Manual aerodynamic system for vehicle and control method thereof

Abstract

An aerodynamic system for a vehicle includes one or more aerodynamic devices disposed on the vehicle, the one or more aerodynamic devices each having a plurality of device locations; and a lever communicatively coupled to the one or more aerodynamic devices and configured to be manually actuated to control a plurality of device positions of the aerodynamic devices.

Description

[0001] introduction

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of presenting the general context of this disclosure. The work of the currently named inventors, to the extent described in this section, and aspects of the description that may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor implicitly acknowledged as prior art to this disclosure. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to an aerodynamic system for a vehicle. Background Technology

[0004] Typically, a vehicle may include one or more aerodynamic elements. Aerodynamic elements can affect vehicle drag, wind noise emissions, lift affecting traction, cornering, and other aspects of vehicle stability. A vehicle may include passive aerodynamic elements, active aerodynamic elements, or a combination of active and passive aerodynamic elements. Systems including active aerodynamic elements can be complex (e.g., requiring several sensors, computers, wiring harnesses, etc.) and are therefore difficult to deploy across a fleet. One or more aspects of this disclosure address the shortcomings of existing systems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one configuration, a vehicle is provided, comprising a body including an interior and an exterior, the exterior including a front end and a rear end spaced apart from the front end. The vehicle includes one or more aerodynamic devices coupled to the vehicle body and configured to move relative to the vehicle between multiple device positions. The vehicle also includes one or more actuators coupled to each of the one or more aerodynamic devices and configured to position the one or more aerodynamic devices at multiple device positions. The vehicle further includes a lever disposed within the vehicle body and communicatively coupled to the one or more actuators, the lever being configured to move relative to the vehicle between multiple lever positions. The multiple lever positions correspond to multiple device positions.

[0006] The vehicle may include one or more of the following optional aspects. For example, one or more aerodynamic devices may include one or more wings attached to the vehicle body at the rear end. One or more aerodynamic devices may also include one or more flaps attached to the vehicle body at the front end.

[0007] According to at least one aspect, one or more actuators include at least one hydraulic actuator.

[0008] According to another aspect, the multiple device positions include a first device position and a second device position, and the multiple lever positions include a first lever position and a second lever position. A first lever position may correspond to a first device position, and a second lever position may correspond to a second device position. The first device position includes a high-resistance (drag) position, and the second device position includes a low-resistance position.

[0009] According to at least one example, the multiple device positions include a high-resistance position and a low-resistance position. The lever also includes a biasing member that biases the lever toward the high-resistance position.

[0010] According to another example, the vehicle also includes a vehicle dynamics module that is communicatively coupled to one or more actuators and configured to limit input from levers to maintain the vehicle's balance.

[0011] In another configuration, an aerodynamic system for a vehicle is provided, and the aerodynamic system includes one or more aerodynamic devices disposed on the vehicle, each of the one or more aerodynamic devices having a plurality of device positions, and a lever communicatively coupled to the one or more aerodynamic devices and configured to be manually actuated to control the plurality of device positions of the aerodynamic devices.

[0012] An aerodynamic system may include one or more of the following optional aspects. For example, one or more aerodynamic devices include a first aerodynamic device configured for the underside of the vehicle and a second aerodynamic device configured for the upper side of the vehicle. Multiple device locations include a first device location that increases downforce on the vehicle and a second device location that decreases downforce on the vehicle.

[0013] According to at least one aspect, the lever also includes multiple lever positions corresponding to multiple device positions.

[0014] According to another aspect, the aerodynamic system includes a dial that is communicatively coupled to a lever and configured to adjust the actuation of one or more aerodynamic devices.

[0015] According to at least one example, the lever includes pedals arranged adjacent to the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal.

[0016] In another configuration, a method for controlling a manual aerodynamic system of a vehicle is provided. The method includes providing one or more aerodynamic devices on the exterior of the vehicle, providing levers communicatively coupled to the one or more aerodynamic devices within the vehicle interior, moving the levers between multiple lever positions, transmitting the multiple lever positions to one or more actuators communicatively coupled to the one or more aerodynamic devices, and actuating the one or more aerodynamic devices between multiple device positions via the one or more actuators based on the multiple lever positions.

[0017] The method may include one or more of the following optional aspects or steps. For example, the method may also include limiting the actuation of one or more actuators based on input from the vehicle dynamics module.

[0018] According to at least one aspect, moving the lever between multiple lever positions also includes moving a handle disposed inside the vehicle.

