Patent ID: 8678426

Claim:
A device for providing supplementary cooling air to a vehicle brake, at least a portion of the brake rotating with a wheel, the wheel and brake being located in a wheel well, the device comprising: an inlet constructed and adapted for placement in a vehicle with a wheel, a brake and a wheel well, the inlet being so placed as to receive a portion of an airflow resulting from the motion of the vehicle; a duct with a length and extending from the inlet to the vehicle brake; the duct being connected at a first end to the inlet to convey the airflow portion received by the inlet and having an opening at a second end, distant from the inlet, the opening being positioned proximate to the vehicle brake so that the airflow portion received by the inlet and conveyed by the duct may be discharged into the wheel well and onto some portion of the vehicle brake and so provide supplementary cooling air to the brake; a closure, located in the inlet or the duct, capable of preventing passage of the air flow portion in a first configuration and adapted to permit passage of the air flow portion in a second configuration; a temperature-operated actuator which undergoes a phase change operably connected to the closure and adapted to sense a temperature indicative of the vehicle brake temperature, the actuator operating the closure and enabling flow of the air flow portion to the brake and wheel well when the brake temperature sensed by the actuator exceeds a predetermined temperature.