Air spoiler mounting structure

Abstract

To provide an air spoiler mounting structure capable of changing the angle of attack of an air spoiler according to the speed of a vehicle without mounting an electric motor and a power transmission mechanism.SOLUTION: The first wire W1 connects a lower end 31 of the upper post 3 and an upper end 41 of the lower post 4 and supports the weight of the air spoiler 2 and the upper post 3, the second wire W2 connects a left front part of the air spoiler 2 and the car body 1, the third wire W3 connects a left rear part of the air spoiler 2 and the car body 1, the fourth wire W4 connects a right front part of the air spoiler 2 and the car body 1, and the fifth wire W5 connects a right rear part of the air spoiler 2 and the car body 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air spoiler mounting structure for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Air spoilers generate downforce on a moving vehicle, and when driving at low speeds, such as when cornering, they need to increase the angle of attack to increase downforce in order to ensure tire grip. However, when driving at high speeds, not as much downforce is needed, and if the angle of attack of the air spoiler is too large, air resistance increases. Therefore, the optimal angle of attack for an air spoiler differs between low-speed and high-speed driving.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a variable air spoiler that can change the angle of attack of the air spoiler using an electric motor. If the air spoiler can be mechanically operated using power such as an electric motor, as in the variable air spoiler disclosed in Patent Document 1, the angle of attack of the air spoiler can be adjusted to an optimal angle according to the vehicle speed.

[0004] Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that there is a positive correlation between the magnitude of the wing's angle of attack and the lift coefficient when the angle of attack is in the range of minus 10 degrees to plus 20 degrees. Therefore, when an air spoiler with an upside-down shape of this wing is used, the downforce of the air spoiler can be varied by varying the angle of attack within the same angle range.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a tensegrity structure. A tensegrity structure is constructed by combining rigid bodies that can withstand compressive forces with wire rods that can withstand tensile forces. In a tensegrity structure, rigid bodies are connected to other rigid bodies via wire rods. A tensegrity structure is characterized by the use of thin wire rods, which makes the rigid bodies appear as if they are floating in the air. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-291822 [Patent Document 2] US Patent No. 3,063,521 [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] National Advisory Committee For Aeronautics,“Report No.563 Calculated and Measured Pressure Distributions over the Midspan Section of the NACA 4412 Airfoil“<URL:https: / / ntrs.nasa.gov / citations / 19930091638> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] If an electric motor or a power transmission mechanism is installed on a vehicle to change the angle of attack of the air spoiler, the weight of the vehicle increases, which has a negative impact on the vehicle's driving performance and fuel efficiency.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an air spoiler mounting structure that can change the angle of attack of the air spoiler in accordance with the vehicle speed without installing an electric motor or a power transmission mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The air spoiler mounting structure of the present invention is characterized by comprising: an air spoiler that is disposed above a vehicle body and generates downforce when the vehicle is traveling; an upper support pillar that extends downward from the center of the air spoiler in the vehicle width direction; a lower support pillar that extends upward from the vehicle body; a first wire that connects the lower end of the upper support pillar to the upper end of the lower support pillar and supports the weight of the air spoiler and the upper support pillar; an extendable second wire that connects the left front end of the air spoiler to the vehicle body; an extendable third wire that connects the left rear end of the air spoiler to the vehicle body; a fourth extendable wire that connects the right front end of the air spoiler to the vehicle body; and a fifth extendable wire that connects the right rear end of the air spoiler to the vehicle body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention can provide an air spoiler mounting structure that can change the angle of attack of the air spoiler in accordance with the vehicle speed without installing an electric motor or a power transmission mechanism. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air spoiler mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the air spoiler mounting structure of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the air spoiler mounting structure when the vehicle is traveling at high speed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An air spoiler mounting structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The arrows FR, UP, and RH shown in the following drawings indicate the forward direction (direction of travel), upward, and rightward directions of the vehicle, respectively. The opposite directions of the arrows FR, UP, and RH indicate the rearward direction, downward, and leftward directions of the vehicle, respectively. Hereinafter, when the terms "front-rear," "left-right," and "up-and-down" are used in the description, they refer to the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the left-right direction of the vehicle (vehicle width direction), and the up-and-down direction of the vehicle, unless otherwise specified.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air spoiler mounting structure 10. FIG. 2 is a side view of the air spoiler mounting structure 10. FIG. 2 shows the air spoiler mounting structure 10 as viewed from the left side of a vehicle when the vehicle is stopped and not receiving any wind pressure from traveling wind. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air spoiler mounting structure 10 includes an air spoiler 2 disposed above an air spoiler installation member 1 that constitutes part of the vehicle body. The air spoiler 2 is composed of a curved plate portion 21 extending in the vehicle width direction, a left side plate portion 22 provided at the left end of the curved plate portion 21, and a right side plate portion 23 provided at the right end of the curved plate portion 21. The curved plate portion 21 has a curved shape such that the center portion in the vehicle width direction is set back from the right and left sides. The air spoiler 2 is a rear spoiler disposed above the rear of the vehicle body and functions as a rectifying plate that adjusts the flow of traveling wind. The curved plate portion 21 of the air spoiler 2 has an airfoil-shaped cross section that generates downforce when the vehicle is traveling.

