements  2  separately formed, the elements would be attached directly to a body and/or to a base for subsequent attachment to a body depending upon the structural embodiment. With the separate attachment each element is preferably formed with forward end tail mounting tabs  10  and  10 A adjacent the nose and the tail end the tabs are flat portions adapting the unit for appropriate securement directly to a body having the appropriately frame and/or to a base structure to form the laminated assembly.  
     [0032] Again, depending upon the element material and configuration the attachment tabs may of course be eliminated if the elements are appropriately constructed for direct attachment either in close abutting relation or from slight separation between the elements.  
     [0033]FIG. 4 illustrates a surface configuration on a base  11 , with the surface elements  11   a  circular members. The structure of FIG. 4 would be typically applied to flat or round tapered surfaces. FIG. 5 illustrates a surface configuration wherein a body  12  is a tubular member, and is shown as a tapered member, with a series of surface elements  13  of a circular configuration within the tubular member  12 .  
     [0034] The surface configurations thus may be applied to practically all surfaces which encounter relative fluid flow over the surface.  
     [0035] Generally, the elements are mounted to provide for air movement substantially across the several parallel elements  2 ,  9 ,  11   a  or  12 , either directly or with the elements at some slight angle to the air as presently described.  
     [0036] The inventor has found that the configuration with the substantially parallel and continuous lateral extension of the elements  2  to a body member in contrast with the prior art with individual shaped members which are laterally spaced from each other produces a significant advantage as presently described.  
     [0037] Referring particularly to the FIGS. 6 and 7, a truck vehicle  15  is illustrated having a hood  16 , a top cab  17  and a front bumper  18 , each including a surface configuration constructed in accordance with the present invention, and such as illustrated as FIGS.  1 - 3 , inclusive. In particular, elements are applied to the hood  16 , the cab top  17  and the front face of bumper  18  for purposes of illustration and disclosure.  
     [0038] As illustrated, the hood  16  and top  17  have the multi-element units  18  secured thereto. In each instance in the illustrated embodiment, the elements  2  extend laterally across the respective hood  16  and cab top  17 .  
     [0039] As shown in FIG. 2, with the truck  15  moving through air  19  a similar action is encountered by the elements  2  on the hood  16  and cab top  17 . In each instance, the air  19  moves smoothly upwardly over the nose  3  and moves downwardly over the tail  5  into junction area  20  with the adjacent element  2 . The air moves within the cavity at the junction are  20  between the elements and forms an air pocket with the following air passing upwardly over the downstream element  2  with minimal drag and effect on the truck as such.  
     [0040] The inventor has found that this configuration with the continuous lateral extension of the elements across the body, in contrast with the use of separate laterally spaced elements has produced a significant advantage with respect to the drag effect on the vehicle.  
     [0041] The application of the element  2  to the hood  16  provide for a similar interaction and a further reduction in the drag effect on the truck proper.  
     [0042] Again, the diversion of the air is under a very controlled and low-drag environment as a result of the special construction of the close spaced parallel elements.  
     [0043] Although many applications the elements  3  are optimally provided in parallel relationship over the movement of the body, where the body movement is directly through the air and the surface is generally perpendicular to the air movement, the elements may have a partial transversely orientation. So constructed the air movement will be simply directed over the nose end and then downwardly or upwardly to maintain the air flow directly laterally from the structure with minimum drag on the body as it moves through the air.  
     [0044] The front view of the bumper  18  in FIG. 7 illustrates the application of the elements  2  on the bumper for purpose of dispersion of the air. In the application to FIG. 7 the elements  3  are generally similarly constructed as those on the hood and cab. The elements  2  are shown applied to the face of the bumper, however, the elements are angularly oriented to force the air to move laterally across and from the front of the vehicle and thereby reduce the drag forces applied thereto.  
     [0045] The bumper is shown in four equal sections, with the upper sections  19  and  20  diverting the air upwardly and laterally while the bottoms sections  21  and  22  divert the air laterally and downwardly.  
     [0046]FIG. 8 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention as applied to an airplane, which is partially shown to illustrate applications producing different affects.  
     [0047] As applied to an airplane, where the aircraft has both the direction into the air as well as a requirement for maintaining a lift characteristic for flying the application of the present invention to the top and bottom surfaces of the aircraft may use different application.  
     [0048] Referring particularly to the aircraft shown, the top of the wing  25  and the body  26  or fuselage of the aircraft is provided with the elements as shown in the prior devices of FIGS. 6 and 7. The bottom of the aircraft fuselage and wings are provided with generally similar but reversibly oriented elements  2 . Thus, the top of the airplane body  26  and the wings  25  have the elements  2  oriented with the lateral extension and with the nose  27  toward the forward end of the craft and the tail on the back end of the craft. This provides for the minimal drag characteristics. However, the bottom elements  2  are reversibly connected on the bottom side of the aircraft body  26  and the bottom side of the wings  25 , i.e. with the tail end facing the front of the wing and the nose end facing the back of the wing. In this position, the elements  2  provide for the desired forward movement of the aircraft, but also with a lifting force to maintain the aircraft in the flight path.  
