Motor vehicle

Abstract

Motor vehicle, with a wheel house (12), and a fender (14) which adjoins the wheel house (12) and has a through-opening (20) such that air can be conducted from a wheel house (12) through the through-opening (20) into the outside environment, wherein the through-opening (20) can be closed by a closure device (22), wherein the closure device (22) is operatively connected to a drive device (30) such that the closure device (22) can be adjusted by the drive device (30) between an open position releasing the through-opening (20) and a closed position closing the through-opening (20)

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a wheel house and a fender which is adjacent to the wheel house and has a through-opening such that air can be guided from a wheel house through the through-opening into the outside environment.

[0002] Such a motor vehicle is known from the prior art, particularly in racing cars. The through-hole provided on the fender, through which air from the wheel house can escape into the outside environment, serves to reliably prevent unwanted air pressure from building up in the wheel house at high speeds, thus causing undesirable lift. Such a motor vehicle or fender is known, for example, from DE 10 2014 119 023 A1.

[0003] The disadvantage is that in other driving situations, such as driving at lower speeds where pressure buildup in the wheel house is negligible, the through-hole affects or worsens the aerodynamics of the vehicle. The through-hole causes turbulence on the outside of the fender, which is exposed to the airflow, thereby impairing the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

[0004] DE 10 2019 128 626 A1 discloses a motor vehicle having a side wall, a wheel house, and a wheel house lining. The side wall comprises a passage opening that can be provided by a movable section of the side part, wherein the movable section can be adjusted by an actuator between a position exposing the passage opening and a position closing the passage opening. The passage opening is arranged behind the wheel house in the vehicle's longitudinal direction or in the direction of travel and at the level of the wheel house or the vehicle wheel in the vehicle's vertical direction. The wheel house comprises several openings through which airflow can be directed into the outside environment when the movable section is adjusted to the position exposing the passage opening.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a motor vehicle in which an undesirable air pressure building up in the wheel house at high driving speeds can be reliably avoided and a deterioration of the aerodynamics of the motor vehicle, which is caused by the measure for preventing the air pressure building up in the wheel house at high driving speeds, can be avoided at lower driving speeds.

[0006] The problem is solved by the features of claim 1.

[0007] According to the invention, a closure device is arranged at the through-opening of the fender, which is arranged in particular above the wheel house in the vertical direction of the vehicle, wherein the through-opening can be closed by the closure device. The closure device is operatively connected to a drive device such that the closure device can be adjusted between an open position and a closed position.

[0008] In the open position, the through-opening is released, allowing air to escape from the wheel house through the through-opening, thus preventing air from accumulating in the wheel house. The closure device is positioned in the open position, particularly at high driving speeds, thus preventing unwanted lift caused by high air pressure in the wheel house, which, in the worst case, could cause the vehicle to lift off.

[0009] In the closed position, the through-opening is closed by the closure device, preventing air from flowing from the wheel house through the through-opening. Particularly at low driving speeds, the through-opening is closed by the closure device, preventing turbulence on the outside of the fender and thus improving the aerodynamics of the vehicle. The closure device is designed such that, in the closed position, the closure device is arranged essentially flush with the adjacent area of ​​the fender, thus reliably preventing turbulence in the air flowing around the fender.

[0010] Preferably, the drive device is electrically connected to a control unit, wherein the drive device is controlled by the control device as a function of the driving speed in such a way that the locking device is automatically adjusted to the open position at high driving speeds, at which the lift is created by the air pressure building up in the wheel house, and at low driving speeds the locking device is automatically adjusted to the closed position.

[0011] In this way, a motor vehicle can be provided in which an undesirable air pressure building up in the wheel house at high driving speeds can be reliably avoided by allowing the air to escape from the wheel house through the open passage opening, and a deterioration of the aerodynamics of the motor vehicle at lower driving speeds can be reduced by closing the passage opening.

[0012] Preferably, the drive device and / or the closure device are fastened to a support element, wherein the support element is arranged between the fender and a wheel house liner. This allows the drive device and / or the closure device, which are composed of several components, to be pre-assembled on the support element. In a subsequent assembly step, the support element with the drive device and / or closure device mounted thereon can be inserted between the wheel house liner and the inside of the fender and fixed, i.e. fixed to the fender, to the wheel house liner or to another vehicle component. This allows the assembly of the closure device and / or the drive device to be simplified.

