Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVING BRAIKE DUST AND OTHER
POLLUTANTS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No. 10/936,873
filed
September 9, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No.
10/797,985
filed March 9, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
No.
60/517,153, filed on November 3, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Application No.
60/454,863,
filed on March, 12, 2003, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by
reference in
their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices that remove pollutants from roadway
surfaces. More specifically, the embodiments described herein include
pollutant traps, such
as porous filters, pads, or membranes, that attach to the under carriage of
moving vehicles
and collect roadway pollutants that are liberated from the road surface.
Methods of using
these devices to remove pollutants from the environment are also provided.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nonpoint source
pollution (NPS) is now the leading cause of water quality problems in
Ainerica. NPS is
caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the
runoff moves,
it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally
depositing them
into coastal waters, lakes, rivers, wetlands and even our underground sources
of drinlcing
water. (See, for example, "Oil in the Sea" in Pollution Equipnaent News, dated
October
2002.) These pollutants are many and varied, but they include oil, grease and
toxic
chemicals from urban rulioff and energy production. Atmospheric deposition and
hydromodification are also prime sources of NPS.
The accuinulation of hydrocarbons and toxic metals on roadway surfaces is
largely
attributable to tailpipe emissions, tire tread wear, lealcing automotive
fluids, brake pad
deterioration, and dirty car-washing water. (See U.S. Patent No. 5,993,372,
the entirety of
which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.) As tailpipe exhaust is
emitted, for
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example, the many "fine" particles in the exhaust are either inhaled or they
are filtered back
down back down on to the street, waiting for rain to wash them into a storm
sewer or for
rolling tires to throw them back into the air (also referred to as "re-
entrainment.") Fine
particles, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, toxic
organic
compounds (e.g., toluene), and other heavy metals are all found in tail pipe
exhaust.
Additionally, as tire tread wears, pollution accumulates on roadway surfaces
in the form of
zinc, cadmium, carbon black, and fine particles of rubber. Furthermore,
leaking oil,
antifreeze, brake and transmission fluids, battery acid, grease and degreasing
agents, also
accumulate on the roadway surfaces. These automotive liquids contain toxic
organic
compounds and metals, as well. Brake pad dust is also a major source of
roadway pollution
and significantly contributes to the accumulation of copper in our waterways.
In the San
Francisco Bay, for exainple, brake pad dust is reported to be the largest
source of copper
pollution. (See "How Do Vehicles Pollute the Bay? Let's Count the Ways"
available at
the Palo Alto (CA) Regional Water Quality Control Plant web site)
The accumulation of roadway pollution is having a drastic effect on human
health.
In a study financed largely by the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences,
researchers calculated that the number of deaths from lung cancer increases by
eight percent
for every ten micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter. The risk
of dying from
lung cancer as well as heart disease in the most polluted cities has been
compared to the
risk associated with nonsmokers being exposed to second-hand (cigarette) smoke
over a
long period of time. (See Jeanie Davis, "Air Pollution Increases Lung Cancer
Risk;
Evidence Linlcs Bad Air with Heart Disease, Too" MSN and WebMD Medical News,
March 5, 2002.") Since the number of automobiles is increasing three times
faster than the
rate of population growth in the world and approximately 40% of deaths around
the world
can be attributed to various environmental factors, especially organic and
chemical
pollutants, the need for a device and method to remove these toxins from
roadway surfaces
is manifest. (See BioScience, October 1998 issue.)
Several different devices have been made to trap pollutants that are emitted
from
automobiles (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,170,586, 5,711,402, 5,993,372, 5,967,200,
5,549,178,
5,692,547, and 6,524,992, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by
reference in
their entireties). Although these devices and approaches reduce pollution by
trapping the
pollutants before they contact the roadway surfaces, there remains a
significant need for
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devices and methods that remove pollutants that have already accumulated on
roadway
surfaces.
SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS
The invention includes embodiments of systems and methods for removing
pollutants from a roadway surface. In one embodiment, the system includes a
vehicle that
comprises a pollutant trap that is mounted on the underside of the vehicle
such that an
exposed surface of the pollutant trap collects pollutants that are distributed
onto the trap
when a vehicle is driven over the roadway (e.g., pollutants liberated from the
roadway
surface by the tires of the vehicle, by the suction created under or through
the vehicle
during driving (e.g., passive airflow) or when suction is induced by a fan,
blower, or
vacuum, and pollutants liberated from the bralce system as the brakes are
applied). In some
embodiments, the pollutant trap comprises a frame and/or a pad. In other
embodiments, the
pollutant trap comprising a pad or filter is part of the vehicle (e.g., built
into the wheel well
f the vehicle). In one embodiment, the pollutant trap comprises an ionic
cleaning system
that adds charged ions to the air and traps pollutant particles with
electrostatically-charged
collection plates. In other embodiments, the pollutant trap comprises a pad or
filter (e.g.,
made of paper, cationic, anionic, a hydrophobic material, or mixtures thereof)
that is affixed
to the vehicle. In yet other embodiments, the system includes a fan, blower or
vacuum that
induces or focuses air and pollutants to the pollutant trap and, in still more
embodiments,
passive airflow generated by the rotation of the tires of the vehicle is
focused to one or
more filters placed on or in the vehicle.
The pollutant trap can be mounted on the interior of the wheel well of the
vehicle at
a position that collects the spray that is emitted from the tires of the
vehicle as the vehicle
travels over the roadway or at a position that allows for the pollutants that
are sucked under
the vehicle to contact the pollutant trap. In other embodiments, the pollutant
trap is
mounted on the mud flaps of the vehicle. The pollutant trap can be attached by
several
types of fasteners including, but not limited to, screws, glue, nails, clamps,
hook and loop
fasteners (e.g., VELCRO brand hook and loop fasteners), and/or sleeves that
hold the
pollutant trap in place. In other embodiments, the wheel housing on the
vehicle is modified
or redesigned such that it is or incorporates the pollution trap. In another
embodiment, the
wheel housing is optimized to focus the pollutants, which are sucked under the
vehicle or
into the wheel housing, to the pollutant trap. In various embodiments, the
pollutant trap can
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be an oleophilic pad, a hydrophobic pad, a hydrophobic and hydrophilic pad, a
charged pad,
an uncharged pad, a magnetic pad, or a pad that traps hydrocarbons or toxic
metals, and
combinations thereof. For example, the pollutant trap can comprise a
positively charged
plastic material that can attract negatively charged biological matter or a
negatively charged
material that attracts positively charged matter.
Other embodiments of the invention concern methods to remove pollutants from
roadway surfaces. For example, in one embodiment, pollutants that are present
on a
roadway surface are dispersed under the vehicle (e.g., liberated by the tires,
sucked under
the vehicle by the vacuum created while driving, or by airflow created by a
fan, blower, or
vacuum or passive air flow generated by the rotation of the tires) and are
captured by a
pollutant trap that is mounted on the undercarriage of a vehicle or elsewhere
on the vehicle
so long as the flow of pollutants is focused onto the pollutant trap (e.g., a
filter). Some
embodiments include trapping the pollutants from the roadway surface in a
pollution trap
which is mounted inside the wheel well of a vehicle. Other embodiments include
trapping
the pollutants from the roadway surface in a pollutant trap mounted on the mud
flaps of the
vehicle. Aliother embodiment includes removing pollutants from a wet or dry
roadway
surface by liberating or disturbing the pollutants with a vehicle and
collecting or trapping
the pollutants in an exposed portion of a pollution trap mounted on the
underside of the
vehicle. Using the systems and methods of the invention described herein,
roadway
pollutants (e.g., hydrocarbons, volatile chemicals, and toxic metals) are
removed from the
environment.
Other embodiments of the invention include systems and for capturing a
pollutant,
comprising a brake assembly that comprises a movable braking surface, a brake
pad
positioned near the movable braking surface, the brake assembly configured to
place the
brake pad in contact with the bralcing surface, and a pollution trap
positioned near the brake
assembly such that the pollutant trap is exposed to pollutants generated from
contacting the
brake pad and the brake surface. The pollution trap can comprise a pollutant
trap pad (e.g.,
a filter or pollutant collector) that binds a pollutant contacting said pad so
that the pollutant
is captured by the pollution trap. The system can further comprise a pollutant
deflector
positioned between a wheel connected to the braking surface and the braking
surface, where
the pollution trap is disposed on the side of the deflector shield facing the
braking surface.
Another embodiment of the invention includes a system for capturing a
pollutant
generated by placing a brake pad in contact with a moving braking surface,
comprising a
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pollution trap comprising a material for binding a pollutant so as to capture
the pollutant in
the pollution trap, the pollution trap being positioned relative to a brake
pad and a braking
surface such that the material is exposed to the pollutant generated when the
brake pad
contacts the braking surface when the braking surface is moving. The system
can further
comprise an automobile, wherein the pollution trap, the brake pad and the
braking surface
are disposed on the automobile. In some embodiments, the system comprises a
brake
assembly comprising the brake pad and the braking surface, and wherein the
pollution trap
is connected to the brake assembly. In some embodiments, the pollution device
is
positioned between an inner portion of a wheel rim and at least a portion of
the braking
surface, the wheel rim having the inner portion facing towards the bralcing
surface and an
outer portion facing away from the braking surface, the wheel rim being
connected to the
braking surface such that slowing the movement of the braking surface also
slows the
movement of the wheel rim. In some embodiments, the pollution trap is
connected to the
wheel rim. hi another embodiment, the system further comprises a magnet
positioned in a
location relative to a point where the brake pad contacts the braking surface
during braking
such that said magnet is exposed to a pollutant resulting from contacting the
braking
surface with the brake pad.
In another embodiment, a method for capturing a pollutant generated by the
contact
of a brake pad with a moving surface used for braking coinprises positioning a
pollution
trap between a wheel of a vehicle and at least a portion of a moving surface
connected to
the wheel and used for braking, exposing a pollutant trap pad held by the
pollution trap to a
pollutant generated by contacting a brake pad with the moving surface used for
braking, and
capturing the pollutant on the pollution trap pad.
In another embodiment, the invention includes a system for a capturing a
pollutant
from a vehicle bralce assembly, including a housing partially surrounding at
least a portion
of a vehicle brake assembly and disposed to receive bralce dust from the brake
assembly,
and a collector disposed to capture the bralce dust received in said housing.
