Aerodynamic control member, wing mechanism, automobile, and aerodynamic control method

Abstract

This aerodynamic control member is provided to a wing part or a member facing the wing part, and controls aerodynamic force by using temperature. The aerodynamic control member comprises a sheet-shaped CNT member provided along a surface of the wing part or a surface of the member facing the wing part, and an electrode electrically connected to the CNT member.

Description

Aerodynamic control member, wing mechanism, automobile, and aerodynamic control method

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-099612, filed on June 20, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] With the development of mobile objects such as aircraft and automobiles, efforts are being made to utilize aerodynamics to design and improve the main structures of mobile objects to improve flight / driving speed, flight / driving stability, and energy conversion efficiency. To improve energy conversion efficiency by utilizing aerodynamics, advances are being made in the design and improvement of aircraft airfoils, elevators, flaps, and other components that provide lift, and in automobiles, advances are being made in the design and improvement of the entire vehicle and aerodynamic components.

[0003] Because the airflow around an aircraft or vehicle during flight or travel is complex and difficult to control, it is often necessary to add aerodynamic control elements to the basic components and design structure described above to control the aerodynamics. Adding these aerodynamic control elements increases lift and downforce (negative lift), reduces air swirl and drag, and can achieve goals such as reduced fuel consumption.

[0004] One example of an aerodynamic control element on an aircraft is a wingtip, which is a curved, curved edge of the wing. Proper wingtip design improves the aerodynamic characteristics of an aircraft. Specifically, it reduces air turbulence and drag, improves the lift coefficient, and reduces airflow turbulence and vortices, thereby reducing fuel consumption and improving flight speed and flight stability.

[0005] An example of an aerodynamic control component for an automobile is an aerodynamic part such as the rear wing of a Formula One car. Rear wings are designed to increase downforce during high-speed driving and improve driving stability (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Downforce is the downward aerodynamic force generated when a vehicle is traveling. When downforce increases, the surface pressure between the tire and the ground increases, and tire friction is not lost even when centrifugal force increases during high-speed cornering, improving driving stability.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-106540

[0007] Based on the principles of aerodynamics, the structure of the above-mentioned aerodynamic control elements is very complex, requiring precise calculations and simulations to optimize their dimensions. Furthermore, the molding and assembly processes required to achieve an optimized structure are both difficult and costly. In particular, aerodynamic control elements added to the main structure of a vehicle are smaller than the main structure, but require very high precision in terms of their installation position and angle, making their design complex and difficult to process. Damage to these components is extremely difficult to detect, and repair or replacement costs are very high. Furthermore, these additional components increase the overall weight of the vehicle, even when lightweight materials are used. Overall, due to the complexity and constraints of the structure and molding, the effectiveness of these aerodynamic control elements is relatively limited, and further improvements in the speed and stability of the vehicle are needed.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an aerodynamic control member, a wing mechanism, a vehicle, and an aerodynamic control method that are lightweight and have a simple structure and are capable of increasing lift or downforce.

[0009] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems. In light of the above, a more functional and smart design is required for aerodynamic control components. From the perspective of reducing the impact of shape, the present inventors focused on the effect of heat on aerodynamics. When heat is added to a fluid, the velocity of the fluid changes. In order to perform appropriate aerodynamic control at the appropriate time for a moving object in motion, it is necessary to instantly heat the fluid. Furthermore, in order for the aerodynamic control component to be lightweight, the fluid heating means must also be lightweight. The present inventors pursued specific means taking into account such thermal conductivity and lightweight requirements, and discovered that utilizing a component containing carbon nanotubes was optimal.

[0010] Compared to improving aerodynamic effects through static component design and installation, the rapid thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube components (hereinafter referred to as "CNT components"), such as carbon nanotube thin films, can be utilized to instantly heat and cool the airflow around a moving object in real time without changing the angle of the structure, improving the performance and stability of the moving object. This makes aerodynamic components more functional and smart.

[0011] That is, the present invention provides the following means to solve the above problems.

[0012] [1] An aerodynamic control member according to one aspect of the present invention is provided on a wing portion or a member facing the wing portion, and controls aerodynamic forces using temperature. The aerodynamic control member includes: a sheet-shaped CNT member provided along the surface of the wing portion or the surface of the member facing the wing portion; and an electrode electrically connected to the CNT member.

[0013] [2] A wing mechanism according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a wing portion having a first wing; and a second wing disposed above and rearward of the first wing and arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the first wing in a plan view from above; and an aerodynamic control member disposed on one or both of the first wing and the second wing and controlling aerodynamic forces using temperature, wherein the aerodynamic control member is disposed along a surface of one or both of the first wing and the second wing and comprises a sheet-shaped CNT member and an electrode electrically connected to the CNT member.

[0014] [3] In the wing mechanism of [2] above, the CNT member may be provided on one or both of an upper part and a lower part of the first wing.

[0015] [4] In the wing mechanism of the above [2] or [3], the CNT member may be provided on an upper portion of the first wing.

[0016] [5] In the wing mechanism of any one of [2] to [4] above, the chord length of the second blade may be smaller than the chord length of the first blade, and the angle of attack of the second blade may be larger than the angle of attack of the first blade.

[0017] [6] A wing mechanism according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a wing portion composed of a first wing and an aerodynamic control member provided on the first wing and controlling aerodynamic forces using temperature, the aerodynamic control member being provided on one or both of the upper and lower parts of the first wing and comprising a sheet-shaped CNT member and an electrode electrically connected to the CNT member.

[0018] [7] A motor vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention includes the wing mechanism described in any one of [2] to [6] above.

[0019] [8] In the vehicle of [7] above, the wing mechanism may be disposed at the rear of the vehicle body and configured to heat air flowing between the rear of the vehicle body and the CNT member.

[0020] [9] An aerodynamic control method according to one aspect of the present invention applies a voltage to a CNT element provided on a moving body, adjusts the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the CNT element, and controls the lift or downforce applied to the moving body.

