Car trunk lid spoiler with aerodynamically shaped airfoil section

Abstract

Among other things, an apparatus and method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes providing a spoiler body having a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels defining an open area between the spoiler body and an exterior surface of a vehicle. Each channel has an uppermost wall having an airfoil cross-section. The spoiler body includes at least one vehicle attachment area located between at least two channels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure is directed to exemplary apparatus and methods for providing a spoiler for a vehicle including a channel having an airfoil-shaped cross-section. Background Art

[0002] Vehicles such as high-performance vehicles often include spoilers mounted on the vehicle to improve aerodynamics. Spoilers may be mounted on the rear of the vehicle, such as on the decklid, or may be located on the rear window or roof. The use of spoilers improves airflow over and around the vehicle, resulting in better grip or traction on the road. Vehicles traveling at higher speeds may experience control issues because the increased airflow may create lift under certain speed conditions.

[0003] With respect to the engineering requirements of aerodynamics, decklid spoilers on high-performance vehicles are often inefficient or suboptimal for lift to drag ratio due to a variety of factors. For example, decklid spoilers often have a reduced surface area over which negative lift, or downforce, can be generated. Additionally, these types of spoilers rely on inefficient high pressures created by placing a wedge in the airflow. As a result, it is difficult for conventional spoilers to generate a significant amount of downforce to achieve effective drag. Reducing drag is critical to meeting fuel economy, acceleration, and maximum speed targets. Summary of the invention

[0004] Among other things, an apparatus according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a spoiler body having a plurality of channels defining an open area between the spoiler body and an exterior surface of a vehicle. Each channel includes an uppermost surface having an airfoil cross-section. The spoiler body includes at least one vehicle attachment area located between at least two channels.

[0005] In another non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing apparatus, the airfoil section has an angle of attack of 3 to 15 degrees relative to a free-flowing airflow over the airfoil section.

[0006] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the airfoil section has a suction side facing an exterior surface of the vehicle, a pressure side facing away from the suction side, and a leading edge extending to a trailing edge to define an airflow direction.

[0007] In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, when air flows over the airfoil section, the open area between the spoiler body and the exterior surface is at a lower pressure than the area above the outermost wall.

[0008] In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, the plurality of channels includes only the first channel and the second channel.

[0009] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the at least one vehicle attachment area includes at least a first attachment area between the first and second channels, a second attachment area at one lateral end of the spoiler body, and a third attachment area at an opposite lateral end of the spoiler body.

[0010] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the spoiler body has a length extending between the lateral ends and a width extending in the longitudinal direction, the length being greater than the width.

[0011] In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, the open area of ​​each channel is defined by a length and a height, and the open area is uninterrupted in a longitudinal direction from a channel inlet to a channel outlet.

[0012] In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the spoiler body includes a plurality of two-dimensional portions corresponding to the vehicle attachment areas and a plurality of three-dimensional portions corresponding to the channels.

[0013] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, the at least one attachment area includes a plurality of attachment areas, each attachment area having an outer surface and an inner surface secured to an exterior surface of the vehicle, and wherein an outermost wall of each channel extends outwardly perpendicularly relative to the outer surface to define an open area.

[0014] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, wherein each channel includes a pair of laterally spaced side walls connecting an outermost wall to an outer surface of an attachment area located on either side of the channel.

[0015] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, the plurality of attachment areas includes at least a first attachment area between the first and second channels, a second attachment area at one lateral end of the spoiler body, and a third attachment area at an opposite lateral end of the spoiler body, such that airflow between the spoiler body and the exterior surface of the vehicle passes only through the first and second channels.

[0016] In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the spoiler body has a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein the open area of ​​each channel is uninterrupted through the spoiler body from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

[0017] Among other things, an apparatus according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes an aerodynamic structure for a vehicle, the structure including a spoiler body having at least first and second channels, the spoiler body defining an open area between the spoiler body and a surface of the vehicle, each channel having an uppermost wall having an airfoil cross-section, and the spoiler body including at least a first attachment area located between the first channel and the second channel and configured to attach the spoiler body to the vehicle.

[0018] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, the airfoil section has a suction side facing the vehicle surface, a pressure side facing away from the suction side, and a leading edge extending to a trailing edge to define an airflow direction, and wherein the airfoil section has an angle of attack of 3 to 15 degrees relative to a free flow airflow above the airfoil section.

