VEHICLE COMPRISING AN AERODYNAMIC ASSEMBLY

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle comprising a removable side flap (31) which has an inactive position and an active position, said active position positioning the side flap (31) in the extension of the rear end of a side body panel (11) of the rear part (1) of the vehicle, guiding a first air flow along said body panel (11) towards said side flap (31), the vehicle is such that it comprises a flexible rubber pocket (5) which deploys to position said side flap (31) in the active position, said pocket (5) once deployed, has a part which is positioned in the extension of the rear end of another side or upper body panel (13) of the rear part (1) of the vehicle, guiding a second air flow along said other body panel (13) towards said pocket (5). Figure for abstract: Fig. 4

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE COMPRISING AN AERODYNAMIC ASSEMBLY

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle which comprises a removable side flap which has an inactive position and an active position, said active position positioning the side flap in the extension of the front end or the rear end of a side or upper body panel of, respectively, the front part or the rear part of the vehicle, guiding a first flow of air along the side flap towards said body panel or guiding a first flow of air along said body panel towards said side flap.

[0002] It is known from document US11014619B2 to have a flexible pocket which is adapted to be filled with air and extend behind the vehicle when the vehicle is moving to guide part of the air flow circulating along the roof of the vehicle to reduce the drag of the vehicle and thus increase its autonomy.

[0003] However, such an aerodynamic element remains very flexible due to the absence of any rigid part, meaning that it risks resonating at certain vehicle travel speeds and during strong side winds, generating vibrations and noise that is annoying for the vehicle's passengers.

[0004] The absence of rigid parts also weakens the aerodynamic element.

[0005] The device according to the invention makes it possible to overcome these drawbacks.

[0006] It comprises in fact, according to the invention, a vehicle which comprises a removable side flap which has an inactive position and an active position, said active position positioning the side flap in the extension of the front end or the rear end of a lateral or upper body panel of, respectively, the front part or the rear part of the vehicle, guiding a first flow of air along the side flap towards said body panel or guiding a first flow of air along said body panel towards said side flap, such that it comprises a flexible rubber pocket which deploys to position said side flap in the active position, said pocket once deployed, has a part which is positioned in the extension of the front end or the rear end of another lateral or upper body panel of, respectively, the front part or the rear part of the vehicle,guiding a second airflow along the pocket toward said other body panel or guiding a second airflow along said other body panel toward said pocket.

[0007] According to a first characteristic of the invention, in the inactive position of said side flap, the side flap and the pocket are positioned in a protected location of the vehicle.

[0008] According to a second characteristic of the invention, the transition from the inactive position to the active position is done in two stages, a first stage consisting of removing the side flap and the pocket from its protected location and a second stage consisting of tilting the side flap when deploying the pocket.

[0009] According to a third characteristic of the invention, the deployment of the pocket is done by activating a pneumatic compressor which sends pressurized air into said pocket.

[0010] According to a fourth characteristic of the invention, the transition from the inactive position to the active position of the side flap is made from a certain speed threshold of the vehicle, said threshold preferably being between 80 km / h and 100 km / h.

[0011] According to a fifth characteristic of the invention, the vehicle comprising a sign reading camera, the passage from the active position to the inactive position of the side shutter is done either below a speed threshold which is preferably between 30 km / h and 50 km / h or when said camera identifies the entry into a built-up area.

[0012] According to a sixth characteristic of the invention, when the vehicle slows down to pass a toll, the camera identifies said toll and keeps the side shutter in the active position.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle comprises a side flap on each side of the vehicle, said pocket forming the connection between the two flaps and a central flap is adapted to at least partially cover the pocket, the two side flaps, the central flap and the pocket being secured to a plate which tilts horizontally to allow said two side flaps to pass into said active position and which is raised vertically to protect the two side flaps, the central flap and the pocket.

[0014] The attached drawings illustrate the invention:

[0015] [Fig-1] represents a view of the rear part of a vehicle which comprises a set of aerodynamic elements according to the invention.

[0016] [Fig.2] represents a view of the rear part of the vehicle which includes the assembly of aerodynamic elements according to the invention in a first deployment phase.

[0017] [Fig.3] represents a view of the rear part of the vehicle which includes the assembly of aerodynamic elements according to the invention in a second deployment phase.

[0018] [Fig.4] represents a view of the rear part of the vehicle which includes the assembly of aerodynamic elements according to the invention as fully deployed.

[0019] [Fig.5] represents a view of a pneumatic compressor allowing deployment and rapid storage of the set of aerodynamic elements according to the invention.

[0020] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown the rear part 1 of a vehicle which comprises side body panels 11 which end abruptly at a rear panel 12 and, in the upper part, a rear window 13 which gradually descends from the roof towards the top of the rear panel 12.

