Road vehicle provided with a central aerodynamic channel and proper powertrain system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12583533-B2
Application number	US-202318360500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2023
Priority date	Jul 29, 2022
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Road vehicle comprising: four wheels, at least a pair of them being drive wheels; a passenger compartment configured to accommodate at least a driver; a vehicle body comprising a front portion and a rear portion relative to the passenger compartment along a travel direction; a powertrain system; a central aerodynamic channel at least partially arranged under the passenger compartment along a central longitudinal axis of the road vehicle; wherein the central aerodynamic channel seamlessly extends from a first aperture arranged in the area of the front portion to a second aperture arranged in the area of the rear portion of the vehicle body; wherein the powertrain system is at least partially arranged laterally to the central aerodynamic channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A road vehicle ( 1 ) comprising:
four wheels ( 2 ), of which at least one pair of wheels ( 2 ) is driven; a passenger compartment ( 3 ) configured to accommodate at least a driver; a vehicular body ( 4 ) comprising a front portion ( 6 ) and a rear portion ( 7 ) relative to the passenger compartment ( 3 ) along a travel direction (D); a powertrain system ( 10 ); and a central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ) arranged at least partially below the passenger compartment ( 3 ) along a central longitudinal axis (A) of the road vehicle ( 1 ); wherein the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ) extends seamlessly from a first aperture ( 18 ) arranged at the front portion ( 6 ) to a second aperture ( 19 ) arranged at the rear portion ( 7 ) of the vehicular body ( 4 ); wherein the powertrain system ( 10 ) is arranged at least partially laterally to the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ); wherein the powertrain system ( 10 ) comprises at least two electric actuators systems ( 13 ) comprising, each, at least one electric motor ( 14 ) and respective motion transmission elements ( 15 ) configured to transmit the motion of each electric motor ( 14 ) to at least one drive wheel ( 2 ) via a respective drive axle shaft ( 16 ); wherein the electric motors ( 14 ) are arranged at a distance that is equal to or smaller than 500 mm from the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ).

2 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each of the electric motors ( 14 ) extend parallel and lateral to the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ).

3 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein each electric motor ( 14 ) is arranged to have a respective first rotation axis (B) parallel to the central longitudinal axis (A) and thus to the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ).

4 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein each electric actuator system comprises a respective one of the motion transmission elements configured to transfer the motion of each electric motor ( 14 ) from the first rotation axis (B) parallel to the central longitudinal axis (A) to a second axis (C) of rotation parallel to a transverse axis (T) of the road vehicle ( 1 ).

5 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein each motion transmission element ( 15 ) comprises conical elements ( 21 ) for an angular transmission of motion.

6 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the motion transmission elements ( 15 ) comprise a reduction element ( 23 ) configured to reduce the rotational speed exiting the electric motor while maintaining motion along the first rotation axis (B).

7 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each electric motor ( 14 ) is arranged laterally to the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ) at a vehicular bottom ( 20 ).

8 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the powertrain system ( 10 ) is arranged at least partially at the same height above the ground as the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ).

9 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the powertrain system ( 10 ) comprises four different electric actuator systems ( 13 ), each comprising at least one electric motor ( 14 ) and respective motion transmission elements ( 15 ), wherein the electric motors ( 14 ) are arranged two to the right and two to the left of the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ).

10 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the electric motors ( 14 ) are arranged closer to the central longitudinal axis (A) of the body ( 4 ) than the motion transmission elements ( 15 ).

11 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the central aerodynamic channel ( 17 ) is at least partially inferiorly bounded by at least one downforce element ( 24 ).

Assignees

• Ferrari Spa

Inventors

• Segalini Alessandro

Classifications

• B60Y2200/91

  Electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60K2007/0076

  the motor axle being horizontal · CPC title

• B60K17/043

  Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel · CPC title

• B60K7/0007

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• B62D35/00

  Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining · CPC title