Fuel consumption improving structure of running body

Abstract

An assembly is designed to reduce fuel consumption in a self-travel-ling object. The assembly has a turbine shaft (23) extending generally at a right angle to a travel direction ‘X’ of the object (1), and turbine vanes (21) are fixed on the shaft to receive a rearward wind force to rotate the shaft (23) when the object runs. Particularly, the assembly further has windmill shafts (43) lying in parallel with the travel direction ‘X’, a trans-mission mechanism (30) operatively connecting the turbine shaft (23) to the windmill shafts (43) so as to transmit a torque from the former shaft to the latter ones, and windmill vanes (41) fixed on each windmill shaft (43).

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an assembly for reducing fuel con-sumption in certain self-travelling objects such as trucks or the like auto-mobile vehicles and ships or boats.

BACKGROUND PRIOR ART

[0002] Examples of this type assembly for use in the self-travelling objects are known in the art as disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Early Pub-lication Gazette No. 51-135399, Patent Early Publication Gazette No. 9-14121 and ibid. 10-339260.

[0003] In the structure (hereinafter referred to as “prior art-1”) proposed in the Gazette No. 51-135399, a windmill apparatus comprises a turbine shaft extending along the running direction of a self-travelling object and turbine vanes fixedly secured to the shaft. With the vanes receiving wind force, a torque thus produced in and rotating the shaft will then be transmitted to an underwater propeller or to an automobile drive shaft, so as to apply a trac-tion force to them.

[0004] According to the prior art-1, the turbine shaft in such a windmill apparatus lies in parallel with the running direction of said object, so that wind force will probably fail to ensure a sufficient supplementary torque for traction force. Furthermore, such a direct transmission of torque to the underwater propeller or the like will result in attenuation of the torque due to resistance that said propeller is undergoing, failing to provide a sufficient supplementary driving force.

[0005] In another structure (hereinafter referred to as “prior art-2”) proposed in the Gazette No. 9-12421, a motorcycle or bike as the self-travelling object has a windshield in which an air intake opening is formed. One of opposite ends of a flexible hose is connected to the air intake, and a turbine is incorporated in the other end of hose. A shaft of the turbine is operatively connected to a drive sprocket so as to produce a propelling torque.

[0006] However in the prior art-2, it is not necessarily easy to design and install such a structure in a relatively compact bike on one hand, and a rearward reaction against the forward traction of bike will possibly take place adversely on the other hand. Additionally and similarly to the prior art-1, such a direct transmission of torque from the turbine to the drive sprocket will result in attenuation of the torque due to resistance that said sprocket is undergoing, also failing to provide a sufficient supplementary driving force.

[0007] Still another structure (hereinafter referred to as “prior art-3”) is pro-posed in the Gazette No. 10-339260, although its details are not fully disclosed therein. It may be supposed that an air intake is disposed in a front grill or the like front portion of an automobile car, with a wind pipe connected to the air intake having a turbine installed therein and operatively connected to an internal generator.

[0008] Also in the prior art-3, it will not necessarily be easy similarly to prior art-2 to design and install such a structure in an automobile car on one hand, and a rearward reaction against the forward traction of car will possibly take place adversely on the other hand.

[0009] An object of the present invention made to resolve the drawbacks inherent in the prior art structures is therefore to provide an assembly for effectively reducing fuel consumption in the self-travelling objects.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The assembly provided in the present invention to reduce fuel con-sumption and built in or mounted on a self-travelling object 1 may comprise a turbine shaft 23 extending generally at a right angle to the travel direction ‘X’ and vanes 21 fixed on the shaft to receive wind force to rotate it 23 when said object runs.

[0011] The assembly of the present invention will contribute to reduction of fuel consumption, since the vanes 21 will receive rearward wind force to drive the turbine shaft 23 to rotate when the objects runs forwards. Parti-cularly, the turbine shaft extends at right angle to the travel direction of said object so that each vane can be made wide enough to receive the wind force to thereby ensure forcible and sufficient rotation of said shaft.