[0021]

[10] The aerodynamic control method of [9] above is an aerodynamic control method applied to a wing mechanism comprising: a wing section having a first wing and a second wing provided above and rearward of the first wing and arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the first wing in a plan view from above; and an aerodynamic control member provided on the first wing and controlling aerodynamics by utilizing the temperature of the wing section or its vicinity, wherein the aerodynamic control member comprises: a first lower CNT member provided along the underside of the first wing and having a sheet shape; a first upper CNT member provided along the upper surface of the first wing and having a sheet shape; and a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to each of the first lower CNT member and the first upper CNT member, and either the first lower CNT member or the first upper CNT member may be heated according to the traveling speed of the automobile.

[0022]

[11] In the aerodynamic control method of [9] or

[10] above, the first upper CNT member may be provided on an upper part of the first wing, and the first lower CNT member may be provided on a lower part of the first wing.

[0023] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an aerodynamic control member, a wing mechanism, a vehicle, and an aerodynamic control method that are lightweight and have a simple structure and are capable of increasing lift or downforce.

[0024] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a wing mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the wing mechanism of FIG. 1 taken along the section line II-II; FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the wing mechanism of FIG. 1 in which an aerodynamic control element is provided on the first wing; FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing an aerodynamic control element provided on the wing mechanism of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of a CNT element provided on the aerodynamic control element of FIG. 3; FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a CNT element provided on an aerodynamic control element according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the CNT forest in FIG. 6 and CNTs extracted from the CNT forest; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of an aerodynamic control element according to a modified example of FIG. 3 and a wing section on which the aerodynamic control element is provided; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a wing mechanism according to a modified example of FIG. 2; FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the structure of a wing mechanism according to Example 1; FIG. 11(a) is an image obtained by simulating the temperature of a fluid near the wing mechanism of Example 1, and FIG. 11(b) is an image obtained by simulating the temperature of a fluid near the wing mechanism of Comparative Example 1; and FIG. 12 is a graph showing downforce generated on the first and second wing of the wing mechanisms of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1.

[0025] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings used in the following description may show characteristic parts enlarged for the sake of convenience in order to make the features of the present invention easier to understand. Therefore, the dimensional ratios of each component may differ from the actual ones.

[0026] [Wing Mechanism] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a wing mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the wing mechanism of FIG. 1 taken along section line II-II, showing an enlarged view of a wing portion included in the wing mechanism. The wing mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first wing 10, a second wing 20 disposed above and rearward of the first wing 10 and overlapping at least a portion of the first wing 10 in a plan view from above, and a wing portion 70 having aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d disposed on one or both of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 and controlling aerodynamic forces using temperature. In this embodiment, the aerodynamic control members being provided on another member include a configuration in which they are embedded inside the other member and a configuration in which they are provided on the surface of the other member. The wing mechanism further comprises, for example, a first support member 31 and a second support member 32. Aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d provided in a wing mechanism according to one aspect of the present invention are provided on wing portion 70 or member 40 opposing wing portion 70, and control aerodynamic forces using temperature, and include CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 provided along the surface of wing portion 70 or the surface of member 40 opposing the wing portion, and electrodes E11A and E11B, E12A and E12B, E21A and E21B, and E22A and E22B electrically connected to CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22. Aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d control aerodynamic forces using the temperature of wing portion 70 or its vicinity. In the aerodynamic control members 60 a , 60 b , 60 c , and 60 d provided in the wing mechanism, the CNT members 11 , 12 , 21 , and 22 are provided on one or both of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 .

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a rear wing 100 of an automobile as the wing mechanism. The first wing 10 and the second wing 20 have their widthwise ends fixed by, for example, a first support member 31 and a second support member 32. The rear wing 100 is disposed, for example, at the rear of the vehicle body of the automobile. A member 40 in FIG. 1 is the rear of the vehicle body. In a formula car, the wing portion 70 is far away from the member 40. In a passenger car, the member 40 is, for example, a rear trunk or a back door glass.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2 , in the rear wing 100, the chord length of the second wing 20 is, for example, smaller than the chord length of the first wing 10. In the rear wing 100, the angle of attack of the second wing 20 is, for example, larger than the angle of attack of the first wing 10. The angle of attack refers to the angle of the leading edge of the wing relative to the horizontal. The angle of attack of the first wing 10 is, for example, 0 to 75°, preferably 2 to 70°. The angle of attack of the second wing 20 is, for example, 1 to 76°, preferably 4 to 72°. The difference in magnitude of the angle of attack between the second wing 20 and the first wing 10 is, for example, 1 to 75°, preferably 2 to 70°. The angle of attack is expressed as the angle of a straight line connecting the leading and trailing edges of the wing relative to the direction of travel, with a forward rise being considered positive. For a moving body traveling horizontally, such as an automobile, the angle can be calculated as an angle relative to the horizontal. The thickness of the second wing 20 is, for example, smaller than the thickness of the first wing 10. The blade thickness refers to the maximum thickness of each blade. The vertical distance between the leading edge of the second blade 20 and the first blade 10 is preferably greater than the vertical distance between the trailing edge of the first blade 10 and the second blade 20. Here, the leading edge refers to the end on the traveling direction side of the mobile body, and the trailing edge refers to the end on the opposite side of the traveling direction of the mobile body. The leading edge of the second wing 20 is located rearward of the leading edge of the first wing 10, and the trailing edge of the second wing 20 is located rearward of the trailing edge of the first wing 10.

