A passive tire deflector and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a passive tire deflector and vehicle, relating to the field of automotive exterior components. It includes a swing arm, a connecting rod, and a deflector. The swing arm is connected to a first swing arm pivot, which is used for rotatable connection with vehicle exterior components. One end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the swing arm via a second swing arm pivot, and the other end is rotatably connected to the deflector via a connecting rod pivot. In the vertical state of the deflector, the connecting rod pivot, the first swing arm pivot, and the second swing arm pivot are not on a straight line, and the centerline of the connecting rod forms a set angle with the line connecting the second swing arm pivot and the first swing arm pivot to satisfy the connecting rod self-locking condition. This invention does not require complex control and actuator mechanisms; it controls the closing of the tire deflector solely through the inertial force generated during braking. It has a simple structure, low cost, and simultaneously achieves both wind resistance and brake disc cooling performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive exterior components, and more particularly to a passive tire deflector and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, new energy vehicles have flourished, with driving range becoming the most critical performance indicator. With the slowdown in the development of current battery technology, reducing vehicle drag has become a crucial means to improve driving range. Wind resistance, a significant component of vehicle drag, is proportional to the square of speed; at high speeds, wind resistance plays a decisive role in driving range. Among the many solutions pursuing extremely low wind resistance, tire deflectors are an important device. Their function is to disperse airflow and prevent it from directly impacting the tires, thereby reducing tire drag. However, these deflectors also have other side effects. For example, they prevent airflow from entering the inner side of the tire, reducing the lateral airflow across the rim, thus sacrificing the cooling performance of the brake discs, and in severe cases, even causing brake failure.

[0003] Currently, most automotive tire deflectors are fixed, typically attached to the wheel arch guard. For example, Chinese invention patent CN118107666A discloses a front wheel assembly including a front wheel deflector, a front wheel arch, and the front wheels. The front wheel deflector includes a deflector body and a guide plate. The deflector body includes a connecting plate and a flow stabilizer. The connecting plate is connected to the front wheel arch, and the guide plate directs airflow to a first and second side of the first accommodating space in the vehicle width direction. Chinese invention patent CN117885823A discloses a 3D deflector including a rear end plate and a guide plate disposed on the front surface of the rear end plate. Chinese invention patent CN107776688A discloses a front spoiler including a first plate and a second plate, the first and second plates being connected to form a V-shaped structure. All of these fixed tire deflectors suffer from the problem of potentially degrading brake disc cooling performance.

[0004] Existing technologies also include active retractable air deflectors. For example, Chinese invention patent CN116395046A discloses a pneumatic automobile tire air deflector, which includes an air deflector rotatably mounted in front of and / or behind the tire. A pneumatic component is connected between the air deflector and the vehicle body to drive the air deflector to rotate and extend. It can be deployed and retracted under the control of vehicle electronic signals. However, its structure is complex, with many control and actuator mechanisms, and its cost is high. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a passive tire deflector and vehicle that does not require complex control and actuator mechanisms, but controls the closure of the tire deflector solely through the inertial force generated during braking; it has a simple structure, low cost, and simultaneously achieves both wind resistance and brake disc cooling performance.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a passive tire deflector, including a swing arm, a connecting rod, and a deflector. The swing arm is connected to a first swing arm pivot, which is used to rotatably connect with an exterior component of a vehicle. One end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the swing arm via a second swing arm pivot, and the other end is rotatably connected to the deflector via a connecting rod pivot.

[0008] When the air guide plate is in a vertical position, the connecting rod shaft, the first swing arm shaft, and the second swing arm shaft are not on a straight line, and the center line of the connecting rod and the line connecting the second swing arm shaft and the first swing arm shaft form a set angle to meet the connecting rod self-locking condition.

[0009] As a further implementation, when the air guide plate is in a vertical state, the second swing arm pivot is offset from the line connecting the connecting rod pivot and the first swing arm pivot, and is located below the line connecting the two pivots.

[0010] As a further implementation, the set angle is 170°±10°.

[0011] As a further implementation, the swing arm is equipped with a counterweight.

[0012] As a further implementation, the swing arm is a hollow fan-shaped structure, with the first swing arm pivot located at the apex of the swing arm and the second swing arm pivot located on one side of the arc-shaped portion of the swing arm.

[0013] As a further implementation, the air guide plate is equipped with a mounting base, and the mounting base has an opening for mounting the connecting rod shaft.

[0014] As a further implementation, the guide plate is rotatably mounted with several air guide plate brackets, which are used to fix to the vehicle exterior parts.

[0015] As a further implementation, the swing range of the swing arm is limited by a limiting block, which is fixed to the vehicle exterior component.

[0016] As a further implementation, the rotation range of the swing arm is 35° to 45°.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a vehicle equipped with the aforementioned passive tire deflector.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0019] (1) The present invention includes a swing arm, a connecting rod and a wind deflector. The connecting rod meets the self-locking condition. The whole is a passive design. There is no active control power supply and actuator, etc. The device can move without additional energy consumption. There are only three moving parts. The parts are connected simply and reliably, not easy to be damaged, and easy to disassemble and maintain. Due to the clever use of the self-locking function of the connecting rod, the wind deflector cannot move when the vehicle is not under emergency braking. Only when under emergency braking can the swing arm move to drive the wind deflector. Therefore, the closing of the tire wind deflector is controlled only by the inertial force generated during braking.