[0015] The air spoiler mounting structure 10 includes an upper support pillar 3 extending downward from the center of the air spoiler 2 in the vehicle width direction, and a lower support pillar 4 extending upward from the air spoiler installation member 1. The upper support pillar 3 is fixed to the air spoiler 2, and the lower support pillar 4 is fixed to the air spoiler installation member 1. A lower end portion 31 of the upper support pillar 3 extends forward, and an upper end portion 41 of the lower support pillar 4 extends rearward.

[0016] The air spoiler mounting structure 10 includes a first wire W1 that connects the lower end 31 of the upper support pillar 3 and the upper end 41 of the lower support pillar 4. The air spoiler mounting structure 10 also includes a second wire W2, a third wire W3, a fourth wire W4, and a fifth wire W5. The second wire W2 connects the front end of the left plate portion 22 of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler mounting member 1. The third wire W3 connects the rear end of the left plate portion 22 of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler mounting member 1. The fourth wire W4 connects the front end of the right plate portion 23 of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler mounting member 1. The fifth wire W5 connects the rear end of the right plate portion 23 of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler mounting member 1. That is, the second wire W2 connects the left front portion of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler installation member 1, the third wire W3 connects the left rear portion of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler installation member 1, the fourth wire W4 connects the right front portion of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler installation member 1, and the fifth wire W5 connects the right rear portion of the air spoiler 2 to the air spoiler installation member 1. The air spoiler mounting structure 10 has a tensegrity structure in which the air spoiler 2 is connected to the air spoiler installation member 1 via the above five wires W1 to W5.

[0017] The first wire W1 extends in the vertical direction and supports the weight of the air spoiler 2 and the upper support pillar 3. The first wire W1 has enough strength to withstand the weight of the air spoiler 2 and the upper support pillar 3. With the air spoiler 2 supported by the first wire W1 in this manner, the third wire W3 and the fifth wire W5 support the front side of the air spoiler 2 to prevent it from descending, the second wire W2 and the fourth wire W4 support the rear side of the air spoiler 2 to prevent it from descending, the fourth wire W4 and the fifth wire W5 support the left side of the air spoiler 2 to prevent it from descending, and the second wire W2 and the third wire W3 support the right side of the air spoiler 2 to prevent it from descending. In this way, only tension acts on the five wires W1 to W5, and all five wires W1 to W5 are always in a taut state, so the posture of the air spoiler 2 is stable even when the vehicle is stopped and not receiving any wind pressure from the running wind, and the air spoiler mounting structure 10 can maintain a stable shape.