[0019] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, there is a second attachment area at one lateral end of the spoiler body and a third attachment area at an opposite lateral end of the spoiler body such that airflow between the spoiler body and the exterior surface of the vehicle passes only through the first and second channels.

[0020] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing devices, the first channel includes a first pair of laterally spaced side walls connecting the uppermost wall to the first and second attachment areas, and wherein the second channel includes a second pair of laterally spaced side walls connecting the uppermost wall to the first and third attachment areas.

[0021] A method according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, the steps of forming a spoiler body including a plurality of channels configured to define an open area between the spoiler body and an exterior surface of a vehicle; and forming an uppermost wall of each channel into an airfoil-shaped cross-section; and forming at least one vehicle attachment area in the spoiler body at a location between at least two of the channels.

[0022] In another non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method, the method includes forming the airfoil section having an angle of attack of 3 to 15 degrees relative to free flow airflow over the airfoil section.

[0023] In another non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes forming an airfoil section having a suction side facing an exterior surface of a vehicle, a pressure side facing away from the suction side, and a leading edge extending to a trailing edge to define an airflow direction.

[0024] The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs, claims or the following description and drawings, including any of their various aspects or individual features, may be made independently or in any combination. Features described in conjunction with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless these features are incompatible.

[0025] The various features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description.The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1A is a rear perspective view of the spoiler from the passenger side of the vehicle;

[0027] Figure 1B Is from the driver's side of the vehicle Figure 1A Rear perspective view of the spoiler;

[0028] Figure 1C Is from the passenger side of the vehicle Figure 1A The main perspective view of the spoiler;

[0029] Figure 1D Is from Figure 1C A zoomed-in view of the spoiler;

[0030] Figure 1E Is from the driver's side of the vehicle Figure 1A The main perspective view of the spoiler;

[0031] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A The front view of the spoiler;

[0032] Figure 3 It's from the front. Figure 2 A magnified view of the channel of the spoiler;

[0033] Figure 4 It's from behind. Figure 3 A magnified view of the channel;

[0034] Figure 5 is a zoomed-in view of the spoiler’s channel and attachment area, viewed from the front;

[0035] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Cross-sectional view of the channel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The present disclosure details exemplary apparatus and methods for providing a spoiler for a vehicle that includes a channel having an airfoil cross-section. These and other features are discussed in greater detail in the following paragraphs of this detailed description.

[0037] Figures 1A-1E An example of a vehicle 10 including a spoiler 12 is shown, the spoiler 12 being mounted to a trunk lid 14 of the vehicle 10. The spoiler 12 improves airflow over and around the vehicle 10 and thus creates increased traction on the road for improved control. The spoiler 12 includes a body 16 having a spoiler section 16a and a discharge section or channel 16b. The spoiler section 16a is two-dimensional (2D), while the channel 16b is three-dimensional (3D), i.e., an air element.

[0038] The channel 16b defines a gap between an exterior surface 20 of the decklid 14 and a lower surface 22 of the spoiler body 16 ( Figure 1B) between the spoiler body 16 and the open area 18. During vehicle operation, air flows over the spoiler body 16 and through the open area 18. The flow through the open area 18 generates negative lift, resulting in a downforce F1 ( Figure 6 ). This will be discussed in more detail below.

[0039] Figure 2 An example of a spoiler body 16 is shown, which includes only the first channel 30 and the second channel 32 and a plurality of attachment areas 34, 36, 38 for attaching the spoiler 12 to the trunk lid 14. In one example, the attachment areas 34, 36, 38 include support struts. As described above, the spoiler body 16 is composed of a two-dimensional spoiler section 16a and a three-dimensional section 16b. The two-dimensional spoiler section 16a corresponds to the vehicle attachment areas 34, 36, 38, and the three-dimensional section 16b corresponds to the first channel 30 and the second channel 32.

[0040] like Figure 2-4 As shown, the spoiler body 16 extends transversely between a first end 40 and a second end 42 in a direction across the width of the vehicle 10. The spoiler body 16 extends longitudinally between a leading edge 44 and a trailing edge 46 in a direction along the length of the vehicle. The spoiler body 16 extends vertically between a lowermost surface 48 and an uppermost surface 50 in a direction along the height of the vehicle 10. The first channel 30 and the second channel 32 define an open area 18 to allow air to flow through the channels 30, 32 between the spoiler body 16 and the decklid 14. In one example, the open area 18 of each channel 30, 32 is defined by a length and a height, and the open area 18 is uninterrupted in the longitudinal direction from the channel inlet 52 to the channel outlet 54.