[0029] One or both of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 are provided with CNT components. The CNT components are provided on one or both of the upper and lower portions of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20. Here, the upper portion of the wing refers to, for example, the upper half of the wing, preferably the uppermost region when the wing is divided into four in the thickness direction, and preferably the upper surface of the wing and a region below a predetermined depth from the upper surface. The predetermined depth is, for example, 1 cm or less, preferably 5 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or less. The lower portion of the wing refers to, for example, the lower half of the wing, preferably the lowermost region when the wing is divided into four in the thickness direction, and preferably the lower surface of the wing and a region below a predetermined depth from the lower surface. The predetermined depth is, for example, 1 cm or less, preferably 5 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or less. In FIG. 2, the upper and lower surfaces of the first wing 10 are indicated by symbols S10a and S10b, and the upper and lower surfaces of the second wing 20 are indicated by symbols S20a and S20b. "The CNT members being provided along the upper and lower surfaces of the wing" does not necessarily mean that they are provided on the outermost surfaces of the wing, such as the upper and lower surfaces of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20, but also includes that they are provided near the outermost surfaces. "The CNT members 11 and 21 being provided along the upper surface of the wing, and the CNT members 12 and 22 being provided along the lower surface" means that the CNT member 11 is approximately parallel to the upper surface of the first wing 10, the CNT member 12 is approximately parallel to the lower surface of the first wing 10, the CNT member 21 is approximately parallel to the upper surface of the second wing 20, and the CNT member 22 is approximately parallel to the lower surface of the second wing, i.e., each CNT member is approximately parallel to the outermost surface of the wing. In other words, the difference between the maximum and minimum distances from the outermost surface of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 is 20% or less of the thickness of the wing. In a configuration in which the CNT member is integrally molded with the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 so that the CNT member is located in the above-mentioned region, or in a configuration in which coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b are formed on the surface of the CNT member, the CNT member is located near the outermost surface.

[0030] 2 shows an example in which CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 are formed along the upper surface S10a and lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 and the upper surface S20a and lower surface S20b of the second wing 20. The CNT member 11 formed along the upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 will sometimes be referred to as the first upper CNT member, the CNT member 12 formed along the lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 will sometimes be referred to as the first lower CNT member, the CNT member 21 formed along the upper surface S20a of the second wing 20 will sometimes be referred to as the second upper CNT member, and the CNT member 22 formed along the lower surface S20b of the second wing 20 will sometimes be referred to as the second lower CNT member. 2 shows an example in which CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 are provided along the upper and lower surfaces of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20, respectively, but the rear wing 100 may include any one of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22. The first upper CNT member (CNT member 11), the first lower CNT member (CNT member 12), the second upper CNT member (CNT member 21), and the second lower CNT member (CNT member 22) are provided, for example, on the upper part of the first wing 10, the lower part of the first wing 10, the upper part of the second wing 20, and the lower part of the second wing 20, respectively. The CNT members are preferably provided on at least one of the upper and lower parts of the first wing 10, and are preferably provided on at least the upper part of the first wing 10, and are preferably provided on both the upper and lower parts of the first wing 10.

[0031] As will be described in detail later, the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 are sheet-shaped members, and are, for example, CNT heaters.

[0032] Both ends of each of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 are electrically connected to electrodes. The CNT member 11 is connected to, for example, an electrode E11A at one end of the first wing 10 in the width direction, and to an electrode E11B at the other end in the width direction. Similar to the CNT member 11, the CNT member 12 is connected to, for example, an electrode E12A at one end of the first wing 10 in the width direction, and to an electrode E12B at the other end. The CNT member 21 is connected to, for example, an electrode E21A at one end of the second wing 20 in the width direction, and to an electrode E21B at the other end in the width direction. The CNT member 22 is connected to, for example, an electrode E22A at one end of the second wing 20 in the width direction, and to an electrode E22B at the other end in the width direction. The voltages applied between the electrodes E11A and E11B, between the electrodes E12A and E12B, between the electrodes E21A and E21B, and between the electrodes E22A and E22B can be controlled independently, allowing different currents to flow through the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22. In this way, the temperatures of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 connected to the electrodes can be controlled independently.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a configuration in which an aerodynamic control member 60a is provided on the first wing 10 in the wing mechanism of FIG. 1 . The aerodynamic control member 60a is a member provided on the wing portion 70 and controls aerodynamic forces using temperature. The CNT members 11 and 12 are provided, for example, on the base 15 of the first wing 10, and their surfaces are coated with coating layers 13a and 13b. The CNT members 11 and 12 are provided along the coating layers 13a and 13b. Similarly, the CNT members 21 and 22 are provided on the base 25 of the second wing 20, and their surfaces are coated with coating layers 23a and 23b. The CNT members 21 and 22 are provided along the coating layers 23a and 23b. The CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 may be adhered to the bases 15 and 25, respectively, using an adhesive or the like, or may be fixed by the coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b, for example.

[0034] The bases 15, 25 of the rear wing 100 are made of FRP, such as GFRP or CFRP, or synthetic resin. By making the bases 15, 25 of the rear wing 100 out of FRP, it is possible to make the aerodynamic control members lightweight and with high specific strength. Furthermore, the first support member 31, second support member 32, etc. of the rear wing 100 can also be made of the same material as the bases 15, 25.

[0035] The coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b are made of, for example, a resin. The coating layers 13a and 13b may be made of the same material as the base 15 of the first blade 10, and the coating layers 23a and 23b may be made of the same material as the base 25 of the second blade 20.

[0036] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an aerodynamic control member provided in the wing mechanism of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 4, electrodes E11A and E11B provided in the aerodynamic control member 60a are connected to the same power source. The electrodes E11A and E11B are connected to, for example, a plurality of carbon nanotube fibers provided in the CNT member 11 so as to cross each other.

[0037] When a voltage is applied to the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 using power from a power source, a current flows through the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22, and the temperature of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 rises due to Joule heat. The heated CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 increase the temperature of the wing section 70 and its vicinity. As the temperature of the wing section 70 or its vicinity increases, the air around the surfaces on which the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are provided is heated, causing a change in the air density. Therefore, as will be described in detail later, according to Bernoulli's theorem, a change in air density changes the flow velocity of the air, which in turn changes the pressure distribution. Therefore, electrically heating the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 changes the pressure distribution, thereby changing the magnitude of downforce and lift.

