Vehicular aerodynamic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12187356-B2
Application number	US-202217821919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2022
Priority date	Sep 7, 2021
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A vehicular aerodynamic device includes first and second links being coupled via first and second engagement members and integrally rotating, thereby transmitting drive force to an aerodynamic member. The first and second engagement members are coupled to the first and second links, respectively, and integrally rotate by engaging with each other, and rotate relative to each other by external force. At least one of a first coupling portion that couples the first link and the first engagement member and a second coupling portion that couples the second link and the second engagement member includes clutch-side and link-side engagement surfaces integrally rotating by engaging with each other. A second gap between the clutch-side and link-side engagement surfaces in a second relative rotation direction is narrower than a first gap between the clutch-side and link-side engagement surfaces in a first relative rotation direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicular aerodynamic device comprising:
a link unit that is configured by coupling a plurality of link members to one another; and
an aerodynamic member that is deployed and retracted based on drive force to be transmitted via the link unit, wherein
the link unit transmits the drive force to the aerodynamic member by integral rotation, around a coupling shaft, of a first link and a second link as the link members that are coupled to each other via a clutch mechanism,
the clutch mechanism includes:
a first engagement member coupled to the first link; and
a second engagement member coupled to the second link,
the first engagement member and the second engagement member rotate integrally around the coupling shaft by engaging with each other, and rotate relative to each other by external force being applied to the aerodynamic member and larger than force of mutual engagement,
at least one of a first coupling portion that couples the first link and the first engagement member to each other and a second coupling portion that couples the second link and the second engagement member to each other is a fitting-coupling portion including a clutch-side engagement surface and a link-side engagement surface that rotate integrally around the coupling shaft by engaging with each other, and
a first gap is generated, between the clutch-side engagement surface and the link-side engagement surface, in a first relative rotation direction in which the aerodynamic member is displaced in a deployment direction, based on the external force, a second gap is generated, between the clutch-side engagement surface and the link-side engagement surface, in a second relative rotation direction in which the aerodynamic member is displaced in a retraction direction, based on the external force, and the second gap is narrower than the first gap.

2. The vehicular aerodynamic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second engagement member includes a plurality of outward protrusion portions that protrude outward in a radial direction,
both-side oblique edges of the outward protrusion portions form the clutch-side engagement surface of the second coupling portion,
the second link includes a plurality of inward protrusion portions on a radial-direction inside, and
both-side oblique edges of the inward protrusion portions form the link-side engagement surface of the second coupling portion.

3. The vehicular aerodynamic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the aerodynamic member is retracted in a state where a distal end of the aerodynamic member faces to a vehicle rear side, and
the aerodynamic member is deployed in a direction of swinging out the distal end of the aerodynamic member to a vehicle front side.

4. The vehicular aerodynamic device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a stopper mechanism in which, at a relative rotation position of the first link and the second link at which the first link and the second link rotate integrally, a first stopper portion provided in the first link and a second stopper portion provided in the second link engage with each other and thereby restrict relative rotation between the first link and the second link in the first relative rotation direction.

5. The vehicular aerodynamic device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a plurality of the stopper mechanisms that are provided in such a way as to be separated from one another in an axial direction of the coupling shaft.

6. The vehicular aerodynamic device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a biasing member that biases the second engagement member in an axial direction of the coupling shaft, and thereby presses a second engagement surface provided in the second engagement member, against a first engagement surface provided in the first engagement member, wherein
the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface are each a cam surface in which a mountain portion and a valley portion are alternately continued around the coupling shaft,
the clutch mechanism is configured in such a way that the first engagement member and the second engagement member rotate integrally, based on force of engagement between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface that engage with each other, based on biasing force of the biasing member,
the clutch mechanism is configured in such a way that the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface slide on each other around the coupling shaft while accompanied by axial-direction displacement of the second engagement member against the biasing force, and thereby, the first engagement member and the second engagement member are allowed to rotate relative to each other, based on application of the external force, and
concerning the fitting-coupling portion that constitutes the second coupling portion, the second gap is generated in such a way as to be narrower than the first gap.

7. The vehicular aerodynamic device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a plurality of the clutch mechanisms that are provided in such a way as to be separated from one another in an axial direction of the coupling shaft.

Assignees

• Aisin Corp

Inventors

• Mizuno Hideki
• Shibutani Yukihide

Classifications

• B62D37/02

  by aerodynamic means · CPC title

• B62D35/005 Primary

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

• Y02T10/82

  Elements for improving aerodynamics · CPC title

• B62D35/02 Primary

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