[0012] Preferably and as defined in the annexed claim 2, a plurality of such vanes 21 may be arranged radially of the shaft 23 and fixedly secured thereto. Each vane 21 temporarily disposed upwards above the shaft 23 will have a front face 22a specially designed to receive rearward wind force. In this case, the upper vane or vanes 21 will be pushed backwards, with the lower one or ones 21 being forced forwards but cooperating with the upper ones to cause the shaft 23 to spin.

[0013] Alternatively to the structure just summarized above, the assembly of the invention also for reducing fuel consumption in the self-travelling object 1 when mounted thereon may further comprise, in addition to the turbine shaft 23 extending generally at a right angle to the travel direction ‘X’ and the vanes 21 fixed on the shaft to receive wind force to rotate it 23 when said object runs, at least one windmill shaft 43 lying generally in parallel with the travel direction ‘X’. A transmission mechanism 30 incorporated in this case will operatively connect the turbine shaft 23 to the windmill shaft 43 so as to transmit a torque from the former shaft to the latter one, with a plurality of windmill vanes 41 being fixed on such a windmill shaft 43.

[0014] Also in this case, the vanes 21 will receive rearward wind force to drive the turbine shaft 23 to rotate when the objects runs forwards, as in the first case mentioned above. However, the torque of such a rotation of turbine shaft 23 will be transmitted to the windmill shaft 43 through the transmission mechanism 30. As a result, the windmill vanes 41 produce a backward wind in the direction ‘Y’. The turbine shaft extending at a right angle to the travel direction of said object makes it possible that each vane is made wide enough to receive the wind force to thereby ensure forcible and sufficient rotation of said shaft, thereby reducing fuel consumption of the travelling object, while the windmill vanes 41 produces the backward wind in the direction ‘Y’.

[0015] As set forth in the annexed claim 4, each of those vanes 21 fixed on the turbine shaft 23 may have a concave rear face with respect to the rotational direction of vanes so that this face serves as the wind receiving face 22a. A wind force colliding with such a face 22a will surely and strongly urge the vane 21 to rotate in normal direction, thus affording a sufficient torque to the shaft.

[0016] Preferably, the transmission mechanism 30 may consist of, as defined in the claim 5, at least one turbine-side gear 32 fixed on the turbine shaft 23 and at least one windmill-side gear 34 fixed on the windmill shaft 43 and kept in mesh with the former gear 32.

[0017] Also preferably, as noted in the claim 6 modifying the assembly of claim 5, one of the two turbine-side gears 32 is disposed at one end of the turbine shaft 23, with the other gear 32 being at the other end of said shaft. In this case, two windmill shafts 43 each having the gear 34 fixed thereon may be arranged respectively at the opposite ends of the turbine shaft 23. One of the turbine-side gears 32 will thus engage with one of the windmill-side gears 34 on the windmill shaft 43, with the other turbine-side gears 32 engaging with the other windmill-side gears 34. Such a pair of windmill shafts 43 will spin generally synchronously with each other so that a pair of windmill vane units 41 are caused to revolve in unison and in good har-mony.

[0018] In the fuel consumption reducing assembly for the self-travelling object 1 as defined in claim 6, one of the windmill-side gears 34 is preferably located ahead the other one 34, both on said object 1 and both in mesh with the mating turbine-side gears 32. In this case, the two windmill shafts 43 will rotate in the same direction so that the two units of windmill vanes 41 do also revolve in the same direction. Such a feature is advantageous in that common parts can be used to form each set of windmill shaft 43 and windmill vanes 41 secured thereto, thus rendering inexpensive the manu-facture of the assembly provided herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a self-travelling object on which an assembly for reduction of fuel consumption is mounted, with the assembly being constructed in a first embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the self-travelling object shown in FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, with a portion thereof being abbreviated;