[0038] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the CNT member 11 provided in the aerodynamic control member 60a of Fig. 3. The number of carbon nanotube thin films included in each of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 is, for example, one or more, and preferably 5 to 1000.

[0039] The carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn are also called carbon nanotube webs. Each of the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn is composed of, for example, a plurality of carbon nanotube fibers arranged two-dimensionally. The carbon nanotube fiber is a fibrous material in which a plurality of carbon nanotubes are bonded by van der Waals forces.

[0040] 5, each of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 is formed by stacking, for example, multiple carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn. The CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 can be formed simply by stacking the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn using the van der Waals forces of the carbon nanotubes. For example, one sheet is formed by stacking two carbon nanotube thin films F1 and F2, and a thicker carbon nanotube sheet can be formed by further stacking carbon nanotube thin films F3, F4, ..., Fn.

[0041] The carbon nanotube fibers in the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn that are superposed on each other may be oriented in the same direction or in different directions. From the viewpoint of thermal conductivity, it is preferable that the carbon nanotube fibers in the carbon nanotube thin films that make up the CNT member are oriented in the same direction.

[0042] The carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn and the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 formed by stacking these thin films exhibit flexibility, and therefore can be formed to flexibly conform to the shape of the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d, such as rear wings, for which a curved shape is important in consideration of fluid flow.

[0043] Next, a method for manufacturing a wing mechanism will be described using as an example a method for manufacturing the rear wing 100 according to the above embodiment. The CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 included in the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are formed by stacking the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn, as described above. Each of the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn is fabricated, for example, by the methods shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0044] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a method for manufacturing a CNT component provided in an aerodynamic control member 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the CNT forest and CNTs extracted from the CNT forest in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 illustrates the process of forming a carbon nanotube thin film F.

[0045] To form a carbon nanotube thin film F, first, a carbon nanotube forest C is formed on a substrate such as a wafer W. The carbon nanotube forest C is composed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes that are aligned perpendicularly to the wafer W. The carbon nanotube forest C can be formed by forming a metal catalyst on the wafer W by sputtering or the like, and then by chemical vapor deposition using a carbon-containing gas.

[0046] The method for forming the carbon nanotube thin film F includes a drawing step of drawing out the carbon nanotubes located near the ends of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes that make up the carbon nanotube forest C. The drawing step can be performed using a winding drum or the like.

[0047] Carbon nanotubes have a very high specific surface area, and very strong van der Waals forces act between the carbon nanotubes. Therefore, when the drawing process is performed, the van der Waals forces cause the drawn carbon nanotube and the adjacent carbon nanotubes to be drawn out one after another. This is shown in Figure 7, where when carbon nanotube 80A located near the end in the y direction is drawn out, adjacent carbon nanotubes 80B, 80C, 80D, and 80E are drawn out one after another. In this way, a carbon nanotube fiber can be formed in which the carbon nanotubes are oriented in the direction in which they are drawn out.

[0048] 7 shows the drawing process at a predetermined position in the x direction, but because the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes that make up the carbon nanotube forest C are arranged two-dimensionally, the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes positioned in the depth direction of the page are also drawn in the same way to form carbon nanotube fibers. In this way, carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn can be formed in which the carbon nanotube fibers are aligned in the in-plane direction. The thickness of each of the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn is, for example, 4 to 50 nm.

[0049] Next, by appropriately stacking the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn, the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 can be formed. The carbon nanotube thin films attract each other simply by being stacked due to strong van der Waals forces. Next, electrodes E11A, E11B, E12A, E12B, E21A, E21B, E22A, and E22B are formed on the obtained CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22. In this manner, the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are formed.

[0050] Next, aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b are integrally molded with base 15 and coating layers 13a, 13b of first wing 10, and aerodynamic control members 60c, 60d are integrally molded with base 25 and coating layers 23a, 23b of second wing 20. Next, first wing 10 and second wing 20 are fixed, for example, to first support member 31 and second support member 32 having conductors connected to a battery system therein so that the electrodes are connected. Alternatively, CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 can be molded so that the electrodes are connected to different conductors, or after integral molding, electrodes E11A, E11B, E12A, E12B, E21A, E21B, E22A, and E22B can be processed so that they are connected to conductors connected to a battery system.

[0051] Carbon nanotubes exhibit high mechanical properties, such as a Young's modulus of 1 to 1.5 TPa and a tensile strength of 100 to 300 GPa. Because carbon nanotubes exhibit such high mechanical properties, they are compatible with many molding and processing techniques. For example, the first blade 10 and the second blade 20 can be molded by press molding or autoclave.

[0052] The CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 may be fixed to the bases 15 and 25 via an adhesive or the like. When the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 are fixed to the bases 15 and 25 with an adhesive, coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b are then appropriately formed on the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22. The coating layers may be formed at multiple locations on each of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 so as to cover each CNT member, or may be formed so as to cover the entire first wing 10 and the entire second wing 20, respectively, or may be formed so as to cover the entire aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d including the first support member 31 and the second support member 32. In other words, the coating layers 13a and 13b may be integral, or the coating layers 23a and 23b may be integral, or the coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b may be integral. After the coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b are formed, the electrodes E11A to E22B are fixed so as to be connected to, for example, wires connected to a battery system. The wires connected to the battery system are formed, for example, inside the first support member 31 and the second support member 32.

[0053] The above-described method can produce the rear wing 100 according to the above-described embodiment. Note that the above-described manufacturing method may include a step of performing further processing such as cutting or drilling depending on dimensional requirements, etc.