[0019] According to another perspective, moving the lever between multiple lever positions also includes moving the pedals located inside the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only for the selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 1 It is a side view of a vehicle including an aerodynamic system according to the principles of this disclosure;

[0022] Figure 2 It includes the first aerodynamic device and the second aerodynamic device in the first position. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the aerodynamic system;

[0023] Figure 3 It includes the first aerodynamic device and the second aerodynamic device in the second position. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the aerodynamic system;

[0024] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the vehicle's interior, including levers for controlling the aerodynamic system;

[0025] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the vehicle's interior, including levers for controlling the aerodynamic system in a second configuration; and

[0026] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a method for controlling a vehicle's manual aerodynamic system based on the principles of this disclosure.

[0027] In all the accompanying drawings, the corresponding reference numerals denote the corresponding parts. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The example configuration will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The example configuration is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and will fully communicate the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, apparatus, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the configuration of this disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details are not required, the example configuration may be embodied in many different forms, and the specific details and example configuration should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0029] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing a particular exemplary configuration only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may also be intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as such. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0030] When an element or layer is referred to as “on another element or layer,” “joined to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “linked to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, joined to, connected to, attached to, or linked to the other element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as “directly on another element or layer,” “directly joined to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly linked to” another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” vs. “directly between,” “adjacent” vs. “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0031] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts. These elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or part from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the example configuration, the first element, component, region, layer, or part discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or part.

[0032] In this application, including the following definitions, the term "module" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include the following: application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field-programmable gate array (FPGA); processor (shared, dedicated, or grouped) for executing code; memory (shared, dedicated, or grouped) for storing code executed by the processor; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or some or all of the foregoing, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0033] The term "code" as used above can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, and / or objects. The term "shared processor" covers a single processor that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor" covers a processor that, in combination with additional processors, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term "shared memory" covers a single memory that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory" covers memory that, in combination with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term "memory" can be a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." The term "computer-readable medium" does not include transient electrical and electromagnetic signals propagating through the medium, and therefore can be considered tangible and non-transitory memory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory memory include tangible computer-readable media, which include non-volatile memory, magnetic memory, and optical memory.

[0034] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, partially or entirely, by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The computer program may also include and / or depend on stored data.

[0035] A software application (i.e., a software resource) can refer to computer software that enables a computing device to perform tasks. In some examples, a software application may be referred to as an "application," "app," or "program." Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and game applications.

[0036] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to temporarily or permanently store programs (e.g., instruction sequences) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used in firmware, such as boot programs). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase-change memory (PCM), and magnetic disks or magnetic tapes.

[0037] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented using high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages ​​and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms “machine-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, apparatus, and / or device (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including machine-readable media that receive machine instructions as machine-readable signals. The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0038] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations can include implementations in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system, which includes at least one programmable processor, which may be dedicated or general-purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and to transmit data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0039] The processes and logical flows described in this specification can be executed by one or more programmable processors (also known as data processing hardware) that execute one or more computer programs to perform functions by manipulating input data and generating output. The processes and logical flows can also be executed by special-purpose logic circuitry (e.g., FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) or ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits). As an example, processors suitable for executing computer programs include both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, as well as any one or more processors of any type of digital computer. Typically, the processor receives instructions and data from read-only memory or random access memory, or both. The basic elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both. However, a computer does not need to have such devices. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media, and memory devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. Processors and memory may be supplemented by or incorporated into dedicated logic circuitry.

[0040] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects of this disclosure can be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touchscreen) for displaying information to the user and optionally a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual, auditory, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including sound, speech, or tactile input. Additionally, the computer can interact with the user by sending and receiving documents to and from the device used by the user; for example, by sending web pages to a web browser on the user's client device in response to a request received from a web browser.

[0041] Incorporating aerodynamic components, particularly active aerodynamic components, into a vehicle can be complex, adding considerable weight and / or increasing the vehicle's cost. As discussed below, active aerodynamic components, manually controlled by the vehicle's user, mitigate at least some of these challenges. Furthermore, manually controlled active aerodynamic components can enhance and provide the user with opportunities to engage with their driving experience.