[0020] (2) During normal driving, the vehicle is in a combination of acceleration, constant speed, or slight deceleration. At this time, the brake disc generates very little heat and does not require airflow cooling. The air deflector is in the open state to ensure the lowest wind resistance. When the vehicle brakes suddenly, the brake disc generates a lot of heat and requires airflow cooling. The air deflector is in the closed state, and sufficient cooling airflow flows through the brake disc to ensure the cooling performance of the brake disc, thus taking into account both wind resistance and brake disc cooling performance.

[0021] (3) The connecting rod of the present invention has an included angle of 170°±10° and has a self-locking function under the action of the limiting block, so that the airflow will not be subjected to force when it impacts the air guide plate; when the vehicle encounters emergency braking, the inertial force causes the swing arm to rotate 35°~45°, which drives the air guide plate to rotate clockwise 70°~80°, so that the air guide plate is in the closed state. The airflow at the bottom is not blocked by the air guide plate, and the large amount of heat generated on the surface of the brake disc is carried away by convection heat transfer, thereby ensuring the cooling performance of the brake disc in this state. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the passive tire deflector of the present invention installed on a vehicle according to one or more embodiments;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the passive tire wind deflector structure according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air guide plate in the open state according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the air guide plate in the closed state according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the self-locking state of the linkage according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] Among them, 1. Passive tire deflector, 2. Vehicle, 3. Tire;

[0029] 11. Air guide plate bracket; 12. Air guide plate; 13. Mounting base; 14. Connecting rod; 15. Swing arm; 16. Counterweight; 21. First swing arm pivot; 22. Limiting block; 31. Brake disc.

[0030] 131. First connecting hole; 141. Connecting rod shaft; 142. Second connecting hole; 151. Second swing arm shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0031] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0032] Example 1:

[0033] This embodiment provides a passive tire deflector, such as Figure 2 As shown, the system includes a wind deflector 12, a connecting rod 14, and a swing arm 15. The wind deflector 12 is connected to one end of the connecting rod 14 via a wind deflector bracket 11, and the other end of the connecting rod 14 is connected to the swing arm 15. The swing arm 15 is used to connect to the vehicle 2. At the same time, the exterior parts of the vehicle 2 are equipped with a limiting block 22 for limiting the movement of the passive tire wind deflector 1, thereby restricting the range of motion of the swing arm 15.

[0034] The air guide plate bracket 11 is used to mount the air guide plate 12. The air guide plate bracket 11 is bonded to the exterior parts of the vehicle 2 by adhesive or integral injection molding. The air guide plate 12 and the air guide plate bracket 11 are hinged to allow the air guide plate 12 to rotate. In this embodiment, an air guide plate bracket 11 is installed near each end of the air guide plate 12, and each air guide plate bracket 11 is connected to a connecting rod 14 to correspond to the tires 3 on both sides of the vehicle 2.

[0035] With the side of the air guide plate 12 facing the vehicle body as the inner side, such as... Figure 2 As shown, an installation base 13 is installed on the inner side of the air guide plate 12. The installation base 13 has a first connecting hole 131, which is rotatably connected to the connecting rod shaft 141 at one end of the connecting rod 14 through the first connecting hole 131. A second connecting hole 142 is opened at the other end of the connecting rod 14, which is rotatably connected to the second swing arm shaft 151 on the swing arm 15.

[0036] In this embodiment, the swing arm 15 is configured as a fan-shaped structure, and to reduce its weight, the main body of the swing arm 15 is a hollow structure. The apex of the fan-shaped swing arm 15 is connected to the first swing arm pivot 21 via a low rolling resistance bearing. The first swing arm pivot 21 is fixed to the exterior parts of the vehicle 2, allowing the swing arm 15 to rotate relative to the first swing arm pivot 21. One side of the arc-shaped portion of the swing arm 15 is connected to the second swing arm pivot 151, and is connected to the connecting rod 14 via the second swing arm pivot 151.

[0037] A counterweight 16, adapted to the shape of the curved portion of the swing arm 15, is fixed to it. The counterweight 16 ensures the swing arm 15 remains vertical when the air guide plate 12 is open. Furthermore, due to its weight, the counterweight 16, driven by inertia, causes the swing arm 15 to swing forward, which in turn pulls the air guide plate 12 to swing and retract via the connecting rod 14. The counterweight 16 is made of a high-density material such as iron or concrete, and weighs approximately 200 grams.

[0038] like Figure 5 As shown, when the air guide plate 12 is in a vertical position, the connecting rod shaft 141, the second swing arm shaft 151, and the first swing arm shaft 21 are not on a straight line. The second swing arm shaft 151 is lower than the line connecting the connecting rod shaft 141 and the first swing arm shaft 21 in the vertical direction. That is, the second swing arm shaft 151 deviates from the line connecting the connecting rod shaft 141 and the first swing arm shaft 21 and is located below the line. The center line of the connecting rod 14 forms an angle of approximately 170° ± 10° with the line connecting the second swing arm shaft 151 and the first swing arm shaft 21, which satisfies the self-locking condition of the connecting rod 14.