[0018] Even when an external force such as wind pressure acts on the air spoiler 2, the air spoiler mounting structure 10 can maintain a stable shape because the four wires W2 to W5 each resist the external force while remaining taut. However, all four wires W2 to W5 are made of an expandable material. Therefore, in the air spoiler mounting structure 10, the four wires W2 to W5 expand and contract depending on the strength of the wind pressure received by the air spoiler 2, causing the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2 to fluctuate.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a side view showing the air spoiler mounting structure 10 as viewed from the left side of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling at high speed. When the air spoiler 2 is subjected to wind, as shown in FIG. 3, a force F is applied to the center of wind pressure of the air spoiler 2 due to the wind pressure of the wind. When force F is applied to the center of wind pressure in this manner, the center of wind pressure of the air spoiler 2 is located rearward of the aerodynamic center, and therefore a pitching moment is generated in the air spoiler 2, causing the front side to rise and the rear side to fall about the aerodynamic center as the axis of rotation. This pitching moment causes the front second wire W2 and fourth wire W4 to expand and the rear third wire W3 and fifth wire W5 to contract, thereby reducing the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2. Therefore, with the air spoiler mounting structure 10, the wind pressure of the wind increases as the vehicle travels faster, and the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2 decreases.

[0020] 3, when the vehicle speed decreases from a high-speed traveling state, the force F applied to the center of wind pressure decreases, thereby reducing the pitching moment that rotates the air spoiler 2 due to wind pressure. Then, because the center of gravity of the air spoiler 2 is located forward of the aerodynamic center of the air spoiler 2, as the vehicle speed decreases, the front second wire W2 and fourth wire W4 contract and the rear third wire W3 and fifth wire W5 expand, increasing the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2 becomes the state shown in FIG.

[0021] In this way, the air spoiler mounting structure 10 can change the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2 in accordance with the vehicle speed without being equipped with an electric motor or a power transmission mechanism. By changing the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2 in accordance with the vehicle speed, the air spoiler mounting structure 10 can generate an appropriate downforce in the air spoiler 2 for each speed. The downforce generated in the air spoiler 2 in accordance with the vehicle speed in this way is transmitted to the air spoiler installation member 1, which constitutes a part of the vehicle body, via the upper support pillar 3, the first wire W1, and the lower support pillar 4.

[0022] Note that the position of the aerodynamic center of the air spoiler 2 remains constant regardless of the magnitude of the angle of attack θ, but the position of the center of wind pressure of the air spoiler 2 moves further forward as the angle of attack θ increases. Therefore, in the air spoiler mounting structure 10, the angle of attack θ when the vehicle is stopped must be set so that the center of wind pressure of the air spoiler 2 is located behind the aerodynamic center even when the angle of attack θ of the air spoiler 2 is at its maximum when the vehicle is stopped.

[0023] Furthermore, the air spoiler mounting structure 10 employs a tensegrity structure using thin wires for the five wires W1 to W5, which has the effect of making the air spoiler 2 visually appear to be floating above the vehicle body.

[0024] <Supplementary information on the embodiment> The air spoiler mounting structure of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described form and can be embodied in various forms within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the air spoiler may have a shape different from the air spoiler of the above-described form as long as it has a shape that generates downforce when the vehicle is traveling. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 1 Air spoiler installation member, 2 Air spoiler, 3 Upper support pillar, 4 Lower support pillar, 10 Air spoiler mounting structure, 21 Curved plate portion, 22 Left side plate portion, 23 Right side plate portion, 31 Lower end portion, 41 Upper end portion, W1 First wire, W2 Second wire, W3 Third wire, W4 Fourth wire, W5 Fifth wire.

Claims

[Claim 1] An air spoiler is placed above the vehicle body and generates downforce when the vehicle is running. an upper support pillar extending downward from a central portion of the air spoiler in the vehicle width direction; a lower support pillar extending upward from the vehicle body; a first wire connecting a lower end of the upper support pillar and an upper end of the lower support pillar and supporting the weight of the air spoiler and the upper support pillar; an expandable second wire connecting the left front portion of the air spoiler and the vehicle body; an expandable third wire connecting the left rear portion of the air spoiler and the vehicle body; a fourth wire that is extendable and contractible and connects the right front portion of the air spoiler to the vehicle body; a fifth wire that is extendable and contractible and connects the right rear portion of the air spoiler to the vehicle body; An air spoiler mounting structure comprising:

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