In some
embodiments, the collector comprises a filter. In some embodiments, the brake
dust
collector is disposed inside the housing. The housing can include a cover
including a
plurality of openings. In some embodiments, the collector is disposed between
said cover
and the brake assembly. The cover can be removable for access to said filter.
In some
embodiments, the cover and the filter are formed as an integrated piece. In
some
embodiments, the filter is renewable by cleaning. The bralce dust collector
can be disposed
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external to said housing, and the system can include conduit connected to the
collector and
the housing for moving brake dust from said housing to said collector. In some
einbodiments, the conduit comprises a flexible hose. The collector can include
an air
exhaust, that can be disposed relative to a first air flow created by the
vehicle moving
forward so that a second air flow is created to move the brake dust from the
housing
through the conduit and into the collector by the venturi effect.
In another embodiment of the invention, the system for a capturing a pollutant
from
a vehicle brake assembly, includes a rotor shroud covering at least a portion
of a brake rotor
and disposed to receive brake dust generated during braking, and a collector
disposed to
capture the brake dust received in said rotor shroud. In some embodiments, the
collector
comprises a filter.
In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises a method for capturing
brake
dust on a moving vehicle, the method including providing a system for
collecting brake
dust as described herein, creating a first air flow using the forward motion
of the vehicle to
move the pollutants from said housing to said collector, and capturing the
brake dust in said
collector. In some embodiments, the first air flow is created by creating a
suction by
exhausting air passing through the collector into a second air flow created by
the forward
motion of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the collector comprises a filter.
In another embodiment, the invention includes a system for capturing
pollutants
from a wheel well opening of a vehicle, including a wheel well comprising a
surface having
a plurality of openings, wherein the surface openings are exposed to
pollutants in the wheel
well opening partially surrounded by said wheel well, an air channel disposed
along at least
a portion of said wheel well surface so that the surface is between said air
channel and said
plurality of openings, said air channel comprising an air intake port and an
air outlet port,
and said air channel generating a first air flow in the air channel and a
resulting second air
flow to move pollutants in the wheel well opening through said plurality of
open.ings and
towards the air channel when the vehicle is moving forward, a filter
positioned between
said air channel and said plurality of openings, wherein said filter comprises
a first surface
disposed along said air channel and exposed to said air channel, and a second
surface
disposed proximate to the plurality of openings so that at least a portion of
pollutants
moving through said plurality of openings towards said air channel are
captured by said
filter. In some embodiments, the system includes a de-icer positioned on wheel
well for
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melting snow or ice accumulated on the wheel well, and a power source
connected to said
de-icer, said de-icer configured to produce heat when energized by said power
source.
In another embodiment, the invention includes a method for capturing
pollutants on
a moving vehicle, the method including providing a system as described above,
creating
the first air flow by the forward motion of the vehicle, the first air flow
creating a suction
along said filter, creating the second air flow from the suction to move the
pollutants from a
wheel well opening to said filter, wherein the second air flow is created by
exhausting air
passing through the filter into the first air flow, moving pollutants existing
in the wheel
well opening through the plurality of openings in the surface of the wheel
well and through
the filter using the second air flow, and capturing the pollutants in said
filter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pollutant trap in accordance with the
preferred
embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of a pollutant trap.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a pollutant trap.
FIG. 4 is schematic view of a vehicle on a roadway.
FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the wheel well of a vehicle.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the pollutant trap of FIG. 3 used on the wheel
well of
a vehicle.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the pollutant trap of FIG. 3 used on the wheel
well of
a vehicle.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the pollutant trap of FIG. 3 used on the wheel
well of
a vehicle.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the pollutant trap of FIG. 3 used on the mud
flap of a
vehicle.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the pollutant trap of FIG. 3 used with a
vehicle.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the pollutant trap of FIG. 3 exposed to a UV-
light
source.
FIG. 12 is a side view of a pollutant trap disposed on brake shield.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a pollutant trap disposed on a bralce shield.
FIG. 14 is a front view of a pollutant trap disposed between a portion of a
rim and a
portion of a bralcing surface.
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FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a pollutant trap disposed on a brake
asseinbly.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a dust collector housing disposed on a brake
assembly.
FIG. 17 is top view of a dust collector housing that includes a hose to carry
brake
dust to a filter located externally to the housing.
FIG. 18 is schematic view of a brake dust collector.
FIG. 19 is a scheinatic of a rotor shroud for collecting brake dust.
FIG. 20 is a schematic of a brake dust collection system for drum brakes.
FIG. 21 is a top view of a vented housing that includes a brake dust filter.
FIG. 22 is a front view of the vented housing of FIG. 21.
FIG. 23 is a side view of the vented housing of FIG. 21.
FIG. 24 is a schematic of a vented wheel well that includes a filter element.
FIG. 25 illustrates an einbodiment of a de-icing system for a wheel well.
FIG. 26 illustrates an embodiment of a flow-through wheel well.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the
accompanying figures, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout.
The
terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be
interpreted in any
limited or restrictive manner, simply because it is being utilized in
conjunction with a
detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention.
Furtllermore,
embodiments of the invention may include several novel features, no single one
of which is
solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to
practicing the
inventions herein described.
Devices and methods for trapping pollutants that accumulate on roadway
surfaces
have been developed and are described herein with reference to the
accompanying figures.
In several embodiments, the device comprises a pollutant trap that is affixed
to the
undercarriage of a vehicle at a position that allows the trap to collect
and/or bind roadway
pollutants as they are liberated from the roadway surface (e.g., pollutants
that are liberated
by the tires of the vehicle while driving, pollutants sucked under the vehicle
by the vacuum
created while driving (e.g., pollutants contained in the airflow generated
passively while
driving the vehicle), or pollutants forced under the vehicle or focused on to
a filter by the
airflow created by a fan, blower, or vacuum). Forced induction or suction of
air using, for
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example, blowers, motors, or fans, can be used to increase the air flow and
the flow of
roadway pollutants to the pollutant trap. For example, forced induction or
suction of air can
be used to increase the flow of roadway pollutants to the pollutant trap when
the vehicle is
not moving fast enough to create a sufficient air flow to the pollutant trap.
Embodiments of
the invention include a pollutant trap (e.g., a pad, filter or membrane) that
is affixed to the
wheel wells, splash guards, or mud flaps of a vehicle at a position that
collects roadway
spray (e.g., rainwater or roadway dust) generated by the wheels of the vehicle
or at a
position that allows for contact with roadway pollutants that are sucked under
the vehicle
by the vacuum created while driving or by forced air induction (e.g., fan,
blower, or
vacuum). The pollutant trap can be coinposed of many different materials and
is,
preferably, composed of a material that binds hydrocarbons, toxic metals,
oils, tars, fuels,
lubricants, organic chemicals, pesticides, bacteria, asbestos, salt from de-
icing and the like.
A vehicle equipped with a pollutant trap (e.g., a hydrocarbon filter affixed
to the
roadway splash zone of the wheel wells) can be used to reduce the amount of
hydrocarbons
on a roadway surface by simply driving the vehicle over the roadway surface.
As the tires
liberate roadway pollutants, for example, by pulling a slurry of pollutants
and water from a
wetted roadway surface or creating an aerosol of pollutant-laden dust from a
dry roadway
surface, the pollutants are brought into contact with the pollutant trap and
affixed thereto,
thereby reducing the amount of pollutants on the roadway surface.
Additionally, as a vehicle drives over a roadway surface, a vacuum is created
under
the vehicle, in particular at positions on the wheel well. The vehicle induced
vacuum can
be so considerable that it is thought to be the cause of several accidents
whereby bicyclists
are drawn into the wheels of passing busses (See J. Natl. Acad of Forefasic
Engineers, vol.
XVIII, No. 1, June 2001). As velocity increases, the pressure near the wheels
of the vehicle
decreases creating the vacuum. One embodiment of this invention utilizes this
vacuum
such that roadway pollutants that are liberated from the road surface are
sucked under the
vehicle and are disposed onto pollutant traps that are positioned under the
vehicle and/or in
the wheel wells of the vehicle, thereby reducing the amount of pollutants on
the roadway
surface.
A vehicle equipped with a pollutant trap (e.g., a hydrocarbon filter affixed
to the
wheel wells) and a pollutant liberator (e.g., a fan, blower, a vacuum that is
affixed to the
vehicle in a manner that generates airflow, preferable a vacuum, so as to
bring pollutants in
contact with the filter pad) is provided. The combination of the pollutant
trap and pollutant
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liberator can improve the amount of pollutant collected onto the pollutant
trap, especially
wllen the vehicle is maintained at low rates of speed.
Figure 1 shows a pollutant trap 120 in accordance with a one embodiment. The
pollutant trap 120 not only prevents damage to the vehicle but, more
importantly, removes
pollutants from the roadway surface, by collecting the enviromnental
pollutants as they are
disturbed from the roadway surface. In some embodiments, the pollutant trap
120 separates
the enviroiunental pollutants from water, or other non-polluting roadway
fluids. In some
embodiments, the pollutant trap 120 may also solidify the pollutants.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the pollutant trap 120 includes a housing
124
and a pollutant trap pad 126. The housing 124 can be any type of structure
that holds the
pollutant trap pad, for example, a frame that "holds" the pollutant trap pad
126 and exposes
both sides of the pad 126 for collecting pollutants. In another example
embodiment, the
housing can be a structure that holds the pollutant trap pad 126 and exposes
one side pad
126 for collecting pollutants. In certain einbodiments, the pad 126 can be
arranged such
that at least one surface is exposed to the roadway, wheel, or wheel well. In
another
embodiment, the pollutant trap 120 comprises a pollutant trap pad 126, without
a housing
124. When referring herein to a structure or a frame that "holds" the
pollutant trap pad 126,
numerous types of embodiments are contemplated including where the pollutant
trap pad is
attached, in any way (e.g., via clips, snaps, hook and loop fasteners,
buttons, adhesive,
screws, fasteners with interlocking male and female parts, mechanical
pressure, etc.) to the
structure, the attachment being either permanently or removably.
