Vehicle rear structure

Abstract

This provides a rear vehicle structure that can further enhance the aerodynamic performance provided by the rear spoiler. [Solution] The vehicle rear structure 10 is a structure disposed at the rear of the vehicle body 12 that generates an aerodynamic effect. The vehicle rear structure 10 comprises a rear spoiler 20 and a vehicle-side facing member 21. The rear spoiler 20 is a member that extends along the width direction of the vehicle body 12. The vehicle-side facing member 21 is a member disposed on the side of the vehicle body 12. The vehicle-side facing member 21 faces the rear spoiler 20 and is configured to protrude toward the rear spoiler 20.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle rear structure.

Background Art

[0002] In order to improve the aerodynamic performance of a vehicle, a rear spoiler is attached to the rear end of the vehicle. Specifically, the rear spoiler is a substantially plate-shaped member attached to the rear end of the vehicle and extends along the width direction of the vehicle. By attaching the rear spoiler to the vehicle, the dead water area on the back surface of the vehicle is reduced during vehicle travel, and air resistance is improved.

[0003] An example of a rear spoiler is described in Patent Document 1. The attachment body of the rear spoiler described in Patent Document 1 is formed in a substantially triangular shape in a side view of the cross-section of the internal cavity. The attachment body has a substantially horizontal upper surface, an attachment surface extending from the front end of this upper surface to the rear lower side, and a rear lower surface extending from the rear end of the upper surface to the front lower side. The rear part of the upper surface bulges upward and serves as a spoiler action part that guides the wind hitting the upper surface to the rear upper side. The attachment surface is a curved surface protruding inward of the attachment body and is attached to the surface of the vehicle body wall via screws substantially along it. The rear spoiler is formed in the internal cavity with synthetic resin or the like, and its upper surface serves as a spoiler action part that guides the hitting wind to the rear upper side. Further, the rear spoiler is movable up and down with respect to the attachment body by a spoiler lifting mechanism, and its lower surface is close to the upper surface when it descends. With such a configuration, the rear spoiler can be attached to a vehicle body wall that is substantially vertical or inclined rearward.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the invention described in the aforementioned patent document had room for improvement in terms of further enhancing aerodynamic performance.

[0006] For example, one way to improve the aerodynamic performance of a rear spoiler is to lower its rear end. This modification is considered particularly effective for SUVs and station wagons. However, lowering the rear end of a rear spoiler may obstruct rearward visibility depending on the angle of the rear window. Furthermore, lowering the rear end of a rear spoiler may reduce the space available for surrounding components. Moreover, lowering the rear end of a rear spoiler significantly affects the vehicle's design and silhouette. For these reasons, there are limitations to how much the rear end of a rear spoiler can be lowered.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of these problems, and the object of this invention is to provide a vehicle rear structure that can further enhance the aerodynamic performance of the rear spoiler. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The vehicle rear structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle rear structure disposed at the rear of a vehicle body to generate an aerodynamic effect, and comprises a rear spoiler and a vehicle-side facing member, wherein the rear spoiler is a member that extends along the width direction of the vehicle body, and the vehicle-side facing member is a member disposed on the side of the vehicle body, facing the rear spoiler and configured to protrude toward the rear spoiler. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the vehicle rear structure of the embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle-side facing member protrudes toward the rear spoiler at a position facing the rear spoiler, allowing airflow to effectively pass through the space between the vehicle-side facing member and the rear spoiler during vehicle operation. Therefore, the air resistance of the vehicle body during vehicle operation can be reduced, and the energy required for vehicle operation can also be reduced. Furthermore, the aerodynamic improvement effect of the rear spoiler can be significantly enhanced even without extending the rear spoiler extremely far downward. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a vehicle equipped with a rear vehicle structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the rear of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle rear structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle rear structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This graph shows the effects of the vehicle rear structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] This diagram shows the aerodynamic effects of the comparative example. [Figure 5B] This figure shows the aerodynamic effect of an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, a vehicle rear structure 10 and vehicle 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the directions of front, rear, up, down, left, and right will be used, but left and right refers to the left and right when the vehicle rear structure 10 is viewed from the front. Furthermore, in the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for the same components in principle, and repeated descriptions will be omitted.