[0054] According to the wing mechanism of the above embodiment, by providing CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 connected to a power source via electrodes E11A, E11B, E12A, E12B, E21A, E21B, E22A, and E22B, the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 can be electrically heated, thereby creating a temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces of one or both of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20. By electrically heating the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22, the temperature of the wing portion 70 and its vicinity can be increased. By increasing the temperature of the wing portion 70 and its vicinity, the air around the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d can be heated. Heating the air around the CNT members increases the air flow velocity, and according to Bernoulli's principle, the air pressure decreases. Therefore, by forming CNT members at predetermined positions in the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d and heating them through electrical current, the air flow velocity in the vicinity of the electrically heated locations is increased more than in other locations, and the magnitude of the pressure applied to the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d at those locations is made lower than in other locations, thereby adjusting the pressure for each position of the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d and adjusting the lift or downforce applied to the wing section 70 on which the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are provided.

[0055] Because the CNT members are flexible, the aerodynamic control members 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d according to this embodiment can be applied to wing portions of any shape. Furthermore, because the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 are lightweight, there are few disadvantages when they are applied to moving bodies whose speeds and fuel consumption vary depending on their weight. Furthermore, CNT members have high mechanical strength, and are expected to achieve both light weight and strength in moving bodies where both light weight and strength are important.

[0056] Furthermore, the carbon nanotube thin films F1 to Fn, which are an example of the material for the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22, exhibit high thermal conductivity similar to that of carbon nanotubes. The thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes is approximately 1000 to 5000 W / mK, which is significantly higher than the thermal conductivity of iron (approximately 80 to 120 W / mK). Therefore, when it is desired to increase downforce or lift, the downforce or lift can be instantly increased by heating the CNT member corresponding to the purpose among the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22. The electrical heating of the CNT members can be controlled by switching the current from the power source on and off. Because the CNT members exhibit high thermal conductivity, when lift or downforce is required depending on the situation in the moving object, the lift or downforce can be instantly increased, and when large lift or downforce is not required, the lift or downforce can be instantly reduced by controlling the current from the power source to the CNT member corresponding to the purpose among the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22. It is also possible to instantly adjust the magnitude of lift or downforce by adjusting the value of the applied current.

[0057] As described above, the wing mechanism according to the above embodiment has a CNT member connected to an electrode, which makes it possible to increase lift or downforce with a lightweight and simple structure.

[0058] The details of the operation of the wing mechanism according to the above embodiment will be further explained using an example in which the rear wing 100 is used as the wing mechanism.

[0059] First, a case where the downforce applied to the first wing 10 is increased will be described. When a CNT member 12 is provided on the lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 of the rear wing 100 and heated by electrical current, the air flow velocity between the member 40 and the first wing 10 increases. Accordingly, according to Bernoulli's theorem, the air pressure between the member 40 and the first wing 10 decreases. Therefore, when the upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 is not heated, the pressure on the first wing 10 from the member 40 side is smaller than the pressure from the second wing 20 side, and the downforce applied to the first wing 10 can be increased.

[0060] Furthermore, when a CNT member connected to an electrode is provided on the member 40 and the CNT member is heated by passing an electric current through it, the air flow velocity between the member 40 and the first wing 10 increases, and the pressure decreases according to Bernoulli's theorem, making it possible to increase the downforce applied to the first wing 10. When a CNT member is provided on the member 40, it is preferable to provide the CNT member along the outermost surface of the member 40. The CNT member may be provided on the outermost surface of the member 40, or may be provided near the outermost surface of the member 40.

[0061] Next, a case where the downforce applied to the second wing 20 is increased will be described. When CNT members 11 are provided along the upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 of the rear wing 100, CNT members 22 are provided along the lower surface S20b of the second wing 20, and at least one of the CNT members 11 and 22 is electrically heated, the flow velocity of air passing through the gap between the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 increases. Accordingly, according to Bernoulli's theorem, the pressure of the air between the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 decreases. Therefore, the pressure from the first wing 10 side on the second wing 20 becomes smaller than the pressure from the opposite direction, and the downforce applied to the second wing 20 can be increased. From the viewpoint of sufficiently increasing the speed of the air when it passes directly below the second wing 20, it is preferable that the air be heated before passing through the second wing 20, and heating the air on the upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 is effective. In particular, when applied to a moving body that operates at a high speed, it is preferable to heat the air sufficiently ahead of the object for which it is desired to increase lift or downforce.

[0062] These effects of increasing lift or downforce are lost when the CNT material's electrical heating is stopped and the temperature becomes the same as the surroundings, so it is possible to adjust the amount of lift or downforce to be increased only when it is needed. For example, in a formula car, electrical heating can be applied to the CNT material when passing through a corner at high speed, and the electrical heating can be stopped after the car has passed through a corner, allowing for on-the-spot control according to the driving situation.

[0063] [Automobile] An automobile according to this embodiment is equipped with the wing mechanism according to the above embodiment. In the automobile according to this embodiment, the wing mechanism is disposed at the rear of the vehicle body. In a GT car, the wing mechanism is attached to the rear of the vehicle body. In a passenger car with a rear trunk, the wing mechanism is attached to the rear trunk. The wing mechanism in an automobile is, for example, a rear wing or a rear spoiler. A wing mechanism attached to a GT car may be particularly referred to as a GT wing.

[0064] The electrodes E11A to E22B provided on the aerodynamic control members 60a to 60d are connected to a power source, and by controlling the ON / OFF of the power source, it is possible to control whether or not the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 are electrically heated.

[0065] In the automobile according to this embodiment, for example, by heating one or both of the CNT members 11 provided along the upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 and the CNT members 21 provided along the lower surface S20b of the second wing 20, the air flowing between the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 can be heated. Such heating increases the flow velocity of the air flowing between the first wing 10 and the second wing 20, thereby increasing the downforce applied to the second wing 20 and increasing the downforce applied to the entire rear wing 100. Meanwhile, by heating the CNT members provided along one or both of the lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 and the upper surface S20a of the second wing 20, the air flowing between the member 40 and the first wing 10 and above the second wing 20 can be heated. Heating the air between the member 40 and the first wing 10 reduces the downforce on the first wing 10, and heating the air flowing above the second wing 20 reduces the downforce on the second wing 20.