As will be described in detail hereinafter in Figure 4, the pollutant trap 120
can be
attached to any part of a vehicle that exposes the pollutant trap pad 126 to
roadway
pollutants (directly or indirectly), including the underside of a vehicle, or
the wheel
housing. The wheel housing (or wheel well) of a vehicle can be designed such
that it
improves the vacuum under the vehicle or into the wheel well and thereby
focuses airflow
containing the pollutants onto the pollutant trap pad 126.
As shown in a top or bottom broad surface view in Figure 2, the pollutant trap
pad
126 can comprise a pollutant trap material 130 which may comprise, for
example, a
membrane, sponge or a filter, that collects hydrocarbons and/or toxic metals.
In some
embodiments, the pollutant trap material 130 can bind, collect, catch and/or
retain
pollutants. In some embodiments, the pollutant trap pad 126 can comprise
material that can
repel water or other non-polluting roadway fluids. In one embodiment, the
pollutant trap
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material 130 comprises a quilted absorbent pad for placement on the vehicle.
In another
embodiment, pollutant trap material 130 comprises a plurality of pores 132
that help the
pollutant trap material 130 bind, collect, catch and/or retain pollutants.
In one embodiment, the pollutant trap material 130 comprises an absorbent
sponge,
which can be from an animal or synthetic source. Sponges that can be used in
certain
embodiments of the invention include the pollutant trap 120 described in U.S.
Patent No.
5,039,414, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference. In some
embodiments,
the pollutant trap pad 126 comprises organisms or chemicals that degrade
and/or convert
the pollutant into a non-polluting material (e.g., oil degrading bacteria,
spore or bactericidal
compounds).
Figure 3 shows an edge view of a pollutant trap 126. The pollutant trap pad
126 has
a top portion 136 and a bottom portion 138. The pollutant trap pad 126 can
also include a
plurality of layers 140. In some embodiments, all of the layers can have the
same
properties. In other embodiments, each of the layers 140 of the pollutant trap
pad 126 can
have different properties. For example, it may be desirable for the layers 140
at of near the
top portion 136 to have hydrophobic properties (water-repellant), and/or
layers 140 at or
near the bottom portion 138 to have oleophilic properties (oil-attracting). In
some
embodiments, the pollutant trap pad 126 may include a coating, for example, a
coating
comprising a chemical or an organism, which provides the pollutant trap pad
126 with
additional desirable properties.
In some embodiments, the pollutant trap pad 126 may be oleophilic,
hydrophobic,
or both oleophilic and hydrophobic. In other embodiments, the pollutant trap
pad 126 may
be cationic anionic or mixtures of hydrophobic, cationic, and anionic
materials. The
pollutant trap pad 126 can comprise of materials that use absorption,
adsorption,
encapsulation, microencapsulation, volatilization, sedimentation, re-
suspension, de-
sorption, oxidation/reduction, complexation/chelation, precipitation, or
biological uptalce,
or combinations tliereof to remove the pollutants from the roadway.
In some embodiments the pollution trap pad 126 comprises sorbent material
(referred to herein as "sorbents") that may be absorbent, adsorbent, or both.
Absorbent
materials are those that pick up and retain liquid distributed throughout its
molecular
structure. Adsorbent materials are insoluble materials that are coated by a
liquid on its
surface, including pores and capillaries. Sorbents can be natural organic,
natural inorganic,
or synthetic. Natural organic sorbents may include peat moss, straw, hay
sawdust, ground
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comcobs, feathers, paper and other carbon-based materials. One example of a
natural
product that may be used is treated peat, available under the trade name
"OCLANSORB",
manufactured by Hi Point Industries, Newfoundland, Canada. Natural inorganic
sorbents
may include clay, perlite, vermiculite, glass wool, sand, volcanic ash, and
the like.
Synthetic sorbents may include plastics, such as polyurethane, polyethylene,
and
polypropylene, cross-linked polymers, rubber materials, gels, colloids, and
the like.
Preferably, coinbinations of absorbent materials are employed, which can be
intermixed or
provided in separate layers.
Many different types of absorbent material are known in the art, any of which
can be
incorporated into an embodiment of the pollutant trap 120 described herein.
For example,
some embodiments of the pollutant trap 120 include materials designed to
collect salts that
accumulate on roadways as a result of salting the roadways during the winter
months. A
suitable absorbent material for a pollutant trap pad 126 that collects roadway
salt is
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,741, herein expressly incorporated by
reference in its
entirety. Alkali metals such as sodium and potassium salts can be readily
absorbed to the
absorbent material found in the Aqua SepTM filter available from the Pall
Process Filtration
Company, Hydrocarbon, Chemical, Polymer Group. Use of this absorbent material
in the
pollution trap 120 described herein is contemplated. Similarly, the use of a
magnetized
absorbent material is known in the art and this technology can also be readily
employed in
the embodiments describe herein. (See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,457, herein
expressly
incorporated by reference in its entirety).
Embodiments of the pollutant trap 120 can include many additional types of
suitable
membranes or filters that can be used alone or in combination with other
membranes and
filters described herein. For example, in various embodiments, the pollutant
trap 120 can
include one or more of the filtering materials produced by ESFIL TECHNO (a
company
located in company is located in North-East Estonia, within the territory of a
free economic
zone in an industrial part of Sillamae city), and the choice of filtering
material can depend
on the roadway pollutant(s) targeted for removal. In some exainple
embodiments, the
pollutant trap 120 can include a filtering polyiner material ("FPM"), which is
available
from ESFIL TECHNO, and which is chemically stable to diluted acids, allcalis,
alcohols,
saturated hydrocarbon, glycerin, oils, petroleum and fresh water, and have a
temperature
range of maintenance from -30 C up to +70 C. In other embodiments, the
pollutant trap
120 can include a perchlorovinyl filtering material ("FPP"), which is
available from ESFIL
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TECHNO, and which is chemically stable to strong acids and alkalis, alcohols,
and
saturated hydrocarbon, and has a working temperature range from -200 to 60 C.
Examples of filtering materials that can be used in the pollutant trap 120
from ESFIL
TECHNO includes, but is not limited to, FPP-D (generally used for thin air and
gas
filtering), FPP-D-4 (generally used for thin purification of liquids, fuels,
oils including
aviation oil, particles, air and gasses), FPP-G (generally used for
purification of alcohols,
acids and alkalis), POROFIL-G-5/206 (generally used for deleting of particles
of more than
five microns, and POROFIL-G-1/207 (intended for purification of perfumery
liquids,
alcohols, saturated hydrocarbons, oils, acids, technical and de-ionized water
and aqueous
solutions from mechanical impurities), FPAR-15-1.5 (generally used for
filtering thin gases
and air), and FPSF-15-1.5 (generally used for thin clearing of air from aero
disperse
mixtures, including microorganisms, bacteria and viruses).
Although the pollutant trap 120 can comprise various materials that can be
used as
filters in other applications, or referred to herein as "filters" or "filter
material," the use of
these such materials does not necessarily require an air-flow passing through
the material
when it is used in a pollutant trap, although in some cases the air-flow can
pass through the
material. Rather, an air-flow carrying roadway pollutants need only place the
pollutants in
proximity to the filter material so that the roadway pollutants are collected
on, in or are
bound to the filter material. In some embodiments, the airflow carrying the
pollutants is
directly applied to the filter material (e.g., passive airflow or vacuum
generated by the
rotation of the wlieels of the vehicle is focused by louvers present in the
wheel well onto
filters present in the wheel well of the vehicle). In other embodiments, the
airflow carrying
the pollutants is transferred onto the filter indirectly (e.g., the passive
airflow or vacuum
generated by the rotation of the wheels is collected and transferred through a
hose to a filter
material housed at any position in or on the vehicle (e.g., in the trunk). In
some
embodiments, the pollutant trap 120 may comprise materials that have a high
tolerance for
heat, e.g., materials that have pollutant collection properties that are not
affected by high
temperatures, and/or materials that have a high combustion point, allowing the
pollutant
trap 120 to be disposed in locations on a vehicle subject to high
temperatures, e.g., in
proximity to the engine or the exhaust system.
Another common roadway pollutant that causes significant environmental damage
are ether-based contaminants such as tertiary butyl ethers of the type
utilized as gasoline
oxygenates, for example, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl
ether, and methyl
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tert-ainyl ether, and also ether solvents, for example, tetrahydrofuran. The
full extent of
MTBE contamination in US groundwaters has only recently been understood. A
study
performed as part of the US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality
Assessment
Prograin revealed that MTBE is the second most commonly detected contaminant
in urban
groundwaters (Squillace P. J., J. S. Zogorski, W. G. Wilber, and C. V. Price.
"Preliminary
assessment of the occurrence and possible sources of MTBE in groundwater in
the United
States, 1993-1994". Environ. Sci. Technol. 30:1721-1730 (1996)). Several
different
absorbent materials are known to trap the ether-based contaminants, in
particular, MTBE,
as well as, oils and greases. (See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,793, 5,698,139,
5,837,146,
5,961,823, 6,524,842, 6,180,010, 6,475,393, and 5,614,100, all of which are
hereby
expressly incorporated by reference in their entireties).
With many of the embodiments, a suitable absorbent material, such as the
absorbent
material described in U.S. Patent No. 6,475,393, or a similar material, may be
preferred for
the pollutant absorbent pad 126 because it efficiently collects oils, greases
and the like, but
also traps pernicious slightly soluble organic compounds such as benzene,
toluene, xylene,
halogenated hydrocarbons, ethoxylated glycols, etc. These noxious contaminants
are
among the more difficult compounds to remove from water and are carcinogenic.
This
absorbent material can also remove metal ions such as cadmium, chromium,
copper, lead,
nickel, zinc, arsenic, silver, and mercury. Example 1 below describes one way
to
manufacture this absorbent material.
EXAMPLE 1
In order to prepare a filter substrate for use with the invention, an infusion
solution
is prepared from a suitable solvent and the absorbent composition. In this
example a
solution is prepared from 90 w/w 99.9% acetone and 10 w/w absorbent
composition, which
is the reaction product of 31% isobutyl methacrylate, 31% ELVACITE 2045, and
66%
linseed oil. The absorbent composition is added to a closed explosion-proof
mixer with the
acetone and mixed for 12 hours or until the solution becomes homogeneous. The
substrate
in this Example is a nonwoven polypropylene, viz. the VERASPLTN material of
Yarorough
& Co., Inc. of High Point N.C. This material has a weight of 1 oz./square ft.