[0041] like Figure 3-4 As shown, each channel includes an uppermost wall 60 and a pair of side walls 62, the side walls 62 connecting the uppermost wall 60 to the spoiler section 16a on each side of the channel. The channel open area 18 is thus defined between the bottom surface 68 of the uppermost wall 60, the side walls 62 and the outer surface 20 of the decklid 14.

[0042] The spoiler sections 16a each have an inner surface 64 fixed to the outer surface 20 of the decklid 14 and an outer surface 66 facing the inner surface 64. Figure 5As best shown, the outer surface 66 includes a solid curved surface that extends upward from the front edge 44 to the rear edge 46. In one example, the lower surface 64 of the attachment area 34, 36, 38 for each spoiler section 16a is secured to the exterior surface 20 across its entire width so that there are no gaps for air flow in the longitudinal direction at the attachment area 34, 36, 38. Any type of attachment method, including fasteners, adhesives, etc., can be used to secure the attachment area 34, 36, 38 of the spoiler 12 to the vehicle 10.

[0043] Figure 6 A cross section through the uppermost wall 60 of the passage is shown. The uppermost wall 60 has an airfoil section AS defined by a suction side 70 facing the vehicle exterior surface 20, a pressure side 72 facing away from the suction side 70, and a leading edge 74 extending to a trailing edge 76 to define an airflow direction. The free flow airflow direction is shown at 78, and the airfoil section AS is oriented so that the angle of attack 80 relative to the free flow airflow direction 78 is in the range of 3 to 15 degrees. This results in a low pressure (lower than the ambient air) on the underside of the airfoil section wall 60 and a high pressure (higher than the ambient air) above the airfoil section wall 60, which in turn generates a negative lift or downforce F1.

[0044] As mentioned above, Figure 2 An example is shown where there is a first channel 30 and a second channel 32 in combination with three attachment areas 34, 36, 38. The first attachment area 34 is at a first lateral end 40 and extends to the first channel 30. The second attachment area 36 extends between the first channel 30 and the second channel 32. The third attachment area 38 extends from the second channel 32 to the second lateral end 42. This configuration provides a pair of airfoil shaped channels 30, 32 that are aerodynamically more efficient for lift and drag than conventional spoiler configurations.

[0045] In one example, the spoiler body 16 comprises a single continuous unitary structure made of a plastic material. Any type of manufacturing process can be used to form the single continuous assembly plastic spoiler body 16, such as injection molding, vacuum forming, etc. In one example, the single continuous assembly plastic spoiler body 16 is formed by a blow molding process.

[0046] In another example, the spoiler body is formed by a plurality of parts attached together.In one example, the spoiler body can be formed by plastic, carbon fiber, fiberglass, sheet molding compound (SMC) or other similar materials.

[0047] The present invention combines a 3D airfoil channel with a 2D spoiler section, which increases the overall surface area over a standard 2D spoiler. Furthermore, the bottom surface of the airfoil section accelerates the air, thereby reducing air pressure and generating downforce, without adding additional frontal area that causes drag. This results in a high level of negative lift / downforce F1 and low drag losses. Furthermore, combining a 2D spoiler section with a 3D channel section allows the use of cost-effective polymer plastic materials. Additionally, these types of materials are cheap to manufacture compared to using labor-intensive composite materials. Thus, the present invention allows the use of cheaper materials while still producing downforce generating channels.

[0048] Although different non-limiting embodiments are shown as having specific components or steps, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to these specific combinations.Some components or features from any non-limiting embodiment may be used in combination with features or components from any other non-limiting embodiment.