[0012] Figure 1 is a side view showing a vehicle 11 equipped with a rear vehicle structure 10.

[0013] Vehicle 11 can be, for example, a gasoline-powered vehicle, a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), a HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle). Vehicle 11 can also be a passenger car, SUV, or station wagon.

[0014] The vehicle rear structure 10 is disposed on the vehicle body 12. The vehicle rear structure 10 is a structure that is disposed at the upper part of the rear end of the vehicle body 12 and generates an aerodynamic effect. In the present embodiment, since the aerodynamic performance is improved by having the vehicle rear structure 10, energy saving during the running of the vehicle 11 is realized. Such matters will be described later with reference to FIG. 3 and the like.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rear part of the vehicle 11 provided with the vehicle rear structure 10.

[0016] The rear spoiler 20 is a member that extends along the width direction of the vehicle body 12. Here, the rear spoiler 20 has a main surface facing in the vertical direction and extends continuously from the left end to the right end of the vehicle body 12. Also, as will be described later, a vehicle-side facing member 21 is disposed on the vehicle body 12 in the vicinity of the rear spoiler 20. Further, a cavity 13 is formed between the rear spoiler 20 and the vehicle-side facing member 21. Here, the cavity 13 may be a space formed integrally and continuously across the right end to the left end of the vehicle body 12. Further, the cavity 13 may be a space divided into a plurality along the left-right direction.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the vehicle rear structure 10. Also, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the A-A cutting plane in FIG. 2. Here, the A-A cutting plane is a plane including the front-rear direction and the vertical direction.

[0018] The vehicle rear structure 10 is a structure that generates an aerodynamic effect and includes a rear spoiler 20 and a vehicle-side facing member 21. The vehicle rear structure 10 is disposed, for example, at the upper end of the rear end of the vehicle body 12.

[0019] The rear spoiler 20 is an aerodynamic member disposed on the upper side away from the vehicle body 12 as described above. The rear spoiler 20 mainly has a spoiler main body portion 201, a spoiler upper surface 202, and a spoiler rear end portion 203. The spoiler main body portion 201 is made of a synthetic resin plate combined in a predetermined shape and has a hollow structure for weight reduction. The spoiler upper surface 202, which is the upper surface of the vehicle-side facing member 21, is the upper surface portion of the spoiler main body portion 201, is formed substantially flat, and is an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear. The spoiler rear end portion 203 is a portion that is the rear end of the spoiler main body portion 201.

[0020] The vehicle-side facing member 21 is a member disposed on the side of the vehicle body 12. The vehicle-side facing member 21 faces the rear spoiler 20 and is configured to project toward the rear spoiler 20. Specifically, the vehicle-side facing member 21 mainly has a facing member main body portion 211, a facing member upper surface 212, and a facing member rear end portion 213. The facing member main body portion 211 is made of a synthetic resin plate molded into a predetermined shape and has a hollow structure. The facing member upper surface 212 is the upper surface of the facing member main body portion 211, is formed substantially flat, and is an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear as will be described later. The facing member rear end portion 213 is the rear end portion of the facing member main body portion 211.

[0021] The cavity 13 is a space formed between the rear spoiler 20 and the vehicle-side facing member 21. A front-side opening 131 is formed on the front-end side of the cavity 13, and a rear-side opening 132 is formed on the rear-end side of the cavity 13. In the present embodiment, the area of the rear-side opening 132 is smaller than the area of the front-side opening 131.

[0022] Let the angle formed by the spoiler upper surface 202, which is the upper surface of the rear spoiler 20, and the horizontal plane 14 be the first angle θ1. Here, the first angle θ1 is an angle that slopes downward. Also, let the angle formed by the facing member upper surface 212, which is the upper surface of the vehicle-side facing member 21, and the horizontal plane 14 be the second angle θ2. Here, the second angle θ2 is an angle that slopes downward.

[0023] In this case, the first angle θ1 is greater than the second angle θ2. In other words, the upper surface 212 of the opposing member is a surface that is closer to horizontal than the upper surface 202 of the spoiler. By doing so, as will be described later, the second airflow 152 flowing over the upper surface 212 of the opposing member will have an effective influence on the first airflow 151 flowing over the upper surface 202 of the spoiler.