The substrate
material is immersed in the infusion solution until saturated, then removed
and excess
liquid allowed to drip off. The material is then placed in a convection oven
at 110 to 120 F
until acetone free. The material is then cured at room teinperature for one
week. The
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resulting material is then shredded and subsequently formed in various filter
configurations
(e.g., to fit in the wheel well of a vehicle).
With reference to Figure 4, a vehicle 200 is shown on a roadway 202. The
roadway
202 is shown with a layer of pollutants 204 disposed on the roadway 202, as is
generally
known to occur. The vehicle 200 includes a vehicle body 205 and wheels 206,
which are
shown to be at least partially surrounded by a wheel well 208. The vehicle
body 205
includes an underside 209 which is exposed to the roadway 202. As the vehicle
200 moves
along the roadway, the pollutants 204 are disturbed by the rotating wheels
206. The
pollutants 204 are carried off the roadway 202 due to their contact with the
wheels 206
and/or due to the vacuum created under and around the moving vehicle 200. The
rotation
of the wheels 206 can result in a spray of pollutants that can damage the
vehicle and the
environment. This situation is exacerbated when it rains. The rain causes the
pollutants to
rise to the surface of the roadway, creating unsafe driving conditions and
increased damage
to the environment. Since the wheels 206 are in direct contact with the
roadway 202, the
pollutant concentration is greatest near the wheels 206 and, in particular, at
the wheel well
208 of the vehicle.
The spray of pollutants results from a wind-tunnel effect created by the
rotation of
the wheels 206. Studies have confinned that the rotating wheels of a vehicle
create low
pressure at the wheel, causing objects to be drawn toward the wheel. See, for
example,
"The Causal Factor of Bus Wheel Injuries and a Remedial Method for Prevention
of These
Accidents" by James M. Green in Journal of the National Acadeiny of Forensic
Engineers,
Vol. XVIII, No. 1, dated June 2001.
Referring to Figure 5, a detailed view of the vehicle wheel we11208 is shown
where
the wheel we11208 does not include a pollutant trap. The wheel we11208
includes an inner
surface 210, a transition surface 212, and an opening 214. The transition
surface 212
connects the inner surface 210 to the body 205 of the vehicle 200, such that a
partially open
housing is formed. The wheel we11208 partially houses the whee1206 and wheel
assembly
216.
With reference to Figures 6-8, the pollutant trap(s) 120 is shown attached to
the
wheel well 208 of a vehicle 200. Figure 6 shows a pollutant trap 120 attached
to the inner
surface 210 of the wheel well 208. Figure 7 shows multiple pollutant traps 120
attached to
the inner surface 210 of the wheel well 208. Figure 8 shows a pollutant trap
120 attached to
the transition surface 212 of the wheel well 208. As described hereinabove,
since the
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greatest concentration of roadway pollutants is at the wheel well of a
vehicle, it may be
desirable to attach the pollutant trap 120 to the wheel well 208. Accordingly,
in some
embodiments, the wheel well is configured to essentially be the pollutant
trap.
The pollutant trap 120 can be made to any suitable configuration, for example,
triangular, elliptical, L-shape, square, rectangular, circular, round,
spherical, or any other
shape that is designed to fit onto any part of a motorized or non-motorized
vehicle. The
dimensions of the pollutant trap 120 can vary depending on the particular
arrangement and
location of the pollutant trap 120, as will be described hereinafter.
Preferably, the pollutant
trap 120 is constructed such that it snuggly fits into the wheel well, fender
or on a mud flap
of a vehicle 200 and has a shape that is coinmensurate to the wheel well
splash pattern of a
particular vellicle 100 and/or has a shape and/or position under the vehicle
that is optimal
for the collection of pollutants driven into and underneath the vehicle 100 by
the vacuum
created while driving and/or by to the airflow or vacuum created by a
pollutant liberator
such as a fan, blower, or vacuum apparatus.
The pollutant trap 120 may also include a fastener for attaching the pollutant
trap
120 to the vehicle 100. Any method of attachment may be used to attach the
pollutant trap
120 to the vehicle 100, such as Velcro, clips, screws, adhesives, fasteners,
brackets, and the
like.
In one embodiment the pollutant trap 120 is attached to the underside 209 of a
vehicle 200. By providing the pollutant trap 120 on the underside of a vehicle
209, the
pollutant trap 120 collects the pollutants that are disturbed or liberated
when the vehicle
200 is driven on the roadway 202. Tn another embodiment, still more
embodiments, the
wheel housing 124 of a vehicle 100 is designed such that it improves the
vacuum under the
vehicle 100 or into the wheel well and/or focuses the dispersed pollutants
onto the pollutant
traps pad 126.
As shown Figure 9, the pollutant trap 120 may also be provided on a mud flap
244
of a vehicle 200. Generally, however, as shown in Figure 10, the pollutant
trap 120 may be
provided anywhere on the underside 209 of the vehicle 200, such that the
exposed portion
of the pollutant trap 120 is facing toward the roadway 202 at a position that
collects
roadway pollutants as they are liberated from the roadway surface. In some
embodiments,
the pollutant trap 120 may be provided at the front of the vehicle. In more
embodiments,
the pollutant trap 120 may be provided at the fender wheel well.
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In some embodiments, a pollutant stimulator or liberator (not shown) may be
used
to increase the air flow near the pollutant trap and/or roadway, thereby
increasing the
pollutants removed from the roadway and attached to the pollutant trap. In
some
embodiments, the pollutant stimulator may use forced induction or suction to
increase the
air flow. Examples of pollutant stimulator include, but are not limited to,
blowers, motors,
fans and the like.
In some embodiments, the pollutant trap 120 can be configured to kill
bacteria,
viruses, and/or other micro-organisms. For example, in one embodiment (not
shown) the
pollutant trap 120 can include a material that is coated with a liquid which
forms a series of
microscopic spikes as it dries. The cell menlbrane of inicro-organisins coming
into contact
with this surface is pierced, resulting in the death of the micro-organism. An
example of an
anti-microbic liquid which forms said microscopic spikes is Biogreen 3000TM,
which is
available from Microgenix Technologies Limited of Kent, England. Figure 11
illustrates
another embodiment of a pollutant trap 120 that may be used to neutralize
micro-
organisms. As shown in Figure 11, the pollutant trap 120 can be exposed to an
ultra-violet
light source 250 to kill and/or neutralize bacteria, viruses, and other
organisms present in
the pollutant trap 120. In another embodiment , the pollutant trap 120
includes a
disinfectant or an anti-biotic substance or material, for example, an
antibiotic substance
which is coated on the pollutant trap pad 126. In yet another embodiment, the
pollutant
trap includes a disinfectant or ozonator that kills microorganisms.
The pollution trap 120 contemplated herein may be configured to be disposed on
any suitable vehicle surface. For exainple, in some embodiments the pollutant
trap 120 can
be permanently fixed to the vehicle 200. In other einbodiments, the pollutant
trap 120 can
be detachably fixed to the vehicle 200. In some embodiments, the housing 224
can be
permanently attached to the vehicle 200. In other embodiments, the pollutant
trap pad 126
is detachable and/or replaceable. In still more embodiments, the pollutant
trap 120 is
exposed, while in other embodiments, the pollutant trap 120 is concealed.
Referring now to Figures 12-13, in some embodiments, the pollutant trap 310
can
be disposed near or on a brake shield 305 to collect pollutants released from
a disk brake
pad of a vehicle when the disk brake pad engages the disk brake rotor to stop
the vehicle.
Brake shields are well known in the art, and one such example of a brake
shield is
described in U.S. Patent No. 4,484,667, entitled "Shield Plate in Wheel and
Disc Brake
Assembly" filed September 27, 1982, the entirety of which is incorporated by
reference
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herein. The brake shield 305 can be configured in a variety of ways to
suitably fit the
numerous types or styles of wheels that are available for automobiles. The
example of the
brake shield 305 shown in Figures 12-13 can be disposed on the inner-side of a
wheel of an
automobile between a portion of the wheel and a rotor of a disk bralce for
that wheel. The
bralce shield 305 can be configured to have a thin annular plate 360 and
include an inner
conical portion 350. A flat annular surface 345 containing openings 330 for
passing the
wheel studs can be connected to the inner conical portion 350 of the bral{e
shield 305.
Figures 12-13 also illustrate an embodiment of a pollutant trap 310 that can
be
affixed near the brake shield 305 to capture brake dust generated from the
disk brake pad.
The pollutant trap 310 can be disposed on or next to an imier-facing surface
of the brake
shield 305, e.g., the surface that faces the rotor of a disk brake. The
pollutant trap 310 can
have an annular donut shape with an iimer annular portion 340 that fits around
the inner
conical portion 350 of the bralce shield 305 and an outer annular portion 355
that fits inside
of the annular plate 360. In some embodiments the pollutant trap 310 can
extend to the
edge of the annular plate 360. The pollutant trap 310 includes a pollutant
trap pad 315 to
collect the brake dust and other pollutants. The pollutant trap pad 315 can be
removable
from the pollutant trap 310 for disposal and replacement. In some embodiments,
the
pollutant trap 310 shown in Figures 12-13 and described above can be
integrated with the
brake shield 305 such that they are a single unit (e.g., the pollutant trap
310 performs the
function of the brake shield and the pollutant trap) to block brake dust from
the wheel and
capture the brake dust and other pollutants on the pollutant trap pad 315.
Referring now to Figure 14, in some einbodiments the pollution trap 120 can be
disposed near a brake assembly 335. The bralce assembly 335 can include a
movable
bralcing surface 340, for example, as typically found on a bralce rotor 310,
and one or more
brake pads 330. In this example, the brake assembly 335 includes a brake rotor
310 with
two bralcing surfaces 340, 341 and two disc brake pads 330, 331. The pollution
trap 120
can also be used to capture pollutants from otlZer embodiments of brake
assemblies, for
example, a typical drum bralce assembly (not shown) that includes drum brake
shoes and a
brake drum with a braking surface. In some einbodiments, the brake assembly
can have
one bralcing surface or two or more braking surfaces, and can also have one
brake pad or
two or more brake pads. The pollution trap 120 can be positioned such that it
is exposed to
a pollutant so that it can capture at least a portion of the pollutant for
example, brake dust,
generated from placing the brake pad 330 in contact with the braking surface
340 while the
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braking surface 340 is in motion. The pollutant generated can include, for
example,
particles from the brake pad 330 or from the braking surface 340 that are
freed as a result of
friction between brake pad 330 and the braking surface 340 during braking.
