Active aerodynamic body panel for an automotive vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019047641-A1
Application number	US-201715671435-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 8, 2017
Publication date	Feb 14, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automotive vehicle includes a body with a central plane extending vertically along a longitudinal center of the body, with first and second sides on opposing sides of the central plane. The vehicle additionally includes a first movable member coupled to the first side. The first movable member has a first stowed position and a first deployed position. In the first deployed position the first movable member induces a first pressure differential between the first side and the second side. The vehicle also includes a first actuator configured to move the first movable member between the first stowed position and the first deployed position. The vehicle further includes a controller configured to, in response to satisfaction of a first operating condition, control the first actuator to move the first movable member from the first stowed position to the first deployed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An automotive vehicle comprising:
a body having a fore portion, an aft portion, a longitudinal center extending from the fore portion to the aft portion, and a central plane extending vertically along the longitudinal center, with a first side and a second side on opposing sides of the central plane; a first movable member coupled to the first side, the first movable member having a first stowed position and a first deployed position, wherein in the first deployed position the first movable member induces a first pressure differential between the first side and the second side; a first actuator configured to move the first movable member between the first stowed position and the first deployed position; and a controller configured to, in response to satisfaction of a first operating condition, control the first actuator to move the first movable member from the first stowed position to the first deployed position.

2 . The automotive vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a steering wheel having a nominal position, wherein the first operating condition includes a difference between a current steering wheel position and the nominal position exceeding a predefined threshold.

3 . The automotive vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first operating condition includes a current vehicle velocity exceeding a predefined threshold.

4 . The automotive vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first operating condition includes a current vehicle yaw rate exceeding a predefined threshold.

5 . The automotive vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a second movable member coupled to the second side, the second movable member having a second stowed position and a second deployed position, wherein in the second deployed position the second movable member induces a second pressure differential between the first side and the second side, the second pressure differential being oriented in a direction opposite the first pressure differential; and
a second actuator configured to move the second movable member between the second stowed position and the second deployed position; wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to satisfaction of a second operating condition, control the second actuator to move the second movable member from the second stowed position to the first deployed position.

6 . The automotive vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to, in response to satisfaction of the first operating condition, control the second actuator to maintain the second movable member in the second stowed position, and to, in response to satisfaction of the second operating condition, control the first actuator to maintain the first movable member in the first stowed position.

7 . The automotive vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a braking request exceeding a threshold, control the first actuator to move the first movable member from the first stowed position to the first deployed position and control the second actuator to move the second movable member from the second stowed position to the first deployed position.

8 . The automotive vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first movable member includes a generally planar panel, in the stowed position the generally planar panel abuts the first side, and in the deployed position the generally planar panel is projected from the first side.

9 . The automotive vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal source and a duct, the duct having an inlet proximate the source and an outlet on the first side, wherein the first movable member is disposed in the duct.

10 . A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:
providing a vehicle with a body having a first side and a second side; providing a first movable member coupled to the first side, the first movable member having a first stowed position and a first deployed position, wherein in the first deployed position the first movable member induces a first pressure differential between the first side and the second side; providing a first actuator configured to move the first movable member between the first stowed position and the first deployed position; providing a controller in communication with the first actuator; and in response to satisfaction of a first operating condition with the vehicle in motion, controlling the first actuator, via the controller, to move the first movable member from the first stowed position to the first deployed position.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first operating condition includes a difference between a current steering wheel position and the nominal position exceeding a predefined threshold.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first operating condition includes a current vehicle velocity exceeding a predefined threshold.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first operating condition includes a current vehicle yaw rate exceeding a predefined threshold.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising providing a second movable member coupled to the second side, the second movable member having a second stowed position and a second deployed position;
providing a second actuator configured to move the second movable member between the second stowed position and the second deployed position; and in response to satisfaction of a second operating condition, controlling the second actuator, via the controller to move the second movable member from the second stowed position to the first deployed position.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising, in response to satisfaction of the first operating condition, controlling the second actuator, via the controller, to maintain the second movable member in the second stowed position, and, in response to satisfaction of the second operating condition, controlling the first actuator, via the controller, to maintain the first movable member in the first stowed position.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising, in response to a braking request exceeding a threshold, controlling the first actuator, via the controller, to move the first movable member from the first stowed position to the first deployed position and controlling the second actuator, via the controller, to move the second movable member from the second stowed position to the first deployed position.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Claywell Mark R
• Ali Khan Maqsood Rizwan
• White Marsella L

Classifications

• B60W2710/20

  Steering systems · CPC title

• B60W2520/10

  Longitudinal speed · CPC title

• B62D35/008 Primary

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

• B62D37/02

  by aerodynamic means · CPC title

• B60W2520/14

  Yaw · CPC title