[0024] The rear end portion 213 of the vehicle-side facing member 21 is positioned forward of the rear end portion 203 of the rear spoiler 20. In this way, as will be described later, the second airflow 152 passing through the rear end portion 213 of the facing member effectively influences the first airflow 151 passing through the rear end portion 203 of the spoiler.

[0025] Next, with reference to Figure 3, the function of the vehicle rear structure 10 having the above-described configuration when the vehicle 11 is in motion will be explained.

[0026] First, when the vehicle 11 is in motion, airflow is generated around the vehicle body 12. A portion of this airflow passes through the rear structure 10 and its surrounding area. Here, the airflow that flows along the upper surface 202 of the rear spoiler 20 is referred to as the first airflow 151. The airflow that passes through the cavity 13 of the rear structure 10, that is, the airflow that flows along the upper surface 212 of the opposing member 21 on the vehicle side, is referred to as the second airflow 152.

[0027] In this embodiment, the vehicle-side facing member 21 is configured to protrude toward the rear spoiler 20 at a position facing the rear spoiler 20. Therefore, when the vehicle 11 is in motion, the second airflow 152, which is the airflow from the vehicle, effectively blows through the cavity 13, which is the space between the vehicle-side facing member 21 and the rear spoiler 20. Here, the second airflow 152 blowing through the vicinity of the vehicle-side facing member 21 is set to be faster than the first airflow 151 blowing through the upper surface of the spoiler upper surface 202, from the viewpoint of the law of conservation of fluid mass. Therefore, the second airflow 152 pulls the first airflow 151 downwards, reducing the air resistance of the vehicle body 12 when the vehicle is in motion, that is, reducing the area of ​​dead water formed on the rear of the vehicle body 12, and thus reducing the energy required for vehicle operation.

[0028] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the upper surface 202 of the rear spoiler 20 is inclined more sharply downward toward the rear than the upper surface 212 of the opposing member 21 on the vehicle side. In this way, the first airflow 151 flowing along the upper surface 202 of the rear spoiler 20 flows inclined downward toward the rear. On the other hand, the second airflow 152 flowing along the upper surface 212 of the opposing member 21 on the vehicle side flows at a faster rate toward the rear at an angle closer to horizontal than the first airflow 151. Therefore, the flow velocity of the second airflow 152 flowing along the upper surface 212 of the opposing member is much faster than the flow velocity of the first airflow 151 flowing along the upper surface 202 of the spoiler. As a result, the first airflow 151 is pulled downward due to the large pressure difference between the second airflow 152 and the first airflow 151. Consequently, the first airflow 151 flows smoothly downward, reducing air resistance. Furthermore, since the upper surface 212 of the vehicle-side facing member 21 is inclined downward toward the rear, the effect produced by the aforementioned second airflow 152 is considered to be significant.

[0029] Furthermore, in the cavity 13, the area of ​​the rear opening 132 is smaller than the area of ​​the front opening 131. In this way, the airflow taken in from the front opening 131 is compressed inside the cavity 13, becoming a contracted flow, and is released rearward from the rear opening 132 as a high-speed rear opening 132. Therefore, the flow velocity of the second airflow 152 released rearward from the rear opening 132 can be made faster than the flow velocity of the first airflow 151 flowing upstream of the rear spoiler 20. As a result, the pressure difference created between the second airflow 152 and the first airflow 151 pulls the first airflow 151 downward. Therefore, the first airflow 151 flows smoothly downward, further reducing air resistance.

[0030] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the rear end portion 213 of the vehicle-side facing member 21 is positioned further forward than the rear end portion 203 of the spoiler upper surface 202. Therefore, the area in which the second airflow 152 passing through the vehicle-side facing member 21 influences the first airflow 151 flowing over the spoiler upper surface 202 can be extended, significantly reducing air resistance.

[0031] Figure 4 is a graph showing the effect of the vehicle rear structure 10. In this graph, the horizontal axis represents the height to which the aforementioned vehicle-side facing member 21 protrudes from the surface of the vehicle body 12. The vertical axis represents the ratio of the amount of air resistance generated when a vehicle 11 with the vehicle rear structure 10 is running compared to when a vehicle without the vehicle-side facing member 21 is running. A higher value indicates a worsening of air resistance, while a lower value indicates an improvement in air resistance. In Figure 4, the case of the vehicle rear structure 10 according to this embodiment is shown with a dotted line, and the case of an existing vehicle is shown with a solid line.

