Air Guide Device with Contour-Conforming Lateral Sections

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air guide devices for motor vehicles lack high aerodynamic efficiency due to air flowing underneath the device, which reduces downforce and affects driving behavior.

Innovation Solution

The air guide device features extendable lateral sections with bottom surfaces designed to conform to the vehicle's external contour, minimizing the gap between the device and the vehicle, and optionally includes sealing elements to prevent air from flowing underneath, with adjustable movements optimized for velocity-dependent downforce generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If the air guide device is extended to increase air guide surface, then downforce is improved, but air flows underneath the device reducing aerodynamic efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedownforceVSAvoidair flow underneath device

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The air guide device is divided into a central air guide body and two lateral air guide body sections that can be independently extended. This segmentation allows the lateral sections to be positioned close to the vehicle contour while the central body generates downforce, preventing air from flowing underneath the entire device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bottom surfaces of the lateral air guide body sections are specifically designed to conform to the external vehicle contour (fenders or trunk lid), creating a localized seal at the critical edges where air would otherwise flow underneath. This local adaptation prevents harmful air flow without affecting the overall downforce-generating structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If sealing elements are added to prevent air flow underneath, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair flow underneath deviceVSAvoidsealing elements

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Elastic rubber lips are used as sealing elements at the bottom edges of the lateral air guide body sections. These flexible sealing elements conform to the vehicle contour and prevent air from flowing underneath the device while maintaining a relatively simple structural implementation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Force

If lateral sections are extended to increase air guide surface, then downforce is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedownforceVSAvoidbottom surface contour

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Only the bottom surfaces of the lateral air guide body sections that contact the vehicle contour require high manufacturing precision to ensure proper sealing. The rest of the air guide surfaces can be manufactured with standard tolerances, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining aerodynamic effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

This design enhances aerodynamic efficiency by ensuring air flows over the device, increasing downforce and improving driving behavior while maintaining a sleek aesthetic.

Implementation Method 1

Minimizing the distance between the lateral air guide body sections and the external vehicle contour, such as a fender or trunk lid, prevents air from flowing underneath the air guide device or the air guide body and thus improves the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

The bottom surfaces of the air guide body sections, which are designed to conform to the external vehicle contour, create a dynamic pressure in front of the air guide body itself and/or, with respect to the driving direction, in front of the air guide body sections, which helps the air flow resulting from the wind to flow only over the air guide device and not under it.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDynamic pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

The minimum of one sealing element can be designed, for example, in the manner of an elastic rubber lip, which, when the air guide device is extended, rests with a sealing action on the external vehicle contour.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic sealing: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8333424B2Air guide device

Publication Date: 2012.12.18 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

An air guide device for a motor vehicle, especially a rear spoiler, which can be moved between a retracted, nonoperating position and an extended, operating position and comprises an air guide body, on which two lateral air guide body sections, which can be moved in the transverse direction of the vehicle, are arranged. It is provided that the contours of the bottom surfaces of the lateral air guide body sections facing the vehicle conform to the cooperating external vehicle contour at least when the these air guide body sections are in the operating position.