[0066] Furthermore, the automobile according to this embodiment may be configured to have an aerodynamic control member disposed on the member 40. For example, in a passenger vehicle, an aerodynamic control member may be provided on the back door glass or rear trunk corresponding to the member 40, and the aerodynamic control member provided on the member 40 can heat the air between the member 40 and the first wing 10. In such a configuration, by heating one or both of the CNT member provided on the member 40 and the CNT member 11 provided on the first wing 10, the air between the member 40 and the first wing 10 can be heated, and the air flow velocity can be increased, thereby increasing the downforce on the first wing 10.

[0067] [Aerodynamic Control Method] The aerodynamic control method according to this embodiment applies a voltage to a CNT element provided on a moving body, adjusts the temperature of the air near the CNT element, and controls the lift or downforce applied to the moving body. The aerodynamic control method according to this embodiment may use the rear wing or rear spoiler according to the above embodiments, may be used on the front wing of a formula car, or may be used on an aircraft.

[0068] The aerodynamic control method according to this embodiment increases the temperature of the space facing a CNT element attached to a moving body by electrically heating the CNT element, thereby increasing the flow rate of the air flowing through that space and reducing the pressure, thereby increasing the lift or downforce applied to the moving body.

[0069] For example, if a CNT member is provided at the bottom of the wing of a wing mechanism and the moving body is moving forward, heating the CNT member heats the air in the space below the wing, increasing the flow rate of the air and reducing the pressure from that space onto the wing. Therefore, the pressure from below on the wing is smaller than the pressure from above, and the downforce acting on the wing is greater. On the other hand, if a CNT member is provided at the top of the wing and the moving body is moving forward, heating the CNT member heats the air above the wing, increasing the flow rate of the air and reducing the pressure from above onto the wing. Therefore, the pressure from above on the wing is smaller than the pressure from below, and the lift acting on the wing is greater.

[0070] It is also possible to increase the lift or downforce on the second wing 20 of a wing section that includes a first wing 10 and a second wing 20 provided at a distance from the first wing 10. For example, when a moving object is traveling forward, by electrically heating one or both of the CNT member 11 provided along the upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 and the CNT member 22 provided along the lower surface S20b of the second wing 20, the speed of air passing through the space between the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 is increased, and the pressure on the second wing 20 from below becomes smaller than the pressure on the second wing 20 from above, so a downforce acts on the second wing 20. On the other hand, when a moving object is traveling forward, by electrically heating the CNT member 21 provided on the upper surface S20a of the second wing 20, the speed of air passing through the space above the second wing 20 is increased, and the pressure on the second wing 20 from above becomes smaller than the pressure on the second wing 20 from below, so a lift force acts on the second wing 20.

[0071] As described above, in an aerodynamic control component having multiple wings, a downforce can be applied to the wing by electrically heating one or both of the CNT components provided on the underside of the wing on which downforce is desired to be applied and on the upper surface of the wing one position below that wing. Furthermore, lift can be applied to the wing by electrically heating one or both of the CNT components provided along the upper surface of the wing on which lift is desired to be applied and on the underside of the wing one position above that wing. The cross-sectional shape of the wing is not limited as long as it produces the desired effect.

[0072] In a moving body, there are times when lift or downforce is particularly needed and times when it is not, depending on the driving conditions. The aerodynamic control method according to this embodiment includes a switching step of switching ON / OFF electrical heating of the CNT member. In the switching step, when ON, when lift or downforce is particularly needed, the CNT member at a predetermined position is electrically heated to increase the lift or downforce, and when OFF, it is possible to control the CNT member so that electrical heating is not performed. Because CNT members exhibit high thermal conductivity, the aerodynamic control method according to this embodiment can instantly control the magnitude of lift or downforce by switching electrical heating ON / OFF in this way.

[0073] Furthermore, when the CNT member is in the ON state and electrically heated, it is possible to adjust the temperature of the air near the CNT member and control the magnitude of the lift or downforce applied to the CNT member by adjusting the value of the current applied to the CNT member. In the aerodynamic control method according to this embodiment, the magnitude of the lift or downforce applied to the CNT member also changes by adjusting the current value, making it possible to instantly adjust the lift or downforce to obtain the required amount.

[0074] 1 and 2, the effect of downforce due to heating of the aerodynamic control member is thought to be greater on the first wing 100 when the traveling speed is slow, whereas the effect of downforce due to heating of the aerodynamic control member is thought to be greater on the second wing 20 when the traveling speed is fast.

[0075] According to the above embodiment, the lift or downforce applied to the aerodynamic control member can be controlled by the simple method of electrically heating the CNT member.

[0076] In the wing mechanism according to the above embodiment, a configuration in which the CNT member is formed along all of the wing surfaces, namely the upper surface S10a and the lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 and the upper surface S20a and the lower surface S20b of the second wing 20, has been exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this example. It is sufficient that the CNT member is provided in at least one location.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the CNT members 11 are provided along the entire surfaces of the upper surface S10a and the lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 and the upper surface S20a and the lower surface S20b of the second wing 20. However, if the CNT members 11 are provided on only a portion of each surface, the effect can be obtained by heating the air around each surface. From the viewpoint of heating efficiency, the proportion of the upper surface S10a and the lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 and the upper surface S20a and the lower surface S20b of the second wing 20 occupied by the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 in a plan view is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 75% or more, and even more preferably 90% or more. From the viewpoint of increasing the downforce generated on the second wing 20, the CNT members 11 are preferably provided on the leading edge side of the upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 or on the entire upper surface S10a of the first wing 10 in order to warm the air passing through the space between the first wing 10 and the second wing 20. In this way, when the proportion of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, 22 that occupies the upper surface S10a and the lower surface S10b of the first wing 10 and the upper surface S20a and the lower surface S20b of the second wing is not 100%, it is preferable from the viewpoint of heating efficiency that the CNT members be provided from the leading edge side end of each of the upper surface S10a, the lower surface S10b, the upper surface S20a, and the lower surface S20b.