[0032] Referring to Figure 4, as the height to which the vehicle-side facing member 21 protrudes from the surface of the vehicle body 12 increases, air resistance decreases. This is because, as explained with reference to Figure 3, as the protrusion height of the vehicle-side facing member 21 increases, the second airflow 152 passing over the upper surface 212 of the facing member 21 of the vehicle-side facing member 21 interferes significantly with the first airflow 151 passing over the upper surface 202 of the rear spoiler 20.

[0033] Furthermore, until the height to which the vehicle-side facing member 21 protrudes from the surface of the vehicle body 12 reaches a predetermined value, the air resistance decreases in proportion to the protrusion height of the vehicle-side facing member 21. On the other hand, when the height to which the vehicle-side facing member 21 protrudes from the surface of the vehicle body 12 exceeds the predetermined value, the air resistance becomes approximately constant at a value lower than that of a vehicle without the vehicle-side facing member 21. And as the height to which the vehicle-side facing member 21 protrudes from the surface of the vehicle body 12 increases further, the air resistance worsens. Therefore, in this embodiment, considering the aesthetic design of the vehicle 11 and its relationship with other components, the height to which the vehicle-side facing member 21 protrudes from the surface of the vehicle body 12 is determined in a region where the air resistance is approximately constant.

[0034] Figure 5A shows the aerodynamic effect of a comparative example. Here, the dashed line shows the airflow during vehicle 11 travel when the vehicle rear structure 10 according to this embodiment is not present. As is clear from Figure 5A, when the vehicle side facing member 21 is not present, the turbulence of airflow, especially from below, near the rear of the vehicle body 12 increases. Therefore, the air resistance of vehicle 11 during travel increases, and the energy consumed during travel increases.

[0035] Figure 5B shows the aerodynamic effect of the vehicle rear structure 10 according to this embodiment. Here, when the vehicle 11 has the vehicle rear structure 10 including the vehicle-side facing member 21 shown in Figure 3, the airflow during driving of the vehicle 11 is shown by a dashed line. The direction of airflow above the rear of the vehicle body 12 is shown by a thick solid line, and the direction of airflow when the vehicle-side facing member 21 shown in Figure 3 is not present is shown by a thick dashed line. As is clear from Figure 5B, by arranging the vehicle rear structure 10 shown in Figure 3 at the rear upper end of the vehicle body 12, the direction of airflow above the rear of the vehicle body 12 shifts downward, reducing the turbulence of airflow from below, improving the air resistance of the vehicle rear structure 10 during driving, and reducing energy consumption during driving.

[0036] Furthermore, if the vehicle-side facing member 21 shown in Figure 3 is not included and only the rear spoiler 20 is present, the amount of wind turbulence, especially from above, near the rear of the vehicle body 12 will increase, increasing the air resistance of the vehicle 11 when it is in motion, and thus increasing the energy consumed during driving.

[0037] The presence of the vehicle-side facing member 21 promotes airflow separation near the rear of the vehicle body 12, making it possible to reduce the amount of airflow turbulence, especially from above, near the rear of the vehicle body 12. As in the vehicle rear structure 10 of this embodiment, having both the rear spoiler 20 and the vehicle-side facing member 21 reduces the amount of airflow turbulence from above and below near the rear of the vehicle body 12, improving the air resistance of the vehicle rear structure 10 during driving and reducing energy consumption during driving.

[0038] The technical concepts that can be understood from the above-mentioned embodiment, along with their effects, are described below.

[0039] The vehicle rear structure of the present invention is a vehicle rear structure disposed at the rear of the vehicle body to generate an aerodynamic effect, and comprises a rear spoiler and a vehicle-side facing member, wherein the rear spoiler is a member that extends along the width direction of the vehicle body, and the vehicle-side facing member is a member disposed on the side of the vehicle body, facing the rear spoiler and configured to protrude toward the rear spoiler. According to the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, by having the vehicle-side facing member protrude toward the rear spoiler at a position facing the rear spoiler, airflow can effectively pass through the space between the vehicle-side facing member and the rear spoiler when the vehicle is in motion. Therefore, the air resistance value of the vehicle body when the vehicle is in motion can be reduced, and the energy required for vehicle operation can also be reduced.

