Traction-enhancing system for use with motor vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted device and method for delivering a traction enhancing material to a road surface directly in front of one or more tires is disclosed. The device delivers the traction enhancing material when an electronic controller detects a loss of traction. The device uses an air duct to collect air incident on the vehicle and direct the air to the road surface. The device further comprises a hopper to hold the traction enhancing material. The hopper is coupled to the air duct at an aperture. When activated, a valve assembly selectively opens and closes the aperture in response to controller commands. When opened, the traction enhancing material accelerates from the hopper into the duct and becomes entrained in the air stream where it is then delivered to the road surface. Once delivered, the traction enhancing material is introduced between the tires and the road surface to effectively increase the coefficient of friction therebetween.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A traction enhancing device for use with a moving vehicle, the device comprising: 
 an air duct for receiving air incident on the vehicle;    a storage hopper adapted to hold a traction enhancing material;    a valve assembly intermediate the hopper and the air duct wherein the valve assembly selectively permits communication between the hopper and the air duct; and    a control system for selectively activating the valve assembly in response to one or more control inputs.    
     
     
         2 . The traction enhancing device of  claim 1  wherein the hopper couples to the air duct at an aperture.  
     
     
         3 . The traction enhancing device of  claim 1  wherein the air duct further comprises: 
 an air scoop for receiving the air;  
 a nozzle for directing the air and traction enhancing material to a tire/road interface; and  
 an elbow intermediate the air scoop and the nozzle.  
 
     
     
         4 . The traction enhancing device of  claim 2  wherein the valve assembly comprises a movable valve member selectively covering the aperture.  
     
     
         5 . A device for distributing a traction enhancing material to a portion of road surface generally forward of one or more tires of a moving vehicle, the device comprising: 
 air duct attached to the vehicle, wherein the air duct defines an interior passageway, the air duct having: 
 a scoop for receiving air incident on the moving vehicle;  
 a nozzle for directing the air to the portion of road surface; and  
 one or more elbows intermediate the scoop and nozzle, the elbow providing a smooth transition for air traveling from the scoop to the nozzle;  
   a storage hopper adapted to store a volume of traction enhancing material wherein the hopper has an outlet channel;    a valve assembly for selectively opening and closing an aperture defined by an intersection of the outlet channel and the air duct, wherein the valve assembly permits movement of the traction enhancing material from the hopper into the air duct where it becomes entrained with the air; and    a control system for selectively activating the valve assembly in response to one or more control inputs.    
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the scoop is located slightly forward of a front end of the vehicle.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the scoop has a flared mouth having a mouth diameter.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the air duct has a duct diameter less than the mouth diameter.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the nozzle further comprises: 
 an enlarged, annular portion having a nozzle diameter larger than the duct diameter; and  
 an internal tubular portion, the tubular portion having a one or more openings that permit the air to expand from the tubular portion into the annular portion but are insufficient in size to permit the passage of the traction enhancing material from the tubular portion into the annular portion.  
 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the openings on the tubular portion comprise a series of holes.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the openings on the tubular portion comprise a series of slots.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the nozzle further comprises a nozzle aiming mechanism.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the hopper additionally comprises: 
 a removable cover;  
 a heat trace proximate the outlet channel and the aperture to prevent freezing of the traction enhancing material; and  
 a level sensor to determine the volume of traction enhancing material present within the hopper.  
 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the control system further comprises: 
 a microprocessor-based module for receiving and processing the control inputs; and  
 a first control output for selectively opening and closing the valve assembly in response to the control inputs.  
 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the control system further comprises a second control output for selectively aiming the nozzle.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the control inputs comprise: 
 one or more accelerometers operatively connected to the control system;  
 one or more wheel speed sensors operatively connected to the control system; and  
 one or more steering wheel position sensors operatively connected to the control system.  
 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the traction enhancing material comprises sand.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the valve assembly comprises: 
 a valve plate disposed over the aperture, the valve plate movable between an open and a closed position;  
 a displacing device for displacing the valve plate between the open and closed positions;  
 a retaining member extending around a periphery of the aperture; and  
 a gasket extending around the periphery of the aperture.  
 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for distributing a traction enhancing material to a road surface generally forward of one or more tires of a moving vehicle, the apparatus comprising: 
 a source of compressed gas; and    a discharge unit, wherein the discharge unit can selectively discharge a projectile to the road surface to improve traction and wherein the discharge unit develops energy from the source of compressed gas.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the projectile is a granular material encased within a shell, wherein the shell breaks open upon contact with the road surface.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the projectile is a glass sphere, wherein the sphere shatters and disperses upon contact with the road surface.  
     
