Abstract: An active front skirt for a vehicle includes an airfoil positioned in an air stream existing when the vehicle is moving forward. An airfoil positioning mechanism attached to the vehicle and the airfoil allows the airfoil to move between a first position when the vehicle is at rest and a second position when the vehicle has attained an upper limit velocity, the airfoil being moved to the second position through interaction with the air stream. A retracting mechanism returns the airfoil to the first position. A movable front skirt connected to the airfoil correspondingly moves with the airfoil between raised and lowered positions. In the raised position, ground clearance of the skirt is increased. In the lowered position, the skirt deflects an increased portion of the air stream to lower aerodynamic drag on the vehicle.

Abstract: An active front skirt for a vehicle includes an airfoil positioned in an air stream existing when the vehicle is moving forward. An airfoil positioning mechanism attached to the vehicle and the airfoil allows the airfoil to move between a first position when the vehicle is at rest and a second position when the vehicle has attained an upper limit velocity, the airfoil being moved to the second position through interaction with the air stream. A retracting mechanism returns the airfoil to the first position. A movable front skirt connected to the airfoil correspondingly moves with the airfoil between raised and lowered positions. In the raised position, ground clearance of the skirt is increased. In the lowered position, the skirt deflects an increased portion of the air stream to lower aerodynamic drag on the vehicle.

Abstract: A lightweight, deployable, portable shelter is described. The portable shelter may be a tent. The tent can be used indoors as well as outdoors. The structure of the portable shelter is determined by compression elements and tensile members such that the compression elements do not touch. The forces acting on each component of the structure are axially-loaded, thereby taking advantage of the characteristics of the compression elements and tensile members to provide a tent with improved strength.