[0049] It should be understood that throughout the several drawings, like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements.It should be understood that although specific component arrangements are disclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, other arrangements may also benefit from the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0050] The foregoing description should be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that certain modifications may fall within the scope of the present disclosure. For these reasons, the claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A device for a vehicle spoiler, comprising: A spoiler body having a plurality of channels defining an open area between the spoiler body and an exterior surface of a vehicle, wherein each channel has an uppermost wall with an airfoil-shaped cross-section, and wherein the spoiler body includes at least one vehicle attachment area positioned between at least two of the channels, wherein the vehicle attachment area has an outer surface and an inner surface secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle, each channel including a pair of laterally spaced side walls connecting the uppermost wall to the exterior surface of the attachment area on either side of the channel and extending outwardly relative to the exterior surface of the attachment area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the airfoil section has an angle of attack of 3 to 15 degrees relative to a free-flowing airflow over the airfoil section. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the airfoil section has a suction side facing the vehicle exterior surface, a pressure side facing away from the suction side, and a leading edge extending to a trailing edge to define an airflow direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when air flows over the airfoil section, the open area between the spoiler body and the exterior surface has a lower pressure than the area above the uppermost wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels includes only a first channel and a second channel, and wherein the at least one vehicle attachment area includes at least a first attachment area located between the first channel and the second channel, a second attachment area located at one lateral end of the spoiler body, and a third attachment area located at an opposite lateral end of the spoiler body. 6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the spoiler body has a length extending between the lateral ends and a width extending in the longitudinal direction, the length being greater than the width.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the open area of ​​each channel is defined by a length and a height, and the open area is uninterrupted in the longitudinal direction from a channel inlet to a channel outlet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spoiler body includes a plurality of two-dimensional portions corresponding to the vehicle attachment area and a plurality of three-dimensional portions corresponding to the channel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vehicle attachment area comprises a plurality of attachment areas, each of the attachment areas having an outer surface and an inner surface secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle, and wherein the uppermost wall of each channel extends perpendicularly outwardly relative to the outer surface to define the open area.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of attachment areas include at least a first attachment area between the first and second channels, a second attachment area at one lateral end of the spoiler body, and a third attachment area at an opposite lateral end of the spoiler body, such that only airflow between the spoiler body and the exterior surface of the vehicle passes through the first and second channels.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spoiler body has a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein the open area of ​​each channel extends uninterrupted through the spoiler body from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

12. An aerodynamic structure for a vehicle, comprising: A spoiler body having at least first and second channels, the first and second channels defining an open area between the spoiler body and a vehicle surface, wherein each channel has an uppermost wall with an airfoil cross-section, and wherein the spoiler body includes at least a first attachment area positioned between the first and second channels and configured to attach the spoiler body to the vehicle, wherein the first attachment area has an outer surface and an inner surface secured to the vehicle surface, each channel including a pair of laterally spaced side walls connecting the uppermost wall to the outer surface of the first attachment area located on one side of the channel and the uppermost wall extending outwardly relative to the outer surface of the first attachment area.

13. The aerodynamic structure of claim 12, wherein the airfoil section has a suction side facing the vehicle surface, a pressure side facing away from the suction side, and a leading edge extending to a trailing edge to define an airflow direction, and wherein the airfoil section has an angle of attack of 3 to 15 degrees relative to a free-flowing airflow over the airfoil section.

14. The aerodynamic structure of claim 12, comprising a second attachment area at one lateral end of the spoiler body and a third attachment area at an opposite lateral end of the spoiler body such that only airflow between the spoiler body and the vehicle exterior surface passes through the first and second channels.

15. An aerodynamic structure according to claim 14, wherein the first channel includes a first pair of laterally spaced side walls connecting the uppermost wall to the first and second attachment areas, and wherein the second channel includes a second pair of laterally spaced side walls connecting the uppermost wall to the first and third attachment areas.

16. A method of providing a spoiler for a vehicle, comprising: forming a spoiler body including a plurality of channels configured to define an open area between the spoiler body and an exterior surface of a vehicle; forming an uppermost wall of each passage into an airfoil-shaped cross-section; as well as At least one vehicle attachment area is formed in the spoiler body at a location between at least two of the channels, wherein the vehicle attachment area has an outer surface and an inner surface fixed to the outer surface of the vehicle, and each channel includes a pair of laterally spaced side walls, the side walls connecting the uppermost wall to the outer surface of the attachment area located on either side of the channel, and the uppermost wall extends outwardly relative to the outer surface of the vehicle attachment area.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising forming the airfoil section to have an angle of attack of 3 to 15 degrees relative to free flow airflow over the airfoil section.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising forming the airfoil section having a suction side facing the vehicle exterior surface, a pressure side facing away from the suction side, and a leading edge extending to a trailing edge to define an airflow direction.

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