Active front deflector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124839-B2
Application number	US-201515318117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2015
Priority date	Jun 19, 2013
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

An active front deflector assembly having a deployable deflector panel, linkage assemblies, and an actuator. The system deploys and retracts based on vehicle requirements, and, when deployed, interrupts air flow thereby improving the vehicle aerodynamics, reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. The deflector panel is retractable so the vehicle meets ground clearances, ramp angles, off-road requirements, etc. The deflector panel is also both rigid and semi-rigid to absorb impact energy. The linkage assemblies are coupled to the deflector panel and a drive shaft connected to the actuator. The drive shaft transmits the drive from the actuator coupled to one linkage assembly to the other linkage assembly for moving the deflector panel between the deployed/retracted positions. The actuator is clutched to prevent damage to the system. The active front deflector assembly provides a fully deployable system with object detection, declutching of the actuator, and communication with the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An active front deflector assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one deflector panel, where the deflector panel selectively deploys and retracts between a deployed position and a stowed position, where the deployment of the deflector panel improves aerodynamics;
at least two linkage assemblies attached to the deflector panel and to the vehicle;
an actuator operably coupled to the linkage assemblies, where the actuator is in communication with the vehicle and deploys and retracts the deflector panel under predetermined conditions;
wherein the at least two linkage assemblies each further comprise:
a coupler link, where the coupler link is attached to an upper spine of the deflector panel;
a fixed base link, where the fixed base link is attached to the vehicle;
a drive link pivotably connected to the coupler link and fixed base link, wherein a drive shaft is coupled to the drive link;
a follower link pivotably connected to the coupler link and fixed base link below the drive link;
where the coupler link, drive link, follower link, and fixed base link are at predetermined angles and ratios to each other to move the deflector panel between the deployed and retracted position.

2. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deflector panel is semi-rigid with a rigid upper spine, to absorb impact energy.

3. The active front deflector assembly of claim 2 , wherein when in the deployed position during vehicle movement the rigid upper spine is not in the air flow.

4. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises a printed circuit board with connector contacts to correlate with vehicle communication networks for commanding operation of a motor of the actuator based upon predetermined conditions.

5. The active front deflector assembly of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined conditions are selected from the group consisting of vehicle speed, wind direction, yaw, and combinations thereof.

6. The active front deflector assembly of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition for deploying the deflector panel is vehicle speed in the range of at least 30 miles per hour.

7. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition for retracting the deflector panel is vehicle speed in the range of less than 30 miles per hour and/or when the actuator senses higher than desired predetermined loads.

8. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises printed circuit board electronics that sense current spike for circuit override, which allows a clutch system in the actuator to disengage a drive system.

9. The active front deflector assembly of claim 8 , wherein the actuator has declutching of gearing so that the deflector panel can move freely out of the way to prevent damage.

10. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft is operably coupled to the at least two linkage assemblies wherein the drive shaft transmits the drive from one side to the other.

11. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is operably connected to the drive shaft which is attached to the drive links and fixed base links of the at least two linkage assemblies, where rotation of the drive shaft rotates the drive links upward causing the follower and coupler links up and the deflector panel to rise and fold back to the retracted position, and wherein rotation of the drive shaft in the opposite direction rotates the drive links downward causing the follower and coupler links down and the deflector panel to lower and extend into the deployed position.

12. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein each coupler link has a mounting portion connected to a rigid upper spine portion of the deflector panel with at least one fastener.

13. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coupler link, drive link, follower link, and fixed base link are at the predetermined angles and ratios to each other to move the deflector panel between the deployed and retracted position and wherein a rigid upper spine of the deflector panel is never in the air flow and is protected by the vehicle body.

14. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein an angle between the fixed base link and drive link in the deployed position is about 0 to 90 degrees.

15. The active front deflector assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the fixed base link is about 0.5 to 5 times the length of the coupler link;
and/or
the drive link is about 1 to 6 times the length of the coupler link;
and/or
the follower link is about 2 to 8 times the length of the coupler link.

16. An active front deflector assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:
at least one deflector panel including a semi-rigid portion and a rigid upper spine portion, where the deflector panel selectively deploys and retracts between a deployed position within an air flow and a stowed position out of the air flow, where the deployment of the deflector panel improves aerodynamics;
at least two linkage assemblies attached to the rigid upper spine of the deflector panel and connected to the vehicle; and
an actuator including a drive shaft operably coupled to the at least two linkage assemblies, where the actuator has object detection and is in communication with the vehicle and automatically deploys the deployable panel under predetermined conditions and automatically retracts the deployable panel when predetermined conditions for continued deployment are no longer met;
wherein the predetermined conditions are selected from the group consisting of vehicle speeds, forces/loads, wind directions, yaw, and combinations thereof;
wherein the at least two linkage assemblies each further comprise:
a coupler link, where the coupler link is attached to the upper spine of the deflector panel;
a fixed base link, where the fixed base link is attached to the vehicle;
a drive link pivotably connected to the coupler link and fixed base link, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to the drive link; and
a follower link pivotably connected to the coupler link and fixed base link below the drive link;
where the coupler link, drive link, follower link, and fixed base link are at predetermined angles and ratios to each other to move the deflector panel between the deployed and retracted position.

17. An active front deflector assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one deflector panel selectively deployable and retractable between a deployed downward position and a stowed upward position, where the deployment of the deflector panel reduces drag and improves aerodynamics;
at least two linkage assemblies attached to the deflector panel and connected to the vehicle; and
an actuator including a drive shaft operably coupled to the at least two linkage assemblies, where the actuator has object detection and is in communication with the vehicle and automatically deploys the deployable panel under predetermined conditions and automatically retracts the deployable panel when predetermined conditions for continued deployment are no longer met, wherein the predetermined conditions are selected from the group consisting of vehicle speeds, forces/loads, wind directions, yaw, and combinations thereof;
wherein the at least two linkage assemblies each further comprise:
a coupler link, where the coupler link is attached to the upper spine of the deflector panel;
a fixed base link, where the fixed base link is attached toward the front of the vehicle;
a drive link pivotably connec

Assignees

• Magna Exteriors Inc

Inventors

• Povinelli Anthony J
• Matthews Martin R
• Manhire Jeffrey B

Classifications

• B62D37/02

  by aerodynamic means · CPC title

• B60Y2300/52

  Engine fuel consumption · CPC title

• B62D35/005 Primary

  Front spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60Y2400/411

  Bowden cables or linkages · CPC title

• B62D35/02

  Streamlining the undersurfaces {(B62D35/005, B62D35/007, B62D35/008 take precedence)} · CPC title