Road tractors are used to pull semi-trailers on roads to transport cargo. Aerodynamic apparatuses are installed on the road tractor and/or on the semi-trailer in order to reduce the aerodynamic air drag and improve fuel efficiency.
Trailer aerodynamic skirts are installed on both sides of a semi-trailer to help manage the flow of air around and underneath the trailer. Brackets are affixed to the trailer to secure the skirts thereto in a predetermined position. These aerodynamic skirts are secured to a bottom portion of the trailer, or on the sides of the trailer's floor, to ensure proper positioning when the vehicle is moving.
People who are familiar with the trucking industry know that trailers are built in various configurations. Frame portions of trailer can use members and beams of different dimensions. For example, an I-beam, that is commonly used in trailer manufacturing, also known as H-beam, W-beam (for “wide flange”), Universal Beam (UB), Rolled Steel Joist (RSJ), or double-T, is a beam with an I or H-shaped cross-section. The horizontal elements of the “I” are known as flanges, while the vertical element is termed the “web”. I-beams are usually made of structural steel, or aluminum, and are used in construction and civil engineering. The web resists shear forces, while the flanges resist most of the bending moment experienced by the beam. Beam theory shows that the I-shaped section is a very efficient form for carrying both bending and shear loads in the plane of the web.
The skirts, because of their position under the trailer's floor and their proximity with the road, are significantly vulnerable and might easily enter in contact with surrounding obstacles. Portions of the securing member holding the skirts, when put under significant stress, plastically bend and/or break to affect the skirts' position in respect to the semi-trailer thus reducing the efficiency of the skirts. Additionally, the assembly can be crooked or not precisely aligned, which is causing additional challenges for securing the aerodynamic skirt assembly to the vehicle.
Known securing members holding the aerodynamic skirts to the trailer are tedious to install. Tools are required to mount the securing member to the trailer. A significant amount of time is needed to properly locate, adjust and secure the aerodynamic skirts on the trailer.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved aerodynamic skirt assembly over the existing art. There is a need in the art for a securing member that is adapted to be installed on members and beams of different sizes and configurations. There is also a need for such a resilient skirt assembly that can be easily installed and economically manufactured.