[0021] When driving on a fast lane and from a certain threshold of vehicle travel speed which is between 80 and 100 km / h, at the moment when the aerodynamics of the vehicle begin to play a determining role for the autonomy of the vehicle, the rear panel tilts around a lower axis aligned along the transverse axis of the vehicle, allowing a set of aerodynamic elements 3 to deploy to reduce the drag of the vehicle and thus improve its autonomy over fast life.

[0022] In [Fig.2] the set of aerodynamic elements 3 is shown in an inactive stowed position, with two side flaps 31 which rest on a central flap 32.

[0023] In [Fig. 3] the set of aerodynamic elements 3 begins to deploy with the central flap 32 which tilts around a rear axis which is aligned along the transverse axis of the vehicle and the two lateral flaps 31 which tilt into an active vertical position along an axis of rotation which is aligned along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0024] As more particularly visible in [Fig.4], a flexible rubber pocket 5 is shown which, when deployed, positions the two side flaps 31 and the central flap 32 in the active position making it possible to guide air flows from the side body panels 11 towards the two side flaps 31 and from the rear window 13 towards an articulated upper part 33 of the central flap 32.

[0025] The pocket 5 is partly visible between the upper part of the central flap 32 and the rear window 13, meaning that the pocket 5 also forms a wall guiding the air flow coming from the rear window 13.

[0026] In [Fig.5] a pneumatic compressor 7 is shown which makes it possible to send pressurized air to the pocket 5.

[0027] Such a pneumatic compressor 7 comprises a reservoir 71 to accelerate the inflation of the bag 5, a set of pipes and a solenoid valve 72 adapted to allow rapid deflation of the bag 5.

[0028] Once deployed, the set of aerodynamic elements 3 protrudes from the rear bumper of the vehicle, making it preferable to store it before parking the vehicle or more generally driving in a built-up area.

[0029] As it is common to have a traffic sign reading camera on a vehicle, the set of aerodynamic elements 3 is folded when the camera identifies the entry into a built-up area and also when the speed of movement of the vehicle falls below a threshold which is between 30 km / h and 50 km / h.

[0030] On the other hand, when the vehicle slows down to pass a toll, the camera identifies the toll and maintaining the set of aerodynamic elements 3 in the deployed position, anticipating the fact that the slowing down, or even the stopping of the vehicle, is not intended to park the vehicle but that it is likely that the vehicle will continue to travel on a fast lane.

Claims

Claims

1. Vehicle which comprises a removable side flap (31) which has an inactive position and an active position, said active position positioning the side flap (31) in the extension of the front end or the rear end of a lateral or upper body panel (11) of, respectively, the front part or the rear part (1) of the vehicle, guiding a first air flow along the side flap towards said body panel or guiding a first air flow along said body panel (11) towards said side flap (31), characterized in that it comprises a flexible rubber pocket (5) which deploys to position said side flap (31) in the active position, said pocket (5) once deployed, has a part which is positioned in the extension of the front end or the rear end of another lateral or upper body panel (13) of, respectively, the front part or the rear part (1) of the vehicle,guiding a second airflow along the pocket towards said other body panel or guiding a second airflow along said other body panel (13) towards said pocket (5).,

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that in the inactive position of said side flap (31), the side flap (31) and the pocket (5) are positioned in a protected location (12) of the vehicle.

3. Vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transition from the inactive position to the active position is done in two stages, a first stage consisting of removing the side flap (31) and the pocket (5) from its protected location (12) and a second stage consisting of tilting the side flap (31) when deploying the pocket (5).

4. Vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the deployment of the pocket (5) is done by the activation of a pneumatic compressor (7) which sends pressurized air into said pocket (5).

5. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transition from the inactive position to the active position of the side flap (31) is made from a certain threshold of speed of movement of the vehicle, said threshold being preferably between 80 km / h and 100 km / h.

6. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the vehicle comprising a panel reading camera, the passage from the active position to the inactive position of the side shutter (31) is done either below a vehicle movement speed threshold which is preferably between 30 km / h and 50 km / h or when said camera identifies entry into a built-up area.

7. Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that when the vehicle slows down to pass a toll, the camera identifies said toll and keeps the side flap (31) in the active position.

8. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a side flap (31) on each side of the vehicle, said pocket (5) forming the connection between the two side flaps (31).

9. Vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that a central flap (32) is adapted to at least partially cover the pocket (5), the two side flaps (31), the central flap (32) and the pocket (5) being secured to a central panel (12) which tilts horizontally to allow said two side flaps (31) to pass into said active position and which is raised vertically to protect the two side flaps (31), the central flap (32) and the pocket (5).

10. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in said active position, the side flap (31) is positioned in the extension of the rear end of the side body panel (11) of the rear part (1) of the vehicle.

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