[0078] In the above embodiment, examples have been shown in which coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b are formed on the bases 15 and 25 and the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22, but the present invention is not limited to the above examples. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of an aerodynamic control member according to the modified example of Fig. 3 and a wing portion on which a portion of the aerodynamic control member is provided on the outermost surface. As shown in Fig. 8, the aerodynamic control member of the present invention may be configured such that the CNT member 11 is formed on the base 15 and no coating layer 13a is formed. In this way, the aerodynamic control member may be configured to be provided on the wing portion so that the CNT member is located on the outermost surface of the first wing 10 and the second wing 20.

[0079] Furthermore, the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 may be coated with a resin such as a PET film.

[0080] Furthermore, instead of the CNT members 11, 12, 21, and 22 that are spread out without gaps, CNT members that are lattice-shaped or striped when viewed in a plane and have voids or the like formed in some parts can also be used, as the air nearby can be heated by passing an electric current through the CNT member.

[0081] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a rear wing is exemplified in which the chord length of the second wing 20 is smaller than the chord length of the first wing 10, the magnitude of the angle of attack of the second wing 20 is larger than the magnitude of the angle of attack of the first wing 10, and the thickness of the second wing 20 is smaller than the thickness of the first wing 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the chord length of the second wing 20 may be larger than the chord length of the first wing 10, the magnitude of the angle of attack of the second wing 20 may be smaller than the magnitude of the angle of attack of the first wing 10, and the thickness of the second wing 20 may be larger than the thickness of the first wing 10.

[0082] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b were formed on the CNT member, but the CNT member may be exposed as described above without coating layers 13a, 13b, 23a, and 23b being formed on the CNT member.

[0083] Furthermore, while the above embodiment illustrates a wing mechanism including a wing section having a first wing 10 and a second wing 20, the present invention is not limited to this example. The wing mechanism may be configured to include a wing section consisting of a single first wing and an aerodynamic control member that controls aerodynamic forces by utilizing the temperature of the wing section or its vicinity. Here, a wing section consisting of a single first wing means that the mobile object is provided with substantially only one wing. The wing mechanism here includes wing mechanisms other than rear wings, such as front wings. In this specification, the term "wing mechanism" is a concept that includes, for example, the main wing of an airplane, the front and rear wings of a mobile object such as an automobile, and the propellers of a helicopter, drone, etc. Furthermore, the number of wings included in the wing mechanism may be three or more.

[0084] Furthermore, the number of blades included in the wing section provided in the wing mechanism may be one. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a wing mechanism according to the modified example of Fig. 2. The wing mechanism 101 shown in Fig. 9 includes a wing section 71 composed of a single first wing 50 and one or both of aerodynamic control members 60e and 60f that control aerodynamic forces using temperature. In the wing mechanism 101, the aerodynamic control member 60e is provided on the upper part of the first wing 50 near the upper surface S50a, and includes a sheet-shaped CNT member 51 and electrodes E51A and E51B electrically connected to the CNT member 51.

[0085] In the wing mechanism 101, the aerodynamic control member 60f includes a sheet-shaped CNT member 52 provided at the lower portion near the lower surface S50b of the first wing 50, and electrodes E52A and E52B electrically connected to the CNT member 52. The pair of electrodes E51A and E51B and the pair of electrodes E52A and E52B are disposed at the ends of the CNT members 51 and 52, respectively, sandwiching the CNT members 51 and 52. The electrodes E51A, E51B, E52A, and E52B are connected, for example, to intersect with the multiple carbon nanotube fibers provided in the CNT members 51 and 52. The pair of electrodes E51A and E51B and the pair of electrodes E52A and E52B are connected to the same power source. When a voltage is applied to the CNT members 51 and 52 from the power source, a current flows through the CNT members 51 and 52, enabling Joule heating.

[0086] In a wing mechanism 101 including a first wing 50 and a wing section 71 composed of aerodynamic control members 60e, 60f formed on at least one of the upper section near the upper surface 53a of the first wing 50 and the lower section near the lower surface 53b, as shown in FIG. 9 , lift or downforce can be increased by heating one of the aerodynamic control members 60e formed on the upper section and the aerodynamic control member 60f formed on the lower section. As described in the above embodiment, in this embodiment, the upper section refers to the upper half of the wing, and the lower section refers to the lower half. When the wing is divided into four sections in the thickness direction, the region where the CNT member is provided is preferably one or both of the uppermost and lowermost regions, and more preferably one or both of the upper and lower surfaces of the wing, or one or both of the regions below a predetermined depth from the upper surface of the wing.

[0087] For example, by heating the aerodynamic control member 60e formed on the upper part, the speed of air passing through the space above the first wing 50 is increased, and the pressure applied to the first wing 50 from above becomes smaller than the pressure applied to the first wing 50 from below, so lift acts on the first wing 50. Furthermore, by heating the aerodynamic control member 60f formed on the lower part, the speed of air passing through the space below the first wing 50 becomes larger, and the pressure applied to the first wing 50 from below becomes smaller than the pressure applied to the first wing 50 from above, so downforce acts on the first wing 50.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the wing section in which the first wing 10 and the second wing 20 are in an up-down relationship is illustrated, but the positional relationship of the multiple wings provided in the wing mechanism according to this embodiment is not limited to an up-down relationship. The principle of adjusting the velocity of a fluid near the region in which the CNT element is formed by heating the CNT element and changing the pressure caused by the fluid occurs regardless of the positional relationship of the wings. Therefore, for example, a configuration having multiple wings with the same vertical position component, i.e., a configuration in which multiple wings are arranged horizontally, or a configuration in which multiple wings are arranged both vertically and horizontally, may be used. On the other hand, when controlling the downforce of an aerodynamic control element provided on a moving body that does not move upward, such as a formula car, it is believed that the effect of Bernoulli's theorem can be further enhanced by arranging multiple wings vertically, with the upper wing positioned further rearward than the lower wing, and with adjacent wings partially overlapping each other.

