Vehicle aerodynamic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10179613-B2
Application number	US-201515501832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2015
Priority date	Aug 5, 2014
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

The present application relates to a vehicle ( 401 ). A first duct ( 457 ) having a first duct inlet ( 467 ) and a first duct outlet ( 469 ) is provided on a first lateral side of the vehicle ( 401 ). A second duct ( 457 ) having a second duct inlet ( 467 ) and a second duct outlet ( 469 ) is provided on a second lateral side of the vehicle ( 401 ). The first and second duct inlets ( 467 ) are arranged substantially in line with or inset from the respective first and second lateral sides of the vehicle ( 401 ). The first and second duct outlets ( 469 ) are disposed at or proximal to a rear of the vehicle ( 401 ) and arranged, in use, to direct respective first and second jets of air inwardly to control the lateral propagation of a wake formed behind the vehicle ( 401 ). Duct sidewalls are formed by surfaces of rear pillars of the vehicle ( 401 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a first duct having a first duct inlet and a first duct outlet; and
a second duct having a second duct inlet and a second duct outlet;
wherein the first and second duct inlets are arranged substantially in line with or inset from respective first and second lateral sides of the vehicle; and
the first and second duct outlets are disposed at or proximal to a rear of the vehicle;
the first and second ducts being arranged, in use, to direct respective first and second jets of air inwardly to control the lateral and/or longitudinal propagation of a wake formed behind the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a body structure having a roof mounted to pillars comprising first and second rear pillars, an outer surface of said first rear pillar defining a first sidewall of said first duct and an outer surface of said second rear pillar defining a second sidewall of said second duct, wherein the first and second ducts are each comprised of a structural component of the body structure that is spaced from the first and second rear pillars.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , the first and second duct inlets each comprising an upstream edge and a downstream edge; wherein the structural component of the first and second ducts comprise a first guide vane and a second guide vane, respectively, that define the downstream edge of the respective first and second duct inlets.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the downstream edges of the respective first and second duct inlets are disposed in line with or inset from the upstream edges of the respective first and second duct inlets.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first and second guide vanes are adapted to direct the jet of air exiting the respective first and second duct outlets inwardly towards a longitudinal centre line of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 comprising a body structure having a roof mounted to first and second front pillars and to the first and second rear pillars.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first and second guide vanes are spaced laterally outwardly from the respective first and second rear pillars.

7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first and second duct inlets are disposed in front of the respective first and second rear pillars.

8. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the body structure comprises first and second rear quarter panels, the first and second guide vanes extending between said respective first and second rear quarter panels and the roof.

9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8 , wherein a substantially continuous exterior surface is formed at the interface between said first and second guide vanes and the respective first and second rear quarter panels.

10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second duct outlets are extended in a vertical direction such that, in use, the first and second jets of air are elongated vertically.

11. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second duct inlets have a larger cross section than the first and second duct outlets.

12. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the first and second duct outlets is substantially uniform in a vertical direction.

13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the first and second duct outlets decreases towards a top of the respective first and second ducts.

14. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first and second duct outlets are disposed on each side of a tailgate.

15. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 comprising a transverse aerodynamic member arranged to direct airflow downwardly at the rear of the vehicle to control the vertical propagation of the wake formed behind the vehicle.

16. A vehicle as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the transverse aerodynamic member is deployable in a rearwards direction.

17. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first and second rear pillars extend from the vehicle waistline towards the roof of the vehicle.

18. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a glasshouse, wherein the glasshouse comprises said first and second rear pillars.

19. A vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a most outboard edge of the first duct outlet is inboard relative to a most inboard edge of the first duct inlet, and wherein a most outboard edge of the second duct outlet is inboard relative to a most inboard edge of the second duct inlet.

20. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first and second ducts are arranged such that the angle of the inward airflow relative to the longitudinal center line varies with respect to vertical position along the respective first and second ducts.

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Gaylard Adrian
• Thompson Christopher
• Turner Ross

Classifications

• B62D35/007

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

• B62D35/008 Primary

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

• Y02T10/82

  Elements for improving aerodynamics · CPC title

• B62D37/02

  by aerodynamic means · CPC title

• B62D25/04

  Door pillars {; windshield pillars} · CPC title