[0042] refer to Figure 1 An illustrative example of a vehicle 10 is provided, and the vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 12. The vehicle body 12 includes a first end or front end 14 and a second end or rear end 16 spaced apart from the front end 14. Additionally, the vehicle body 12 defines an exterior 18 and an interior 20 of the vehicle 10. The vehicle body 12 extends along a longitudinal axis 22 (i.e., in the longitudinal direction), along a vertical axis 24, and along a transverse axis extending into the page (i.e., transverse to the vehicle). The exterior 18 may be defined by one or more closures, such as one or more doors 26, a front hood 28, and a rear hood 30. Additionally, one or more front wheels 32a are coupled to the vehicle body 12 at the front end 14, and one or more rear wheels 32b are coupled to the vehicle body 12 at the rear end 16, allowing the vehicle 10 to travel relative to the ground (i.e., the road) 34. In this illustrative example, the vehicle 10 includes a lower side (e.g., a chassis) 36 facing the ground 34 and an upper side 38 including at least a portion of the vehicle body 12 and facing away from the ground 34.

[0043] For example, vehicle 10 includes an aerodynamic system 100, which can be configured to improve vehicle performance during driving and / or provide opportunities for user participation and manual control of various aspects of vehicle 10 (i.e., enhancing the driver experience). Continue to refer to Figure 1The aerodynamic system 100 includes one or more aerodynamic devices coupled to the vehicle body 12. For example, the aerodynamic system 100 may include one or more first aerodynamic devices or flaps 102 disposed at or coupled to the front end 14 of the vehicle 10, and one or more second aerodynamic devices or wings 104 disposed at or coupled to the rear end 16 of the vehicle 10. One or more flaps 102 may be referred to as gurney flaps and may be configured to be coupled to a portion of the lower side 36 at the front end 14. Additionally, the flaps 102 may be configured to be movable relative to the vehicle 10 and about a first device axis 106, which may extend across the vehicle and generally parallel to the lateral axis. One or more wings 104 may be disposed at or coupled to the rear end of the vehicle 10. More specifically, one or more wings 104 may be configured to be coupled to an upper side 38 and movable relative to the vehicle 10 between multiple second device positions. Similar to one or more flaps 102, one or more wings 104 are arranged relative to and movable about a second equipment axis 108, which extends laterally to the vehicle and is generally parallel to the lateral axis.

[0044] Multiple first and second device positions may include a first or high-resistance position ( Figure 2 ) and second or low resistance position ( Figure 3 ), and an infinite number of locations between high resistance and low resistance positions. In this illustrative example, the high resistance position ( Figure 2 () can be the default position of one or more flaps 102 and one or more wings 104. In the high drag position ( Figure 2 One or more flaps 102 and one or more wings 104 can be positioned at a first angle of attack (i.e., tilted), which increases downforce on the vehicle 10 and pressure on the front wheels 32a and / or rear wheels 32b. In a low-drag position ( Figure 3 One or more flaps 102 and one or more wings 104 can be positioned at a second angle of attack (i.e., tilt) to reduce downforce on the vehicle 10 and pressure on the front wheels 32a and / or rear wheels 32b. According to one aspect, as will be discussed below, the positions of one or more flaps 102 and / or one or more wings 104 can be controlled independently of each other.

[0045] Continue to refer to Figure 1The aerodynamic system 100 may include one or more actuators coupled to each of one or more flaps 102 and one or more wings 104, and configured to move one or more flaps 102 and one or more wings 104 between a plurality of first and second device positions. In this illustrative example, the one or more actuators are hydraulic; however, other non-hydraulic actuators may also be used. According to one aspect, the one or more actuators include a first actuator 110 and a second actuator 112, each communicatively coupled to a lever 114 disposed within the interior 20 of the vehicle 10. For example, a first hose or tube 116 may be coupled to the first actuator 110 and the lever 114, and a second hose or tube 118 may be coupled to the second actuator 112 and the lever 114. Thus, actuation or movement of the lever 114 may provide input to the first actuator 110 and / or the second actuator 112 to actuate one or more flaps 102 and / or one or more wings 104.

[0046] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 Lever 114 can be configured to move relative to vehicle 10 between multiple lever positions. The multiple lever positions may include a first lever position ( Figure 2 ) and second lever position ( Figure 3 ), and an unlimited number of lever positions between the first and second lever positions. According to one aspect, multiple lever positions can correspond to multiple device positions. In other words, the first lever position can correspond to a high-resistance position ( Figure 2 ), and the second lever position can correspond to a low resistance position ( Figure 3 According to one aspect, lever 114 may be equipped with a spring (not shown) that directs lever 114 toward a first lever position. Figure 2 The bias, for example, causes one or more flaps 102 and one or more wings 104 to be in a high-drag position by default. Figure 2 ).