[0022] FIG. 4 is an enlarged and fragmentary perspective view of turbine vanes forming the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 5 is a data table listing the results obtained in performance tests of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the self-travelling object on which another assembly for reduction of fuel consumption is mounted, with the another assembly being constructed in a second embodiment;

[0025] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 6, with a portion thereof being abbreviated;

[0026] FIG. 8 is a front elevation of the self-travelling object on which the assembly for reduction of fuel consumption is mounted in a further embodiment;

[0027] FIG. 9 is an enlarged and fragmentary perspective view of the turbine vanes forming the assembly that may be modified in any of the foregoing embodiments;

[0028] FIG. 10 is an enlarged side-elevational view of the turbine vanes form-ing the assembly that may further be modified in any of the foregoing embodiments;

[0029] FIG. 11(a) is an enlarged and fragmentary side elevation of the assem-bly provided in a still further embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 11(b) is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 11(a); and

[0031] FIG. 12 is an enlarged and fragmentary side elevation of the assembly provided in a yet still further embodiment.

THE BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0032] # First Embodiment

[0033] Now, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings.

[0034] An assembly provided in the first embodiment for reduction of fuel consumption may be mounted on an automobile vehicle such as a truck 1.

[0035] It will be understood that any compacted cars or the like ordinary vehicles, motored bicycles or the like two-wheeled vehicles, or any motored vessels may alternatively be equipped with such an assembly.

[0036] The truck 1 in this embodiment has an engine or the like prime mover (not shown) for driving the truck 1. Its drive wheels 3 driven by such a prime mover are disposed in a forward zone (in the travel direction indi-cated by the arrow ‘X’) of the vehicle so as to form an operative section 5. A cargo bed 7 is located in rear of such an operative section, as indicated by the arrow ‘Y’.

[0037] The assembly of the present embodiment is located in an upper region of the vehicle 1, and more particularly on the top of operative section 5. In detail, an internal frame (not shown) of said section 5 has a fastening portion (not shown) to which the assembly may be bolted.

[0038] The assembly of the present embodiment comprises a framework 10 bolted to and fixed on the truck's operative section 5, and a head wind receiving mechanism 20 having a turbine shaft 23 capable of rotation due to a wind force when the truck 1 runs. This assembly further comprises a transmission mechanism 30 and a windmill mechanism 40 that receives a torque from the turbine shaft 23 through the transmission mechanism.

[0039] The framework 10 has shaft support blocks 10a for rotatably sup-porting the turbine shaft 23 that belongs to the wind receiving mechanism 20, and also has further shaft support blocks 10b for rotatably supporting the windmill shafts 43 that belong to the windmill mechanism 20.

[0040] In more detail, the framework 10 has four legs 11 fixed to the internal frame of the truck's operative section 5, and a connective sub-frame con-sisting of longitudinal beams 13a and transverse beams 13b. This frame-work 10 further has a pair of right and left support beams 15, and each of them is fixed to and spanned between the fore and rear transverse beams 13b to take a raised position. Fixed on such raised beams 15 are the shaft support blocks 10a and 10b for the said turbine and windmill shafts.

[0041] The support blocks 10a for supporting the opposite ends of turbine shaft 23 are fixed on the respective support beams 15, and bearings are used as the main constituent parts of those blocks. Similarly, the other support blocks 10b for supporting the fore and rear portions of each windmill shaft 43 are fixed on these support beams 15, and bearings are used also as their main constituent parts. The latter blocks 10b protrude out sideways from the respective support beams 15.

[0042] As mentioned above, the head wind receiving mechanism 20 is held in position by the support blocks 10a of framework 10 so as to rotate freely relative thereto. This mechanism 20 is composed of the turbine shaft 23 extending perpendicularly to the travel direction ‘X’ and the turbine vanes 21 fixed on said shaft, so that the head wind acting on these vanes will drive the shaft to spin.