[0013] Preferably, the closure device comprises at least one closure element that is pivotably mounted about a rotation axis. The drive device is coupled to the closure element in such a way that the closure element can be rotated between the open and closed positions by the drive device.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, an air guide element is arranged in front of the closure element in the direction of travel. This air guide element partially covers the through-opening starting from a front edge and is designed such that the airflow is deflected around the through-opening through the outer side. In the open position, the air flow exiting the through-opening is deflected by the inner side of the air guide element in a direction along the outer side of the fender. This improves the aerodynamics of the motor vehicle.

[0015] The closure element preferably has a ceiling wall, a front wall and two side walls, with one open side being designed rearward in the direction of travel such that, when the closure device is in the open position, airflow is deflected by the closure element and an airflow flows out of the wheel house via the open side. In this way, an influence on the aerodynamics of the motor vehicle by the through-opening can be avoided, with the aerodynamics of the motor vehicle being redirected by the closure device in the open position so that the aerodynamics are not negatively affected as far as possible. By designing the closure element in this way, the airflow flowing out via the opening is deflected by the closure element in a direction along the outer side of the fender.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the closure device comprises a plurality of closure elements arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, each of which is mounted about a rotational axis. This allows a relatively large flow cross-section to be provided in the open position of the closure device, with the closure elements of the closure device protruding from the outer skin of the motor vehicle by a relatively small portion, thereby minimizing the impact of the closure elements on the aerodynamics of the motor vehicle during operation.

[0017] The drive device preferably has an electric drive unit and a gear unit, wherein the closure device is coupled to the electric drive unit via the gear unit. In a preferred embodiment, the gear unit is a toggle lever unit, wherein one of the closure elements is connected directly to the toggle lever unit and another of the closure elements is connected to the other closure element via a push rod. The gear unit can convert the speed of the electric motor into the movement required to adjust the closure device. In this case, only a single drive unit is required for both closure elements, wherein one closure element is adjusted by the drive unit via the gear unit and the other closure element is driven by the push rod.

[0018] Two embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1a shows a section of a front area of ​​a motor vehicle with a first embodiment of a locking device in a closed position, Fig. 1b shows the section of the front area of ​​the motor vehicle from Fig. 1, wherein the closure device is shown in an open position, Fig. 2 shows a section through the motor vehicle from Fig. 1a, Fig. 3 shows the locking device from the Fig. 1a, Fig. 1b and Fig. 2 in a perspective view, Fig. 4a shows a second embodiment of a locking device in a closed position, and Fig. 4b shows the second embodiment of the locking device in an open position.

[0019] The Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b show a section of a front area of ​​a motor vehicle 10. In particular, the Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b a fender 14 and a wheel house 12. A vehicle wheel is usually arranged in the wheel house 12, wherein the fender 14 covers the wheel house 12.

[0020] The fender 14 comprises a through-opening 20, at which a closure device 22 is arranged, which is adjustable between an open position and a closed position. In the open position of the closure device, as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 1b, air can escape from the wheel house 12 through the through-opening 20. In the closed position of the closure device 22, the through-opening 20 is closed, and air cannot flow out of the wheel house 12 through the through-opening 20. The closure device 22 is arranged in the open position, particularly at high driving speeds, whereby undesirable buoyancy due to high air pressure developing in the wheel house 12 can be avoided, which buoyancy can, in the worst case, lead to the motor vehicle lifting off. In the closed position, the through-opening 20 is closed by the closure device 22, whereby no air can flow from the wheel house 12 through the through-opening 20.Particularly at lower driving speeds, the passage opening 20 is closed by the closure device 22, whereby turbulence on the outside of the fender 14 can be avoided and the aerodynamics of the motor vehicle 10 can be improved.

[0021] In the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the closure device 22 is shown, wherein the closure device 22 in Fig. 2 in assembled condition and in Fig. 3 is shown in disassembled state.