[0089] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and alterations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as set forth in the claims. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims and their equivalents, as well as in the scope and gist of the invention.

[0090] The upper and / or lower limits of the numerical ranges described herein can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range. For example, the upper and lower limits of the numerical ranges can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range, the upper limits of the numerical ranges can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range, and the lower limits of the numerical ranges can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range.

[0091] Throughout this disclosure, singular terms should be understood to include the plural concept unless otherwise specified. Thus, singular articles (e.g., "a," "an," "the," etc. in English) should be understood to include the plural concept unless otherwise specified.

[0092] Examples of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0093] Example 1 In a rear wing having first and second wings used in a formula car or the like, CNT materials were applied along the upper surface of the first wing and the lower surface of the second wing from the leading edge to the trailing edge when viewed from above in a plan view, and a simulation was conducted of the downforce applied to the first and second wings when the CNT materials were electrically heated.

[0094] 10 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the wing mechanism according to Example 1. In Example 1, the size (w) of the rear wing in the width direction is set to 1800 mm. Also, the size (d) of the gap between the first wing and the second wing in the vertical direction is set to 40 mm.

[0095] The above design complies with the car design restrictions for F1 formula cars.

[0096] To replicate wind tunnel testing simulating the running of a formula car, a fluid analysis simulation was performed using Phoenix software under the following conditions: wind speed was 100 m / s (360 km / h). The heating temperature of the CNT component was 200°C. A turbulence model and a heat transfer model were selected in the fluid analysis software, and 2,000 iterative calculations were performed to evaluate the temperature distribution and air flow around the rear wing after heating the CNT component.

[0097] Comparative Example 1 The temperature distribution and air flow around the rear wing were evaluated by fluid analysis using the same method as in Example 1, except that the CNT member was not heated.

[0098] Fig. 11(a) is an image simulating the temperature of the fluid near the wing mechanism of Example 1, and Fig. 11(b) is an image simulating the temperature of the fluid near the wing mechanism of Comparative Example 1. As shown in Fig. 11(a), a rise in the temperature of the air located near the first wing was confirmed due to the electrical heating of the CNT member provided along the upper surface of the first wing. On the other hand, for Comparative Example 1, in which the CNT member was not heated, naturally no rise in the temperature of the air around the rear wing was confirmed.

[0099] Fig. 12 is a graph showing the downforce generated on the first wing and the second wing of the wing mechanisms of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. As shown in Fig. 12, almost no change in downforce on the first wing was observed due to heating of the CNT member. In contrast, it was confirmed that the downforce on the second wing increased from 4.2 MPa (Comparative Example 1) to 5.0 MPa (Example 1) due to heating of the CNT member.

[0100] In Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, the wind speed was set to a high value, assuming the conditions when a formula car is running. However, if the wind speed is set to a low value, it is thought that the downforce on the first wing will also increase due to heating of the CNT member.

[0101] 10 First wing 11, 12, 21, 22 CNT member 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b Coating layer 15, 25 Base 20 Second wing 31 First support member 32 Second support member 40 Member 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d Aerodynamic control member 70, 71 Wing portion 80A, 80B, 80C, 80D, 80E Carbon nanotube 100 Rear wing (wing mechanism) 101 Wing mechanism E11A, E11B, E12A, E12B, E21A, E21B, E22A, E22B Electrode F1 to Fn Carbon nanotube thin film S10a Upper surface S10b Lower surface S20a Upper surface S20b Lower surface W Wafer

Claims

1. An aerodynamic control element that is provided on a wing or a member facing the wing and controls aerodynamic forces using temperature, comprising: a sheet-shaped CNT element that is provided along the surface of the wing or the surface of the member facing the wing; and an electrode that is electrically connected to the CNT element.

2. A wing mechanism comprising: a wing portion having a first wing and a second wing provided above and behind the first wing and arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the first wing in a plan view from above; an aerodynamic control member provided on one or both of the first wing and the second wing and controlling aerodynamic forces using temperature, wherein the aerodynamic control member comprises: a CNT member having a sheet shape provided along a surface of one or both of the first wing and the second wing; and an electrode electrically connected to the CNT member.

3. The wing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the CNT member is provided on one or both of the upper and lower parts of the first wing.

4. The wing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the CNT member is provided on an upper portion of the first wing.

5. A wing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the chord length of the second wing is smaller than the chord length of the first wing, and the angle of attack of the second wing is larger than the angle of attack of the first wing.

6. A wing mechanism comprising a wing portion consisting of one first wing and an aerodynamic control member provided on the first wing that controls aerodynamic forces using temperature, wherein the aerodynamic control member is provided on one or both of the upper and lower parts of the first wing and comprises a sheet-shaped CNT member and an electrode electrically connected to the CNT member.

7. A motor vehicle comprising a wing mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 6.

8. The automobile according to claim 7, wherein the wing mechanism is disposed at the rear of the vehicle body and heats air flowing between the rear of the vehicle body and the CNT member.

9. An aerodynamic control method in which a voltage is applied to a CNT member provided on a moving body, the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the CNT member is adjusted, and the lift or downforce applied to the moving body is controlled.

10. An aerodynamic control method applicable to a wing mechanism comprising: a wing section having a first wing and a second wing provided above and rearward of the first wing and arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the first wing in a planar view from above; and an aerodynamic control member provided on the first wing and controlling aerodynamics by utilizing the temperature of the wing section or its vicinity, wherein the aerodynamic control member comprises: a first lower CNT member having a sheet shape provided along the underside of the first wing; a first upper CNT member having a sheet shape provided along the upper surface of the first wing; and a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to each of the first lower CNT member and the first upper CNT member, wherein either the first lower CNT member or the first upper CNT member is heated in accordance with the traveling speed of the automobile.

11. The aerodynamic control method according to claim 10, wherein the first upper CNT member is provided on an upper portion of the first wing, and the first lower CNT member is provided on a lower portion of the first wing.

Images