Adjustable Closure Plate for Vehicle Brake Cooling and Aerodynamics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle designs fail to optimally reduce flow resistance and ensure sufficient cooling of wheel brake devices while minimizing material, cost, and weight, as they do not effectively combine cooling and spoiler functions in a single element.
Innovation Solution
A closure plate in the motor vehicle's base plate, adjustable based on wheel brake device operating states, driving speed, and ambient temperature, which can convert between open and closed positions to manage cooling air flow and assume a wheel spoiler function at higher speeds, thereby reducing flow resistance and enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a closure plate is extended beyond the base plate to form a wheel spoiler, then flow resistance is reduced, but ground clearance is reduced and damage risk increases at low speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The closure plate is designed to be movable between a retracted position (flush with base plate) and an extended position (protruding as wheel spoiler). The plate is actuated based on detected driving speed: extended when speed exceeds threshold to reduce flow resistance, retracted when speed is low to prevent damage and maintain ground clearance.
2Reliability
If separate components are used for cooling ducts and wheel spoilers, then functional requirements are met, but material, cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The closure plate serves dual functions: it acts as a closure element for the cooling air duct when retracted, and forms a wheel spoiler when extended. This integration eliminates the need for separate components, reducing material usage, manufacturing cost, and vehicle weight while maintaining both cooling and aerodynamic functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure plate is designed to perform multiple functions depending on its position: at low positions it closes the cooling duct opening, at high positions it forms an aerodynamic wheel spoiler. This multi-functionality allows a single component to replace what would traditionally require separate parts for cooling management and aerodynamic optimization.
3Temperature
If the cooling air duct is kept open, then cooling efficiency is improved, but flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure plate dynamically adjusts the opening of the cooling air duct based on real-time detection of wheel brake temperature and driving speed. When brakes are hot and cooling is needed, the plate moves to open the duct. When brakes are cool and vehicle speed is high, the plate closes the duct to reduce flow resistance and improve aerodynamics.
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 solution achieves material and cost savings by integrating cooling and spoiler functions, ensuring effective cooling of wheel brake devices at various speeds and temperatures, while preventing damage at low speeds by retracting the spoiler function for improved ground clearance.
Implementation Method 1
one or more other operating position/s of the closure plate is/are provided in which the same, forming a wheel spoiler, protrudes through the base plate of the motor vehicle in the direction of the road surface of the motor vehicle
Implementation Method 2
at least one cooling air duct (3) is formed in a base plate (2) of the motor vehicle for applying a cooling air flow (5) to a wheel brake device (6)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1), comprising at least one cooling air duct (3) formed in a base plate (2) of said vehicle for supplying a cooling air stream (5) to a wheel brake device (6) of the motor vehicle (1), wherein an adjustable closure element in the form of a closure plate (8) is associated with the at least one cooling air duct (3), which closure plate, depending on a sensed operating state of the wheel brake device (6) and/or depending on the driving speed "VF" of the motor vehicle (1), can be transferred into an operating position in which the cooling air duct (3) is at least partly opened and the cooling air stream (5) is permitted and, moreover, can be transferred into an operating position in which the cooling air duct (3) is closed and said cooling air stream (5) is prevented. Advantageously, one or more further operating position(s) of the closure plate (8) is/are also provided, in which the plate, forming a wheel spoiler (13), projects beyond the base plate (2) of the motor vehicle (1), toward the plane of travel (14) of the latter.