Adjustable splitter system for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019092402-A1
Application number	US-201715714510-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2017
Priority date	Sep 25, 2017
Publication date	Mar 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A splitter system for a vehicle having a vehicle body including a first vehicle body end configured to face oncoming ambient airflow when the vehicle is in motion includes first and second splitter portions. The first splitter portion is configured to be fixed to the vehicle body. The second splitter portion is mounted to the first splitter portion. The first and second splitter portions together are configured to generate an aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle body when the vehicle is in motion. The splitter system also includes a mechanism arranged between the first and second splitter portions. The mechanism is configured to vary position of the second splitter portion relative to the first splitter portion to thereby control movement of the oncoming ambient airflow relative to the vehicle body and vary a magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A splitter system for a vehicle having a vehicle body arranged in a body plane along a longitudinal body axis and including a first vehicle body end configured to face oncoming ambient airflow when the vehicle is in motion relative to a road surface, the splitter system comprising:
a first splitter portion configured to be fixedly mounted to the vehicle body and including a first splitter portion axis arranged parallel to the body plane and along the longitudinal body axis; a second splitter portion mounted to the first splitter portion, wherein the first splitter portion and the second splitter portion together are configured to generate an aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle body when the vehicle is in motion; and a mechanism arranged between the first splitter portion and the second splitter portion and configured to vary a position of the second splitter portion relative to the first splitter portion to thereby control a movement of the oncoming ambient airflow relative to the vehicle body and vary a magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce.

2 . The splitter system according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic controller configured to regulate the mechanism.

3 . The splitter system according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle additionally includes a road wheel, and wherein the splitter system further comprises a first sensor configured to detect a rotating speed of the road wheel and communicate the detected rotating speed of the road wheel to the controller.

4 . The splitter system according to claim 3 , further comprising a second sensor configured to detect a yaw rate of the vehicle body and communicate the detected yaw rate to the controller.

5 . The splitter system according to claim 4 , further comprising a third sensor configured to detect a velocity of ambient airflow relative to the vehicle and communicate the detected velocity of the ambient airflow to the controller.

6 . The splitter system according to claim 5 , wherein the second splitter portion includes a second splitter portion axis, and wherein the mechanism is configured to rotate the second splitter portion relative to the first splitter portion, to thereby selectively vary an angle of the second splitter portion axis relative to the longitudinal body axis to thereby adjust the magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle body.

7 . The splitter system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to vary the angle of the second splitter portion axis relative to the longitudinal body axis via the mechanism during vehicle cornering in response to the detected yaw rate and at least one of the detected rotating speed of the road wheel and velocity of the ambient airflow to thereby adjust the magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle body and control the detected yaw rate.

8 . The splitter system according to claim 5 , wherein the mechanism is configured to selectively shift the second splitter portion relative to the first splitter portion in a direction transverse to the longitudinal body axis to thereby adjust the magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce generated by the splitter on the vehicle body.

9 . The splitter system according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism includes at least one stanchion moveably connecting the second splitter portion to the first splitter portion.

10 . The splitter system according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism includes at least one of a linear actuator and an electric motor.

11 . A motor vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body arranged in a body plane along a longitudinal body axis and including a first vehicle body end configured to face oncoming ambient airflow when the vehicle is in motion relative to a road surface; and a splitter system comprising:
a first splitter portion fixedly mounted to the vehicle body and including a first splitter portion axis arranged parallel to the body plane and along the longitudinal body axis;
a second splitter portion mounted to the first splitter portion, wherein the first splitter portion and the second splitter portion together are configured to generate an aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle body when the vehicle is in motion; and
a mechanism arranged between the first splitter portion and the second splitter portion and configured to vary a position of the second splitter portion relative to the first splitter portion to thereby control a movement of the oncoming ambient airflow relative to the vehicle body and vary a magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce.

12 . The motor vehicle according to claim 11 , further comprising an electronic controller configured to regulate the mechanism.

13 . The motor vehicle according to claim 12 , further comprising a road wheel, wherein the splitter system additionally includes a first sensor configured to detect a rotating speed of the road wheel and communicate the detected rotating speed of the road wheel to the controller.

14 . The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the splitter system additionally includes a second sensor configured to detect a yaw rate of the vehicle body and communicate the detected yaw rate to the controller.

15 . The motor vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the splitter system additionally includes a third sensor configured to detect a velocity of ambient airflow relative to the vehicle and communicate the detected velocity of the ambient airflow to the controller.

16 . The motor vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the second splitter portion includes a second splitter portion axis, and wherein the mechanism is configured to rotate the second splitter portion relative to the first splitter portion, to thereby selectively vary an angle of the second splitter portion axis relative to the longitudinal body axis to thereby adjust the magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle body.

17 . The motor vehicle according to claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to vary the angle of the second splitter portion axis relative to the longitudinal body axis via the mechanism during vehicle cornering in response to the detected yaw rate and at least one of the detected rotating speed of the road wheel and velocity of the ambient airflow to thereby adjust the magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle body and control the detected yaw rate.

18 . The motor vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the mechanism is configured to selectively shift the second splitter portion relative to the first splitter portion in a direction transverse to the longitudinal body axis to thereby adjust the magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce generated by the splitter on the vehicle body.

19 . The motor vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the mechanism includes at least one stanchion moveably connecting the second splitter portion to the first splitter portion.

20 . The motor vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the mechanism includes at least one of a linear actuator and an electric motor.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Fahland Jason D
• Auden Joshua R

Classifications

• B60W30/02

  Control of vehicle driving stability · CPC title

• B62D35/005 Primary

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

• B62D35/02

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

• B60W2710/30

  Auxiliary equipments · CPC title

• B62D37/02

  by aerodynamic means · CPC title