Deployable Diffuser Positioning for On-Road Drag and Off-Road Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles face challenges in balancing aerodynamic drag reduction during road travel while maintaining the ability to navigate off-road terrain without damaging deployable diffusers.
Innovation Solution
A deployable diffuser system that adjusts its position based on vehicle mode, speed, and environmental conditions, using sensors and actuators to deploy or stow the diffuser to optimize aerodynamics and avoid obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the diffuser is deployed to reduce drag during road travel, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but the risk of hitting obstacles during off-road operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser is designed with movable capability, allowing it to dynamically change position between deployed and stowed states based on operating conditions. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to optimize aerodynamics during road travel while protecting the diffuser during off-road operation, directly resolving the contradiction between drag reduction and damage prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that detect vehicle operating conditions and provide feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically adjusts the diffuser position accordingly - deploying it during road travel to reduce drag and stowing it during off-road operation to prevent damage, thereby resolving the contradiction through closed-loop control
2Loss of energy
If the diffuser is deployed to improve aerodynamics, then energy consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to adding actuators and sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser system is designed to perform multiple functions: aerodynamic drag reduction during road travel and obstacle protection during off-road operation. By integrating the drag reduction function with the protection function into a single system, the patent achieves energy savings without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same mechanical structure serves dual purposes
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to automatically adjust the diffuser position based on sensor feedback without requiring constant manual intervention. The control system autonomously monitors operating conditions and actuates the diffuser accordingly, reducing the need for complex manual control mechanisms while achieving energy efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
The system can include a diffuser disposed at a rear of a vehicle. A side of the diffuser can be positioned to face the earth. The system can include an actuator coupled with the diffuser and configured to deploy the diffuser to adjust drag on the vehicle. The system can include a sensor configured to detect an obstacle. The system can include one or more processors that are in communication with the sensor and the actuator. The one or more processors can be configured to identify a mode of operation of the vehicle. The one or more processors can be configured to determine, based on input from the sensor and the mode of operation, a position to which to move the diffuser. The one or more processors can be configured to transmit a command to the actuator to move the diffuser to the position.