Referring to Figure 15, in some embodiments for positioning the pollution trap
120
near the brake assembly 335, the pollution trap 120 can be connected to the
brake assembly
335 using a fastener, such as a bolt, to hold the pollution trap 120 in a
suitable position to
collect pollutants. In other embodiments, the pollution trap 120 can be
connected to the
vehicle, connected to a member that is connected to the vehicle, connected to
the wheel, or
connected to a structure on the underside of the vehicle or the underside of
the vehicle
itself. Determining the optimal place for connecting the pollution trap 120 to
the vehicle
can be at least partially dependent on the configuration of the vehicle
itself. As stated
above, in some embodiments, the pollutants present in the airflow generated by
the rotation
of the tires, especially after application of the brakes, can be indirectly
transferred to a filter
material placed anywhere on the vehicle. In some embodiments, for example, a
hose is
positioned to collect brake dust that is liberated from the brake asseinbly
(e.g., a hose
connected to the brake assembly itself or a cover that houses the brake
assembly) and the
airflow containing the brake dust is transferred to a filter material that is
housed at a
position distal to the brake assembly. The embodiments disclosed herein are
examples of
places to connect the pollution trap to the vehicle, but these examples are
not meant to limit
the invention to only those places specifically disclosed.
In some embodiments, the pollutant trap 120 is positioned proximal to the
brake
assembly 335, e.g., in close enough relation such that collection of bralce
dust by the
pollution trap 120 is possible. Embodiments are contemplated where the
pollution trap 120
can be positioned at a variety of locations relative to the bralce assembly
335. For example,
the pollution trap 120 can be positioned proximal to the bralcing point of
contact, for
example, the point of contact of the brake pad, e.g., brake pad 330, and a
bralcing surface,
e.g., the braking surface 340, and in any direction relative to the braking
point of contact,
such that the pollution trap pad can collect at least some of the brake dust
generated from
braking. For example, the pollutant trap 120 can be positioned at or about the
following
distances from the braking point of contact, e.g., less than 5 millimeters,
equal to or
between (in millimeters) 5 - 10, 10 - 15, 15 - 20, 20 - 25, 25 - 30, 30 - 35,
35 - 40, 40 -
45, 45 - 50, 50 - 55, 55 - 60, 60 - 65, 70 - 75, 75 - 80, 80 - 85, 85 - 90, 90
- 95, 95 - 100,
100 - 105, 105 - 110, 110 - 115, 115 - 120, 120 - 125, 125 - 130, 130 - 135,
135 - 140,
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140 - 145, 145 - 150, 150 - 155, 155 -160, 160 - 165, 165 - 170, 170 - 175,
175 - 180,
180 - 185, 185 - 190, 190 - 195, 195 - 200, 200 - 205, 205 - 210, 210 - 215,
215 - 220,
220 - 225, 225 - 230, 230 - 235, 235 - 240, 240 - 245, 245 - 250, 250 - 255,
255 - 260,
260 - 265, 265 - 270, 270 - 275, 275 - 280, 280 - 285, 285 - 290, 290 - 295,
295 - 300,
300 - 305, 305 - 310, 310 - 315, 315 - 320, 320 - 325, 325 - 330, 330 - 335,
335 - 340,
340 - 345, 345 - 350, 350 - 355, 355 - 360, 360 - 365, 365 - 370, 370 - 375,
375 - 380,
380 - 385, 385 - 390, 390 - 395, 395 - 400, 400 - 405, 405 - 410, 410 - 415,
415 - 420,
420 - 425, 425 - 430, 430 - 435, 435 - 440, 440 - 445, 445 - 450, 450 - 455,
455 - 460,
460 - 465, 465 - 470, 470 - 475, 475 - 480, 480 - 485, 485 - 490, 490 - 495,
495 - 500,
500 - 505, 505 - 510, 510 - 515, 515 - 520, 520 - 525, 525 - 530, 530 - 535,
535 - 540,
540 - 545, 545 - 550, 550 - 555, 555 - 560, 560 - 565, 565 - 570, 570 - 575,
575 - 580,
580 - 585, 585 - 590, 590 - 595, 595 - 600, 600 - 605, 605 - 610, 610 - 615,
615 - 620,
620 - 625, 625 - 630, 630 - 635, 635 - 640, 640 - 645, 645 - 650, 650 - 655,
655 - 660,
660 - 665, 665 - 670, 670 - 675, 675 - 680, 680 - 685, 685 - 690, 690 - 695,
695 - 700,
700 - 705, 705 - 710, 710 - 715, 715 - 720, 720 - 725, 725 - 730, 730 - 735,
735 - 740,
740 - 745, 745 - 750, 750 - 755, 755 - 760, 760 - 765, 765 - 770, 770 - 775,
775 - 780,
780 - 785, 785 - 790, 790 - 795, 795 - 800, 800 - 805, 805 - 810, 810 - 815,
815 - 820,
820 - 825, 825 - 830, 830 - 835, 835 - 840, 840 - 845, 845 - 850, 850 - 855,
855 - 860,
860 - 865, 865 - 870, 870 - 875, 875 - 880, 880 - 885, 885 - 890, 890 - 895,
895 - 900,
900 - 905, 905 - 910, 910 - 915, 915-920, 920 - 925, 925 - 930, 930 - 935, 935
- 940,
940 - 945, 945 - 950, 950 - 955, 955 - 960, 960 - 965, 965 - 970, 970 - 975,
975 - 980,
980 - 985, 985 - 990, 990 - 995, and 995 - 1000 millimeters, and greater than
1000
millimeters.
Referring again to Figure 14, in some embodiments, a rim or wheel 385 is
connected to the brake surface 340, via a member 345 and held in place using
wheel studs
350, and the rim 385 rotates when the brake surface 340 rotates and slows when
the bralce
pad 330 is placed in contact wit11 the braking surface 340. This embodiment
can be suitable
for use on a vehicle witll any number of wheels that use brakes that generate
pollutants
while braking the vehicle. The rim 385 can have an inner portion 320 generally
facing
towards at least a portion of the braking surface 340 and an outer portion 315
generally
facing away from the braking surface 340. The pollutant trap 120 can be
positioned
between the inner potion 320 of the rim 385 and at least a portion of the
braking surface
340 such that the pollution trap is exposed to pollutants (e.g., brake dust)
and also shield the
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rim 385 from pollutants. In some embodiments the pollution trap 120 is not
connected to
the rim 385. In other embodiments, the pollution trap 120 can be connected to
the rim 385.
For example, in some einbodiments, the pollution trap 120 can be configured to
snap onto
the rim (not shown).
In one embodiment, the pollution trap 120 can be connected to portion of a
member
325 which holds the pollutant trap 120 near the brake assembly 335 such that
the pollution
trap 120 is exposed to pollutants but neither the member 325 or the pollution
trap 120
interfere with the movement of the rim 385, the braking surface 340, or the
operation of the
brake assembly. In some embodiments where the pollution trap 120 is connected
to the
member 325, the pollution trap can remain generally stationary, for example,
it does not
rotate with the rotation of the brake surface 340 or the rim 385. A portion of
the member
325 can also be connected to an object near the rim 385, for example, a
surface or structure
of a vehicle, for example, the surface of vehicle wheel well 355. In the
einbodiments for a
pollution trap 120 described herein, the pollution trap 120 can be configured
to contain
multiple pollution trap pads such that the removal of a first pollution trap
pad exposes a
second pollution trap pad to a pollutant generated from braking.
Embodiments of a pollution trap and the methods of reducing pollutants on the
roadway surface, as generally described herein, are not limited to four-
wheeled vehicles,
and are not limited to motorized vehicles. Pollution traps can be suitably
designed for use
on numerous types of vehicles, including two wheeled vehicles (e.g.,
motorcycles, bicycles,
scooters, mopeds, Human Segway Transporters), three wheeled vehicles (e.g.,
motorized
tricycles and ATV's, and non-motorized tricycles), four wheeled vehicles
(e.g., ATV's,
tractors, cars, trucks, vans, etc.), and other larger vehicles with more than
four wlleels (e.g.,
multi-wheeled trucks, etc.). A vehicle can be configured to include one or
more pollution
traps. The pollution traps can be disposed anywhere on the vehicles where the
pollutant
trap pad 126 can be exposed to roadway pollutants. For example, the pollution
trap can be
positioned in numerous places on a vehicle including, but is not limited to,
fenders, front
spoilers, rear spoilers, splash guards, mud flaps, wheel wells, the underside
of the vehicle,
or any other suitable location on the vehicle where the pollutant trap can be
exposed to
roadway pollutants. Additionally, pollutant traps can be placed in on any type
of vehicle in
locations where the pollutant trap pad 126 is not normally exposed to roadway
pollutants
but becomes exposed to the roadway pollutants through the use of a fan or a
blower, a
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vacuum, or any air flow through and around the vehicle, designed or naturally
occurring, or
any type of device that carries the roadway pollutants to the pollutant trap
pad 126.
A pollutant trap can be designed in numerous ways. In one embodiment, the
pollutant trap 120 can include a single pollutant trap pad 126. In another
other embodiment
(not shown), the pollutant trap 120 can include multiple pollutant trap pads
disposed on a
roll, where one pollutant trap pad is exposed to the roadway and, after a
period of time, the
exposed pollutant trap pad is removed from the roll thereby exposing another
pollutant trap
pad which can be used to collect roadway pollutants.
In another embodiment (not shown), the pollution trap 120 can include multiple
pollutant trap pads generally configured in a stack, similar to, for example,
a tissue box or a
napkin dispenser, with one pollutant trap pad 126 exposed to the roadway
pollutants. After
a period of time, the exposed pollutant trap pad 126 is removed from the
pollutant trap 120
thereby exposing to the environment another pollutant trap pad 126, which is
then used to
collect roadway pollutants.