[0022] The closure device 22 has two closure elements 261, 262 and a drive device 30, wherein the closure device 22 and the drive device 30 are arranged on a support element 24. The support element 24 is designed in one piece and serves to receive and pre-assemble the closure device 22 and the drive device 30. This allows the closure device 22 and the drive device 30 to be pre-assembled on the support element 24 and subsequently mounted between the fender 14 and a wheel house liner 16. The wheel house liner 16 has an opening 15 in the region of the closure device 22, through which air can flow from the wheel house 12 to the through-opening 20.

[0023] The closure device 22 has two closure elements 261, 262 which are rotatably mounted on the carrier element 24. The closure elements 261, 262 are arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel, with the front closure element 261 in the direction of travel having a ceiling wall 281, a front wall 282, and two side walls 283, with an open side 284 extending rearward in the direction of travel. The rear closure element has only one ceiling wall 281, two side walls 283, and an open side 284. As a result, when the closure device 22 is in the open position, the airflow is deflected by the closure elements 261, 262, with an air flow flowing out of the wheel house 12 through the open side 284. The drive device 30 has an electric motor 32 and a gear 34, wherein the electric motor 32 drives the closure element 261 via the gear 34. The gear 34 is designed as a toggle lever unit and has two elements 361, 362 that are articulated to one another, wherein one element 361 is connected to the electric motor 32 and the other element 362 is connected to the closure element 261. The closure element 262 is operatively connected to the other closure element 261 via a push rod 38, whereby both closure elements 261, 262 are adjusted at least between the open position and the closed position by the control of the electric motor 32. The closure elements 261, 262 each have a lever section 271, 272 for pivotable adjustment.

[0024] The Fig. 4a, Fig. 4b show a second embodiment of the closure device 22, wherein in Fig. 4a shows a closed position and in Fig. 4b shows the open position of the closure device 22. The crucial difference to the first embodiment from the Fig. 1a, Fig. 1b, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is that the closure device 22 has only a single closure element 261, with an air guide element 40 arranged in front of the closure element 261 in the direction of travel. The closure element 261 is adjusted by a drive device 30, as in the first embodiment.

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle, with a wheel house (12), and a fender (14) which adjoins the wheel house (12) and has a through-opening (20) such that air can be guided from a wheel house (12) through the through-opening (20) into the outside environment, characterized by , that the through-opening (20) can be closed by a closing device (22), wherein the closing device (22) is operatively connected to a drive device (30) such that the closing device (22) can be adjusted by the drive device (30) between an open position releasing the through-opening (20) and a closed position closing the through-opening (20), wherein the through-opening (20) is arranged above the wheel house (12) in the vertical direction of the vehicle. [2] Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized bythat the drive device (30) and / or the closure device (22) are fastened to a support element (24), wherein the support element (16) is arranged between the fender (14) and a wheel house liner (16). [3] Motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the closure device (22) has at least one closure element (261, 262) which is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation. [4] Motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized by in that an air guiding element (40) is arranged in front of the closure element (261, 262) in the direction of travel, which air guiding element (40) covers the through-opening (20) starting from a front edge and is designed such that airflow is deflected from the through-opening (20) and, in the open position, air flow emerging from the through-opening (20) is deflected in a direction along the outside of the fender (14). [5] Motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized byin that the closure element (261, 262) has a ceiling wall, a front wall and two side walls, wherein an open side is formed rearward in the direction of travel, such that in an open position of the closure device, airflow is deflected by the closure element (261, 262) and an air flow flows out of the wheel house (12) via the open side. [6] Motor vehicle according to claim 5, characterized by that the closure element (261, 262) is designed such that in the open position the air flow flowing out via the opening is deflected by the closure element (261, 262) in a direction along the outside of the fender (14). [7] Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the closure device (22) has a plurality of closure elements (261, 262) arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which are each mounted about an axis of rotation. [8] Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the drive device (30) has an electric drive unit (32) and a gear (34), wherein the closure device (22) is coupled to the electric drive unit (32) via the gear (34). [9] Motor vehicle according to claims 7 and 8, characterized by that the gear (34) is a toggle lever unit, wherein one of the locking elements (261, 262) is connected directly to the toggle lever unit and another of the locking elements (261, 262) is connected to the other locking element (261, 262) via a push rod (38).

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