[0043] Portions adjacent to and inside the opposite ends of turbine shaft 23 are gripped by and in the support blocks 10a. Turbine-side gears 32 as the elements of transmission mechanism 30 are rigidly fixed on the opposite ends of said shaft (thus outside the support blocks), wherein bevel gears each having a conical engagement surface are used as such gears 32.

[0044] A plurality of the turbine vanes 21 (four vanes in the illustrated example) are welded or otherwise secured to the shaft 23 so as to protrude radially therefrom. A back side 22a (in the sense of rotational direction) of each vane 21 is curved such that it temporarily serves as a wind-receiving concave face when positioned above the turbine shaft 23.

[0045] In more detail and as will be seen in FIG. 4, each vane 21 is a curved plate of a uniform thickness. Its outer end 21a is disposed behind its middle region 21b in its rotational direction (clockwise in FIG. 4). Thus, its forward convex side 22b (in this direction) will allow a portion of the head wind stream to smoothly flow back. In the illustrated example, length of the arc of each vane is about a third of circle.

[0046] The turbine vanes 21 protruding from the shaft 23 do extend trans-versely of the self-travelling object 1, by a distance defined between the pair of spaced support blocks 10a on the respective support beams 10.

[0047] The windmill mechanism 40 is composed of at least one windmill shaft 43 generally in parallel with the travel direction ‘X’ and at least one group of windmill vanes 41. A torque transmitted from the turbine shaft 23 to this windmill shaft 43 through the transmission mechanism 30 will drive these vanes 41 to blow back an air stream in the direction ‘Y’ opposite to the travel direction. The transmission 30 operatively connects such a windmill mechanism 40 to the head wind receiving mechanism 20, causing each of these mechanisms 40 and 20 to make rotation in a desired direction when the head wind acts on them. In other words, and as will be discussed below, the windmill vanes 41 are deemed to consequently begin rotation as the object starts to receive a head wind. Thus, the transmission will transmit the torque from the former mechanism 40 to the latter one so as to operate it in the desired rotational direction.

[0048] A pair of the windmill shafts 43 are disposed on the top of and near the right and left lateral sides of said travelling object 1. The pair of support blocks 10b secured to each support beam 15 of framework 10 do rotatably hold portions of each windmill shaft 43 in order to cause it to rotate freely and in situ. Interposed between these windmill shaft portions is a wind-mill-side gear 34 rigidly secured to this shaft 43. This gear 34 always engaging with the turbine-side bevel gears 32 is likewise a bevel gear also having a conical engagement surface.

[0049] One of the windmill-side gears 34 (located rightward in FIG. 3) in mesh with the one turbine-side gear 32 is disposed ahead it in the sense of travel direction ‘X’. The other windmill-side gear 34 (located leftward in FIG. 3) in mesh with the other turbine-side gear 32 is disposed behind it as indicated by the backward direction ‘Y’.

[0050] In detail, both the windmill shafts 43 intersect the sideways extra-polations of turbine shaft 23, each at a right angle. The one windmill-side bevel gear 34 is kept in engagement with a forward region of the one turbine-side gear 32, with the other windmill-side bevel gear 34 in engagement with a rearward region of the other turbine-side gear 32. These turbine-side gears 32 both fixed on the turbine shaft 23 are strictly in a transverse alignment with each other.

[0051] The transmission mechanism 30 for operatively connecting the turbine shaft 23 to windmill shafts 43 is composed of two sections spaced trans-versely. One of the sections transmits the torque from the former shaft to one of the latter shafts, with the other section serving to likewise transmit said torque from the former shaft to the other of the latter shafts. This is because the turbine-side gears 32 on the ends of shaft 23 always stand in en-gagement with the respective windmill-side gear 34.

[0052] The single and common turbine shaft 23 suffices well to drive the two windmill shafts 43 in the same direction (for example in the anti-clockwise direction in front elevation of the vehicle 1). This is because the windmill-side gears 34 arranged fore and aft in the direction ‘X-Y’ are in a steady engagement with the respective turbine-side gears 32.

