Air deflecting device for use on the bottom of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034396-B2
Application number	US-201916420452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2019
Priority date	Nov 24, 2016
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

An air deflecting device for use on an underside of a motor vehicle in front of a vehicle wheel includes at least one air deflection member. The air deflection member includes at least two air deflection member parts which allow the width of the air deflection member in the transverse vehicle direction to be modified.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air deflecting device for use on an underside of a motor vehicle in front of a vehicle wheel, comprising:
at least one air deflecting body comprising at least two air deflecting body elements, wherein
a width extent of the at least one air deflecting body in a vehicle transverse direction is variable by transversely displacing at least one of the two air deflecting body elements,
the at least two air deflecting body elements are configured to protrude downward when mounted on the underside of the vehicle in front of the vehicle wheel, and
the air deflecting body is configured such that the variable width extent adapts to different wheel widths and/or wheel designs of the vehicle wheel with which the motor vehicle is equipped in order that air flow arising during forward travel is guided past and/or along the equipped vehicle wheel.

2. The air deflecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the air deflecting body elements are transversely displaceable relative to one another.

3. The air deflecting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the relative displaceability of the air deflecting body elements is configured in detent steps, such that different widths of the air deflecting body in the vehicle transverse direction are settable, wherein detent and/or fixing devices are provided in order to position and/or fix the air deflecting body elements relative to one another.

4. The air deflecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the air deflecting body elements are attachable, adjacent to one another, to a sub structure.

5. The air deflecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a mounting base to which the air deflecting body elements are attached or attachable, or with which at least one of the two air deflecting body elements is integrally formed.

6. A motor vehicle, comprising:
an underbody;
at least one front wheel; and
at least one air deflecting device arranged in front of the front wheel in a direction of travel on the underbody of the motor vehicle,
wherein the air deflecting device comprises:
at least one air deflecting body comprising at least two air deflecting body elements, wherein
a width extent of the at least one air deflecting body in a vehicle transverse direction is variable by transversely displacing at least one of the two air deflecting body elements,
the at least two air deflecting body elements are configured to protrude downward when mounted on the underside of the vehicle in front of the front wheel, and
the air deflecting body is configured such that the variable width extent adapts to different front wheel widths and/or front wheel designs of the front wheel with which the motor vehicle is equipped in order that air flow arising during forward travel is guided past and/or along the equipped front wheel.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein
the vehicle is a two-track vehicle with two front wheels provided so as to be laterally spaced apart from one another on the vehicle, and
two air deflecting devices are provided, one being respectively provided in front of each of the two front wheels.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein
the two air deflecting devices provided in front of respective front wheels are of mirror-symmetrical design with respect to one another.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein
a rear surface of the air deflecting device is spaced apart from a foremost region of a tread of the front wheel by 25 cm or less.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein
a center of the air deflecting device, in relation to a transverse direction of the vehicle, is substantially aligned with a center of the front wheel.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein
a center of the air deflecting device, in relation to a transverse direction of the vehicle, is offset inwardly in the direction of a vehicle center in relation to a center of the front wheel.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein
the two air deflecting devices are laterally spaced apart from one another such that no air deflecting device is provided in a region between the two front wheels.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein
the air deflecting device has a same width of the front wheel.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Fauser Markus
• Ranft Tino

Classifications

• Y02T10/82

  Elements for improving aerodynamics · CPC title

• Y02T10/88

  Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses · CPC title

• B62D35/02 Primary

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