Airflow adjusting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11840288-B2
Application number	US-202016947994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2019
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

An airflow adjusting apparatus to be installed in a vehicle includes an airflow generator and a controller. The airflow generator is provided on an inner surface of a wheel house or on a wheel. The wheel house provides a wheel containing section of a vehicle body. The wheel is contained in the wheel containing section. The airflow generator is configured to generate an airflow that flows from the wheel containing section toward outer side in a vehicle widthwise direction. The controller is configured to control the airflow generator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An airflow adjusting apparatus to be installed in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
an airflow generator that is provided on an inner surface of a wheel house or on a wheel, the wheel house providing a wheel containing section of a vehicle body, the wheel being contained in the wheel containing section, the airflow generator being configured to generate an airflow that flows from the wheel containing section toward an outer side in a vehicle widthwise direction; and
a controller configured to control the airflow generator.

2. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the airflow generator comprises a first airflow generator, the first airflow generator being provided at least on: a surface portion, of the inner surface of the wheel house, on a front side of the wheel; or a surface portion, of the inner surface of the wheel house, on a rear side of the wheel; the first airflow generator being configured to generate an airflow along the surface portion on which the first airflow generator is provided.

3. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a turning state detector configured to detect a turning state of a vehicle; and
a second airflow generator, wherein
the controller is configured to cause, when the vehicle is turning, a flow velocity of an airflow generated by one of the airflow generator and the second airflow generator provided on a turning outer wheel side to be higher than a flow velocity of an airflow generated by the other of the airflow generator and the second airflow generator provided on a turning inner wheel side.

4. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to vary, in a case where the vehicle is turning, a flow-velocity component that is directed toward a centrifugal side between an airflow generated by one of the airflow generator and the second airflow generator provided on a wheel house of a front wheel or on the front wheel and an airflow generated by the other of the airflow generator and the second airflow generator provided on a wheel house of a rear wheel or on the rear wheel.

5. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a turning state detector configured to detect a turning state of a vehicle, wherein
the airflow generator comprises two or more airflow generators, and
the controller is configured to cause, when the vehicle is turning, a direction in which the airflow generator provided on a turning inner wheel side generates an airflow to be reversed and thereby generate an airflow that flows toward an inner side in the vehicle widthwise direction.

6. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the airflow generator comprises a second airflow generator, the second airflow generator being provided on a surface portion, of the inner surface of the wheel house, on a lateral side of the wheel, the second airflow generator being configured to generate an airflow along the surface portion on the lateral side of the wheel.

7. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the second airflow generator is provided on a portion, of the surface portion on the lateral side of the wheel, that opposes an upper half of the wheel, the second airflow generator being configured to generate an airflow that flows toward the front side of the wheel in a vehicle front-rear direction.

8. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the airflow generator comprises a third airflow generator, the third airflow generator being provided on the inner surface of the wheel house, the third airflow generator being configured to generate an airflow that flows toward an inner diameter side of a rim of the wheel along a surface portion, of the inner surface, on lateral side of the wheel.

9. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising
a heat generation amount estimator configured to estimate a heat generation amount of a device disposed on the inner diameter side of the rim, wherein
the controller is configured to activate the third airflow generator in a case where the heat generation amount of the device estimated by the heat generation amount estimator is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

10. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the airflow generator comprises a fourth airflow generator, the fourth airflow generator being provided on a rim of the wheel, the fourth airflow generator being configured to generate an airflow that flows toward the outer side in the vehicle widthwise direction along a surface of the rim.

11. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising
a heat generation amount estimator configured to estimate a heat generation amount of a device disposed on an inner diameter side of the rim, wherein
the controller is configured to activate the fourth airflow generator in a case where the heat generation amount of the device estimated by the heat generation amount estimator is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

12. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the airflow generator includes a plasma actuator, the plasma actuator including a pair of electrodes and a power supply, the pair of electrodes being disposed with a dielectric interposed in between, the power supply being configured to apply an alternating-current voltage to the pair of electrodes.

13. The airflow adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
two or more plasma actuators that are disposed, on a tire side surface of the wheel, side by side in a circumferential direction of the wheel, wherein
the controller is configured to further control the plasma actuators, the controller being configured to cause, when a vehicle is traveling straight, one of the plasma actuators, present at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction to generate an airflow that flows toward a rear side of the wheel along the tire side surface.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Watanabe Naoto
• Dogahira Yusaku

Classifications

• B62D37/02 Primary

  by aerodynamic means · CPC title

• B60R16/033

  characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36) · CPC title

• B62D25/18

  Parts or details thereof, e.g. mudguard flaps · CPC title

• F15D1/10

  around bodies of solid material · CPC title

• B60B21/12

  Appurtenances, e.g. lining bands · CPC title