[0053] Ratio of the number of rotations of each windmill shaft 43 is set at four (4) to that of turbine shaft 23 in the transmission of this example, with the two windmill shaft 43 being caused to revolve at the same rotational speed.

[0054] Any other ratio equal to or greater than three (3) or four (4), for in-stance six (6), may alternatively be employed for the rotation numbers of these shafts 43 and 23. From another point of view, the said ratio may alternatively be equal to or smaller than eight (8) or seven (7), for instance one (1), also for such rotation numbers.

[0055] In any case, such a voluntary ratio of rotation numbers will be obtained by changing the number of teeth which the gear 32 and each of the other gears 34 mating therewith do have.

[0056] In operation of the assembly for reduction of fuel consumption as described above, the prime mover will begin driving the traveling object or vehicle 1 in the direction ‘X’. A resultant head wind (in the direction ‘Y’) will act on the wind receiving faces 22a of some turbine vanes 21, thus rotating the turbine shaft 23. It is likely that not only these faces 22a, but also the windmill vanes 41 might simultaneously start to spin as a whole due to such a head wind at an instant when such a rotational operation starts.

[0057] As the head wind begins acting on the turbine vanes 21 in the said manner, the turbine shaft 23 will start to spin to thereby produce a torque that is subsequently transmitted through the mechanism 30 to the windmill shafts 43. As a result, air streams will be generated by the windmill vanes 41 backwards in the direction ‘Y’. It is also likely that not only these faces 22a, but also the windmill vanes 41 might start at first to spin as a whole due to such a head wind when the relevant members start their rotational movement, so as to initiate rotation of the turbine shaft 23.

[0058] In accordance with the present embodiment, the turbine vanes 21 can be designed to extend a major portion of the transverse width of said travel-ling object 1, thus maximizing the area of each vane's wind receiving face 22a and making the torque as strong as possible.

[0059] Since the back side 22a of each turbine vane 21 is curved to be of a properly concave shape to surely and effectively receive the head wind, also enhancing the torque.

[0060] A flat plate is bent to provide such a curved vane 21 so that the front side 22b of each vane will allow the head wind to easily and smoothly pass by the turbine. By virtue of this feature, reaction of any noticeable inten-sity likely to weaken the torque will not adversely be imparted to each vane against normal rotation thereof.

[0061] The two windmill assemblies of vanes 41 are symmetrically arranged rightward and leftward on the vehicle 1, such that they can blow backward air streams in good harmony.

[0062] The same rotational speed of the right and left windmill vanes enables them to rotate in a well balanced manner.

[0063] If the two sets of windmill vanes were designed to rotate in opposite directions, then different types of fastening means such as bolts would be required that had to be tightened in opposite directions, thereby raising manufacture cost. However in the present embodiment, since one and the same type of fastening means will suffice and both the sets of windmill vanes do rotate in the same direction, manufacture of the assembly is rendered easier and less expensive.

[0064] Travel distances per one liter of gasoline as the fuel were measured for comparison of examples with references. The fuel consumption reducing assembly of the described structure was employed in each example of the vehicle 1, but with each reference being devoid of such an assembly. As a result of such performance tests, each example has proved more efficient to increase travel distance. This effect might be regarded as originating from the rearward air streams produced by the windmill vanes 41, but may more accurately be supposed that the positive air flow due to rotation of the turbine vanes 21 would have reduced the resistance of head wind acting against the vehicle. A negative pressure produced behind the travelling vehicle and tending to pull it back would have been canceled or compensated almost completely, affording a lowered travelling resistance.

[0065] One vehicle without the fuel economizing assembly of the invention ran about 7.54 km on a highway, whereas the other vehicle equipped with the said assembly ran however about 9.84 km on the same highway, both per 1 (one) liter of gasoline.

