Active Side Skirts for Underbody Downforce on Road Cars
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of skirts on road-use passenger cars is made impossible by road surface irregularities, which cause damage and violate static clearance regulations, while also increasing aerodynamic drag and conflicting with the need for high vertical aerodynamic load (downforce) at high speeds.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of ribbon-like side skirts that are flag-hinged to the underbody and controlled by an electronic drive system to adjust their inclination and ground distance, allowing them to adapt to road conditions and maintain a predetermined position, preventing airflow disturbance and minimizing impact damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If rigid skirts are installed on the underbody to prevent airflow disturbance and increase downforce, then vertical aerodynamic load is improved, but the skirts are damaged by road surface irregularities and violate static clearance regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the skirts flexible and movable rather than rigid and fixed. The skirts are designed to be able to move vertically and adapt their position in response to road surface irregularities, allowing them to maintain aerodynamic effectiveness while avoiding damage from impacts with the road surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible shells and thin films by using flexible skirt materials that can bend and deform. These flexible skirts are attached to the underbody in a manner that allows them to conform to varying road conditions while still preventing airflow disturbance and generating downforce.
2Force
If rigid skirts are installed to prevent airflow disturbance, then downforce is increased, but aerodynamic drag increases and conflicts with energy optimization needs
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible skirts can dynamically adjust their position and shape to optimize the balance between downforce generation and drag reduction. When downforce is needed, the skirts extend to prevent airflow disturbance; when energy efficiency is prioritized, the skirts can retract or adapt to minimize drag.
3Force
If skirts extend close to the ground to prevent airflow disturbance, then downforce is maximized, but the vehicle violates minimum ground clearance regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible skirts are designed to extend close to the ground only when necessary for aerodynamic performance, and their flexible nature allows them to adapt to the vehicle's ground clearance variations without violating regulations. The skirts can conform to the space available while still effectively preventing airflow disturbance.
4Force
If the underbody with flat floor is used to generate downforce, then vertical aerodynamic load is improved, but the addition of skirts increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible skirt design simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for complex rigid mounting structures, hinges, and adjustment mechanisms. The flexible materials can be directly attached to the underbody in a straightforward manner while still achieving the desired aerodynamic effects.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables effective airflow management and protection against road irregularities, maintaining downforce while reducing drag and ensuring compliance with clearance regulations, thus optimizing vehicle performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the flat shape of the underbody generates, beneath the passenger car, a depression (low-pressure air zone) which, in turn, generates a vertical force that tends to press the passenger car to the ground (downforce)
Implementation Method 2
the side skirts have a ribbonlike structure and are flag-hinged to the underbody so as to be able to vary their incline with respect to the vertical
Data Source
AI summary
A road-use motor vehicle comprising a vehicle-vehicle body provided with a plurality of ground-resting wheels, a powertrain adapted to drive into rotation at least one of said ground-resting wheels; an underbody, which is arranged to cover, or is integrated into, the lower part of the vehicle-vehicle body so as to directly face the ground; at least one pair of side skirts, which have a ribbonlike structure, are flag-hinged to the underbody on opposite sides of a vehicle vertical midplane so as to vary their incline with respect to the vertical, and are adapted to prevent the airflows that flow along the lateral sides of the vehicle from reaching the central area of the underbody, and an electronic drive system, which is adapted to rotate said side skirts so as to vary the ground distance of the distal longitudinal edges of the same side skirts.