Did You Know...
...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7374229 | Adjustable cab extender A cab extender assembly for selectively changing the aerodynamic drag on a vehicle having a longitudinal axis includes a fixed cab extender and at least one track extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. An adjustable cab extender has at... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7344183 | Bug deflector for pug-nosed vehicles An apparatus and method for deflecting air and bugs and other debris from the windshield of a pug-nosed vehicle. The apparatus comprises a mounting bracket to the vehicle, and a bug deflector. An intermediate portion is adapted to allow adjustment of both distance o... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7322638 | Spoiler for a motor vehicle A spoiler for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle, is mounted in the rear-end area on the vehicle and comprises a spoiler element which is movable from a resting position in which it is integrated into the shape of the rear-end area and into an extend... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7309091 | Roof cover plate for the cabin of a car The invention provides a cab roof of a vehicle with a movable panel. The cab is provided with a front windscreen, a rear deck or rear walls, and door frames at both sides. The door frames are connected with the front windscreen at the front side, with the rear decks... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7240958 | Apparatus for reducing drag on unpowered vehicles The present invention relates to an apparatus with flexible attachments for reducing drag on a vehicle having a generally planar rear surface. The use of flexible vane attachments allows the rear doors of the trailer to fully open and close effortlessly. The apparat... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7226119 | Self-contained adjustable air foil and method An auxiliary air foil device for mounting on a vehicle is disclosed. The air foil device includes an enclosure comprising a base plate, a plurality of side walls, and an air foil panel. The air foil panel is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. ... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7213870 | Adjustable spoiler An adjustable spoiler includes a front portion and a rear portion having leading and trailing edges, respectively, in parallel alignment. An extension actuator is operably connected to the front and rear portions for selectively extending or retracting a distance be... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7210718 | Apparatus for protecting the exterior of a vehicle A vehicle protection apparatus can protect a vehicle's exterior. The exterior can have an optional opening. A support attached to the vehicle can support a guard and allow it to move between (a) a retracted position that does not obtrude on the appearance of the veh... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7198322 | Spoiler and method of using the same A spoiler, comprising a body, the body operable for being connected to a vehicle, an aperture defined by the body, an air flow control member pivotally connected to the body, the air flow control member operable to one of open and close the aperture, and a releasabl... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7192077 | Vehicle drag reduction with air scoop vortex impeller and trailing edge surface texture treatment An improved air scoop device utilizes vortex loops to reduce drag. The apparatus includes a sliding self-retracting portion having a scoop intake, a first chamber area and curved rear deflector with exhaust. The vortex loops connect the curved deflector area with th... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7150494 | Flat section of the outer skin of the bodywork of a motor vehicle An at least partially moveable motor-vehicle outer skin is already known per se. An actuator formed of a polymer and/or ion-exchanging and/or other material exhibiting various conformations is provided so that the outer skin can be moved. This material is moveable a... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7121614 | Air deflector An air deflector (10) is attached to a roof of a cab (2). A rear edge portion (12) of the air deflector has a configuration identical with an upper part of a vertical front face (4) of a van body (3) or a configuration closely rese... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7118164 | Apparatus for the airflow-optimized orientation of an airflow deflector An airflow deflector (5) guides the airflow (6) between a towing machine (1) and a transported unit (4, 32) adjoining the towing machine (1) in the travel direction (F) and is coupled with a setting system (7) for adjusting ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7073845 | Aerodynamic drag reduction apparatus for gap-divided bluff bodies such as tractor-trailers An apparatus for reducing the aerodynamic drag of a bluff-bodied vehicle such as a tractor-trailer in a flowstream, the bluff-bodied vehicle of a type having a leading portion, a trailing portion connected to the leading portion, and a gap between the leading and tr... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7061590 | Pellicle distortion reduction The invention provides systems and a method for reducing pellicle distortion. One feature of the invention reduces distortion of a pellicle by providing an airtight mounting structure for coupling a pellicle to a mask; and a port on the mounting structure though whi... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7055638 | Virtual airdam and method for a vehicle An air curtain (jet flow) replaces the conventional air-diverting baffle on the underside of a vehicle's front engine compartment to reduce drag and increase volumetric air flow for cooling. ... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7055890 | Awning for recreational vehicles An awning assembly for the front portion of a recreational vehicle. The awning assembly in a closed position provides an aerodynamic profile for the front portion of the recreational vehicle, so that a front wall can be arranged to allow more efficient use of the in... | 06/06/2006 |
| 6932419 | Aerodynamic guiding arrangements for vehicles An aerodynamic guiding arrangement for a vehicle that includes a forward gap enclosure with an upper element and a lower element. The gap enclosure is configured to be positioned and attached proximate a forward end of the vehicle. The guiding arrangement includes a... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6915611 | Deployable structure A structure having a first semi-rigid surface with a first curved edge, the first semi-rigid surface adapted to be rotatably secured to a reference to permit the first semi-rigid surface to assume a first position and a second position, and a first joint structure s... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6834914 | Wind deflector for a vehicle roof A wind deflector for a vehicle roof comprises a flexible deflecting element attached between a base element and a raising device. The base element is mountable on a vehicle roof, and the raising device is pivotably connected to the base element to raise and lower th... | 12/28/2004 |