[0047] In one configuration, refer to Figure 4 The lever 114' is disposed between the first or driver's side seat 40 and the second or passenger side seat 42 within the interior 20 of the vehicle 10. In other words, the lever 114' can be disposed within the interior 20 of the vehicle 10 such that a user can access the lever 114', for example, with their hand. The lever 114' includes a handle 120, which the user can grasp and move the lever 114' back and forth relative to the longitudinal axis 22.

[0048] In another configuration, refer to Figure 5The lever 114' is arranged inside the interior 20 of the vehicle 10 and includes a pedal 122 arranged adjacent to the brake pedal 44 and the accelerator pedal 46. For example, during driving, the user can engage the aerodynamic system 100 by pressing and releasing the pedal 122 with one foot.

[0049] According to at least one aspect, the aerodynamic system 100 may further include a mixer or dial 124 communicatively coupled to a lever 114 or one or more actuators (i.e., a first actuator 110 and / or a second actuator 112) such that a user can select or customize the effect of the lever 114 relative to one or more flaps 102 and / or one or more wings 104. For example, the dial 124 may be configured such that movement of the lever 114 moves only one or more flaps 102 or one or more wings 104. In other words, the dial 124 may be configured such that movement of the lever 114 results in more downforce on the rear wheel 32b or more downforce on the front wheel 32a.

[0050] Refer again Figure 1 Vehicle 10 may include a vehicle management system 200, which includes one or more modules configured to process data obtained from one or more sensors (not shown) disposed within or on vehicle 10. For example, one of the modules may include a vehicle dynamics module 202, configured to receive, store, and / or process the data obtained from the one or more sensors to determine, for example, dynamic pressures on vehicle 10. Vehicle dynamics module 202 may be configured to maintain the balance of vehicle 10 during driving. In other words, vehicle dynamics module 202 may be configured to limit the operation of lever 114 or limit, constrain, and / or modify the input from lever 114 to one or more actuators 112. For example, it may be desirable for vehicle dynamics module 202 to prevent oversteering.

[0051] refer to Figure 6 A method 300 for controlling a manual aerodynamic system for a vehicle is provided. At 310, one or more aerodynamic devices may be arranged on the exterior 18 of the vehicle 10. In other words, one or more flaps 102 and / or one or more wings 104 may be arranged on the lower side 36 or the upper side 38 of the vehicle.

[0052] At 320, lever 114 is arranged in the interior 20 of vehicle 10 and communicatively connected to one or more aerodynamic devices (e.g., one or more flaps 102 and / or one or more wings 104).

[0053] At position 330, lever 114 can move between multiple lever positions. For example, moving lever 114 may include moving handle 120 disposed in the interior 20 of vehicle 10. Figure 4 ) or pedal 122 ( Figure 5 ).

[0054] At 340, multiple lever positions can be directly transmitted to one or more aerodynamic devices or communicatively connected to one or more actuators of one or more aerodynamic devices.

[0055] At 350, one or more actuators actuate (i.e., move) one or more aerodynamic devices between multiple device positions based on multiple lever positions.

[0056] At 360, method 300 may further include limiting the actuation of one or more actuators 112 based on input from vehicle dynamics module 202.

[0057] Many embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0058] The foregoing description is provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of this disclosure. Elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but are interchangeable where applicable and can be used in selected configurations, even if not specifically shown or described. They can also be varied in many ways. Such variations should not be considered as departing from this disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: A vehicle body, the vehicle body including an interior and an exterior, the exterior including a front end and a rear end spaced apart from the front end; One or more aerodynamic devices are coupled to the vehicle body and configured to move relative to the vehicle between multiple device positions; One or more actuators are coupled to each of the one or more aerodynamic devices and configured to position the one or more aerodynamic devices at the plurality of device locations; as well as A lever, which is arranged inside the vehicle body and communicatively coupled to one or more actuators, is configured to move relative to the vehicle between a plurality of lever positions corresponding to a plurality of device positions.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more aerodynamic devices include one or more wings attached to the vehicle body at the rear end.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the one or more aerodynamic devices include one or more flaps attached to the vehicle body at the front end.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or more actuators comprise at least one hydraulic actuator.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of device positions include a first device position and a second device position, and the plurality of lever positions include a first lever position and a second lever position.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the first lever position corresponds to the first device position, and the second lever position corresponds to the second device position.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the first device position includes a high-resistance position and the second device position includes a low-resistance position.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of equipment positions include high-resistance positions and low-resistance positions.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the lever further includes a biasing member that biases the lever toward the high-resistance position.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle dynamics module communicatively coupled to one or more actuators and configured to limit input from the lever to maintain the balance of the vehicle.

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