[0066] These and other test results are listed in FIG. 5, wherein nine examples of the vehicle of the invention as well as three references lacking in such an economizing assembly are shown. In those tests, the vehicles were driven on the same highway to measure their travel distance and the amount of consumed fuel. The column “Windmill:Turbine” indicates the given ratios of the number of rotations of windmill shafts to that of the turbine shaft. Another column “Cargo” (Yes/No) denotes whether each vehicle was or was not loaded with a cargo.

[0067] # Second Embodiment

[0068] Now, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The same reference numerals are allocated to its structural ele-ments of the same functional features as those in the first embodiment, and such elements will not be described again.

[0069] Similarly to the first embodiment, the assembly of the second embodiment comprises a framework 10 bolted to and fixed on the operative section 5 of a truck 1, and a head wind receiving mechanism 20 having a turbine shaft 23 capable of rotation due to a wind force when the truck 1 runs. However, this assembly does neither comprise any windmill mechanism nor any transmission mechanism therefor, unlike the first embodiment.

[0070] Also similarly to the first embodiment, the head wind receiving mech-anism 20 is held in position by support blocks 10a of the framework so as to rotate freely relative thereto. This mechanism 20 is composed of a turbine shaft 23 extending perpendicularly to the travel direction ‘X’ and turbine vanes 21 fixed on said shaft, so that the head wind acting on these vanes will drive the shaft to spin. Shape and other features of each vane 23 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0071] In operation of the assembly for reduction of fuel consumption as provided in the second embodiment, a prime mover in the vehicle 1 will begin driving it in the forward direction ‘X’. A resultant head wind (in the direction ‘Y’) will act on the wind receiving faces 22a of upper turbine vanes 21, thus rotating the turbine shaft 23. It is supposed that a backward air stream generated by such vanes 21 will decrease resistance of ambient air acting against the vehicle, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

[0072] # Other Embodiments

[0073] The fuel economizing assemblies according to the foregoing embodi-ments afford advantages as noted above by virtue of the described structural features. However, this invention is not delimited to those embodiments but may be modified in any manner within the scope defined by the an-nexed claims.

[0074] For example, the pair of right and left windmill shafts 43 at opposite ends of turbine shaft 23 can be dispensed with, deviating from the first embodiment. It also may be possible within the scope of the present inven-tion to incorporate only one windmill shaft on one lateral side of vehicle or employ three or more windmill shafts properly spaced transversely.

[0075] In the transmission mechanism 30 of first embodiment, each turbine-side gear 32 on turbine shaft 23 is in a direct engagement with the corre-sponding windmill-side gear 34 on the windmill shaft 43. However, those shafts may not be directly connected together but instead by and through a train of proper reduction gears. Those gears 32 and 34 directly engaging one another as in the embodiment may be covered with a lubricant oil case, if necessary or desirable.

[0076] Although four vanes 41 protrude from each windmill shaft 43 in the illustrated example, they may be arranged in any different fashion or man-ner insofar as a smooth and sufficient backward air stream is generated.

[0077] The self-travelling object 1 with the fuel economizing assembly of the invention is exemplified as a truck in the embodiments, but it may be any other vehicle or the like. Even in a case of the truck or the like vehicle having such an assembly, such an assembly need not necessarily be directly secured on the truck. For example, a bed 6 may be secured on the top of operative section 5 of truck 1 so that the assembly is fixed on this bed as shown in FIG. 8.

[0078] The vanes 21 of wind receiving mechanism 20 may be modified in shape as illustrated in FIG. 9. In this case, they are welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the shaft 23 so as to protrude radially thereof. Also the back side of each vane is of a concave shape to serve as the wind receiving face 22a, although the outer end 21a of each vane is bent outwards and centrifugally of the shaft 23.