[0040] Furthermore, in the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, when the angle formed by the upper surface of the rear spoiler and the horizontal plane is defined as the first angle, and the angle formed by the upper surface of the vehicle-side opposing member and the horizontal plane is defined as the second angle, the first angle is characterized by being greater than the second angle. According to the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, the upper surface of the rear spoiler is inclined more significantly downward and towards the rear than the upper surface of the vehicle-side opposing member. Therefore, when the airflow flowing over the upper surface of the rear spoiler is defined as the first airflow, and the airflow flowing over the upper surface of the vehicle-side opposing member is defined as the second airflow, the velocity of the second airflow is faster than the velocity of the first airflow. Therefore, the negative pressure generated between the second airflow and the first airflow pulls the first airflow downward. As a result, the first airflow flows smoothly downward, and air resistance can be reduced.

[0041] Furthermore, in the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, the upper surface of the vehicle-side facing member is an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear. According to the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, by sloping the upper surface of the vehicle-side facing member downward toward the rear, the effect generated by the second airflow described above can be made more pronounced.

[0042] Furthermore, in the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, a cavity is formed between the rear spoiler and the vehicle-side facing member, a front opening is formed at the front end of the cavity, and a rear opening is formed at the rear end of the cavity, and the area of ​​the rear opening is smaller than the area of ​​the front opening. According to the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, because the area of ​​the rear opening is smaller than the area of ​​the front opening, the flow velocity of the air discharged from the rear opening toward the rear can be made faster than the flow velocity of the air taken in from the front opening. Here, if the airflow flowing over the upper surface of the rear spoiler is called the first airflow, and the airflow flowing over the upper surface of the vehicle-side facing member is called the second airflow, the flow velocity of the second airflow discharged from the rear opening toward the rear can be made faster than the flow velocity of the first airflow flowing upstream of the rear spoiler. Therefore, the negative pressure generated between the second airflow and the first airflow pulls the first airflow downward. As a result, the first airflow flows smoothly downward, and air resistance can be reduced.

[0043] Furthermore, in the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, the rear end of the vehicle-side facing member is positioned forward of the rear end of the rear spoiler. According to the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, the influence of the airflow escaping from the rear end of the vehicle-side facing member on the airflow passing over the upper surface of the rear spoiler can be greatly increased, and the effect of reducing air resistance can be significantly enhanced.

[0044] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10. Rear structure of the vehicle 11 vehicles 12 car bodies 13 Cavity 131 Front opening 132 Rear opening 14 horizontal plane 151 First Airflow 152 Second Airflow 20 Rear Spoiler 201 Spoiler Body 202 Spoiler Top 203 Rear end of spoiler 21 Vehicle-side opposing member 211 Main body of the opposing member 212 Upper surface of opposing member 213 Rear end of opposing member θ1 1st angle θ2 2nd angle

Claims

1. This is a rear vehicle structure positioned at the rear of the vehicle body to generate aerodynamic effects. It comprises a rear spoiler and a vehicle-side facing member, The rear spoiler is a member that extends along the width direction of the vehicle body, The vehicle rear structure is characterized in that the vehicle-side facing member is a member disposed on the side of the vehicle body, and is configured to face the rear spoiler and protrude toward the rear spoiler.

2. The angle formed by the upper surface of the rear spoiler and the horizontal plane is defined as the first angle. When the angle formed by the upper surface of the vehicle-side facing member and the horizontal plane is defined as the second angle, The vehicle rear structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the first angle is greater than the second angle.

3. The vehicle rear structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper surface of the vehicle-side facing member is an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear.

4. A cavity is formed between the rear spoiler and the vehicle-side facing member. A front opening is formed at the front end of the aforementioned cavity. A rear opening is formed at the rear end of the cavity. The vehicle rear structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the area of ​​the rear opening is smaller than the area of ​​the front opening.

5. The vehicle rear structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear end of the vehicle-side facing member is positioned forward of the rear end of the rear spoiler.

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