In yet another embodiment, the pollution trap 120 can include an indicator
that
shows when the pollutant trap 120 or the pollutant trap pad 126 should be
serviced, for
example, when the pollution trap 120 should be changed or wlien the pollutant
trap pad 126
should be changed. In embodiments that use multiple pollutant trap pads 126,
(e.g., a roll
of pollutant trap pads 126 or a stack of pollutant trap pads 126), the
pollutant trap 120 can
include an indicator that shows wllen to remove the exposed pollutant trap pad
126 so that
another pollutant trap pad 126 can be exposed to the environment. The
aforementioned
indicator can be incorporated in various ways. For example, in one embodiment
the
indicator is disposed on the pollutant trap frame. In another embodiment, the
indicator is a
chemical on the pollutant trap pad that visibly changes color to indicate when
the pollutant
trap pad 126 should be changed. In another embodiment, the indicator is a
sensor or a
sensing system that can be separate from the pollutant trap 126 or the
pollutant trap and
provides a signal that indicates when the pollutant trap 120 or the pollutant
trap pad 126
should be serviced or changed. While the numerous materials disclosed herein
are
examples of suitable materials that can be used in a pollutant trap, the
invention is not
limited to said disclosed materials.
In another embodiment, the same material used to fonn a pollution trap pad can
also
be used in the manufacture of gloves, wipes, sponges and cloths that are used
for collecting
brake dust. Preferably, the material can have bralce dust adherence
properties. In some
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embodiments the material can have hydrocarbon binding properties. For example,
the
material can be formed into a glove which covers at least a portion of the
hand. The gloves,
wipes, cloths and sponges can be used by, for example, detailers, dealers and
consumers, to
remove accumulated brake dust and then be disposed of properly. The brake dust
adherence properties of the gloves, wipes, cloths and sponges made from the
material that
is used to form a pollution trap pad allows the dust to be collected and
disposed of in an
environmentally safe manner. Various sizes and shapes of gloves, cloths, wipes
and
sponges are contemplated for removing brake dust. For example, the wipes,
cloths and
sponges may be configured as sheets, e.g., substantially flat and thin with
generally parallel
sides. In some embodiments, the wipes and sponges may also comprise a cleaning
solution
that helps to separate the brake dust from the wheel or brake part it has
collected on. In
some embodiments, the wipes are fonned into a stack and dispensed to a user
one at a time,
where removing one wipe allows access to the underlying wipe.
The pollutant trap collects pollutants that are exposed to the pollution trap
pad by,
for example, the air flow in and around a wlleel well, or the disbursal of the
pollutants from
a polluting device, e.g., brake dust from the brake assembly. In some
circumstances,
roadway pollutants can be liberated from the road by the impact of a vehicles
tires on the
pollutant, and the tires can lift and throw the pollutant into a wheel well,
and onto a
pollution trap if disposed in the wheel well. Vehicles and devices on vehicles
may not be
currently designed to focus air flow to a pollution trap positioned on a
vehicle, for example,
in the wheel well. Certain design considerations of a vehicle and devices
included on the
vehicle can enhance the ability of the pollutant trap to collect pollutants by
enhancing or
focusing the flow of air to the pollutant trap or by directing the flow of
pollutants to the
pollutant trap. For example, the wheel wells, wheels, brake assemblies, brake
shields,
and/or mud flaps can all be designed to enhance the effectiveness of the
collection of
pollutants on the pollution trap. Also, in certain applications, one design of
a pollution trap
may work better than another pollution trap design. For example in certain
applications, a
pollution trap may work better with either a flow-through filter or a solid
filter or
membrane. In otlier applications, the effectiveness of the pollutant trap can
be increased by
including include louvers, fans or other systems or devices that increase the
amount of
pollutants exposed to the pollution trap pad. One or more of the components
that may affect
the flow of air or the disbursement of pollutants can be designed to increase
the amount of
the pollutants the pollution trap collects through testing each various device
design and
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measuring the amount of pollutants that are collected with each design. For
some
applications, the coordinated design of several components (e.g., wheel wells
and brake
asseinblies) can increase the effectiveness of the pollutant trap.
By one approach, for example, a first design of a pollutant trap comprising a
pollution trap pad is mounted in the wheel well of an automobile and the
automobile is
placed on a testing apparatus that allows for the wheel of the vehicle to be
suspended (e.g.,
a auto-lift, as commonly used in the automotive industry). The automobile is
turned on, the
transmission is engaged, the wheels are induced to revolve at a specific speed
or
revolution/minute, and the airflow to the pad is monitored by a conventional
airflow
detector (e.g., colored smoke or a chemical aerosol is blown into the wheel
and amount of
smoke or chemical directed to the pad is monitored by video, time-lapse
photography, or a
smoke or chemical detector placed on the pad itself). Preferably, the airflow
to the pad is
monitored at several speeds or revolutions/minute of the wheels and
optionally, the brakes
casi be applied so as to generate brake dust and the spray pattern of brake
dust given the
speed or revolutions/minute of the wlieel and particular design is monitored.
Once the data
for the first design of wheel well comprising a first design of pollutant trap
such as airflow
to the pad, amount of aerosol pollutant or brake dust collected on the pad has
been obtained
and, preferably, recorded, a second design of pollutant trap and/or a second
design of wheel
well is tested in the same manner. The second design wheel well can differ
from the first
by having louvers or air flow modulators or air flow directors that enhance or
direct the
airflow generated by the revolution of the wheel (e.g., natural airflow
generated by
movement of the tire) or enliance or direct the airflow generated by a fan or
blower (e.g.,
artificially-induced airflow) to the pad, for example. Similarly, the second
design of a
pollutant trap coinprising the pollution trap pad can differ from the first by
having a shape
or attribute that enhances or directs the airflow or pollutants to the pad,
such as louvers or
air flow modulators or air flow directors. Again, the data is collected,
preferably recorded,
and is compared to the data for the first design. Through the comparison of
data, design
features that facilitate airflow and/or pollutant collection at the pad are
identified and a
basis for a third design of wheel well and/or pollutant trap is determined.
The process steps
of designing a wheel well feature that facilitates airflow or pollutant
capture at the pad,
separately or in conjunction with the design of a pollutant trap and/or pad
feature, analyzing
the airflow behavior at or near the wheel well, brake assembly, or pollutant
trap pad and
selecting a new design of wheel well or feature thereof or pollutant trap,
pollutant trap pad,
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or feature tllereof is also an embodiment of the invention. Accordingly, some
embodiments
encompass methods of identifying a design of a wheel well and/or a pollutant
trap assembly
comprising a pollution trap pad, whereby a first design of wheel well is
selected, a first
design of pollutant trap is selected, and the direction, amount, or force of
airflow to the
pollution trap pad or the amount of pollution collected on the pad is
monitored or is
compared to the direction, amount, or force of airflow to the pollution trap
pad or the
amount of pollution collected on the pad of a second design of a wheel well
and/or a
pollutant trap asseinbly comprising a pollution trap pad such that a
difference in the
direction, amount, or force of airflow to the pollution trap pad or the
ainount of pollution
collected on the pads of the two wheel well and/or pollution trap pad designs
are observed.
By following these methods, more efficient pollution traps and/or wheel well
assemblies
are developed.
Figure 16 illustrates one embodiment of a system for collecting brake dust
from a
bralce assembly of a vehicle. A housing 402 is disposed on a disc-brake
assembly 404 of a
vehicle so that at least a portion of the brake assembly 404 is covered by the
housing 402.
The brake assembly 404 can include brake calibers (e.g., brake calibers 478 in
Figure 22).
and a rotatable brake rotor 406. The housing 402 collects dust that is
generated during
braking, e.g., from the contact of a brake pad (not shown) of the brake
assembly 404 and
the moving brake rotor 406 while the brake assembly 404 is engaged to brake
the vehicle.
The housing 404 can be made from a variety of materials that are able to
withstand the high
temperatures generated during braking, for example, metal, fiberglass, or a
suitable high-
temperature resistant plastic.
Fasteners 408 (e.g., bolts, screws, rivets, connection pins) securely couple
the
housing 402 to the bralce asseinbly 404, according to this einbodiment. In
some
embodiments, the housing 402 is connected to another suitable part of the
vehicle, e.g., a
dust shield, or a supporting member coupled to the vehicle body, so that the
housing 402 is
located close proximity to the brake assembly 404.
The rotation of the bralce rotor 406 while the vehicle is in motion generates
an air
flow that moves the brake dust generated at the point of contact between the
brake pad and
the rotor 406 to the housing 402, where the bralce dust is collected by a
filter (not shown in
Figure 16), according to one embodiment. The air flow generated by the
rotation of the
rotors, and especially by rotors that include fins, can be significant. The
rotor rotation
causes a strong air flow to be generated in a radial direction which helps to
cool the brake
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parts and provides an air flow that can be advantageously utilized to control
the brake dust,
as described in the various embodiments herein. In another embodiment, the
brake dust in
the housing is moved to another location on the vehicle outside of the housing
402 and
collected in a filter or a dust collector (not shown in Figure 16). These
embodiments are
discussed in more detail below.
Figure 17 is top view of a housing 402 that includes af conduit structure to
carry
brake dust away from the housing 402. In this embodiment, the conduit is a
flexible
conduit e.g., a hose 412. The hose 412 is coupled to the housing 402 with a
fitting member
(e.g., shown in Figure 18) that carries brake dust to a filter or a dust
collector 450 (shown in
Figure 18) located external to the housing 402. In some embodiments, a
flexible hose can
be used which can allow for some movement of the housing 402 / brake assembly
404
during normal operation of the vehicle. In some embodiments, a non-flexible
conduit can
be used, for example, in configurations where there is no relative movement
between the
housing 402 and the external dust collector. In some embodiments, the housing
402 can be
configured with channels (not shown) that guide the dust collected within the
housing 402
to the fitting member and out to the hose 412. As shown in Figure 17,
typically a brake
rotor 406 has fins 410 disposed between the inside and outside braking
surfaces of the
rotor. The fins 410 generate an air flow, during rotation of the rotor 406,
which carries at
least a portion of the brake dust to the housing 402.