[0079] The turbine vanes 21 may not necessarily be welded to shaft 21 but be bolted or otherwise fixed thereon as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, bolts 25a and nuts 25b are used such that one of the bolts cooperates with the mating nut to fasten two of said vanes diametrically opposed. The shaft 23 in this case is surrounded by a sleeve or collar of a square cross section to provide four flat faces disposed perpendicular to each other. Thus, basal or inner ends of the vanes 21 are held in a firm contact with the respective flat face of sleeve so as to be fastened with each set of bolt 25a and nut 25b. Three sets of bolt and nut may be arranged to form a transverse array thereof longitudinally of the turbine shaft 23, with the other three sets forming another array. Such a shaft may be prepared alternatively by machining the opposite ends of a square steel column to be shaved round and supported properly in and by the framework 10.

[0080] A guard 50 shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) is designed to cover the vanes 21, permitting air streams to flow past them. Each of semicircular-ly arcuate steel rods 51 almost surrounding the vanes has opposite ends welded or otherwise secured to the framework portions 10. Similarly, the windmill mechanism 40 may comprise a guard covering the outer periphery and/or frontal face of each set of vanes 41.

[0081] A windshield 60 may be provided, as FIG. 12 illustrates, in order to protect from a head wind the vanes 21 temporarily and alternately taking a lowser position below the shaft 23. This windshield 60 has a foot welded or otherwise fixed on the frame and is slanted backwards with respect the travel direction, with the top of windshield being disposed generally at the height of shaft 23.

UTILITY OF THE INVENTION

[0082] It will now be apparent that the assembly provided herein for reduction of fuel consumption may be mounted on any self-travelling object such as an automobile vehicle for the purpose of decreasing the amount of fuel used to drive it.

Claims

1. An assembly for reduction of fuel consumption in a self-travelling object (1), characteristically comprising;

a turbine shaft (23) extending generally at a right angle to a travel direction ‘X’ of the object, and

turbine vanes (21) fixed on the shaft to receive a rearward wind force to rotate the shaft (23) when the object runs.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of the turbine vanes (21) are arranged radially of the shaft (23) and fixedly secured thereto, and each vane (21) temporarily disposed upwards above the shaft (23) has a front face (22a) designed to receive the rearward wind force.

3. An assembly for reduction of fuel consumption in a self-travelling object (1), characteristically comprising;

a turbine shaft (23) extending generally at a right angle to a travel direction ‘X’ of the object,

turbine vanes (21) fixed on the shaft to receive a rearward wind force to rotate the shaft (23) when the object runs,

at least one windmill shaft (43) lying generally in parallel with the travel direction ‘X’,

a transmission mechanism (30) operatively connecting the turbine shaft (23) to the windmill shaft (43) so as to transmit a torque from the former shaft to the latter one, and

a plurality of windmill vanes (41) fixed on the windmill shaft (43).

4. An assembly as defined in claim 3, characterized in that each of a plurality of the turbine vanes (21) fixed on and around the shaft (23) has a concave face disposed rearwards with respect to a rotational direction of the vanes so that this face serves as a wind receiving face (22a).

5. An assembly as defined in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the transmission mechanism (30) substantially consists of at least one turbine-side gear (32) fixed on the turbine shaft (23) and at least one windmill-side gear (34) fixed on the windmill shaft (43) and kept in mesh with the former gear (32).

6. An assembly as defined in claim 5, characterized in that one of the two turbine-side gears (32) is disposed at one end of the turbine shaft (23), with the other gear (32) being at the other end of said shaft, two windmill shafts (43) each having the gear (34) fixed thereon are arranged respectively at opposite ends of the turbine shaft (23), wherein one of the turbine-side gears (32) engages with one of the windmill-side gears (34) on the windmill shaft (43), with the other turbine-side gears (32) engaging with the other windmill-side gear (34).

7. An assembly as defined in claim 6, characterized in that the one windmill-side gear (34) is located ahead the other one (34) with respect to the travel direction ‘X’, both on the object (1) and both in mesh with the respective mating turbine-side gears (32).