GB2268451A

GB2268451A - Aerodynamic vehicle traction aid.

Info

Publication number: GB2268451A
Application number: GB9214701A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Edward Vines
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-07-10
Filing date: 1992-07-10
Publication date: 1994-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-10
Also published as: GB2268451B; GB9214701D0

Abstract

A motor vehicle has mounted on it a venturi tube 14 and ducting 22 connecting a region of the venturi tube 14 that is at a pressure below ambient atmospheric pressure when the vehicle is in motion to an air intake opening 24, 26 provided on a downward facing surface on the vehicle, in order to create a downward thrust on the vehicle to improve traction. To vary the downward thrust a variable throttle can be placed in the ducting 22. The downward thrust can be supplemented by the addition of airfoil wings. The discharge flow from the venturi can be directed at the engine in order to assist in the cooling of the engine and in supplying air to the engine cylinders. <IMAGE>

Description

Title Improving Traction of a Motor Vehicle Field of the invention The present invention is concerned with improving the traction of motor vehicles and has particular application to racing cars of any formula.

Background of the Invention To improve the grip of the wheels of a racing car it is desirable to apply a downward pressure. This has been achieved in the past by the use of wings or inverted airfoil section but these present drag. It is not possible to vary the attit'ads of the wings as this is prohibited by the rules. As a consequence, the design of the wings was a matter or compror.".se between improved adhesion while cornering and loss of power on the straights.

It has also been proposed to improve traction by reducing the air pressure below the vehicle using an air pump or impeller driven by the engine. This proposal, apart from once again being prohibited by motor racing rules, reduced the available engine output and more seriously risked a loss of traction and danger to the driver in the event of loss of engine power or failure of the air pump.

Object of the invention The present invention seeks to improve the traction of a vehicle by increasing the downward thrust on the wheels while the vehicle is in motion, while avoiding excessive drag on the vehicle and without directly taking power from the engine to drive a pump.

Summary of the invention According to the present invention, there is provided a motor vehicle having mounted thereon a venturi tube and ducting connecting a region of the venturi tube that is at a pressure below ambient atmospheric pressure when the vehicle is in motion to an air intake opening provided on a downward facing surface on the vehicle.

It is possible in the present invention to place a variable throttle within the ducting connecting the venturi tube to the air intake opening and thereby allow the extent of downward thrust to be varied.

Because of the reduced pressure created by the venturi, the invention results in a downward acting thrust which improves traction. A v.tari however presents less drag than an airfoil section providing the same downward thrust. There may be physical constraints precluding the use of a venturi tube of adequate dimensions to ensure the full amount of the downward thrust required and in such cases, it is possible to supplement the downward thrust by the additional use of wings.

Conveniently, venturis are symmetrically provided on opposite sides of the vehicle so that any drag they create should not affect vehicle handling.

The air intake openings are preferably formed on the underside of the vehicle and may be suitably designed to distribute the downward thrust over the area of the vehicle.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a racing car, and Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the car shown in Figure 1.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment In the drawings, a typical racing car is shown in dotted lines and the components for improving traction are shown in solid lines. Only thp arts shown in solid lines will be described below.

Two venturi tube units 10, 12 are arranged one on each side of the car, only the unit 10 on the left hand side of the car being visible ih Eks view of Figure 1. Each venturi tube unit comprises a venturi tube 14 surrounded by an outer casing 16. The chamber 18 between the venturi tube 14 and the outer casing 16 is connected by apertures 20 to a low pressure region of the venturi tube 16.

When the vehicle is in motion, air is drawn in at the front end of the venturi tube 16 and discharged at the rear end.

The air flow through the venturi tube 16 creates a low pressure in the chamber 18 which is used to increase the downward thrust on the car. To this end, each chamber 18 is connected by a conduit 22 to two floor pans 24 and 26 arranged at the front and the rear of the car, respectively.

Each of the floor panels is closed from above by has a perforated under surface through which air is drawn. Each floor pan 24, 26 thus has ambient atmospheric pressure acting on it from above and the reduced pressure of the chamber 18 acting on it from the below, the pressure difference generating the downward thrust which improves the traction.

The discharge end of the venturi units will be at a pressure above atmospheric. Advantage may be taken of this by directing the discharge flow at the engine. The improved air flow around the engine assists in cooling the engine and also improves the supply of combustion air to the engine cylinders.

If desired, the conduit 22 may include variable throttles to vary the downward thrust on the car or to balance the distribution of the downward thrust as between the front and the rear of the car.

Though the floor pans 24, 26 and the conduits 22 have been shown as separately formed components, it will be appreciated that they may all be integrated into the chassis or frame of the vehicle. It is only important that the chambers 18 be connected to draw in air from a surface which is downwardly facing. It is not even essential that the surface should be on the underside of the car as it may, for example, be formed on the underside of a raised wing.

The downward thrust generated by venturi units of acceptable dimensions should suffice to match that of airfoil wings currently in use. Furthermore, for a given downward thrust, the forward drag on the vehicle is less than that created by an airfoil wing. If space considerations preclude the use of venturi units of adequate size to supply all of the desired downward thrust, then their action may be supplemented by airfoil wings.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle having mounted thereon a venturi tube and ducting connecting a region of the venturi tube that is at a pressure below ambient atmospheric pressure when the vehicle is in motion to an air intake opening provided on a downward facing surface on the vehicle.

2. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a variable throttle is arranged within ducting connecting the venturi tube to the air intake opening to allow the extent of downward thrust to be varied.

3. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein an airfoil wings is provided on the vehicle to supplement the downward thrust generated by the venturi tube.

4. A motor vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim having a plurality of ver.v9-ri tubes symmetrically provided on opposite sides of the vehicle.

5. A motor vehicle as c~arma: n any preceding claim, wherein the air intake openings are formed on the underside of the vehicle.

6. A motor vehicle constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.