     [0049] The bottom of the aircraft can of course have the same orientation of the elements as the top portion of the aircraft if the maximum reduction in drag is desired.  
     [0050] FIGS.  9 - 11  are a fragmentary view of an internal combustion engine, and particularly, a cylinder unit with a further application of the present invention which improves the efficiency of the engine operation.  
     [0051] More particularly, a piston cylinder unit  28  is shown in an engine block  29  with piston  30  constructed in accordance with the present invention. A piston  20  is secured to a piston rod  31  and reciprocally mounted within a cylinder  32 . The piston rod  31  is connected to a crank, not shown. The cylinder  32  is closed by a head  33  with an ignition unit  34 , such as a spark plug, which is activated to ignite a fuel charge  35  within cylinders at an appropriate time during the movement of the piston. The ignition of the charge results in a pressurized explosive fluid within the cylinder which forces the piston outwardly and maintains operation of the engine. In accordance with the present invention, the top of the piston  30  is specially formed to improve the efficiency of the engine.  
     [0052] In accordance with a preferred structure, the top or face of the piston  30  includes a central dome-shaped portion  36  forming a smooth curvature throughout 360° of the central portion of the piston head. A first encircling wave-shaped element  37  abuts the outer edge of the dome element portion  36 , shown in the cross sectional views  9  and  11 , the element  37  has the head or nose portion  37   a  adjacent the dome element  36  and extends outwardly downwardly over the piston face to the nose portion which extends downwardly in the confines of the piston face. A partial second element  38  encircles the first element and extends outwardly again from the tail portion to the outer side of the piston  30  and terminates as an extension at that the side wall of the piston.  
     [0053] With this configuration, as the explosive charge is generated at the center of the cylinder, the charge is caused to move laterally across the face of the piston from the outer cylinder wall inwardly to the center over dome  36 . The configuration creates a uniform controlled movement of the charge over the piston between the piston face and cylinder head with effective pressurization and minimizing conflicting pressures within the system.  
     [0054] In a test unit for a small engine, a piston was designed with a diameter of substantially 2.5434 inches, with a dome having a radius of 0.3500 inches, with a central dome portion of a main radius equal to 2.50 inches and an outer edge reverse radius of 0.75 inches.  
     [0055] The full element  2  had a nose radius of 2.50 inches, a tail radius of 2.50 inches and an outer tail reverse radius of 0.75 inches. The outermost element  2  extending from the inner element included only a nose portion with the 0.14 radius. In an alternative construction, the opposite orientation of the encircling wave-shaped units  37  and  38  could be provided with the tail portion extending from the dome outwardly to the nose portion. In this embodiment the flow would be directed outwardly over the piston face to again form a uniform pressurization of the piston.  
     [0056] The orientation and length of the elements as well as the number of elements may vary with the particular size and cylinder configuration as well as the engine and the desired flow pattern. The piston face may also be formed with other arrangements of flow control elements. Thus the face may include parallel elements extended across the entire face, and with variation within the height of the several elements.  
     [0057] In jet engines for aircraft and similar devices for other applications, the present invention may be advantageously applied to the inner surface of the air units.  
     [0058] For example, FIG. 5 illustrates a conically shaped tubular portion which may form an air inlet unit of a jet engine. The inner surface of the inlet air inlet unit is shown lined with the circular wave-shaped elements  40  constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention.  
     [0059]FIG. 12 illustrates a method to improve the inflow of air into and from the gaseous jet engine with an increased power output. As shown in FIG. 12, the wing-shaped elements  13  are oriented with the nose  40  located in the inlet side of the tapered body  12  and the tail portion  41  extended inwardly of the body  12 . This produces improved flow into and from the jet with an increased velocity and operation of the engine.  
     [0060] The gases flow from the central and terminal portions of the jet engine increasing its velocity within the central and terminal ends of the jet engine. This increases the propulsive power of the created jet stream. The internal elements of the engine may also be advantageously constructed with wing-shaped curvatures.  
     [0061] The present invention has various applications where a flow with minimum drag is desired, and the application can be readily determined by simple test constructions in view of the various disclosure herein.  
     [0062]FIG. 13 illustrates wave-shaped elements  43  spaced in parallel relation from each other, with various treatment of the body between the elements. The adjacent elements  13  may be separated by a flat body portion or area  44  which may or may not includes small elements  46  of the shape of the spaced elements  43  or include other variations of known or otherwise developed small elements  44 .  
     [0063] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 14, the body  48  with the elongated wing-shaped elements  49  may advantageously include small wing-shaped elements  50  secured to the elongated elements  49 . The elements  50  may be spaced or secured in a butting relationship, as shown. The addition of elements  50  will further produce a further improvement by processing the air moving over the combination.  
     [0064] Although the surface modifying elements are shown in a preferred construction of essentially equal size and cross section, the individual elements may be varied in size and specific relative shape within any given grouping. The smooth basic shaping is considered to be of substantial significance in providing a most effective improvement in the efficient movement of the body.  
     [0065] In summary, the present invention includes the special surface modifying elements of the basic shape disclosed herein arranged in parallel and adjacent orientation to increase the efficient movement of a body through air and other mediums with variation in the particulars of the elements and associated other surface modifying members.