[0039] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows:

[0040] When vehicle 2 is stationary, such as Figure 3 As shown, the swing arm 15 and the counterweight 16 hang down naturally under the action of gravity. At this time, the air guide plate 12 is in the open state (vertical state) under the action of the connecting rod 14.

[0041] When vehicle 2 is driving normally and there is no emergency braking, the airflow impacts the air deflector 12, causing it to experience a clockwise reversing torque. This reversing torque is then transmitted to the swing arm 15 via the connecting rod 14, causing the swing arm 15 to tend to rotate clockwise. However, due to the presence of the limit block 22, the swing arm 15 is restricted from rotating clockwise, thus preventing the air deflector 12 from moving. At this time, the air deflector 12 is in the open state, ensuring that the airflow cannot impact the tire 3, reducing wind resistance, and also guiding the airflow to an area away from the brake disc 31, where the brake disc 31 is essentially free from airflow impact.

[0042] When vehicle 2 encounters normal braking, the horizontal inertial force is not very large. The rotation angle of the swing arm 15 caused by inertia is small, which may cause the air guide plate 12 to be in a state of slight movement, but the overall impact is not significant. The heat generated by the brake disc 31 is very low and can be dissipated into the environment through thermal radiation, without affecting the performance of vehicle 2.

[0043] When vehicle 2 encounters emergency braking, the deceleration is generally 0.7g-1.1g, resulting in a large horizontal inertial force. This inertial force causes the swing arm 15 to rotate approximately 35°–45°, which in turn causes the air guide plate 12 to rotate clockwise approximately 70°–80°. At this time, the air guide plate 12 is essentially closed, retracting to a state flush with the bottom of the vehicle body. Figure 4 As shown, at this time, the airflow at the bottom is no longer blocked by the air guide plate 12 and directly impacts the tire 3 and the brake disc 31, carrying away a large amount of heat generated on the surface of the brake disc 31 through convection heat transfer, thereby ensuring the cooling performance of the brake disc 31 in this state.

[0044] When vehicle 2 finishes emergency braking and enters a stop or begins normal driving, the swing arm 15 and the counterweight 16 naturally droop under the action of gravity, and the air deflector 12 returns to the open state.

[0045] In summary, this embodiment ensures that the air deflector 12 opens during emergency braking, while closing under other operating conditions, thus balancing wind resistance performance and brake disc cooling performance.

[0046] Although the airflow impacts the tires 3 and the air deflector 12 tends to flip when the vehicle 2 is not under emergency braking conditions, the self-locking function of the linkage 14 is cleverly utilized to prevent it from moving; only when the vehicle is under emergency braking conditions can the movement of the swing arm 15 drive the air deflector 12 to move.

[0047] The passive tire air guide plate 1 in this embodiment is a passive design, without an active control power supply or actuator, and can move the device without additional energy consumption; there are only three moving parts, and the parts are connected simply and reliably, not easy to be damaged, and easy to disassemble and maintain; each part is made of general plastic, which is low in cost and has low requirements for processing precision; except for the air guide plate 12, the other components are only 20mm wide, and the arrangement space is compact.

[0048] Example 2:

[0049] This embodiment provides a vehicle, such as Figure 1 As shown, the passive tire deflector 1 described in Embodiment 1 is installed on the front side of the tire 3 of vehicle 2.

[0050] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A passive tire wind deflector, characterized in that, The device includes a swing arm, a connecting rod, and an air guide plate. The swing arm is connected to a first swing arm pivot, which is used for rotatable connection with vehicle exterior components. One end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the swing arm via a second swing arm pivot, and the other end is rotatably connected to the air guide plate via a connecting rod pivot. The swing arm is equipped with a counterweight. The air guide plate is rotatably mounted with several air guide plate brackets, which are used for fixing to the vehicle exterior components. The swing range of the swing arm is limited by a limiting block, which is fixed to the vehicle exterior components. When the air guide plate is in a vertical position, the connecting rod shaft, the first swing arm shaft, and the second swing arm shaft are not on a straight line, and the center line of the connecting rod and the line connecting the second swing arm shaft and the first swing arm shaft form a set angle; the set angle is 170°±10°. When the air guide plate is in a vertical position, the second swing arm pivot is deviated from the line connecting the connecting rod pivot and the first swing arm pivot, and is located below the line connecting the two pivots.

2. A passive tire wind deflector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing arm is a hollow fan-shaped structure. The first swing arm pivot is located at the top of the swing arm, and the second swing arm pivot is located on one side of the arc-shaped part of the swing arm.

3. A passive tire wind deflector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air guide plate is equipped with a mounting base, and the mounting base has an opening for mounting the connecting rod shaft.

4. A passive tire wind deflector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing arm has a rotation range of 35° to 45°.

5. A vehicle, characterized in that, It is equipped with a passive tire deflector as described in any one of claims 1-4.

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