Figure 18 is a schematic view of a brake dust collector 450 that is external
to the
housing 406. The collector 450 can be placed anywhere on the vehicle,
including on the
vehicle underbody, in the trunk, in the engine coinpartment, in the wheel
well, or any other
suitable location. In some embodiments, the collector 450 can be located in an
accessible
place on the vehicle to facilitate emptying dust that is captured in the
collector 450. As
shown in Figure 19, the dust collector includes a hose fitting 454 attached to
a body 452.
The hose 412 that carries dust from the housing 406 is coupled to the dust
collector 450 at
the fitting 454. The dust collector 450 also includes an air exhaust 456. An
air flow
carrying bralce dust enters the dust collector 450 via the hose 412 and the
fitting 454. The
dust collector 450 separates the dust from the air flowing through the dust
collector 450
using, for example, a filter (e.g., a disposable filter or a cleanable
filter), and the air flow
continues out the air exhaust 456. In other embodiments, the brake dust is
separated from
the air flow and collected in the dust collector body 452, which can be
periodically emptied.
In one embodiment, the air exhaust is configured to use the air flow past,
through or under
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the vehicle to create suction via the venturi effect. The suction creates an
air flow from the
housing 402, through the hose 412, and the dust collector 450, and carries the
brake dust
from the housing 402 to the collector 450. As the speed of the vehicle
increase, the air flow
created by the venturi effect also increases. In other embodiments, the air
flow from the
housing 402 to the collector 450 can be created by an electrical or mechanical
pump or fan.
Figure 19 is a schematic of another embodiment of a brake dust collector 500.
Figure 19 shows a bralce assembly 404 that includes brake pads 466 that
contact a movable
rotor 406 during braking. A rotor shroud 462 for collecting brake dust is
located so that it
covers at least a portion of the rotor 406 after the rotor 406 passes through
the brake
assembly 404 as the rotor 406 rotates during forward motion of the vehicle.
When the
vehicle brakes, brake dust is released from the brake pads 466 and the rotor
406 into the
rotor shroud 462. The rotor shroud 462 can be formed from a number of suitable
materials,
e.g., metal, fiberglass, ceramic, or a heat-resistant plastic.
The rotor shroud 462 is attached to a dust shield 460 by fasteners 469,
according to
this embodiment. In some embodiments, the dust shield 460 is positioned closer
to the
vehicle interior (shown by dashed line 467), and a portion of the rotor shroud
can be
correspondingly enlarged to attach to the dust shield at this location 467.
This can also be
appropriate for the other embodiments disclosed herein. In other embodiments,
the rotor
shroud 462 can be connected to the brake assembly 404, to the vehicle, or to
another part of
an axle or wheel assembly on the vehicle so that the rotor shroud 462
maintains its relative
position to the brake assembly 404. In some embodiments (not shown), the rotor
shroud
462 includes a brake dust collector (e.g., a filter) positioned below a vented
cover so that air
carrying brake dust passes through the rotor shroud 462 and out the vented
cover, and the
bralce dust is captured on the filter. According to the embodiment, shown in
Figure 19, the
brake dust collector 500 also includes a flexible hose 412 connected to a
fitting 468. The
fitting 468 is connected to the dust shield 460 on the side of the dust shield
460 opposite the
rotor shroud 462. An opening (not shown) in the dust shield 460 is aligned to
the fitting
468 and provides a path for brake dust to travel from the rotor shroud 462 to
the hose 412,
and to an externally located filter or dust collector (e.g., the dust
collector 450 shown in
Figure 18). In one embodiment, the airflow in the tube 412 that carries the
brake dust away
from the rotor shroud 462 is created by the venturi effect, as generally
described above. In
other embodiments, the air flow from the rotor shroud 462 to the dust
collector can be
created by an electrical or mechanical pump or fan.
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Figure 20 is a schematic of a brake dust collection system 600 for a vehicle
equipped with druin brakes. In a drum brake system, the bralce pads are
located interior to
the brake drum 470 and contact an inner surface of the rotating brake drum 470
to stop the
vehicle. This embodiment utilizes the generally enclosed configuration of the
brake drum
as a structure to collect the brake dust. A dust shield 460 located on the
open side of the
brake drum 470 includes a hose fitting 468 for attaching a flexible hose 412.
A hole (not
shown) in the dust shield 460 aligned with the fitting 468 allows brake dust
to pass from the
brake drum 470 through the dust shield 460, through the fitting 468 and out
through the
hose 412 to a dust collector, e.g., the dust collector 450 shown in Figure 18
or to a filter. In
one embodiment, the airflow in the tube 412 that carries the brake dust away
from the brake
druin 470 is created by the venturi effect, as generally described above.
Figures 21-23 show another embodiment of a dust collector 700 for a vehicle
braking system that includes a housing 470 having a filter 474. Figure 21 is a
top view of
the brake dust collector 700. As shown in Figure 21, a housing 470 is
positioned over a
disc brake assembly (not shown) and a rotor 406. The housing 470 is positioned
to collect
brake dust generated by the brake assembly, and can be positioned, to cover at
least a
portion of the brake assembly, for exainple, the housing 470 can be placed in
a similar
position as the previous discussed housing 402 shown in Figure 16.
Figure 22 is a front view of the dust collector 700 shown in Figure 21 and
shows the
positioning of the filter 474 in the housing 470, which is attached to the
brake assembly
478, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, the dust shield 460 is
positioned closer to the vehicle interior (shown by dashed line 467), and a
portion of the
housing 470 can be attached to the dust shield at this location. The cover 476
(Figure 22)
of the housing 470 includes a plurality of vents 472. The filter 474 is
positioned between
the cover 476 and the brake assembly 478 (Figure 22). Bralce dust released
from brake pads
466 and the rotor 406 is captured by the filter 474. The air flow that carries
the brake dust
to the filter 474 is at least partially created by fins 410 of the rotor 406
during the rotation
of the rotor 406 during the forward motion of the vehicle. Figure 23 is a side
view the
embodiment of the dust collector shown in Figures 21-22. Figure 23 shows a
side ghost
view of the filter 474, which is positioned in this embodiment under the
vented caliber
cover 476 so that the filter 474 is between the cover 476 and the brake
assembly 478.
The filter 474 can be either disposable or reusable. In some embodiments, the
filter
474 is enclosed within the housing 470, and the housing 470 is configured to
be removable
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to replace or clean the filter 474. In some embodiments, the cover 476 is
partially or
completely removable to provide easy access to the filter 474 for changing or
cleaning. In
some embodiments, the filter 474 and cover 476 are configured as an integrated
part that is
either disposable or cleanable. The filter 474 can be made from a variety of
suitable
material, including such material as described herein, e.g., a membrane,
sponge or a filter,
that collects asbestos, hydrocarbons and/or metals, or materials such as
described
hereinabove for the pollution trap pad.
Tii embodiments of the rotor shroud (e.g., rotor shroud 462 Figure 19) and
housing
(e.g., Figures 16, 17, and 21-23) described herein, the shroud or the housing
can be
connected to a suitably positioned dust shield to hold the shroud and housing
in a position
to collect the brake dust. In some einbodiments, the dust shield and the
shroud or housing
can be fonned as one integrated part with the dust shield. The integrated part
can be
removable to service (e.g., clean or replace) a filter contained therein, or
to clean the
collection system.
Figure 24 is a schematic of an embodiment of a brake dust collector 800
incorporated into the wheel well of a vehicle, where the dust collector is not
dependant on
the type of brakes (e.g., disc or drum) that are used on the vehicle. The
brake dust collector
800 includes a wheel well 512 that includes a plurality of vents 504 in a
wheel well
structure 518 that is exposed to the wheel well opening 514. The vents 504
cover at least a
portion of the wheel well structure 518. In some embodiments, the vents 504
are disposed
on the front 520 of the wheel well structure 518 (e.g., on the wheel well
surface towards the
front of the vehicle) and the back 522 of the wheel well structure 518 (e.g.,
on the wheel
well surface towards the baclc of the vehicle). In other embodiments, the
vents can be
disposed on either the front 520 or the baclc 522 of the wheel well structure
518.
The wlieel well 512 also includes a filter element 516 positioned along the
wheel
well structure 518 so that the wheel well structure 518 is between the filter
516 and the
wheel well opening 514. The filter 516 can cover a portion of the wheel well
structure 518
or the entire wheel well structure 518. The filter 516 is fabricated to
collect bralce dust
and/or other roadway pollutants, and can be made from a variety of materials,
including
such material as described herein, e.g., a membrane, sponge or a filter, that
collects
asbestos, hydrocarbons and/or metals, including those described herein for the
pollution
trap pad and the previously described brake duct collector. In some
embodiments, the
wheel well structure 518 is partially or completely removable to provide easy
access to the
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filter 516 for changing or cleaning. In some embodiments, the filter 516 and
wheel well
structure 518 are configured as an integrated part that is either disposable
or cleanable.
The wheel well 502 also includes an air channel 506 formed so that the surface
of
the filter 516 distal to the wheel well opening 514 is exposed to the air
channel 506. Air
enters the air chamlel 506 through an intake scoop 508, which generally faces
towards the
front of the vehicle, and exits the air channel 506 through an exhaust vent
510. It will be
appreciated that as the speed of the vehicle increases, the air flow through
the channel
correspondingly increases creating a suction (via the venturi effect) that
provides for an air
flow from the wheel well opening 514, through the vents 504 and the filter
516, and into
the air channel 506. Bralce dust and other pollutants that are in the wheel
well, e.g.,
resulting from braking or that are liberated from a road as the vehicle moves
along the road,
can be carried by the above-described air flow to the filter 516 where they
are captured. In
other embodiments, the air flow from the wheel well opening 514 through the
vents 504
can be created by an electrical or mechanical pump or fan.
The filters, duct collectors and pollution trap pads can include resins to
bind charged
particles. For example, brake dust can have a positive charge induced on the
particles
resulting from the liberation of the particles from the brake pads or the
rotor by friction.