| 6428084 | Fuel-efficient tractor-trailer system A fuel-efficient tractor-trailer system for improving the fuel mileage of a tractor-trailer combination by improving the air resistance that occurs in the area between the rear of the tractor and the front of the semi-trailer. The fuel-efficient tractor-t... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6338524 | Automotive aerodynamic component and object carrier fixture An automotive aerodynamic component and object carrier fixture is installed on the top of an automobile with an inclination adjustable according to the handling style of the driver. During normal utilization, the aerodynamic component is mounted level to ... | 01/15/2002 |
| 6039385 | Retractable air deflector for a vehicle A retractable air deflector for mounting to a roof of a cab of a vehicle and for selectively deflecting approaching air upwardly thereover. The deflector includes a stationary frame for mounting to a roof of a cab of a vehicle, a movable portion movably m... | 03/21/2000 |
| 5538316 | Air movement profiler An air movement profiler (10) which is capable of adjusting the shape and size of the deflecting surface is disclosed. The air movement profiler (10) comprises a plurality of triangular tubes (24) mounted on the towing vehicle (12). The tubes (24) are cap... | 07/23/1996 |
| 5536062 | Cross wind conditioning for a tractor trailer combination The conditioning of cross winds by providing up to four separate groups of segmented panels being the main segmented panels of the segmented air deflector, opposing segmented side pivotal panels, opposing segmented upper side pivotal panels and opposing s... | 07/16/1996 |
| 5429411 | Controls for tractor-trailer air deflector system A plurality of spaced louvers in an airflow control system on top of a tractor cab open up to permit a flow of air to impinge on the front face of the trailer to exert a braking force to augment the braking force exerted by the wheel brakes to slow down t... | 07/04/1995 |
| 5340190 | Air-flow management device An air-flow management device mountable on an upper, forward portion of a vehicle having either a cab and a van or a tractor/cab semitrailer is disclosed, having a base, a first vertically upright airfoil secured to the base on the right extending from sl... | 08/23/1994 |
| 5317880 | Auxiliary braking and cooling device An apparatus to control the air as it passes a tractor trailer combination as they travel along a road. This device will allow for variable redirection of the air flow to allow various desired effects to be met. The flow of air is streamlined to minimize ... | 06/07/1994 |
| 5275249 | Raisable hood plate mechanism A raisable hood plate mechanism for a vehicle hood comprises a pair of large plates laterally spaced in separate centered openings on opposite sides of the hood. The plates are pivotable along front edges and raisable at rear edges to provide rear-facing ... | 01/04/1994 |
| 5249837 | Adjustable height fairing with translatable upper fairing member A multi-piece nestable fairing (20) for mounting on the roof (22) of a vehicle (24) is disclosed. The fairing (20) has lower and upper fairing members (26,28). The lower fairing member (26) is mountable to the roof (22) of the vehicle (24). The upper fair... | 10/05/1993 |
| 5174626 | Rooftop drag reducing device A roof top drag reducing device includes a lower base portion mounted to or formed integrally with the roof of a truck for semi-trailers. An upper portion of the drag reducing device is selectively movably mounted relative to the lower base portion betwee... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5092648 | Air deflector system for tractor-trailers and controls therefor A plurality of spaced gates in the airflow control system on top of the tractor cab opens up to permit a flow of air to impinge on the front face of the trailer to exert a braking force to augment the braking force exerted by the wheel brakes to slow down... | 03/03/1992 |
| 4957325 | Aerodynamically enhanced air grill An aerodynamically enhanced air grill mounted on a vehicle is provided which comprises an air intake grill and a pair of air discharge grills. The air intake grill, and each of the air discharge grills, are provided with an array of substantially vertical... | 09/18/1990 |
| 4926921 | Louver A louver for selectively closing flow openings defined therethrough comprising a stationary support grid including a plurality of equidistantly spaced, first rods extending in a first direction to define flow openings therebetween, a movable grid includin... | 05/22/1990 |
| 4919472 | Rooftop drag reducing device for multi-truck shipment when mounted The rooftop drag reducing device comprises a top and a bottom and may be mounted to the cab of trucks for semi-trailers at the factory. The device may then be conveniently collapsed with the top fitting inside the bottom when multiple trucks are shipped w... | 04/24/1990 |
| 4904015 | Air deflection system A tractor (12) and trailer (14) coupled together in tandem towing relationship is provided with an air deflector system (10) attached to the tractor (12) for aerodynamically reducing the drag on such combination by enclosing the space between the cab (12a... | 02/27/1990 |
| 4824165 | Apparatus for selectively varying air resistance on a land transport vehicle to optimize reduction of drag An apparatus for selectively varying air resistance on a land transport vehicle to optimize reduction of drag except when drag is desirable as a speed reduction aid. The vehicle typically includes a cab and at least one trailing cargo container. First and... | 04/25/1989 |
| 4779915 | Air foil system An air foil system for detachable adjustable mounting to the frame of a truck tractor rearwardly of the cab (or the sleeper compartment if there is one) for reducing air resistance encountered by a trailer towed by the truck tractor. The air foil system i... | 10/25/1988 |
| 4749220 | Wind deflector mounting apparatus An apparatus for mounting an aerodynamic device, preferably the top center portion of a three-piece wind deflector, to the roof of a truck cab wherein the mounting apparatus includes a base member attached to the cab roof, a forward link pivotally connect... | 06/07/1988 |
| 4693506 | Combination air fairing and auxiliary air braking device A combination air fairing and auxiliary braking device (10) for use in connection with trucks, vans, trailers, or the like vehicles. The device (10) includes an air fairing structure (14) which serves to produce a preselected outline and reduce the drag r... | 09/15/1987 |