     
         22 . A method of dispensing a traction enhancing material to a road surface generally forward of one or more tires of a moving vehicle having an anti-lock brake system, wherein the method comprises: 
 collecting air incident on the moving vehicle;    accelerating the air through an air duct;    sensing a loss of traction between the one or more tires and the road surface beyond a predefined threshold level;    selectively dispensing a traction enhancing material into the air duct; and    directing the accelerated air and entrained traction enhancing material to the road surface forward of the one or more tires.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising intermittently rotating the one or more tires in response to the anti-lock brake system, thereby trapping the traction enhancing material between the tire and the road surface and thus increasing traction.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising ceasing dispensation of the traction enhancing material upon sensing tire traction has returned within the predefined threshold.  
     
     
         25 . A method of dispensing a traction enhancing material to a road surface generally forward of one or more tires of a vehicle having an anti-lock brake system, wherein the method comprises: 
 determining a wheel speed;    determining a ground speed;    comparing the wheel speed to the ground speed;    opening a valve in proportional response to the ground speed;    dispensing a traction enhancing material through the valve to the road surface, wherein the traction enhancing material increases traction;    determining when the ground speed matches the wheel speed; and    closing the valve.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising: 
 reading a first accelerometer signal; and  
 calculating the ground speed based on the first accelerometer signal.  
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising: 
 reading a second accelerometer signal;  
 reading a steering wheel position signal;  
 comparing the steering wheel position signal to the second accelerometer signal;  
 opening the valve in proportional response to the ground speed;  
 dispensing the traction enhancing material through the valve to the road surface, wherein the traction enhancing material increases traction;  
 determining when the steering wheel position signal matches the second accelerometer signal; and  
 closing the valve.  
 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising providing a warning indication to an operator within the vehicle that the valve is opened.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising: 
 generating a plurality of control inputs based on the wheel speed, ground speed, first accelerometer signal, second accelerometer signal, and steering wheel position signal; and  
 processing the plurality of control inputs with a system controller.  
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising: 
 providing a hopper to retain the traction enhancing material;  
 sensing a volume of material within the hopper; and  
 providing a warning indication when the volume of material drops below a threshold value.  
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising: 
 providing a memory device;  
 receiving one or more of the first accelerometer signal, the second accelerometer signal, and the steering wheel position signal into the memory device; and  
 storing the signals in the memory device for a predetermined period of time, wherein the signals may be subsequently extracted from the memory device.  
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising: 
 providing a cellular telephone and a global positioning system operatively connected to the system controller;  
 notifying a remote station with the cellular telephone when one or more predefined conditions is satisfied; and  
 transmitting the vehicle coordinates calculated by the global positioning system to the remote station.  
 
     
     
         33 . An automobile comprising: 
 a chassis;    one or more drive wheels operatively coupled to the chassis;    a power source operatively coupled to the chassis to provide power to the one or more drive wheels;    one or more steerable wheels operatively coupled to the chassis;    a brake system for stopping the one or more drive wheels and the one or more steerable wheels; and    a traction enhancing device mounted to the chassis proximal the one or more drive wheels or the one or more steerable wheels, the device comprising:    a storage hopper adapted to hold a traction enhancing material;    an air duct for receiving air incident on the automobile, the air duct including an air scoop for receiving the air and a nozzle for directing the air to a tire/road interface;    a valve assembly intermediate the hopper and the air duct wherein the valve assembly selectively permits communication between the hopper and the air duct wherein the traction enhancing material becomes entrained with the air; and    a control system for selectively activating the valve assembly in response to one or more control inputs.    
     
     
         34 . A projectile for use with a traction enhancing apparatus attached to a moving vehicle, the projectile comprising a sphere adapted to be accelerated by the traction enhancing apparatus.  
     
     
         35 . The projectile of  claim 34  wherein the sphere comprises a shell encasing a granular substance.  
     
     
         36 . The projectile of FIG. 35 wherein the shell comprises a gelatin material.  
     
     
         37 . The projectile of FIG. 36 wherein the gelatin shell is hardened such that it ruptures on impact with a road surface and disperses the granular material encased therein.  
     
     
         38 . The projectile of  claim 34  wherein the sphere comprises a glass material that shatters on impact with a road surface.