Impregnating or coating the filters, dust collectors and pollution trap pads
with suitable
resins that can bind charged particles. For exainple, such resins are
available from USFilter
and can include cation, e.g., Cation, 8% Gel, Model C-211H, Cation, 8% Gel,
Model_C-
211 NA, Cation, 10% Gel, Model C-361H, Cation, 10% Gel Model_C-361NA, Cation,
20% Macroporous Model C-381 H, Cation, 20% Macropourous Model C-381 NA,
Cation,
12% Macroporous Model C-391 H, Cation, Acrylic weak acid, Model C-271, Cation,
10%
Gel, Model C-361 MEG, Cation, 10% Gel, Model_C-373 MEG, and Anion, e.g.,
Anion,
Gel Type 11, Model A-244 OH, Anion, Gel Type 11, Model A-244, Anion, Gel Type
1,
Model A-284 OH, Anion, Gel Type 1, Model A-284 CL, Anion, gel Type 1 Porous,
Model
A-464 OH, Anion, Gel Type 1 Porous, Model A-464CL, Anion, Macroporous Tyoe I,
Model A-674 OH, Anion, Macroporous Type 1 anion A-674 CL, Anion, Acrylic type
1,
Model A-714 OH, Anion, Macroporous Type 11, Model A-874 OH, Anion, Macro weak
base, Model A-399, Anion, Type 1 Porous Gel, Model A-464 MEG, and Anion, Type
1
Porous G, Model A-254 MEG. The filters, duct collectors and pollution trap
pads can also
include hydrophobic resins e.g., C4 - C20 resins, including carbon based
resins.
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Figure 25 illustrates an embodiment of a de-icing system that can be used in
conjunction with the other embodiments described herein to ensure the ice-free
operation of
a pollutant trap and/or a brake dust collector when a vehicle so equipped is
operated in
snow or freezing temperatures. Figure 25 shows a wheel wel1208 surrounding an
opening
214 on a vehicle 200. A typical brake rotor 216 and brake assembly 217 is
shown disposed
in the wheel well 208. The wheel well 208 and/or the brake assembly 217 can be
configured with an embodiment of a pollutant trap and/or a brake dust
collector as
described hereinabove. A wlieel well de-icer 524 having a heating eleinent 526
can be
positioned in the wheel we11208 to provide the capability to melt ice or snow
that adheres
to the wheel well 208, according to one embodiment. As shown in Figure 25, the
de-icer
524 can be positioned on the back portion of the wheel well 208, as this is
typically where
ice and snow accumulate. In other embodiments, the de-icer 524 can be located
anywhere
in the wheel wel1208 or along the entire surface of the wheel well 208. The de-
icer 524
can be formed by a resistive heating element that is connected to an
electrical source on the
vehicle, according to one embodiment. When desired, a user can activate the de-
icer 524,
or the de-icer can be activated automatically as a result of a sensor that
determines the
presence of ice or snow.
Figure 26 illustrates another embodiment of a wheel we11208 that reduces the
spray
of a vehicle when driving in wet or slushy conditions. The wheel well 208
shown here
includes openings 528 in the rear wa11530 of the wheel wel1208 that provide a
exit port for
roadway material (e.g., water, snow, or slush) that is picked up by a tire
(not shown) so the
material does not hit the rear wall 530 of the wheel well 208 and deflect out
of the wheel
well 208. In one embodiment, the openings 528 are configured to direct the
roadway
material to the back of the vehicle 200. In another embodiment, the openings
528 are
configured to direct the roadway material to the underside of the vehicle 200.
The following examples describes experiments conducted using prototype
pollutant
trap 120 to verify that the prototype pollutant trap reduced the amount of
hydrocarbons on
the roadway surface.
EXAMPLE 2
A pollutant trap 120 was affixed to the wheel well of a truck, and the vehicle
was
driven in Hawaii under wet roadway conditions. After driving about 150 miles,
the
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pollution trap 120 was removed and analyzed for the presence of hydrocarbons.
The Food
Quality Lab of Honolulu, Hawaii was employed to independently analyze the
amount of
petroleum hydrocarbons that had accumulated on the pollution trap.
The data showed that a significant amount of petroleum hydrocarbons had
accumulated on the pollution trap during the brief testing period. These
results verified that
the pollutant trap 120 significantly reduced the amount of roadway pollutants
on a wet
roadway surface. The following example describes a test that can be performed
to verify
that the pollutant trap 120 can remove roadway pollutants under dry road
conditions, as
well.
EXAMPLE 3
A pollutant trap 120 is applied to the wheel well of a truck, and driven in
Hawaii
under dry roadway conditions. After driving about 150 miles, the pollution
trap 120 is
removed and analyzed for the presence of hydrocarbons. The Food Quality Lab of
Honolulu, Hawaii can be employed to analyze the accumulation of roadway
pollutants on
the pollution trap. It will be determined that the pollution trap also
significantly reduces the
amount of roadway pollutants on dry roadway surfaces. The following example
describes
another test that verified that the pollutant trap 120 effectively removes
roadway pollutants.
EXAMPLE 4
A pollutant trap 120 was affixed to the wheel well of a 2002 Chevrolet
Avalanche
and the vehicle was driven around the urban areas of Honolulu, Hawaii under
mixed road
conditions (i.e., botlz wet and dry conditions). After driving about 1500
miles, the pollution
trap 120 was removed and was analyzed for the presence of hydrocarbons and
heavy
metals. An independent laboratory, Advanced Analytical Lab, LLC of Honolulu,
Hawaii
was employed to analyze the accumulation of roadway pollutants on the
pollutant trap 120.
The results showed that a significant amount of total petroleum hydrocarbons
had
accumulated on the pollutant trap 120 during the brief testing period.
Additionally, the
results showed that a significant amount of heavy metals including barium,
chromium,
copper, lead, and selenium were also collected onto the pollutant trap 120.
These results
verified that a system comprising a vehicle and a pollutant trap 120, as
described herein,
effectively removes hydrocarbons and heavy metals from a roadway surface. The
next
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example provides more proof that embodiments of the invention described herein
effectively remove pollutants from the environment.
EXAMPLE 5
Different pollutant traps 120 were affixed to the wheel wells of a Nissan
Frontier/King cab pick-up truck that was driven around the urban areas of Las
Vegas,
Nevada under mixed road conditions (i.e., wet or dry conditions). After
driving
approximately 402 miles, 681 miles, 1415 miles, or 3278 miles, the pollutant
traps 120
were removed and were analyzed for the presence of hydrocarbons, heavy metals,
and
various chemicals. An independent laboratory, NEL Laboratories of Las Vegas,
Nevada
was einployed to analyze the accumulation of roadway pollutants on the
pollutant traps 120.
In a first set of experiments, the same type of pollutant trap 120 was tested
under
dry and wet road conditions. The results showed that a significant amount of
total
petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) had accumulated on the pollutant trap 120 in both
wet and
dry conditions. For example, a 2.5 inch X 2.5 inch square cut from the filter
accuinulated
approx. 6.5 mg total TPH under dry conditions (approx. 0.04 R. oz of total TPH
/ sq. inch)
and 17.2 mg TPH (approx. 0.11 R. oz of total TPH / sq. inch) under wet
conditions.
Appreciable ainounts of heavy metals including barium, cadmium, chromium, and
lead
were also collected onto the pollutant traps 120 and volatile chemicals such
as
dibromofluoromethane, toluene, and 4-bromoflluorobenzene had also accumulated
on the
pollutant traps 120. These experiments verified that the pollutant trap 120
effectively
removed hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and volatile chemicals from the
environment under
wet or dry road conditions.
In a second set of experiments, the ability of different pollutant traps to
accumulate
hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and chemicals were compared under dry road
conditions.
Both types of pollutant traps 120 were found to be effective at removing total
hydrocarbons,
heavy metals, and chemicals from the environment. In fact, the amount of
hydrocarbons
accumulated on one type of pollutant trap 120 was more than 4 times the amount
of
hydrocarbons than was found present on the control (unexposed) section of
pollutant trap
120. The results showed that barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, silver,
mercury
(on one type of filter), 4-bromofluorobenzene, dibromofluoromethane, and
toluene had
accumulated. These results provide more evidence that a system comprising a
vehicle and
a pollutant trap 120, as described herein, effectively removes hydrocarbons,
heavy metals,
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and chemicals from the environment. Roadway tests as provided in the examples
above are
to be conducted in all 50 states of the United States and various countries
throughout the
world, as described in the following example.
EXAMPLE 6
Pollution traps 120 are applied to the wheel wells of several vehicles, and
driven in
all 50 states under wet and dry conditions and in several foreign countries.
After driving
about 1000 miles, the pollution traps 120 are removed and analyzed for the
presence of
roadway pollutants by, for example, The Food Quality Lab of Honolulu, Hawaii.
These
experiments will show that the amount of roadway pollutants, such as
hydrocarbons and
toxic metals, can be reduced in all 50 states and in several countries
througllout the world
by employing the pollution trap 120 described herein.
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Particle Size Range ( m) Exposed Material Exposed Material
% by Particle Area % by Number of Particles
01.78-0.316 .9 31.8
0.316-0.562 3.2 37.5
0.562-1 5.2 18.1
1-1.78 6.5 6.9
1.78-3.16 9.8 3.4
3.16-5.62 13.1 1.4
5.62-10 19.3 0.6
10-17.8 16.8 0.2
17.8-31.6 25.1 0.1
31.6-100 None Detected None Detected
EXAMPLE 7
A pollution trap 120 was applied to the wheel wells of a vehicle and driven in
all
Nevada under wet and dry conditions. After driving about 3000 miles, the
pollution trap
120 was removed and analyzed for the presence of roadway pollutants by, EMSL
Analytical, Inc ("EMSL") of Westmont, New Jersey. EMSL used a combination of
polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission
electron
microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction to
analyze the
particles deposited on the pollutant trap. EMSL identified the following
concentration
(percentages) of particles: quartz 23%, calcite 20%, dolomite 17%, other
minerals 2%,
calcium silicate 25%, steel fragments 2% and unidentified organics 11%. EMSL
also
identified the following information related to particle size distribution on
the exposed
pollutant trap pad:
Table 1 Particle Size Distribution
This experiment showed that a pollutant trap 120 can remove roadway pollutant
particles of various compositions under a variety of conditions and thereby
reduce the
amount of roadway pollutants.
The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. It
will be
appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in
text, the
invention can be practiced in many ways. As is also stated above, it should be
noted that
the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects
of the
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invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being re-
defined herein to be
restricted to including any specific characteristics of the features or
aspects of the invention
with which that terminology is associated. The scope of the invention should
therefore be
construed in accordance with the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.
All of the
references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their
entireties.
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