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Old 01-11-2008, 06:55 PM   #19 (permalink)
bondo
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Again let me thank you for the many compliments. This aspect of the aero cap, that it can be changed into a more utilitarian configuration, was a major concern. Many pickup truck owners have camper shells, or caps, on their trucks. A regular camper shell actually has a worse coefficient of drag than a truck with nothing over the bed at all. This is due to the squared off end of the camper and tailgate combining to create a large low pressure area behind the truck as it moves through the atmosphere.

An open bed will at least produce a "bubble" of air which tricks air above it in the boundary layer to flow over the "bubble". However, a large turbulent wake is still produced. A bed cover, or tonneau, is more aerodynamic that an open bed but cargo space is limited and you can't camp in it.

With the aero cap you can have the most aerodynamic configuration of all while having the flexibility to haul larger cargo or haul the pups or camp in it.

I had developed and patented another product almost ten years ago now, US pat.# 5,951,095. It was basically a gimmick and was to complex to manufacture. However, I did learn about how to make something change configuration and how to make it simple to manufacture. I include some pics of the old product. Basically it was a tonneau cover which could be converted into a camper shell configuration. It was fully roadable in the raised position but it was an aerodynamic nightmare as far as Cd is concerned while in the raised position.







Thanks again for all the responses and I am again honored to be in such good company,

Brett
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